Hablemos! Let’s Talk!
Hablemos unites the community.
Hablemos is a Spanish- and English-language conversation group for DuPage County residents. It’s a community effort with Literacy DuPage facilitating the discussion, and WeGo Together for Kids (a collective impact collaboration of West Chicago Elementary School District 33) providing the Zoom platform for the group to meet. Before COVID-19, Gallery 200 offered the in-person meeting space.
Hablemos means “Let’s Talk!” and that is what we do!
This interactive session is about communicating with those who do not speak the same language. Everyone learns from each other! The English-language speakers learn some Spanish, and the Spanish-language speakers gain some English.
The goal of Hablemos is to acquire the language needed to interact with people in the community. To achieve this practical and real-life goal, each week’s required vocabulary is introduced and practiced. For example, the day’s discussion may be centered around daily activities, holidays, favorite colors, delectable foods, or health.
Conversation group leader Karen says, “We are able to unite and bridge the community so people don’t just live next to each other, but can interact successfully with each other.
Hablemos is much more than a conversation group though. Participants find common ground and build strong, meaningful, and lasting relationships. By bringing native Spanish and English speakers together, the group practices and improves language skills. This strengthens and engages diverse DuPage County.
Attending Frida Kahlo Timeless
In June, the Hablemos group met in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and took a field trip to the Frida Kahlo Timeless exhibition presented by the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage. The group enjoyed their time together and the exceptional exhibit.
Looking to the future and how to get involved
The hope for Hablemos is that its attendance and scope grow to allow for more learning, collaboration, and relationship building.
The class is closed for fall 2021 but another class will be offered in the winter. Please contact our Tutor Support Specialist,
Carol Garcia, to learn more or to register for the winter session.
At Literacy DuPage, we have nine conversation groups that meet regularly. Two of the groups are meeting in person while the rest meet virtually. These groups are intended to give adult English as a Second Language (ESL) learners more practice speaking English in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere.
There is no charge for attendance. Registration is required to attend most groups. All adult English learners — and their tutors — are welcome! You can learn more about these groups
here.