Where the Sun Breezes Don't Stop Shining
Teachers' Journals
The Adult Literacy Resource Institute's
New Americans Homeowners Project:
A Workshop Approach
by Bonnie Nadler
Haitian Multi-Service Center
While the lessons in How to Buy Home in the U.S. are somewhat simple, they nonetheless provide a valuable opportunity for teaching some of the basics of homebuying; specifically, credit and consumerism. I think one of the values of this program is that it may help the English learner understand more about what he/she can and cannot accomplish financially. Another value is that the learner can understand the need to prepare thoroughly for homebuying, should that be the student's wish. The primary purpose of this curriculum is to educate non-English speaking students about the process of buying a home and not necessarily to encourage homebuying.
The Workshops
At the first workshop presented by the A.L.R.I., the participating teachers met to become acquainted with How to Buy a Home in the United States with a plan to adapting it to the needs of particular classes. Teachers noted places they could supplement with their own materials. In general, we found: 1) the need for more relevant vocabulary in the glossary at the end of the book; more details about the homebuying process; Boston-specific information, including prices of homes, first-time homebuying courses, etc.; and "real-life" stories that students could relate to directly. Teacher participants then discussed possible goals and uses for the curriculum, such as: 1) to provide English learners with information regarding homebuying, personal finances, consumer credit and resume writing; 2) to encourage students to avail themselves of various community resources whether or not they owned a home or planned to buy one.
In order to understand immigrants' needs more deeply, workshop participants also learned some useful statistics from the "FannieMae National Housing Survey, 1995" regarding the desirability of home ownership among the immigrant population. Seventy-one percent of immigrants surveyed said they felt that owning a home would make them feel more a part of the American community. Sixty-one percent believed that they had to live in the U.S. for at least five years before being able to buy a home, and sixty percent believed that home ownership was within their reach.
Participants then learned about some of the barriers to homeownership immigrants perceived, including the lack of available information. In addition, many immigrants felt that discrimination worked against their efforts to buy a home. Another barrier for immigrants was the lack of English, skills in math, and understanding the required procedures for homebuying.
At the end of the first session, teachers agreed that they would need to supplement what is basically a launchpad curriculum with outside references.
The second workshop began with a presentation on the problem of lead paint poisoning, led by Lenore Balliro of the A.L.R.I. Three purposes were behind Lenore's in-depth presentation, based on her own research as a mother and homeowner: 1) to provide information on a critical health concern in low-income communities where lead paint exists; 2) to make the curriculum relevant to students who would remain tenants for a few more years as they made plans to buy; and 3) to demonstrate how to carry out research by making use of materials in the public domain.
Lenore provided information not usually discussed in other lead paint materials, such as the presence of lead in soldering used for pipes, soil contaminated by outside paint sloughing off exterior walls, window frames shedding paint dust through use, glazes on imported pottery, and toys imported from developing countries, and paint pigments on plastic bags turned inside out for re-use. She also pointed out that inspection for lead paint was not required for home or rental purchase/occupation.
At the second workshop, teachers also shared updates about how they were using the curriculum. Some chose to use the whole book, others chose to teach individual chapters. Various methods of implementation and use were discussed, methods shared, and suggestions offered.
The third and final workshop proved to be the most informative and intensive of the three. Presenters included: Doreen Treacy, from the Boston Home Center (City of Boston, Dept. of Public Facilities); Florence Hagins, the director of Housing Counseling, from the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance (MAHA) and Angelo Nuby, Deputy Director of the FannieMae Boston Partnership Office.
Doreen Treacy began the session by stating that Boston has a very low percentage of homeowners versus renters, compared to other major urban areas mainly because Boston has a large transient population of students. In response, various non-profit organizations and government agencies are trying to stabilize communities by promoting homeownership to low-income and immigrant residents, who are traditionally overlooked. Immigrants, in particular, face numerous obstacles in the process of homebuying. One major obstacle is the lack of a "documentable" credit history. The idea of non-traditional credit history (written proof that standard financial obligations -- rent, utilities, etc., are paid on time) is fairly new, and gaining increased acceptance, especially with banks in communities that are eager to reach diverse communities. Many immigrants do not understand or trust the American system of banking and credit , and this is one way to help them begin that process.
Doreen also explained that FannieMae is one of the largest shareholders of mortgages, buying them from many banks across the country. She explained the basic criteria that FannieMae looks for when buying a mortgage, such as the ratio of income to mortgage payments and other debts.
Doreen also informed the group about incentives currently in place to help first-time homebuyers. These include various grants for down payments and closing costs. The grant amounts vary depending on the home purchased, the income(s) of the purchaser(s), and the required percentage of the purchase price as a down payment. Throughout the process, prospective homebuyers are encouraged to be realistic about what they can truly afford.
Teachers also had questions about immigrant residency/citizenship requirements. Anyone who wishes to own property can do so, as long as that person has either a Social Security or Taxpayer's Identification number, which is needed for income verification. Undocumented workers, may face problems because finance institutions ask for two years worth of tax returns, some sequential pay stubs, and tax documentation. This "paper trail" cannot exist without documented paperwork.
Florence Hagins of the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance (MAHA) introduced her organization by describing the homebuying courses it offers, and its participation in the "soft second" mortgage program. This subsidised mortgage program is available to prospective homebuyers with an annual income of $25,000 or less. There are strict price ceilings for various types of homes that can be considered for this program. The benefits of the program include no points and an interest rate of one half percent below market rate. She also stated that banks are now in competition for low income mortgages and are trying to create their own programs along the lines of the "soft second."
Participants in the "soft second" program also must agree to take homebuyng classes as well as "home maintenance" classes. Along with these classes, other homebuying courses, which are open to the public are usually filled to capacity. MAHA has a listing of these courses. Although these classes are mandatory for those participating in "soft second" mortgage program and city programs, they are not required for those using traditional banks. Consequently, many people enter homebuying without a clue about their rights or responsibilities.
Through the classes offered by the City of Boston and MAHA, people became aware of the possibilities, advantages and limitations of homeownership. These classes succeed when participants gain more knowledge about homebuying and consumerism, not when they run out to buy homes. Florence emphasized that with the exception of participating banks, very few financial institutions possess a great deal of information about alternative homebuying options.
The FannieMae Boston Partnership
Angelo Nuby of the FannieMae Partnership office provided participants with a short history of the FannieMae Corporation from its beginnings as a government agency in the 1930s to its present incarnation as a private company chartered by Congress. FannieMae makes sure mortgage money is available for people in communities across the country. It doesn't lend directly to home buyers, but invests in the mortgages made by lenders. In this way, FannieMae provides a constant source of mortgage funds. The FannieMae Foundation was developed as a separate, not-for-profit organization to provide education, information and resources to those interested in entering the homebuying market for the first time. He stressed that unlike FreddieMac and JennieMae, both organizations have no current connections with the government.
There are rigid guidelines governing types of mortgages FannieMae can purchase. For example, the highest mortgage it is allowed to buy can be no higher than $214,000 by mandate. The various actions and provisions of the program allow money to be kept in circulation and available to low income homebuyers. Its profits are also limited by mandate. The corporation also has pre-set goals, which determine who gets money, as well as how much is allocated in each case.
Angelo then provided the participants with more specific information regarding the FannieMae Foundation and its purposes. It publishes brochures for prospective first-time homebuyers and develops and provides curricula for use in various appropriate settings. Its services are basically free of charge, other than materials fees to help cover costs. Initial curriculum packages usually cost nothing, and charges for additional materials are low. Any profits that occur are used to educate banks, insurance companies and agents, realtors and brokers, as well as community groups.
The FannieMae Foundation will also fund educational programs that are dedicated to housing education. Requests for funding need to be submitted in proposal form with all necessary validated information. The Foundation has several partnership offices, one of which is located in Boston. The largest goal of this office is to facilitate outreach through education partnerships among the foundation, the city of Boston, and lenders.
Community Resources
Angelo S. Nuby
Deputy Director
Fannie Mae Boston Partnership Office
40 Broad Street
Boston, MA 02109
617-426-6582
Doreen Treacy
Boston Home Center
26 Court Street
Boston, MA
617-635-4663
Florence Hagins
Director of Housing Counseling
Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance
1803 Dorchester Ave.
Dorchester, MA 02124
617-265-8995
Lessons and Inquiries: Teachers' Journals
Serious Non-Fiction: Teaching First-time Homebuying
by Lee Haller
Anthony Perkins Community Center
Most of my students have been in the U.S. for five to ten years, but three have been here for only a few months. No one in my class owned a home. Before this unit on first-time homebuying, we had mostly used stories and biographies in class. We had talked a lot about families, work, and life in the US, but we hadn't done much content-based learning, or what I would call "serious non-fiction." It's a weakness in my teaching in general, so I saw the notice from the A.L.R.I. as an opportunity to have my hand held through a big content-based unit. I asked the class about it before applying, telling them that it would take about a month. Their response was so overwhelmingly positive throughout that it has carried me, sometimes dubious but willing, along.
When I first received the curriculum, I found it overwhelming because it covered so much, and I knew very little about how people buy houses. I floundered for a few weeks after our first workshop at the ALRI. By the time the teachers' group had its second meeting, many people seemed to already have finished with the unit, and I had barely started. I really needed that second meeting, where I heard what others had done, and where we got some more information and supporting materials. The speakers we heard also helped too, once I got started. I'd like to focus on how I started the unit, since that was much more difficult for me than what we did later.
Housedreaming
The first thing I did in class, before I handed out the materials, was ask them to draw a picture of either their house now, their house in their country, or their dream house. I brought many colored pens and gave them about 20 minutes to draw. I had them break into groups and describe what they'd drawn to the group. I unfortunately underestimated their interest in this activity, and class ended long before they were finished! Nevertheless, I found it a nice way to begin, because it grounded the whole experience in what they knew well--their houses and their dreams.
Advantages and Disadvantages
In the next class, I put up a big piece of paper and we brainstormed advantages, disadvantages, and facts about owning a house. What follows is their list:
| Advantages | Disadvantages | Facts |
| After 30 years, it's yours. | If you can't pay, you lose it. | You need a good job. |
| When you die, your kids inherit the house. | If you die before you finish paying, your kids might lose it. | You need good credit. |
| Security | Fear | |
| You can fix things. | You have to fix things. |
Brainstorming Questions
We also brainstormed questions: What is a closing? If you buy a house, do you have to have a lawyer? If you want to buy a house, do you go to a real estate agent? Do you need to check the bank to find out about your credit? How can I prevent being denied? What about buying a house cheap and getting a loan to fix it up? Does the bank help somebody buy a house? Are you supposed to put money down?
It was an impressively complete list, considering we hadn't even started yet. Some of them knew a lot already. I faced my inadequacy squarely, rushed to the library, and borrowed two books about buying a first home. That weekend, I drowned myself in real estate.
Reading a Table of Contents
The next lesson we did was on how to read a table of contents. I asked them to open the books I'd just given them and find the page in the beginning where you can get information about what is in the whole book. I asked questions like "What's unit 2 about? How many chapters does it have?", then said that with a book that gives information, you can read any part of it you want to--you don't have to start at the beginning. I told them to read the chapter titles and decide which chapters were their first and second priorities to read. While they were doing that, I wrote the chapter titles on a big piece of paper. Then I got a student to ask everyone what their priorities were and kept track by writing ones and twos next to the chapter titles. The class had chosen "Getting the money to buy a house," "Your credit report," and "What you should know about mortgage loans." "How to find the right home" was a close fourth.
Student Research
After that, teaching the curriculum got easy! We followed those first three units pretty closely, skipping most of the grammar exercises. In the mortgage unit, I brought in the list of lenders and rates from the Sunday Boston Globe and we read that chart, looking for best rates. I found that it worked fine to skip around in the book like that--the lessons were pretty self-contained. After a month or so, with only five weeks of school left, I asked the class what they wanted for the rest of the year. They unanimously wanted to learn vocabulary for different kinds of houses, understand real estate ads in the paper, learn to read maps so they could find addresses (as an extra bonus, one woman figured out how to get to her new job more quickly), and prepare for a guest speaker. They wrote their questions for the speaker in advance on index cards. Florence Hagins from the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance answered those (and many others) and gave an overview of the home buying process in Boston. (Questions follow this narrative.)
One night we went to the Literacy Center at the Dudley branch of the Boston Public Library where the librarian showed them how to search for houses on the Internet. They had all used computers before in class, but for many, this was the first use for research, and it was very exciting. They went to the Boston Globe Homepage and then searched for either houses for sale or houses recently sold. They could select for neighborhood, size, and price. There was a separate site that led those who wanted through an estimate of what they could afford. A few were thrilled to find houses for sale in their neighborhood that they might be able to afford someday, while two students searched laughingly for houses with swimming pools in the suburbs. This night was also a kind of reality check for us, as the computers did not lie. The fact is that many students in this program are very low-income, much more so than students in programs in other neighborhoods or in community colleges. Many found that there was nothing at all available for what the computer said they could afford, or that the only places for sale were much too small for their families.
Conclusion
Overall, our experience with the curriculum was a resounding success. We took the inquiry much further than I thought we would, and everyone was happy at how much they learned. I personally learned a huge amount and started to think about trying to buy a house myself. The ALRI was enormously helpful and encouraging, and having "had my hand held" for one big content-based unit, I'm much more prepared to do it myself, with other topics, in the future.
Students' Questions on First-time Homebuying
Questions are from Lee Haller's ESOL class at the Anthony Perkins Community School and presented to a speaker on first-time homebuying, Florence Hagins, of the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance. They are unedited.
1) What is low income?
2) How many years I can finish pay a house if I buy a house?
3) Does the bank have the right to take your money if you cannot pay the house anymore?
4) Does the land belong to you when you finish to pay the house?
5) After you finish to pay all your mortgages, can you destroy the house to build another one?
6) Which advantages do you have in buying a house rather than renting?
7) What is the lowest price one family house, 2 bedroom?
8) My credit report is no good. I want to buy a house. I can't buy in my name or another name?
9) If I want to buy a house, how much money I suppose to have for down payments?
10) If I have bad credit when I buy the house, is it possible?
11) How do you know you can afford a house?
12) How much money you might need to buy a 3-bedroom?
13) If you make $26,00 a year are you low-income?
14) If I want to buy a house, how can I find a house to buy?
15) Before I ask you my question, I want to tell you thanks for your
participation.
My question is: If I want to buy a house, what's the first
stage I must attempt?
Exploring Content Through Language
by Veronica Gouvea
Roxbury Community College
Summary
The students at Roxbury Community College participating in this project are in a low-advanced level of Applied Grammar. The focus of this course is to provide students with speaking activities which will enable them to practice using advanced grammatical structures and functions and apply them in a variety of contextual situations. These students are full-time ESOL students, several are also taking courses in computer information, and most are preparing for college level courses.
The syllabus for this course is content-based. The content is not merely something to practice language with; rather, language is something to explore content with. My decision to participate in the project came from my interest in exploring new content areas and also the homebuying process. As a homeowner and landlord with two properties, I am experienced in the homebuying process - from dealing with lenders to dealing with tenants. Although I appreciate the complexity of homebuying, I am an advocate for home ownership.
Before introducing the homebuying curriculum, I discovered that out of 22 students, one was a homeowner, one lived with parents who are homeowners, and three or four had already been thinking about buying a home. Of the other eighteen students, most were somewhat interested in learning about homebuying. In the end about seven were keenly interested in homebuying. All students received information about home-buying classes and the latter group was reminded and encouraged to attend those classes.
The units from the curriculum that I chose to present to my class were the following:
Unit 1, Lesson 2 - Getting money to buy a home
Unit 2, Lesson 2 - How to find the right home
Unit 3, Lesson 2 - How to shop for a loan
These units were chosen because they present skills and problem solving which students could benefit from regardless of homebuying as a goal.
Presentation of Curriculum
Unit One: Getting money to buy a home; reasons to borrow money and sources of money, an introduction to homebuying as a content area, general discussions about homebuying. All students agreed that money was a key factor to successfully buying a home. The books were distributed after some discussion; students were very pleased to have the book, and I was happy to give them something tangible which would enable them to explore the homebuying process beyond what was covered in class, and/or at their own pace.
In presenting Unit One, the class brainstormed reasons that people need money: medical emergencies, to buy a car, education, pleasure and to rent or buy a home are some. Sources of money that the students came up with: friends/family, banks. We talked about the difference between banks and lenders and agreed to the term "lender" for our discussions. I felt it was important to make it clear that whatever the reason for borrowing money, much of the language is the same. I also wanted to make it clear that there are many valid reasons for borrowing money.
Although we did not use Lesson 3, "Your Credit Report," I referred students to that unit. We discussed the need for credit and also the dangers of credit. We all know how easy it is to get in serious debt/trouble with credit cards. I believe it is our obligation to the students to caution them in this regard. As I recall this was something that other project participants were concerned about.
Unit Two: How to Find the Right Home: Before discussing finding the right home, the class brainstormed the advantages of owning a home. (One student was note-keeper.) Reasons were:
The class discussed different ways to find a home either to rent or to buy -- again I did not want to limit the discussion to homebuying. "Word-of-mouth", bulletin boards, signs, classified ads and real estate agencies were all discussed as was the role of real estate agents.
Tenants' Rights
From our discussion of homeownership vs. renting we moved into tenancy issues. All students were very much interested in tenants' rights. I referred to the BOCA curriculum on ENERGY, Exploring Environmental Social and Financial Costs, Unit III, "Making Changes: problems and possibilities" - "Tenants' Rights, and Tenants' Rights Quiz". The students found this especially helpful. Since many students seemed to be thinking about buying a home with conditions for rental income, we discussed the importance of tenants' rights both as tenants and as landlords. We also talked about the importance of respecting each other's space and privacy, referring back to advantages of owning and making connections to tenants' rights. Local tenant rights resources were distributed.
Unit Three: How to Shop for a Loan. We went back to credit history/issues and job history to make a connection to shopping for a loan. We referred to lesson 2, page 7 and read Buonlap's job history. In groups students discussed Buonlap's qualifications based on his job history. As one student from each group reported back to the class, a note-keeper recorded comments. Students showed an understanding of the qualifications.
Following that we discussed sources of mortgage loans with special attention to local programs and opportunities for first time homebuyers, immigrants and low-income families. I felt it was important to stress the value and availability of homebuying classes and certificate programs.
In closing our unit on homebuying, we agreed that homebuying was not always the right thing to do at certain times in our lives. It is a very important decision and homebuyers must understand the commitment and be prepared to make that commitment. Understanding the process was encouraged so that when the time is right, students can buy homes successfully and with confidence.
Through all units, new vocabulary was reinforced, vocabulary from previous units was reviewed, and the grammatical structures stated as objectives for this course were practiced in the context of housing.
Follow-up
As a follow-up to what really was a brief introduction to homebuying, another instructor and participant in the New Americans Homeowners Project and I invited all interested ESOL students to a one hour discussion group. Five students who were not in our classes joined the fifteen who were to discuss further the homebuying process. A very lively discussion ensued which was based on their questions. Extra copies of the book were distributed and again students were encouraged to take homebuying classes for more information.
The curriculum is very useful. It covers a great deal of the homebuying process in terms that are manageable for the students. The grammar exercises are appropriate and the glossary a plus. For any instructor interested in presenting material on homebuying, it is a valuable resource. For the student, it is very much self-explanatory and empowering.
Particularly useful is "Buying a Home, Angelo Rodriquez's Story," developed by the A.L.R.I. It provides an accurate and concise summary of one person's experience buying his first home.
Expanding the Curriculum and Creating New Materials
by Andy English
Roxbury Community College
I teach an advanced level (level 6) Reading/Writing/Grammar class to a heterogeneous group of pre-college students at Roxbury Community College. The class is made up of eight Latinos, seven Russians, two Haitians, two Vietnamese-speaking students, and one Chinese-speaking student. Two of the students are already homeowners and at least one other has family members who are homeowners in the USA. This spring semester I taught parts of the New American Homeowners Project curricula to my class. We spent approximately 7 hours on the project, about an hour per day, including 2 hours writing in the language lab. The entire project took place over a three week period. What follows are day-to-day entries describing the progress of our classes.
Day One: Getting Started
I spent a few minutes explaining why I was teaching this material, and describing Fannie Mae. We then brainstormed as to what is involved in buying a home. At this point some differences were noted between buying/owning a home in the students' countries, and in the USA. We then talked about what you should look for in a neighborhood. The class ended with students working in groups discussing the pros and cons of home ownership (and simultaneously the pros and cons of apartment dwelling.) To my mind, tax benefits (as well as acquiring equity) are one of the major benefits of home ownership, and yet there was absolutely no knowledge of this among the class members. Pages 1-3 of the text were used to facilitate some of the above discussion.
Day Two: Money-Mortgage Lenders
We talked about obtaining money to buy a house. Before opening the book, we brainstormed about where you get the money to buy a home. After mentioning such things as "win the lottery" and "savings" the students came up with the idea of a lender. We then talked about whether the lender would lend money to anyone, and how they would decide to whom to lend money. The students came up with the ideas of credit history (although not with that name), job history, and salary, but not the idea of outstanding debts. We then did pages 6-11 in class and as homework.
Day Three: House Styles and Features
Students made a checklist of features, size, and location of their "dream house". Students compared their checklists. We then discussed vocabulary that was generated, looked at pages 21-23, and discussed architectural styles. For homework, students read "Angelo Rodriguez's Story," a fictional story of an immigrant homebuyer in Malden, and answered the questions.
Day Four: Angelo's Story
Students went over the answers to the questions about Angelo's story in groups. I distributed a worksheet I had prepared with vocabulary work (synonyms from the story) and an exercise in which the students had to use what we had previously discussed and what they had read in the text and in Angelo's story to put the steps of homebuying into the correct chronological sequence (see attached). The students were able to accomplish this sequencing quite well, and it was noted that the order of some of the events was flexible.
Day Five: Finding the Right Home
We worked on pages 29-32 in the curriculum. Before we opened the book, students discussed how you could find a house if you were looking. Everything that was later presented on pages 29 and 30 was elicited from the students. The students then did the exercise on page 32 deciphering the newspaper ads. The vocabulary this brought forth was discussed in groups and with the class as a whole. I then distributed some "shopper's guides" that I had picked up in the supermarket and asked the students to look through them and choose a house that they were interested in. As homework, students prepared to write a paragraph/essay describing the house they had chosen.
Day Six: Writing
We spent two hours in the language lab writing about the houses they had chosen that were described in the "shopper's guide". Most of the students added information not in the ads. They also chose to write about the houses, for the most part, as if they already owned them. Two students wrote about their actual houses.
Follow Up: Homeowners Workshop
In addition to working with my class, one other teacher, Veronica Gouvea, and I offered a workshop for other interested prospective new homeowners studying in the ESL Department at Roxbury Community College. The workshop was attended by approximately 20 students and textbooks were distributed, but not used in the workshop itself. We elicited questions about homebuying from the participants. Whenever possible, we let other participants answer the questions or use their knowledge to answer the questions by means of brainstorming. This activity was very useful and took the entire hour and a half allotted to the workshop. We also tried to finish up by providing information about where interested students could get more information on the homebuying process.
"Angelo Rodriguez's Story"*
I. Put the following events in the home buying process in chronological order.
Refer to the story if you are not sure.
a. ___ save money for down payment
b. ___ receive keys
c. ___ look at houses/check neighborhoods
d. ___ make offer to purchase with deposit
e. ___ closing
f. ___ find house that you like
g. ___ get home inspection
h. ___ get mortgage
i. ___ collect flyers and ads for houses in area
j. ___ purchase and sale contract
k. ___ buy home insurance
l. ___ owner accepts offer
m. ___ apply for mortgage
n. ___ final check (walk through) of house
o. ___ go to open houses
II. Vocabulary: word search. Find synonyms for the following words from the reading. The numbers refer to the paragraph that the synonym is found in.
| 1. completely | 6. employed |
| 2. unpaid | 6. check |
| 3. brochures | 6. bargain |
| 3. expensive | 6. lawyer |
| 4. real estate agent | 9. frightening |
| 5. gave | 9. without feeling |
| 6. worried | 9. given (2 words) |
* This lesson was developed by Andy English, based on the story, "Buying a Home: Angelo Rodriquez's Story," a fictionalized account written by Cathy Anderson.
Consumer Awareness in ESOL and EDP
by Bonnie Nadler
Haitian Multi-Service Center
I used How to Buy a Home in the United States in an ESOL3 (Intermediate) and EDP (External Diploma Program) section at the Haitian Multi-Service Center. The level of English ability in the two classes is widely disparate, which necessitates the teaching of the materials in different ways.
Grammar and Vocabulary in the ESOL Class
The ESOL class at the Haitian Multi-service Center is composed of Haitian adults of somewhat varied English abilities. One of their greatest needs is vocabulary relevant to the topic. Another is the need for basic information regarding possibilities and rights about consumerism in general. While grammar and vocabulary usage are certainly not the main focus of the curriculum, they play an important part nonetheless. For example, the differences among "borrow," "lend," and "owe" present special problems. The class worked on these words by role-playing with real money.
The skill of comparing and contrasting can be practiced by discussing and writing about the advantages and disadvantages of homeownership. Although this is covered in Unit 1, Lesson 1, the expansion possibilities go well beyond this particular lesson. There arose tremendous opportunities for information exchanges in class, since two of its members are currently homeowners. They were able to share their experiences--both good and bad-- with the class, which added considerably to the information present in the text. One student is in the process of looking for another house to buy. She currently owns a two-family home, and as she put it, she's "tired of being a landlord." She wants a single-family home now, and is looking for a "fixer-upper," which she and her husband can better afford to buy. She said that if people are willing to do large amounts of repair work themselves, they can save a great deal of money when purchasing a home.
Special Topics: Credit and Job History
Discussion regarding credit proved to be more difficult. Several students had only a vague idea as to the meaning and possible uses of credit, and quite a bit of time was spent on this topic. Before the idea of a credit history could be discussed, basic definitions of credit needed to be established. Mortgages, other types of loans, and store and major credit cards were defined and explained. Some of the students already had different types of credit, and provided most of the information in this area. However, the idea of a documentable credit history was new to most of the class, and many questions emerged connected to this topic. The students who already had some type of credit were somewhat surprised to realize that this information was stored in a computer memory, and could be accessed by anyone who needed it, while the students with no documentable history were confronted with something totally new to them. The sample credit history in the text proved to be invaluable at this point, and much time was spent examining it.
Job history was another strong area of interest. The need for one was discussed, samples looked at, with follow-up coming in the form of each student creating his/her own job history, even to the point of documenting some of their work experience in Haiti. The guidelines in the lesson proved to be helpful and informative in this area. Through discussion and writing, in addition to looking at several resumes and job histories, the class was able to gain a better understanding of the need for documentation of activities. This proved extremely helpful when we looked at credit again.
Teaching Writing
In the area of writing, the opportunity to explore the compare/contrast style presented itself during Unit One, when the class examined the advantages and disadvantages of homeownership. It was an excellent chance for the students to explore a writing form while having "real" situations to deal with. The descriptive and expository forms of writing were explored when different types of bank accounts were discussed. The cartoon of the "money under the mattress" drew several laughs, indicating that the students were well aware of the need for bank services of one type or another, however reluctant they might be to use them.
Consumer Awareness
The idea of being an aware consumer was explored in the ESOL class, but to a limited extent. This subject, however, received much more attention in the EDP class for several reasons. The first was that these students are able to function at a higher level in the greater Boston community, and the second was that much of this information proved to be extremely useful with regard to the program's task on consumer awareness. It is interesting to note that, despite the fact that some students in the class are native English speakers, the class as a whole is largely uninformed as to their rights and responsibilities as consumers in American society. For example, none of the students were aware of the possibility of obtaining a secured credit card as a way of either establishing or repairing credit standing. The curriculum does not provide this kind of detailed information, which therefore requires that the teacher obtain outside materials in order to provide students with a broader range of information.
In summary, both classes responded positively to this curriculum, and often requested additional information regarding various components. There is a great deal of related information available through the Fannie Mae Foundation and local agencies involved with first-time homeownership. All of these groups are very helpful, but response times to requests do vary. Teachers need to be aware of the fact that they will have to use outside sources, and will need to rely on their creativity and inventiveness. Another important factor is the students' needs regarding information, which will vary from class to class. Overall, this curriculum has great potential value, and is well worth consideration.
Learning How to "Stop Moving and Paying Rent"
by Cecile Dumornay
Community Learning Center
Summary of Activities
The Students: The students who participated in this project are enrolled in an advanced ESOL class at the Community Learning Center in Cambridge. They came to the United States from Haiti (7), El Salvador (1), Korea (3), and Brazil (1). They enthusiastically welcomed the idea of learning about the Fannie Mae Homebuying project as well as of gaining the basic information and negotiation skills which pertain to buying a home in the United States. Among the class, only one student owned his home.
Teaching Activities: The manual provided by ALRI, How to Buy a Home in the United States, was used as the first teaching tool. With the close collaboration and support of ALRI's project coordinator, Cathy Anderson, I taught several units from this manual. Through the second unit (lesson 1), students learned essential vocabulary words and expressions related to homes, e.g. "deck," "fire-place," sidings;" various styles of houses such as "duplex," "townhouse," "Victorian," "condominium;" and words describing the process of buying a home like "down payment," "mortgage," and "closing."
One of the sessions addressed the topic of "credit and credit history." Relevant vocabulary words, description of "credit," and the process of credit history were also covered. English grammar covered during the course of the project in the regular English classes is reviewed. The homebuying-related content of the project sessions was an invaluable opportunity for our students to practice their newly acquired grammar, vocabulary, conversation, and writing skills.
Writing: From the first of the five sessions devoted to the project, I prompted students to begin brainstorming and writing about their "dream" house. I guided their inspiration with questions like the following:
Cathy introduced a free writing exercise by passing out an old key* for each person to look at, feel, and write about. The key symbolised their imagination on the subject of homes. Hence, at the end of the project, the students had their "dream" house story completed.
Guest speakers from local community agencies were invited for three of the session to share their expertise with our students. The choice of presentation topics and of appropriate speakers was made directly from the students' particular questions on different aspects of homebuying such as: immigration status and homebuying, credit, banking, community resources, legal issues, etc. The guest speakers' generosity, flexibility, and patience were commendable. Finally, students received a list of community resources they could contact for further education on homebuying and support--informational and/or financial--with the process.
As the teacher of that class, I appreciate the opportunity of this project to provide a practically relevant way to teach the English language and American culture to adults who came from other countries to make their home in the United States. As a participant of this Homebuying project, along with my students, I learned a great deal about homebuying. My learning in this project makes homebuying a much more feasible and affordable endeavor which I look forward to tackling in the near future.
As for my students, they shared with me that they felt more informed, competent, and confident to pursue homebuying and "stop moving and paying rent," as one of them put it.
* The "key catalyst" was developed by Lenore Balliro, formerly the ESOL Coordinator at the A.L.R.I. The keys are old and intricate, thus highly evocative of dreams and wishes. Lenore suggests asking students to look at and touch a chosen key, imagining what dreams and wishes it might unlock.
Exploring the Conflicts of Homebuying and Homeownership
by Kathleen M. Sumera
El Centro del Cardenal
I was excited at the prospect of informing my class of low-income Latino students about the real possibilities for home-ownership. As I stated in one of the workshops: I feel that owning one's own home, if at all possible, is one of the few ways that low-income people are able to move away from exploitation and oppression, rather than yet another way to become bigger and better consumers. I began my presentations with enthusiasm.
In addition, one of my colleagues, Lauren Bay Baker, taught the first unit of the Fannie Mae curriculum to her class also, and often told me how enthusiastic her students were about the material. But unfortunately, on June 4, nearing the end of the cycle, she mentioned that she had begun to downplay the topic, because one of her students was being returned to her homeland, and other students were feeling depressed at the prospect of never owning a home.
Using the Curriculum: A Class Journal
What follows are the class plans and assignments I used as we were learning about first-time homebuying.
April 17: Getting Started
A. Students generated a list of do's and don't's to look for in a new neighborhood, as suggested on page 3 of How to Buy a Home in the United States.
B. Based in part upon a classroom brainstorming activity, students: (i) created a short list of advantages and disadvantages of home ownership, and (ii) then wrote letters of advice to a fictitious character on the advantages and disadvantages of home ownership (page 5).
April 23: Hardships and Difficulties
The students' discussions on the topic of home-ownership weren't as optimistic or enthusiastic as I had hoped they would be. In particular, many were loathe to borrow money from a bank.
During the previous cycle, when I informed students about the homebuying component that would be included in the upcoming cycle, two of my students—who were husband and wife—discussed at length the many difficulties they had as homeowners.
Hardship Story One: Mr. and Mrs. X had begun their life in the U.S.A. in California, living with relatives, working, and saving every cent they earned. Because they disliked the educational system there, they and their three children moved to Massachusetts, where they sank all their money into a home. Then their problems began, and apparently haven't ended yet. They told stories of repairs they haven't had the money to make, which were minimized before they purchased the home; as well as the presence of lead paint in the house, which they fear has affected their youngest child.
I had hoped they would be returning for the Spring cycle, when I planned to develop their case in more detail, but they were unable to return.
Hardship Story Two: During this spring cycle, there was another student who had also been a homeowner in the Boston area, and claimed she would never own a home again. She was kind enough to write about her experience. Briefly, she and her husband: (1) were unable to get rid of unsavory tenants because of rent control, among other things; (2) discovered a number of serious structural problems that had not been discussed before they purchased the house; and (3) wound up going bankrupt. As a result, they now rent an apartment, and the student advised her children never to purchase a home other than a single-family——advice her daughter adhered to, with good results.
A further note on the barriers and difficulties some students are facing: Some students hope that a home is in their future, but is impossible for now; others plan to return to their countries of birth, whether they either plan to build modest homes or already have them. Two students said they would attend a homebuying workshop which was being held at the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI), but were unable to. Since most of the students are either working at home, as parents and homemakers, or have other jobs, none were able to attend the series of workshops that are offered in various communities. Nonetheless, I gave students information about the series of homebuying workshops that I had received at the ALRI teachers' workshops.
May 12: Using Spanish Materials
In class, we discussed buying a home in conjunction with other individuals. I shared my thinking that this route——though difficult——might be the most feasible way for low-income people to purchase a home through a nontraditional mortgage; build equity, etc.
I gave students the Spanish version of Como escoger el mejor prestamo hipotecairo para usted (which I, a very beginning Spanish learner, was able to read rather well). We also have some copies of the English version, which I will give them, as it would be a nice supplementary way to build English vocabulary, grammar, and syntax.
June 3: Job Histories and Credit Reports
A. We reviewed pages 10 and 11——preparing a job history for the purpose of applying for a mortgage loan.
B. We then proceeded to page 12 to read about and discuss credit reports and nontraditional credit histories (which can be developed with histories of rental and utilities payments). It was interesting to me and to the students to discover the value of saving paid bills and cancelled checks. In fact, one student said that she had been throwing away her canceled checks, but now she would begin to save them.
C. Students then incorporated their credit information into resumes, which they typed on the computer, thereby correlating their development of organization, English language, computer use.
Throughout the process of using the material, we worked on grammar lessons provided in the handbook, relating the grammar activities to corresponding grammar lessons in Side By Side, and continued to work on vocabulary development, such as defining, in English and in Spanish, words such as: "past due", "canceled (checks)", "utilities", etc.
June 4: Sharing the Class with other Teachers
In conjunction with other teachers I gave a brief presentation (of the information prepared above) at Roxbury Community College to a small group of people who had participated in the homeowners' workshop.
Two other professionals spoke at the workshop: the instructor of the real estate course at Roxbury Community College, and a person who conducts ongoing workshops on shortening the life of mortgages by paying additional principal, particularly at the beginning, when payments on principal are low.
June 5: A Writing Exercise
On June 5, Cathy Anderson of the A.L.R.I. attended our class and facilitated a writing exercise. First she gave examples of and defined "compound noun." Next, she asked students to brainstorm a list of compound nouns they've heard beginning with "home": homesick, homemaker, homework, etc. Then, Cathy asked students to write an essay using one of the words on the list. All of them selected "homesick." She then responded to their essays, copies of which are included in this packet. I returned the originals to the students. They haven't yet had the opportunity to revise them because we reached the end of our cycle. I hope to continue the process during the next cycle, also using their essays as material to type into the computer.
June 11: A Guest Speaker
Carrie Carrizosa, from Nuestra Comunidad, a local organization supporting first-time homeownership, was the guest speaker. She was invited to discuss the topic of homeownership with the class in Spanish. Students were interested in hearing the information, and receiving the additional workbook she gave them. Some people agreed that it was good to have the information and material on-hand, when and if they decide to consider buying a home.
Additional Activities
- Students and I could call the credit bureau and ask for copies of our credit ratings.
- Students can begin to save, and/or keep records of paid bills and canceled checks.
- With interested students, I would like to attend one of the series of workshops offered by community leaders in Boston .
A Note on Further Lessons at the Community Learning Center
and El Centro del Cardenal from Cathy Anderson
It was a pleasure to work with both Cecile Dumornay and Kathleen Sumera and get to know the students of the Cambridge Community Learning Center and El Centro del Cardenal. One way I discovered to explain the purpose of the curriculum to students was to draw a figure of a house on the board. I explained that we would be learning not just about first-time homebuying, but also about other facets of U.S. life that would be useful. I then drew four windows inside the house* and labeled each: 1) financial planning; 2) home maintenance; 3) learning about where you live; and 4) talking in English with bankers, real estate agents, homeowners, etc. This diagram helped students see the wide application of the curriculum, and helped to generate connections between the book and their own concerns.
As the classes progressed, teachers were challenged to keep track of students' questions and lead them in researching answers. Many questions point to specific issues of concern for immigrant homebuyers, such as "Does owning a home protect an immigrant from future deportation?" "Do you have to be a citizen or legal permanent resident to own a home?" These questions required research into the new laws regarding immigrants and public benefits programs. The answer from a number of legal experts was that many of these laws were still being interpreted. In general, legal permanent residents would not encounter any problems with a mortgage or in applying for and receiving a public benefit such as the "soft-second mortgage," other classes of immigrants may have difficulty since the passage of the welfare reform law of 1996.
In more than one class, questions such as "Can someone who has been on welfare get a mortgage?" and "How can low-income people afford a home?" opened up a discussion on non-traditional credit. Kathleen's account of explaining non-traditional credit went a long way in answering that concern. As Cecile describes in her report, the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance visited classes to explain the availability of "soft-second mortgages" and other programs for low-income buyers. Students learned also that past recipients of welfare would not be barred outright from obtaining a mortgage, especially if the person could prove a good non-traditional credit history and a good work record. Florence's story was an inspiring first-hand account of how she, as a working single mother obtained a "soft-second" mortgage that allowed her to buy a beautiful home in Dorchester. In Kathleen's class, a speaker from Nuestra Comunidad explained the homebuying process to Spanish-speaking students who had a chance to ask more specific questions. These outside speakers were invaluable resources to both classes.
*Please see illustration.
Facing the Reality of a Consumer Culture
by Sarah S. Barnicle
Roxbury Community College
The content areas of the two lessons we covered in How to Buy a Home in the United States were about deciding if homebuying was a good idea for a renter and deciding what the potential buyer wanted in a home. The students responded to the first topic enthusiastically because many of them had never considered the possibility that they might one day own a home. The students were very pleased with the unintimidating format and layout of the text; a few read the whole text on their own which led me to believe that this would have been appropriate for classroom use given enough time. With our regular text, I'm pretty sure no one has ever read ahead beyond my assignments! In addition to writing letters about advantages and disadvantages of buying a home, we also read real estate ads and deciphered the codes therein.
On the whole, students were pleased to be dealing with such adult materials. Very often ESOL students are not given access to such dense subject matter in such thorough coverage. In most texts, reading passages are of unrelated and disconnected subject matter. The advantage of content learning (and teaching) was evident in this curriculum.
The greatest issue I encountered while teaching the material was the unwillingness of one student who had purchased a home to share this with her classmates. Eventually, she helped explain terms such as "mortgage" to other students; nevertheless, she did not want to be seen as rich in front of the others and never revealed she was a homeowner. This one particular student expressed her excitement at having access to the legal terms regarding homebuying which previously had been left to her husband to translate for her. She now was able to reflect on her experience with accurate vocabulary.
In general, the younger students (ages 18 to 23) were much less interested in the topic of homebuying than were the older students with families.
Through this curriculum, my students learned basic descriptive words of the physical appearance of homes as well as basic banking terms such as "lend", "borrow" and "mortgage". Some of the later vocabulary may have been a bit much for my low intermediate students; however they picked up a surprising amount of workable terms in a short period of time. They were able to use these words without guidance, as I observed the students arguing the merits and drawbacks of buying a home before and after class time.
Perhaps the most important idea my students gleaned from these lessons was that perhaps one day homebuying would become a reality for them and their families. This curriculum made it all seem one step closer to coming true. As a result of this class, a handful of students were interested in taking one of the free workshops on homebuying offered in Boston.
The hardest part of using this curriculum was not having the "homebuying" experience under my belt before telling my students it was a good thing to do. I did bring my own suspicions and trepidation about taking this giant life step, and I didn't hesitate to admit my own ignorance when asked a difficult question. During the homebuying workshop at RCC on May 8th, 1997, run by Andy English and Veronica Gouvea, I felt reluctant to participate because I had no authority other than this ALRI course and my textbook. The two other teachers involved had been through the process and could discuss the finer points of dealing with banks and lawyers.
What I was able to add for some students present that day is that the US is a country of debtors and credit is how we acquire the luxury goods that many in the world can't afford: homes, cars, education, vacations, boats, even TV, clothing and, nowadays, our food. I was hesitant to try to convince my students that the credit game is a good thing to enter. There are serious risks, especially for students whose jobs may not be so secure. Some of the students in my class were appalled how deeply into debt Americans are willing to go.
Establishing credit in the US is almost a separate course in itself. It is loaded with cultural values and implications for those entering this realm of debt. While I want to encourage my students to beat the renter's cycle of paying someone else's mortgage, I wonder at the wisdom of ESOL teachers encouraging debt in lives of their students. The Fannie Mae materials provide a sound curriculum for learning the institutions and vocabulary of American adult lives. Alas, debt is an American reality. But do I have to be the bearer of these tidings?
An Excerpt from Sarah Barnicle's Teaching Journal:
Class #4
Monday
April 15, 1997
Today we began Unit 2 of How to Buy a Home in the United States:'Finding Your Dream Home'. During the discussion section where we considered a family sitting on a couch dreaming of their favorite kinds of homes, we once again got into many mini-discussions. The pictures stimulated some discussion that I wouldn't have anticipated. For example, one student expressed his dislike of dogs in the house. He explained that in his country dogs are "just around." He also explained to us that in his country no one should kill a dog, but that dogs were dirty animals and shouldn't be in the home. This picture in Unit 2 is clearly from the white, suburban North American point of view regarding dogs: in it the dog lays at the feet of the future master of the house.
While previewing this picture in preparation for the lesson, one presumption I had made was that my students would all want a "dream home" in the suburbs: a home without shared walls or neighbors upstairs, a home with a big yard and trees. However, a majority of the students, regardless of culture expressed how much unnecessary work that would be to take care of trees and lawns. Some of my students claimed that they had never left the urban perimeter of Boston and had never seen the suburbs. I think some of my students believe all that surrounds them is one enormous city! Most of the students agreed that of the two, the city was the more desirable place to live.
Using How to Buy a Home in the United States
by Angela K. Atwell
Massachusetts General Hospital Workplace Education Program
Teacher notes: English Plus is an ESOL class composed of hospital environmental service employees (housekeepers, floor machine operators) and operating room linen workers. The class is diverse: in terms of background, they were born in China, Vietnam, Haiti, Cape Verde and El Salvador; in terms of age and lifestyle, all are parents in their thirties, forties and fifties; and in terms of ESOL level they range from high beginner to intermediate.
During the year, previous topics about personal financial issues included bank statements and paying for higher education. That provided a backdrop and context in which to teach the Fannie Mae curriculum. The class meets twice a week for one and half hours each. I selected Unit Three, Lesson One, because the vocabulary would be useful even to those students who already owned houses. We worked through the lesson in two parts and used both classes during one week. "What You Should Know About Mortgage Loans" went very well. Reading, questions, and lively discussions followed. This class enjoys learning practical vocabulary. Even though several had already bought houses they didn't have control of the terms and vocabulary. The classes were framed as language lessons, but extra books were given out for family and friends.
While working with the lesson, the teacher was asked to expand on or clarify several things such as closing, interest rates, debt load and shopping around for the best terms. In homebuying, as in all consumer issues the watchwords became "buyer beware." Certain fears and insecurities surfaced, such as, concern that a realtor could bribe the inspector of the house or not inform the buyer of defects in the house. Learners from Cape Verde, Haiti and El Salvador, where rule of law, consumer protection and professional standards are undeveloped, carry those concerns into their life here. In future, I would add a unit on the ways in which the consumer is protected in the homebuying process under the laws of the United States. I would probably teach this material in a consumer rights context.
Other hot issues for the married women homeowners was the fact of their dependency on their husbands who made the decisions. The husbands now want their wives to understand all the financial matters. A discussion about family roles and gender roles could be expanded into future lessons.
My overall comments on the curriculum follow. The book is well-presented and the lessons are nicely designed. For the population of learners I teach, however, both in the hospital and in Chelsea, I would say that there is a need for even lower literacy level materials. That is to say, if an immigrant of lower educational background from an underdeveloped country can read the Fannie Mae student book in English, they have probably been here a very long time. And, in that case, they have bought their houses. They are all working people who have had to raise families and have had little time to attend English classes.
The New Americans Homeowners Project
by Eileen Feldman,
community college instructor
The curriculum guide, How to Buy a Home in the United States is a content dear to the hearts of my adult (19-48) year old intermediate students. Whether reminiscing about their houses in their native lands, dreaming about their future houses in the U.S., or describing their present living situations, they seemed eager and prepared to write the essays required in this composition class and to study the elements of grammar necessary to conduct this very desirable business. All students--even the most inhibited in expression -- produced richly developed paragraphs.
The first paragraph was a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of homeownership (pps. 2 and 3). Previously they had studied such a rhetorical style on another topic, but this second time they felt more passionate and committed to their words. Responses to the Castillo family were overwhelmingly in favor of buying for the good of the family. The dissenters warned that Mr. Castillo would have to work three jobs and then pay exorbitant interest rates. They seemed to feel powerless against the lending institution and could have used some advice on ways to reduce interest payments or ways to save on taxes and other living expenses through homebuying.
The second paragraph focused on building materials and special features (pps. 22-24). After studying the spelling and meanings of the vocabulary in that unit, the students described the materials and/or special features of their past or present home. Again, they wrote lovingly of their homes in uncharacteristic detail. Many feel the materials in America are inferior and inefficient for this climate -- a rip off. The styles they have seen since arriving lack the beauty and grace of designs in their native lands -- a disappointment. No gardens, no nature. U.S. homes did not seem comfortable to them.
Grammar exercises were also useful as they were presented in this real life context. Present perfect (p.10), comparisons (p.32), unreal conditional (p.19) all elicited creative responses. The home maintenance checklist provided a good model outline.
Significant production in speaking also resulted from this curriculum. Oral practice (pps. 70 and 71) in ranking the most important features of the neighborhood resulted in telling responses. Many wanted to live near a supermarket since they had no car. Next in importance was the school -- a building not appearing on the guide's list. Also not appearing were parking space and friendly neighbors and a bus stop, which were of some concern to students. Listening and oral practice were essential in class serving as the kick-off for the How to Buy a Home in the United States curriculum: a presentation by a local banker. He introduced the words in vocabularies from pages 4 to 20. Later, they were spelling words.
What the students learned was: vocabulary and spelling, a sense of financial institutions, a feel for housing and homebuying in the U.S., and their prejudices and need for themselves and their extended families. These lessons were approached cheerfully and seriously; the book was likewise well-received. Perhaps a home of their own will be closer to reality. In the future , they may still need a curriculum focusing on finding the right attorney and brokers for their unique needs. They will also need to be assured that within the homebuying process there are people and institutions to be trusted. How to Buy a Home in the United States is one step toward guaranteeing that trust.