English Classes Meet Demand Of Queens' Immigrants
BY RICHARD GENTILVISO

Population in New York City is projected to reach 9.4 million by the year 2025, when Queens is expected to overtake Brooklyn as the most populous borough with 2.8 million people, according to a recent study by Urbanomics, a consulting firm for the Metropolitan Transportation Council. That's an increase of 24 percent over the current 2,229,400 residents in the borough.

Immigrants continuing to come to the city, and to Queens in particular, will fuel that growth. One common perception is that immigrants refuse to learn English, but according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, more than 75 percent of immigrants speak English well within 10 years of their arrival here and demand for adult English classes far exceeds current supply.

"CLIP", short for the CUNY Language Immersion Program at Queensborough Community College (QCC), is specially tailored to train people from other countries with minimal English language skills, CLIP Director Dr. Diana Berkowitz said at the February meeting of Community Board 7 in Flushing.

CLIP offers adults the opportunity to study college preparation English full-time (25 hours a week, 5 hours a day). It is recommended for admitted CUNY freshmen who need additional English as a Second Language classes before they move on in college.

"This is an all-inclusive program." Berkowitz said. Skills for studying, taking notes, doing research, test taking and using a computer are covered, along with traditional reading, writing, listening and speech skills.

Classes meet Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2:0 p.m. CLIP students are eligible to put children in the campus Child Care Center, depending on their age and other requirements. Tuition for New York City residents is $180 per semester and only $45 per semester for College Discovery, SEEK and public assistance students.

For information call 718-281-5460 or visit the Instructional Support Services Center, QCC campus, Room 2, 222-05 56th Ave., Bayside.

In a second presentation to the board, Jeffrey Rosenstock of Queens Theatre in the Park (QTIP) announced upcoming events for the spring 2006 season. "We don't try to play to Manhattan, we don't try to play to Staten Island," he said. "We just try to figure out what the people of Queens need."

Along with special events and stars, the Latino Cultural Series will be presented for its 10th year, as will the Black Cultural Arts program, entering its sixth year. For the first time, an Asian Cultural Festival will be introduced. "We take pride, and unlike a Broadway theater, we want you back," Rosenstock said. For tickets and information, visit www.queenstheatre.org.

In other business, an application for an amendment to an existing zoning variance to allow the construction of a single-family detached dwelling on a new tax lot at 29th Avenue and Bayside Avenue was recommended for approval. An application for construction in the bed of a mapped street at 15-59 Clintonville St. was also recommended to be approved.