This Augusta school is offering free classes soon to learn English as a second language

Knowing how to speak English can spell success in any language.

Helms College in Augusta is offering free classes for students wishing to learn English as a second language.

"This program offers a comprehensive approach to improving English proficiency through interactive lessons and engaging activities," the college noted in a statement. "The classes cater to all levels, from beginners to those with prior English knowledge."

Helms is a private, nonprofit postsecondary career school sponsored by Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA.

A March 2024 survey conducted by the educational publishing and services company Pearson found that 80% of more than 5,000 non-native English speakers believe knowing English is "directly linked to earning potential, viewing strong English language skills as leading to as much as an 80% salary increase," according to its website.

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English is generally acknowledged as the international language of business. Of an estimated 7.8 billion people on Earth, about 1.35 billion speak English, according to the online language learning platform Babbel.

"We believe language should never be a barrier to personal and professional growth," the college noted in its statement. "By providing these free ESL classes, we aim to empower individuals in the Augusta community to communicate more effectively and achieve their goals."

Registration for the free classes is at 1 p.m. Aug. 15 at the Helms campus at 3145 Washington Rd. Participants must attend the mandatory in-person registration session to enroll, the school said.

Classes begin Aug. 22, and will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each Thursday until Dec. 19.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: This Augusta school is offering free classes soon to learn English as a second language