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TBC ESL Ministry
*Online and In-Person Classes*

Below is information about both the online and in-person classes at Trinity Baptist Church ESL Ministry. Please note that for in-person classes, registration must be done in-person (i.e., you cannot register online).

• Online & In-Person Class Schedules
• Online Registration form for online classes (open now) (in the Contact section)
• Other In-Person Activities
• In-Person Registration process | Online Registration process
• In-Person Transfers to another class | Online Transfers to another class
• Refunds (Refund Policy | In-Person Refund Process | Online Refund Process)
• Pre-Registrations
• Reservations & Waitlists
• How to Zoom Video Conference

💻Online & 👤In-Person Class Schedules:

There are 3 terms for the ESL classes: Fall (September - November), Winter (January - March) & Spring (March/April - June). Each term is normally 10 - 12 weeks long. In-person classes are normally Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 am - 12 pm. We do not have classes on public/school holidays or the Lunar New Year Day.

Please note that our classes will have both English teaching and some form of Christian teaching (e.g., Christian songs, sharing, bible study, bible verses, stories, etc.). Also, we are not an accreditated ESL program and cannot provide certificates of English proficiency. However, we can provide certificates of attendance, if requested.

Other ESL Ministries: Please note that there are other churches in the Greater Vancouver area that offer ESL classes. If you would like to be referred to another church ESL ministry, please fill-in our General Contact form and request a referral. Please include which city you are in and the class level you want.

• Winter 2025 Online & In-Person Classes
• Spring 2025 Online & In-Person Classes
• Fall 2025 Online & In-Person Classes
• Class Level Explanations (this will be brought up in a separate window)

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👤Winter 2025 In-Person Classes:

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👤Spring 2025 In-Person Classes:

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Fall 2025 💻 Online & 👤 In-Person Classes:

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Other In-Person Activities:

The ESL normally has the following other extra activities on in-person class days:

• ESL choir - usually 9:30 am - 9:55 am before class
• ESL Tea Time - 11 am - 11:15 am on class days in gym (tea, coffee, snacks)
• ESL library - Chinese & English Christian books and DVDs available for borrowing on class days (3 weeks for books, 1 week for DVDs)

We also usually have opening ceremonies on the first of terms (so students can meet their teachers and be guided to their classes) and end of term tea ceremonies (where classes can do presentations to show what they've learned). Special seminars may also be scheduled.

Note: These activities are subject to availability of volunteers.

The church also has a variety of in-person and online activities that students can participate in.

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In-person Registration Process:

This is information on how to register in-person for ESL classes at Trinity Baptist Church.

1. Come to the ESL office on registration days, or 30 minutes before classes begin on Tuesdays or Thursdays while ESL is in session.
   Note: ESL registration days are usually the Friday & Saturday before the Fall ESL term begins, and usually either a Friday or Saturday before the Winter and Spring ESL terms, 10 am - 12 pm. Please see the Class Schedules for the exact dates.
2. At the ESL front desk, the front desk volunteer will greet you and give you a registration form to fill in, as well as an ESL pamphlet with the class schedule and extra activites
3. Fill in the registration form.
   Note: Usually, you'll do this inside the gym as the front desk can get very busy.
4. If you are a previous student and want to take the same class as before, let the ESL front desk volunteer know right away.
   Note: If your teacher is still teaching, this may allow you to skip the interview and allow you to go directly to final payment. But if the class is full, you may need to join another class or be waitlisted.
5. If you are new student or you want to join a different class, your English level will be tested by our interviewers.
   Note: If it is busy, you'll need to lineup to be interviewed. Also, don't be nervous! Our interviewers are nice and understanding about people's English levels
   Special Note: If you choose to join a particular teacher's class without an interview and you are not a previous student, you may be ineligible to transfer to another class later on.
6. After you have been interviewed and your class assigned, then you will go into the ESL office to pay for your class.
   Note: We can only accept cash, e-transfers or cheque. No debit or credit cards. Cheques need to be made out to "English as a Second Language Group". You will be given a pink receipt -- keep it safe as it is useful for transfers, refunds and certificates of attendance.
7. Finally, check with either the ESL office staff or the ESL front desk person about where your class is.
   Note: On the first day of class, there is usually an opening ceremony in the church sanctuary. Afterwards, students meet their teachers and are led by their teachers to class to begin their lessons. If you are starting after the first day of the term, you'll need to go directly to your class.

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Online Registration Process:

This is information on how to register online for online ESL classes from Trinity Baptist Church.

1. Fill in and send the online registration form (in the Contact section of this website).
2. If this is your first time registering or you are not registering the same class as before, you will be contacted by phone during the next business day to check your English level.
3. Once your class has been confirmed, you will be emailed confirmation that your registration has been successful.
4. Your online class details and payment instructions will then be given (includes the Zoom meeting ID and password).
   Special Note: If you don't receive any contact from us by the next business day after sending in your online registration form, please use the General Contact form to check what is happening.
5. You then will need to drop off, e-transfer or mail in your registration fees (no credit/debit cards), preferably before class begins or within the first week of your registration (if classes already started). You can send a representative to drop off your registration, if needed. Please ensure that cheques are made out to "English as a Second Language Group". If you drop off, please ensure that it is in a sealed envelope with your name, your teacher's name and the amount written on it (see example)
6. If your class needs a textbook, you can purchase one from the church office (Mon-Tues 10-4; Wed 10-12; Thurs-Fri 10-4) or from the ESL office (Tues & Thurs 9:30 am - 12 pm when ESL in-class lessons are available).
7. You can now join your class.

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In-person Transfers to another class:

If you feel that the class you are in is not right for your level, you can transfer to another class (if there is space still available). A maximum of two transfers are permitted, so long as a teacher or interviewer has recommended the change. If you chose your class with no confirmation by the interviewers or teachers, your request to transfer may be denied and your only other option may be a refund.

1. Go to the ESL office and tell them you want to transfer to another class. If possible, bring along your pink registration receipt.
   • If you know which class you want to transfer to, you can ask to be transferred to that class.
   • If possible, discuss with your current teacher about the problems you are facing and to see if the teacher can recommend another class.
   • If you don't know or are unsure, an interviewer will discuss with you about your needs and will recommend another class.
2. Your registration will then be confirmed with the office's yellow registration copies & notes. If you brought along your pink registration receipt, this step will be much faster.
3. The ESL paperwork person will note which class you are transferring out of and which class you are transferring to.
4. If you brought it, your pink registration receipt will be updated with the new class info.
5. A new white transfer-in paper will be passed to you to give to your new teacher.
6. A note about you transferring out will be passed to your previous teacher directly by the ESL office staff.
7. You can now join your new class.

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Online Transfers to another class:

If you feel that the online class you are in is not right for your level, you can transfer to another class if there is space available.

1. You can either contact us through the General Contact form or talk to your current teacher about requesting a class change.
2. You will then be contacted by phone to confirm the change.
3. If approved, you will be contacted with the new class information. If your new class is another online class, you will be given the Zoom meeting ID and password for the new class.
4. Your old teacher and new teacher will be notified about the changes.
5. You can now join your new class.

Please note you can also do a transfer in-person at the ESL office on regular ESL in-person class days. If you transfer to another online class, make sure you get the Zoom meeting ID and password for the new class.

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Refunds:

Please review the refund policy before requesting a refund to see if you are eligible.

Refund Policy | In-Person Refund Process | Online Refund Process

Refund Policy:

While we do allow some refunds, our policy has been designed to create fair refund request policy that won't overly disturb our classes.

• If you cancel your registration before taking your class or within the first week of the ESL term, you are eligible for a full refund.
• If you register for a class, but request a refund on the same day, you are eligible for a full refund.
• If you cancel your registration within 3 weeks of the start of the ESL term, you are eligible for a partial refund ($10 administration fee).
• If you cancel after the 3 weeks of the start of the ESL term, you are not eligible for a refund. Late term registrations are NOT a valid reason for still being eligible for a refund.
• Transferring your registration payment to another term is not permitted.
• You can have a representative come in to request a refund on your behalf.
• If you are unable to come in and cannot send in a representative, you can send us a refund request. The refund amount will either be mailed to you or held in trust for you until you or your representative can come in.
• In the case of a class has been cancelled, students will be eligible for either a full refund or a transfer to another class (same term). The students can choose which they prefer.
• If a student has been expelled, that student is eligible for a full refund.
• Special refund exemptions can be pleaded to the ESL administrator or the church pastors.

In-Person Refund Process:

To request a refund in-person, please follow the steps below:

1. Go to the ESL office and request a refund.
2. Special Note: If you have your pink registration, a refund can be processed faster.
3. The ESL office will have to look through their yellow registration copies for your registration. We will need your name and the class you registered for, as well as any classes you transferred to.
4. Once your original registration has been confirmed, we will issue the refund based on our ESL refund policy.
5. We will ask for your reason for refund, but this is optional.
6. We will ask for your signature for accepting the refund. We will also be keeping your pink registration copy (if you brought it in).
7. You will then be given your refund.
8. Extra Note: If there are any problems confirming your original registration, the ESL administrator may need to do a thorough examination of all the registration records to find your registration. This may take up to a week.

Online Refund Process:

To request a refund online, please follow the steps below:

1. Contact us through the General Contact form and request a refund.
2. We'll contact you by phone to confirm your refund request & reason (optional).
3. Once confirmed, we will issue the refund based on our ESL refund policy.
4. You'll need to choose to have your refund e-transferred to you, pickup your refund from the church office (Mon-Tues 10-4; Wed 10-12; Thurs-Fri 10-4) or from the ESL office (Tues & Thurs 9:30 am - 12 pm when ESL in-class lessons are available). Your representative can pick it up on your behalf. We can also mail you your refund as a cheque.
5. If you pickup, we will ask for your signature for accepting the refund. You will then be given your refund.

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Pre-Registrations:

Pre-registration is a chance for current students to register early for the next term before any new students can join. This will allow current students to reserve their spots with their teachers into the next term.

• For current students in the Fall term, they are eligible for early registration ("pre-registration") for the Winter term. They can register during the second-to-last week and the last Tuesday of the Fall term.
• For current students of the Winter term, they are eligible for early registration ("pre-registration") for the Spring term. They can register during the second-to-last week and the last Tuesday of the Winter term.
• There is no pre-registration for the Fall term.
• New students and previous students that are not registered for the current term are not allowed to registered during the pre-registration period. This is to ensure that there is sufficient space for current students to continue next term in the same class.
• Students can automatically register for the same teacher if the teacher is still teaching next term.
• Students wanting to change to another teacher next term can pre-register, too. They may undergo a light interview check to ensure the level is appropriate. These students will be priority wait-listed for their new class as the students from that class has first rights to pre-register for the same class. These priority wait-listed students will also be given the option of pre-registering for their original class (to save their spot in case no space becomes available in the class they are trying to change to). After the first week of pre-registration is done, students on the priority wait-list will be registered into the class they chose based on their order on the the wait-list. Students can check in the last week of the term or at the start of the next term to see if their class change was successful.

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Reservations & Waitlists:

ESL teachers are allowed to reserve spots in their classes. This effectively reduces the available spots for new students. These reserve spots are reserved only for a period of time; after that time, the spots become open for others to register.

If a class is full, but a student wants to register or change his/her registration to that class, that student can be put on a waitlist for the class. When space becomes available in that class, the first person on the waitlist will be notified about the space becoming available and will be given the chance to get into the class. This spot is only held for a day for that person -- if there is no response to communications or the student doesn't come in to complete their registration/change of class paperwork, the spot then becomes available to the next person on the list.

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If you have questions or comments, please contact us through our General Contact form.