Transitional Bilingual Learning Community (TBLC)

Program Description         

The Transitional Bilingual Learning Community (TBLC) prepares English learners (EL) for college-level courses taught in English within two semesters. The TBLC program recruits from three sources:   

1. Recent high school graduates, primarily from the Chicago Public Schools bilingual programs
2. Students currently at Truman completing GED requirements or Adult Education ESL courses
3. Community organizations and partners      

Goals of the TBLC Program        

1. Create opportunities for students to learn the culture of higher education while supporting their academic English proficiency, bilingual abilities, and bicultural identities.
2. Strengthen the potential for students to complete an Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, or Associate in Applied Science degree.
3. Support and facilitate transfer to a four-year college/university.       

History       

In response to the urgent need to assist immigrant Latinx students making the transition from high schools to college, a group of Truman College faculty launched the Transitional Bilingual Learning Community (TBLC) program In March of 2002. Over the years, the program has adjusted to the changing environment and added features to improve program success. Each Fall semester a cohort of TBLC students is formed and together they take TBLC courses. Most recently the program in response to student feedback has been extended to three semesters. Two new classes and instructors have been added to realize this additional semester and the new TBLC course offerings.  Also the TBLC course offerings now includes English as a Second Language (ESL) 100 and English 101 that directly supports meeting one of the TBLC program goals.     

                                    

Scholarships       

Students that apply and are accepted into the TBLC Program are eligible for scholarships, which are designed to help academically talented Latino immigrant students realize their dream of a college education.    

• ​The TBLC Scholarship which is a non-renewable scholarship to help support the cost of tuition or books at Truman College for current or former TBLC students.​

                                            

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