About Grand Café English.

Grand Café English was created under the (now dissolved) nonprofit, Creating Economic Opportunities for Women, Inc. (C.E.O. Women).  C.E.O. Women's programs taught English in the context of entrepreneurship, championing the natural talents and assets of low-income immigrant and refugee women in the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Grand Café English, C.E.O. Women's award-winning curriculum, imparts language, financial literacy and entrepreneurial training using storytelling and media. Following the lives of four immigrant and refugee women, the series highlights the adventures, challenges and triumphs of starting a businesses in the U.S.

The series is comprised of 18 written episodes.  C.E.O. Women successfully produced 6 of the series' total 18 episodes. 

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Grand Café English Learning Philosophy

We know people learn differently. We also know media is a powerful tool to educate and transform lives.

For decades, researchers and scholars have worked to define various learning styles to come up with ways to increase the efficacy of learning for adults. One thing is certain: with blended learning—combining moving visuals along with personal interaction as means for instruction—more learning styles are addressed.

​Episodes 1-6 of Grand Café English (Are You Ready for Business?) are based on a blended learning model to better meet students’ needs.

Grand Café English enhances the learning experience for the target audience by modeling the characters after real people. Situations presented are based on life experiences of immigrants, allowing the target audience to engage in the course at a more meaningful level.

Grand Café English Characters

Grand Café English enhances the learning experience for the target audience by modeling the characters after real people. Situations presented are based on life experiences of immigrants, allowing the target audience to engage in the course at a more meaningful level.

Sylvia

Country of origin: Mexico
Business Idea: Construction Company

Yolanda

Country of origin: El Salvador
Business Idea: Coffee Kiosk

Lily

​​Country of origin: Haiti
Business Idea: Jewelry

Diana

Country or origin: China
Business Idea: Childcare

Specifications of Course

Specifications of Workbooks

• Number of episodes: 18 in total
• Number of episodes produced: 6
• Episode length: 10 minutes

• One low-intermediate level student workbook per episode
  
• One high-intermediate level student workbook per episode
  
• One instructor’s guide per episode
  
• 6 Chapters, each supporting one episode
• Supporting materials for learning outcomes in each episode