SPRINGVALE — Every Thursday afternoon, nine employees of Jagger Brothers get together with their volunteer tutors, and work on their English language skills.

The one-hour lessons take place at the workplace, making it convenient for employees who like many, have commitments that make it difficult to attend a night class elsewhere.

David Jagger, the owner of Jagger Brothers, a company that began manufacturing worsted yarns back in 1898, said offering the classes is an investment in the employees — and in the company as well.

“I think it is enlightened self interest,” said Jagger. “It helps your employees, and your business. And it cements the bond between employer and employees.”

The idea arose during a meeting of  the Jagger Brothers management group, when he and others wondered if all of the company’s 39 employees could read and understand the signs throughout the manufacturing plant and other facets of production — like the bell signals that convey a specific part of the manufacturing process to employees.

The lessons, he said, initially came about because of those safety concerns.

“Beyond that, as a company that is part of the community, I feel it is a good thing to do, to be a responsible employer,” said Jagger.

The students are divided into groups of three — there is a class for those who have very little knowledge of the English language, another  for those who have intermediate understanding, and another for those who are refining their skills.

Employees take classes in a conference room and a couple of offices in the Springvale facility.

Eight of the students are originally from Cambodia and have been U.S. residents — and Jagger Brothers employees — for many years. One student is from the Philippines. Several are U.S. citizens, and student Kryssna Chan will obtain her citizenship in ceremonies later this month.

Sareth Luy is in the intermediate group.

“I understand a lot” of the English language, said Luy. An employee of the company for 27 years, she said she had a hard time understanding English when she first began working, but that has improved over time. She’s taking the class to improve her skills in written English. “I like the lessons,” Luy said.

Chea Mak said much the same — she’s concentrating on spelling and writing.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” said Muth Uong.

Luy  and Mak, along with Uong, are taught by Jody Shellene, who began tutoring students in 2003, when he lived in Florida. He continued the volunteer work when he moved to New Mexico. Three years ago, he ran into Ingrid Baily, the director of Literacy Volunteers of Greater Sanford and began tutoring, recently becoming certified as a tutor of English for Speakers of Other Languages, known as ESOL.

“The students have been enthusiastic and eager to learn,” he said of his group, who were about to undertake a 50-word spelling test during a recent lesson. “That helps motivate the instructors.”

Gail Lemley Burnett was an LVGS volunteer tutor for several years before she began teaching ESOL to students from other countries for Portland Adult Education. She returned to tutoring when she heard about the Jagger Brothers program through the third tutor, Linda K. Brown.

“I love working with immigrants,” she said as her students practiced their skill at past tense.

Baily, of LVGS, said Jagger and Linda Bishop, Jagger Brothers vice president of manufacturing, approached the agency in the spring. “They organized the time so employees could attend,” she pointed out.

That alone, said Baily, is an incentive to the workers. She said in general, the two issues that tend to hamper would-be students from improving their overall literacy or English language skills is making the time to do so and having transportation.

By organizing the classes, which began mid-summer, during the work day, toward the end of one shift and the beginning of another, Jagger Brothers made it possible, Baily said.

”Offering this at the workplace is so supportive of people’s learning, “ said Baily. “It is a great opportunity. We’re grateful to Jagger Brothers for thinking of this. We’re always looking for ways to reach new students and help them.”

The tutoring is a free service of LVGS.

“We’d love to do more of it, because it is such a great opportunity for students and employees,” she said.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.