Small English Classes for Adults: How the SEE Program Helped Sabrina Build Confidence and Community

For many adults from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, finding time to improve English feels impossible once work, family and parenting take over the day. Sabrina knows this challenge well. With a five-year-old and a nine-year-old at home, fitting study around school drop-offs, homework and daily routines is a constant balancing act. 

"Because we all have children going to school, and because my children are five and nine, they're quite small and young, sometimes time management is very challenging for me," Sabrina explains. 

What makes the difference, she says, isn't just the timetable — it's the people around her. 

A Small Classroom Makes a Big Difference 

Unlike large lecture-style classes, Sabrina's learning environment at Max Solutions RTO is built around small groups, where trainers get to know each learner's needs, goals and pace. That personal attention has meant everything for a busy parent trying to keep up. 

"I have a very good teacher and very nice classmates, and they have a really supportive strategy for us," she says. 

The class doesn't just meet during scheduled hours. Learners stay connected through a shared group chat, where they exchange class materials, trainer presentations and updates — as well as small moments from daily life. 

"We share all the online classes and the teacher's PowerPoints, and we share all the information. We share a little bit of our daily life as well," Sabrina says. "So it feels like a family instead of a formal class." 

Learning English Alongside People Who Understand the Journey 

Sabrina is a participant in the Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) Program. As part of the Advanced Stream, she is working towards the CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support, with tailored LLND support embedded into every step of her training — helping her build the English, workplace and digital skills needed for a career in the care sector, without having to navigate a large, impersonal classroom to get there. 

For adult English learners from migrant and refugee backgrounds, studying alongside classmates who share similar experiences — and similar goals — can turn an isolating task into a genuine support network. 

"We're all in the same class for English and individual support, and we also have the same goals," Sabrina says. "So we'll probably all be colleagues in the future. It's very nice to have colleagues with the same backgrounds as well." 

That sense of shared purpose is central to how Max Solutions RTO designs its programs — prioritising connection and community alongside language, literacy, numeracy and digital (LLND) skill-building, rather than treating English improvement as a purely academic exercise. 

Why Learners Choose Max Solutions RTO 

For adults juggling family responsibilities while improving their English, the difference between a large training provider and a close-knit learning environment can shape whether study feels sustainable. At Max Solutions, small class sizes mean learners become part of a community that shares resources, encouragement and understanding of the CALD experience. 

Find out more about the SEE Program. 

The SEE Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Workplace Relations and delivered by Max Solutions RTO 0667.