Teach Conversational English to Children, Youth, and Adults

English is the language of commerce, technology, and opportunity worldwide. Especially during economic challenges, Sicilian students crave the opportunity to learn American English (the language of the internet) from native speakers to enhance their educational and employment opportunities. On a typical day, you’ll engage groups of kindergarten, elementary, middle, or high school students in conversation. You might discuss North American culture, history, daily lifestyle, sports, music, or school systems. Most of the time, you will team teach, although sometimes volunteers are needed to tutor one-on-one or conduct classes on your own using standard curriculum texts – always depending on your style and comfort level. Our Conversational English Teaching Guide offers lesson plans for beginners, intermediate, and advanced learners and includes games, songs, and diverse interactive activities that make conversational English learning enjoyable.

Volunteers are also needed each year in June, July, and late August to help eager Italian children with English pronunciation, vocabulary, and idioms during two-week English language camps.

In addition, local police and tourism officials have asked for English tutors so they can better communicate with English-speaking visitors to Castelvetrano. This is not a heavy lift because these government employees just want to have conversations with native English speakers, and this is extremely enjoyable for the volunteers because they learn about local life, culture, and society from Sicilians.

As noted above, volunteers can serve at one of several elementary, middle, and high schools.  But of particular need is TED, a vocational high school that provides classes in specific job-related training, including auto mechanics, aesthetics and hairdressing, professional cooking, and electrical installation. With only 120 students, TED is smaller than the other high schools. Most of these teens come from disadvantaged families, and this education offers a way to break the chains of poverty. Their classes emphasize practical subjects aimed at teaching trades.  Native English speakers are beneficial because a local English teacher is not always available to the students. Yet, knowing English is essential because many technical journals and texts are available only in English. For these young people, English can be a passport out of poverty.

The goal is to work with students helping them learn English in their specific trade during their regular classes. Volunteers who can be proactive and work with minimal guidance are particularly effective at TED. The principal at this vocational high school enthusiastically welcomes each volunteer, and the local teachers remain present in the classroom to assist with classroom management and support. Anyone can do this; however, volunteers with backgrounds in these vocational subjects are greatly appreciated.