• Link to Facebook
  • Link to X
  • Link to Youtube
  • Link to Instagram
  • Link to LinkedIn
  • Link to Mail
  • Donate
  • Register Now
  • Contact Us
  • Volunteer Portal
  • e-Catalog
Call Us: 800-487-1074
Global Volunteers
  • Countries
    • International Partnerships
      • China
      • Cook Islands
      • Cuba
      • Greece
      • Italy (Sicily)
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Peru
      • Poland
      • St Lucia
      • Tanzania
      • Vietnam
    • USA Programs
      • Aguada – Puerto Rico
      • Blackfeet Reservation – Montana
      • Rio Grande Valley – Texas
  • Groups
      • Corporate Volunteers
      • College Student Volunteers
      • High School Student Volunteers
      • Professional Assocation Volunteers
  • Individuals
      • Retiree Volunteer
      • Solo Traveler Volunteer
      • Family Volunteers
      • Professional Volunteer
  • Projects
    • Community Work Projects
      • Delivering Essential Services
      • Teaching Conversational English
      • Supporting Community Development
      • Supplementing School-Based Curricula
      • View All Community Work Projects
  • Dates & Fees
    • Seasonal
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Monthly
      • January
      • February
      • March
      • April
      • May
      • June
      • July
      • August
      • September
      • October
      • November
      • December
      • All Service Program Dates
  • Impact
      • How we Measure Impact
      • The Power of Giving Impact
      • One Child at a Time
      • RCP Program Documentary Film
      • Tanzania Food & Nutrition Center’s Impact Evaluation
      • ORG in Action
  • Support
    • Donation Opportunities
      • Donate Now
      • Changemakers Club – Monthly
      • Gift Catalog
      • Matching Gifts
      • More Ways to Give
    • Foundation Opportunities
      • Funding Opportunities for Philanthropic Partners
  • News
  • Request Information
  • Click to open the search input field Click to open the search input field Search
  • Menu Menu
  • Donate
  • Gift Catalog
  • Register Now
  • Contact Us
  • –
  • Countries
    • International Partnerships
      • China
      • Cook Islands
      • Cuba
      • Greece
      • Italy (Sicily)
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Peru
      • Poland
      • St Lucia
      • Tanzania
      • Vietnam
    • USA Programs
      • Aguada – Puerto Rico
      • Blackfeet Reservation – Montana
      • Rio Grande Valley – Texas
  • Groups
    • Corporate Volunteers
    • College Student Volunteers
    • High School Student Volunteers
    • Professional Assocation Volunteers
  • Individuals
    • Retiree Volunteer
    • Solo Traveler Volunteer
    • Family Volunteers
    • Professional Volunteer
  • Projects
    • Delivering Essential Services
    • Teaching Conversational English
    • Supporting Community Development
    • Supplementing School-Based Curricula
    • View All Community Work Projects
  • Dates & Fees
    • Seasonal
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Monthly
      • January
      • February
      • March
      • April
      • May
      • June
      • July
      • August
      • September
      • October
      • November
      • December
    • All Service Program Dates
  • Impact
    • How we Measure Impact
    • The Power of Giving Impact
    • One Child at a Time
    • RCP Program Documentary Film
    • Tanzania Food & Nutrition Center’s Impact Evaluation
    • ORG in Action
  • Support
    • Donate Now
    • Changemakers Club – Monthly
    • Gift Catalog
    • Matching Gifts
    • More Ways to Give
    • Funding Opportunities for Philanthropic Partners
  • News
  • Request Information
  • e-Catalog
  • Volunteer Portal
Conversational English

Youth and Adults Learn English Language Skills from Generous Volunteers

child is happy being praised by volunteer in Greece

It’s easy to underestimate the importance of English to the 95 percent of the world population who aren’t native speakers. But the volunteers who teach English to children and young adults in classrooms, small groups and language camps directly experience the difference in the lives of those seeking avenues for a better life. Read on to learn more – and how you can help!


As the international language of medicine and news, English was recognized during the global pandemic as a critical resource. And those who aspire to enter business, broadcasting, healthcare, technology or almost any other career know that English fluency improves their future life choices. Volunteers know helping students learn English enables them to open doors – to higher education, better jobs, and a clearer understanding of their place in the world. Through Global Volunteers service programs, youth and adults learn English in affirming and supportive skills training, based on the students’ individual capabilities and learning goals.

volunteer  Paula Horner teaches english at St. Joseph School in Nepal
Youth learn English from Global Volunteer Paula Horner at St. Joseph School in Nepal.

Global Volunteers has engaged short-term volunteers in conversational English teaching in most of our partner communities since 1990. Youth and adults learn English in diverse settings including preschools, elementary, junior and senior high schools, universities, businesses, government agencies, and language camps. Volunteers teach English with local teachers or team-teach with other volunteers.

Teaching in Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa

In Cuba, Peru, and China, volunteers teach English to children who may have little to no English knowledge. In St. Lucia, Tanzania, and the Cook Islands, volunteers can tutor children in numeracy and literacy as they advance their English proficiency. In Greece and Poland, youth and adults learn English in classroom settings as well as at “English camps.” In Ecuador, volunteers teach English to preschool teachers. Though the settings are different, the need is there for the children to start learning their first English words or being able to complete their school assignments in English.

Volunteer Sonja Knudsen tutors students in English at the Apii Nikao school in The Cooks Islands.
Volunteer Sonja Knudsen tutors young students at the Apii Nikao school in The Cooks Islands.

In every service program in communities where English is not the first language, our volunteers are part of an ongoing process that inspires children to study. Even though short-term volunteers teach English only for one, two, or three weeks, Global Volunteers strives to provide a constant flow of volunteers to ensure continuity and a long-term learning opportunity for youth and adults to learn English. In this way, each volunteer becomes an important link in a long chain of volunteers. So, everyone impacts the arc of a student’s learning in a relatively short time. You may not be the one who enables a student to begin speaking in complete sentences, but you encourage the student to continue learning so the next volunteer can lead them to a milestone.

“As a Global Volunteers ‘veteran,’ I was eager to join the Cuba Program right after the first of the year.  The highlights were the conversations with the young English teachers who strolled the streets with us, and we shared our thoughts on similarities and differences in our cultures.  They’re curious about the changes that Cuba might face when the U.S. Embargo is lifted.  One woman, who is a lawyer, spoke to us of Cuba’s laws, and possible upcoming changes.“

Betty Wood, alumni volunteer

In most partner communities, the local English teachers are excellent grammarians. However, they often struggle with speaking the language, especially pronunciation, idioms, syntax, etc. The principal role of our volunteers teaching conversational English is to provide students the opportunity to hear a native speaker and to speak English in an environment where they are not evaluated.

Melinda Staveley, a multi-program volunteer who served in Vietnam, explained: “To be honest, I expected that students would be more fluent in English than I actually found. So my teaching assignments were quite useful. Expanding vocabulary beyond simple words and working on pronunciation were particularly helpful. Some of the people we are working with are using their phones to communicate with their clients, so we work a lot on pronunciation, enunciation, and clarity.”

Volunteer-techniques-and-games-to-teach-the-students-of-Nguyen-Binh-Khiem-School-English vietnam
Volunteer Sonja Knudsen teaches English through games to students from Nguyen Binh Khiem School in Vietnam.

Everyone Can be a Conversational English Teacher

Since volunteers teach English as a Foreign Language (EFL), as opposed to English as a Second Language (ESL), even those who have never formally taught in a classroom can make a difference. Team members receive an English Teaching Guide with teaching techniques and universal lessons for host countries, and prepare at least one hour for every teaching hour. Generally, activities are planned and prepared ahead of the class time, as the students can vary from day to day. Based on the age group and proficiency levels, volunteers are guided to activities that engage students. Youth and adults learn English through interactive songs, skits, and games in both structured classes and informal lessons with activities to reinforce learned concepts.

For instance, Poland Volunteer James May landed on an especially effective teaching method for students age 10 to 12. “To start off the day, the class did a birthday line-up from early birthdays to birthdays late in the year. That acquainted me with the students, and they had to think about numbers and dates. We moved to an assignment about experiences, such as “Find someone who has visited another country” and other questions. Students went around the room and asked other students to find people who did 20 different activities.” Jim ended the class time with Jingo, a game like Bingo with words or phrases in place of of numbers. 

Volunteer James May posed with his students at a summer “English camp” in Poland.

Youth and Adults Learn English at all Levels

Global Volunteers’ team leaders provide clear guidance to accommodate the culture, setting, age group, and English proficiency of students in each partner community. Each setting presents different opportunities and joys. While adult students who know the value of English in professional settings may be focused and serious, youth are always fun-loving, and can usually pick up English more easily. Most schools stress the importance of learning English in early grades. Volunteers report that the impact of teaching English to children – when their minds are fresh and ready for learning – can last a lifetime.


You may also like:

Global Volunteer in Vietnam describes teaching English to adult students.

Share this:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
December 29, 2020/by Global Volunteers
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/child-is-happy-being-praised-by-volunteer-in-Greece.jpg 758 1500 Global Volunteers https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Global Volunteers2020-12-29 11:00:002021-11-29 19:58:59Youth and Adults Learn English Language Skills from Generous Volunteers
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Partner Communities

  • China (62)
  • Cook Islands (46)
  • Cuba (119)
  • Greece (75)
  • Italy (59)
  • Malaysia (3)
  • Montana (56)
  • Nepal (22)
  • Peru (120)
  • Poland (97)
  • Puerto Rico (5)
  • St Lucia (62)
  • Tanzania (253)
  • Texas (7)
  • Vietnam (33)

Categories

  • Classroom Assistance (13)
  • Conversational English (97)
  • Cultures and Traditions (125)
  • Development Impact (122)
  • Family Volunteering (54)
  • Free Time Options (63)
  • Group Volunteering (18)
  • Mental Health Projects (15)
  • News and Updates (144)
  • Partners' Stories (18)
  • Projects for Professionals (26)
  • Reaching Children's Potential (246)
  • Ripple Effect (7)
  • Service-Learning (50)
  • Staff Worldwide (27)
  • Volunteer Voices (618)
  • Why I Give (18)

Tags

American Indian culture Care for children Caribbean island College groups Conversational English Cook Islands Volunteer vacaion Cook Island Volunteers Cuba people-to-people Cuba volunteering programs Earthbox gardens Essential Services family volunteer abroad family volunters food insecurity Funding your fee gender equality Health and nutrition healthcare High school groups Island volunteers Labor projects live together in peace nursing retiree volunteers Spring break students volunteer student volunteer summer volunteer program support children Support women teaching children teaching english team leader volunteer volunteer abroad volunteer benefits Volunteer impact volunteer in Cuba volunteer in the Cook Islands volunteer vacation volunteer with seniors wage peace work on reservations Work with youth youth volunteering

Get Global Volunteers News Here!

Enter your email address to receive fresh new posts in your inbox.

  • About Us
  • Boards of Directors and Advisors
  • US and International Staff
  • Our Beginnings
  • Our Vision
  • Community Partners
  • Collaborators
  • Compare Us
  • Impact and Outcomes of Service
  • Donate to Global Volunteers
  • DEIB policy
  • Your Service Program Contribution
  • Discounts & Fundraising
  • Alumni Center
  • Volunteer Vacation FAQs
  • News/Media
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Agreements and Accountability
  • Travel Risks
  • Site Map
  • Volunteer Portal
  • Employment
Global Volunteers
375 East Little Canada Road
St. Paul, MN 55117-1628 USA
(800) 487-1074 | toll-free
(651) 482-0915 | fax
globalvolunteers.org
email@globalvolunteers.org
Federal EIN: 36-3352680

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST!

Subscribe to receive updates, new blog posts, and inspiring stories from our work around the world.

Global Volunteers - Partners in Development ® | © Copyright 2002 - Present Global Volunteers
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to X
  • Link to Youtube
  • Link to Instagram
  • Link to LinkedIn
  • Link to Mail
  • Global Volunteers is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization. Our tax ID is 36-3352680. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent provided by the law.
  • Send feedback about this web site and its administration.
Link to: Dedicated Ipalamwa General Clinic Staff Committed to Excellence Link to: Dedicated Ipalamwa General Clinic Staff Committed to Excellence Dedicated Ipalamwa General Clinic Staff Committed to Excellenceglobal volunteers tanzania staff Link to: International Community Development Profile: Emola Mbata Family in Tanzania Link to: International Community Development Profile: Emola Mbata Family in Tanzania International community developmentInternational Community Development Profile: Emola Mbata Family in Tanzania
Scroll to top