Volunteer to lead English Conversations!
Are you a reliable, friendly, English speaker? Did you know you can make a difference in your community by leading a small, informal group in practicing spoken English? If that sounds intriguing to you, you may be a perfect fit to join our Volunteer English Conversation team!
English Conversation Groups provide a safe space for Belmont neighbors with foundational English skills to practice speaking aloud with other learners, socialize, and learn about American culture. The Belmont Public Library is able to offer these opportunities thanks to our generous and dedicated volunteers.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- How do volunteers lead these groups?
- Volunteers guide the conversation in many ways: Providing conversation starters, planning activities using free resources, setting and maintaining a welcoming atmosphere, and gently correcting mis-spoken English.
- Volunteers can also help support each other by sharing resources, offering to substitute-lead groups in a pinch, and checking in regularly.
- Volunteers are Never expected to spend their own money in the course of volunteering. This includes printing and copying handouts.
- Is there a curriculum?
- There is no set curriculum. There are resources for starting conversations, setting group norms, and suggested best practices, but these groups are less formal than a traditional class and the volunteer leader has a lot of freedom to try new things.
- How many people may be in a group?
- Traditionally, the groups are capped at 7 participants. But there is flexibility if the volunteer leader is comfortable with larger groups.
- The small size is partially to account for varied levels of English fluency, as we do not assess patrons when they register.
- Do participants expect to receive grammar lessons? Is there a certificate of completion?
- As this is not a class, all participants are expected to have a foundation of English skills.