View Content #20799

From http://blog.tesol.org/

Alexandra Lowe writes, “For many international and immigrant ESL students, the American tradition of volunteering is an elusive concept. Many immigrant students work long hours at survival jobs and feel they have no time to volunteer. Others who may have an interest in volunteering have no clue how to find a volunteer position.

“Yet volunteering is a great way for adult ESL students to improve their English. It gives them an important opportunity to practice their English outside of class in an authentic setting. It helps them forge ties to the wider community in the United States and reduces the isolation many of them feel. And it serves as a major confidence booster, as students are able to draw on the strengths they brought with them to this country in order to help others.”

Read the full blog post for ideas, including informal arrangements, for English learners to find volunteer opportunities and with them opportunities for interaction: http://blog.tesol.org/volunteering-a-strategy-for-speaking-more-english/