ESOL Partners & Conversation Leaders

Would you like to give back to the University of Maryland community?

Do you need to gain tutoring experience or earn service hours?

Are you interested in learning more about others' cultures and customs?

Become a volunteer with the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Conversation Program in the Learning Assistance Service. This program helps international students improve their English speaking and pronunciation. You do not need experience in teaching English or be a native speaker, but you must be fluent in English. Volunteers can be university students or community members.

Conversation Group Leader
Lead a weekly small group of ESOL students in sixty minute discussions of world cultures and customs, university life, and current events. You may also teach English pronunciation, idioms, and vocabulary if you wish. Conversation groups meet 1 hour a week for 10 weeks.

Conversation Partners
Work one-on-one with a beginning ESOL student to help him or her with English pronunciation and speaking. Participants' schedules determine session times and locations. Conversation partner sessions meet 1 hour a week for 10 weeks throughout the semester.

ESOL volunteers make a semester-long commitment to:

• Participate for the entire 10-weeks of service
• Attend required meetings (2-3) throughout the semester
• Be on time and prepared for each conversation session
• Record each session's attendance on-line by midnight of the session day
• Use session times to practice English conversation with students only, i.e., NOT to run my personal errands, eat lunch, and so on, while students or partner tag along
• Read email correspondence from the ESOL program, participate in surveys, program evaluations, provide and feedback

To Volunteer in the program:

1. Complete the Volunteer Pre-Registration Form
2. Attend the Volunteer Information/Registration Session (During this meeting, volunteers will learn more about the ESOL Conversation Program and establishing session/meeting times).