Help Adults with English Language Skills!

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Volunteer to Teach an Adult to Speak English!!

The Hayward Public Library is looking for volunteers to serve as group leaders for English Conversation Circles. We currently offer instruction to over 100 students in a variety of levels throughout the city of Hayward. The classes consist of mostly Latino and Asian immigrants, with a few students of other ethnicities. The students, all adults, are a pleasure to work with--motivated, good-humored, and grateful for your help. The response you get from them is enthusiastic and immediate; new volunteers are often amazed by the energy and good will that come out of each class. The experience is not only fun, but deeply gratifying as you see students make strides in their English proficiency.

A typical commitment is one class per week; classes last approximately two hours. We currently have 5 sites in Hayward and are looking to expand. Each group leader designs their own lessons; we provide training, books, supplementary materials, supplies, and everything else needed to run a group. Aides do a variety of things in the class: they assist individual students, help the teachers, check student work, take attendance, and so on.

For group leaders, some prior training or classroom experience is helpful, but not necessary--just a desire to engage with students and help them work on their English skills. It is not required to speak a second language.

If you would like to donate your time teaching adults how to speak, read and write English, please contact us at your earliest convenience. We look forward to hearing from you!

Requirements:
-Volunteers must be 18 years or older
-You must read and write at a 12th grade level or higher
-You must commit to two hours per week
-Fill out a volunteer application
-Attend a 30 minute observation/orientation
-Be fingerprinted through the Hayward Police Department