Become a Volunteer Adult Literacy or ESL Tutor

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Imagine how difficult your life would be if you could not communicate with your doctor, read transit information, or help your child with homework.

Partners in Reading, the adult literacy program of the San José Public Library, is recruiting volunteers for its basic literacy and ESL tutoring programs.

By volunteering twice a week, you can make a difference in an adult's life by helping them build skills that enable them to function more confidently at home, at work, and as a member of the San José community.

After completing tutor orientation and training, volunteer positions in these programs can be in person or online.

The adult learners in the basic literacy section of the program are able to have a conversation in English, but they read or write below the high school level. They work on building reading, writing, and technology skills and progress at their own pace. They are from all over the world, including from the United States.

The adult learners in the ESL part of the program work on building basic English conversation skills so they can more confidently navigate daily life requiring English conversation.

Each learner sets specific personal goals to work on with volunteer tutors.

The adult learners come to Partners in Reading with a host of skills and for many reasons, but they all want to become more independent. You can help by making a minimum 6-month commitment to help an individual with basic English conversation or with basic literacy skills.

Benefits

• Help your community
• Learn new skills
• Help an adult function more independently

Requirements

• Be 18 or older
• Have a high school diploma, GED, or above
• Have excellent conversation, reading, and writing skills
• Be proficient in technology
• Report progress each month
• Commit to 6 months or more of tutoring
• Pass fingerprint clearance
• Attend an orientation
• Attend a pre-service tutor training session

If this sounds interesting to you, we would like to invite you to attend an orientation on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.

• Visit http://www.sjpl.org/par-tutor to learn more and to sign up.
• Click on the green "Register for an Orientation" button to sign up.
• Create a volunteer account.
• Click on the "Volunteer With Partners in Reading" link.

After the orientation, if you decide you would like to become a tutor, you will need to attend online and in-person training sessions.

The orientation will be held at the King Library. The dates and location of the training session are to be determined.

Come volunteer with the San José Public Library and Partners in Reading. Experience the joy of celebrating the milestones your learner reaches. Tutoring will change your life, too!