Volunteer opportunities
Want to make a difference for local immigrants in your community? EAL offers a full menu of volunteer opportunities with access to a network of training and support.
In addition to the opportunities listed below, we current have an immediate need for volunteers to help us as:
EAL Volunteer Test Administrator
Submit a Volunteer Inquiry Form
One-to-one Tutors
To be an English tutor, you don’t need previous teaching experience. You don’t even need to know another language.
As a volunteer one-to-one tutor with English At Large, you will be:
- Trained in a 12-hour workshop series to learn the essentials of a successful tutoring relationship.
- Matched with an adult learner in your area.
- Encouraged to work with your learner for 1½ – 2 hours per week, always in a public space—usually a library. (You and your learner will agree on the time and place.)
- Expected to make a minimum commitment of 50 contact hours with your learner.
Beginner English Teaching Support
English At Large Beginner English classes are taught on Tufts University (Medford) and Brandeis University (Waltham) campuses by student volunteers. The 90-minute Beginner English classes meet two days a week during the fall and spring academic semesters. If you have a Masters in TESOL, a CELTA or TEFL ESL teaching certificate, or have experience teaching ESL in the U.S. or abroad, and are interested in supporting the student volunteers at either university with classroom observations and feedback, please contact our staff. This flexible volunteer role provides welcome support and development for the volunteer teachers, as well as an opportunity to see Beginner Classes in action.
Conversation Group Facilitator
Conversation Groups help English learners to build fluency skills and speaking confidence. Each Conversation Group of up to 12 adult English learners from intermediate to advanced levels is led by two co-facilitators. This is a weekly, 1½-hour commitment for a minimum of three months.
As a group leader, you will receive a four-hour training to learn how to:
- Create a constructive and engaging learner-centered environment
- Encourage active conversation among participants
- Work with multi-level English learners
- Select the most beneficial conversation topics
Book Club Group Leader
The English At Large Book Group provides opportunities for intermediate to advanced English learners to practice reading, speaking, and writing skills. Groups of 10-12 learners meet with their discussion leader and group each week for 1½ hours, for a 6-week session. Learners do the assigned reading before the meeting, and might also be assigned a different discussion role to prepare for the next meeting. Learner preparation includes 1-2 hours of reading and approximately 30 minutes of discussion role preparation each week.
The Book Group Discussion Leader’s main role is to facilitate book or short story discussion for groups of 10-12 intermediate to advanced English learners. Group leaders plan activities that promote interactive speaking practice and engage learners. Learners will be encouraged to develop the discussion topics and to participate in small and large group speaking activities. This role requires a 3-hour weekly commitment for 6 weeks, including 1½ hours of weekly meeting time. Discussion leaders read the short story or book prior to the start of session, and plan group discussion activities in advance.
Intake Assessor
Interview prospective learners to determine their eligibility for the English At Large tutoring program and test their English level. This role has a flexible schedule where volunteers can conduct as few as two interviews per month, or as many as you like.
As an interviewer, you will receive a one-hour training session to learn how to:
- Determine a learner’s goals for learning English
- Gather basic demographic information
- Administer a brief reading/writing and listening/speaking test
- Evaluate all of the information you collect to fully understand the needs of our learners.
Test Administrator
This important volunteer function helps English At Large track the language progress of our learners.
As a test administrator, you will complete formal state certification training and administer standardized speaking or writing tests to our learners. Test Administrators can administer as many or as few tests as they like per month, though much of the testing must be completed in May and June.
Career Access Lab (CAL) Volunteer
Our Career Access Lab (CAL) welcomes volunteers willing to share their experience in the U.S. workforce
CAL volunteers support the Career Readiness Group, a 15-week program that covers the skills needed to start a career in the US. The topics include resumes, cover letters, networking skills, job interview skills, and information about US workforce culture.
Volunteers may choose to:
- Visit the CAL Group to co-facilitate a career lesson
- Provide Career Mentoring to a CAL participant
- Offer feedback at the Resume Review Event
- Conduct interviews at the Mock Interview Event
- Participate in the Networking Event
For more information on volunteering in CAL, please contact the program facilitator at americorps@englishatlarge.org
Changing Volunteer Opportunities
If you don’t have time for a weekly volunteer commitment, consider one of our other volunteer roles:
Event Volunteer
Event volunteers lend a hand at our volunteer, learner, community, and fundraising events. Typical activities include staffing a raffle table, food table or information booth, greeting guests, registering attendees, or being part of the set-up/clean-up team.
Fundraising & Grant-Writing Volunteer
Help us grow to serve more newcomers by conveying why English At Large is important in your community through fundraisers and grants.
English At Large
800 West Cummings Park, Suite 5550
Woburn, MA 01801
tel : 781.395.2374
email : info@englishatlarge.org
We thank our sponsors
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Conversation Starters: News You Need to Hear from English At Large! https://t.co/BoURTaQTiD
This is a great way to support our partner libraries!
Woburn Library on Twitter
“Like putting books in order? You might consider volunteering at the #woburnlibrary! We're looking for someone (you, maybe?) to help us shelve...
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Like putting books in order? You might consider volunteering at the #woburnlibrary! We're looking for someone (you, maybe?) to help us shelve at our temp. location on Monday mornings. Apply online: https://t.co/HnjWhBRCRt Please RT? Thx! @michaelmulrenan @SCIWoburn @BGCWoburn
TUNE IN! Bill Cummings will be featured this Friday, 10/12 at 7:30 PM by @WCVBon a @Chronicle5 segment about local people who are living their dreams.
Happy to offer this 8 week citizenship course a the Woburn Public Library with partners @EnglishAtLarge and #ymcainternationallearningcenter. If you know anybody who needs this course, please pass it along. RT? Thx! @SCIWoburn @WoburnSchools @WoburnWelcomes @CardoSoWhat
Monday is observed as a holiday in #Massachusetts. Because our library partners are closed, Monday EAL programs are cancelled as well. Have a great weekend!
Woburn Library on Twitter
“The library will be closed on Monday, 10/8, for Columbus Day.”
twitter.com
The library will be closed on Monday, 10/8, for Columbus Day.
Bring your passion for education and supporting the potential of local immigrants to work! EAL is now hiring a Programs & Database Manager! https://t.co/tRhHut1Vqk
Conversation Starters: News You Need to Hear from English At Large! https://t.co/e85pETZ9Hb
Join us in Woburn to to meet the people making a difference in your community with English At Large! https://t.co/cIpH7s3x1a
Wednesdays 10:30a-12p @BurlPubLib & @EnglishAtLarge offer #FREE conversation groups practice speaking #English https://t.co/Bgm2xED6OI conversation-groups or 781-395-2374
Over half of the seats at the dinner table are gone, so get 'em while you can. #WoburnUnites #woburnlibrary #WelcomeToWoburn #YMCAInternationalLearningCenterWoburn @SCIWoburn @EnglishAtLarge Register: @cummingsdotcom @WoburnSchools @michaelmulrenan PLS RT
#WoburnUnites Through Cultural Connections Dinner
Location: United Methodist Church | 523 Main St., Woburn, MA Hi! You have reached the LONGTIME RESIDENT REGISTRATION PAGE.The goal of #WoburnUni
bit.ly
EAL to host Fall Community Gathering in Woburn https://t.co/qz1ZbyRCTc
Thank you to @BosBizJournal for shining a spotlight on corporate philanthropy in MA as a means to encourage even more charitable giving. https://t.co/8ZE8hAO888
We still have seats available for our Fall Conversation Groups. Register today! https://t.co/YyHjnTcBFA
Newest #WoburnUnites event! Less than 50 seats available! #woburnlibrary @DTCnow @YMCA_Boston @richhaggerty @SCIWoburn @WoburnBA @WBUR @WoburnSchools @WoburnWelcomes @woburnhistory @winpublib @RobbinsLib @carymemlibrary @FriendsofWPL @michaelmulrenan https://t.co/LbmwMQ2XMU
It’s Primary Day! Your vote is your voice in our democratic system of government. Check with your local clerk’s office for polling locations.
Our offices are closed today!
Register today to secure your spot in one of our Fall Conversation Groups!
https://t.co/d51ToEIEQI
Conversation Starters: News You Need to Hear from English At Large! https://t.co/XGWABE21oM
Want to actively support the continued growth and success of immigrants in your community? Share your passion, leadership and experience with EAL. We are recruiting volunteers and interns. Work with us! https://t.co/ET44aqjOs5
Registration for our Fall Conversation Groups is now open! Learn more about this program for #English language learners and enroll in a group here: https://t.co/turxr5sBvJ
Join us on Facebook
Today we observe #ColumbusDay or #indigenouspeoplesday as a holiday. Our partner libraries are closed, and our Monday programs are cancelled for this week. Enjoy the day!
These classes are free and you do not need to live in Woburn to attend. Register today to enroll.
So many of our learners can relate to this! www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMZsDaTxaKoRicky learns that "ough" in English can be rough, tough and he's had enough. Sorry about the sound. 🙁
Our Lexington Conversation Group learners recently enjoyed a demonstration of the scanner-translator at Cary Memorial Library as part of a Scavenger Hunt activity. Libraries across our service area host EAL Programs and offer great resources for English-language learners! www.facebook.com/pg/EnglishAtLarge/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10155657210627470&__xts__%5B0%5D=68...
These classes are free, but you must register to reserve your seat. You do not need to live in Woburn to participate!Do you know anyone interested in taking a citizenship class? Several organizations in Woburn are working together to offer free citizenship classes on Saturday mornings at the Woburn Public Library starting late October. We need at least 10 people who are interested. Please message us or call 781.935.6499 if you are interested. Please share this post!
Big thanks to Michael Wick at the Burlington Public Library for signing on as an EAL Community Ambassador! Are you engaged and knowledgeable about happenings in your community? Volunteer just a few hours a month to keep us connected! Full job description here:
www.englishatlarge.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/EAL-Town-Ambassador-Job-Descripton.pdf
It's here! This awesome banner will help us promote our programs and engage our community in service. Big thanks to Laura Hall, our summer intern who designed this banner for us!
Looks great, so glad I got to work on this!
Way to go, Laura!!!! Congrats!!!! Awesome job!!!!! xoxoxo
We are so excited to welcome our 2018-2019 NAIP AmeriCorps Member Na'tisha Mills to English At Large! Na'tisha will be facilitating the Career Access Lab Program during her year of service. Meet Na'tisha: www.englishatlarge.org/staff/
We had a very busy summer for library card signups. Can we top it this September?? I THINK WE CAN. #woburnlibrary #LibraryCardSignUp
Registration for our Fall Conversation Groups closes this Friday, September 14th! We still have seats available in groups running in several different communities - Register today to claim your spot! www.englishatlarge.org/conversation-groups/
conversation groups | English At Large
englishatlarge.org
We still have a few spots left in our Fall Conversation Groups. Groups begin in the next 2 weeks - register today and let the learning begin! www.englishatlarge.org/conversation-groups/
Our thanks to the Temple Isaiah - Lexington, MA Sisterhood for supporting important local programs that invest in the potential of immigrants in Lexington and surrounding communities. The Sisterhood supports English At Large through financial and in-kind donations as well as through volunteer service - a true partner in our work!
Our offices are closed today in observance of this holiday established to honor the American worker.
An amazing opportunity for someone to work with us!Give back to your immigrant and refugee community through service at one of our host site partners in Woburn, MA! Applications are still open for full-time positions at English At Large and YMCA International Learning Center - Woburn, among others. Apply today to join the 2018-2019 NAIP cohort: miracoalition.org/apply-to-naip-americorps
Our Fall Conversation Groups are filling up fast! Register today to secure your spot in a group starting in September. www.englishatlarge.org/conversation-groups/
We were so fortunate to have the talents of two college interns this summer, who helped us catch up on administrative tasks, completed some marketing projects and led a summer book group and a conversation group. Thank you, Laura and Laura, for your great work and community spirit. We will miss you!
Bring your passion and experience to the table to support local programs for immigrants in your community! EAL is now recruiting volunteers to serve in a variety of roles to help lead and sustain our future growth! www.englishatlarge.org/work-with-us/
Our Conversation Groups serve local immigrants who want to learn more about U.S. culture and meet other English language learners! Registration for our Fall Groups is now open! www.englishatlarge.org/conversation-groups/
conversation groups | English At Large
englishatlarge.org
Looking for hands-on, substantive work experience and a chance to make a difference? We still have slots available for NAIP 2018-19. Teach English, help immigrants adapt to life in the U.S., help aspiring citizens apply... Learn more & apply today! bit.ly/apply-naip.
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