English Conversation projects can play a pivotal role in a person's success and happiness in this country. Please keep in mind the following tips when volunteering on these projects:
Encourage students to speak in English at all times while at the project, even to each other. It is important that they build their confidence.
Don't ask, "Do you understand?" Some shy students may simply nod. The best way to see if someone understands is direct questioning.
Ask Yes/No Questions. If you are not sure your student understands something ask "yes" or "no" questions. "Are you tall?" "No, I'm short."
Use real-life props in the class make it more interesting and applicable for your students e.g. job applications, newspapers, flyers, shopping coupon books, menus, etc.
Mistakes are good and should be encouraged. They are a sign of a risk taken and trust in the volunteer.
While it is important that you enunciate words clearly, you should also use words in the form they are commonly found in. For instance, when teaching "going to" you should pronounce "going" properly. But you should also inform your students that when people are talking quickly, they usually use "gonna."
Focus on one vocabulary unit at a time. Students will pick up more if they are not overwhelmed by vocabulary. Stick to a specific lesson. If students are at different levels, simple nouns will suffice for beginners. More intermediate students can get descriptive vocabulary words and verbs.
