TEACHERS , VOLUNTEERS
COMBINING CLASSES , CONVERSATIONS
Creating the ideal environment for English teaching
“ The help we receive from English-speaking volunteers is essential & invaluable. My dream is to keep improving on the quality of the English education we provide at English Club Laos, with the volunteer community, working side by side with our Lao teachers. Together, the impact we make, is life-changing for the Lao people “
- TEACHING
Our focus is on preparing these young people for the future by helping them to learn English. We are using the Let’s Go and New Headway books and although this is a great tool for teachers to use, it is not a strict syllabus and we encourage all teachers to use other resources and plan each lesson thoroughly. Here are the following teaching resources:
+ Let’s Go books – These are Pre-beginner with 5 levels in total. You may utilize these books to guide your lessons but you don’t have to follow them completely. Take the concepts or topics from the books and use other resources, including games, flashcards etc. to keep the lessons interesting.
+ New Headway books – We are used for higher level classes and are based on their level of comprehension. You may use these books to guide your lessons but you don’t have to follow them completely (you and the kids will get bored). Take the concepts from the books that they may not understand completely and elaborate. Turn lessons into games or ways to get them speaking.
- OUR STUDENTS
Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances. Many are from very poor families who subsist on rice farming and lead extremely challenging daily lives. Some are monks and novices from the local Buddhist temples, and some, from the local working community. Attendees also include university, college, high school, and primary school students.
Regardless of their age, level or background, our students have one thing in common : a very keen interest to learn English ! Many attend daily classes before or after school/work or during their lunch breaks and holidays!
They are eager, motivated, focused, energetic, enthusiastic, fun, gentle, and a sheer pleasure to work with every day. Our Lao teachers and volunteers invariably fall in love with these bright and inspiring young people.
- CLASSROOMS
Classes are organized in 3 different levels: pre-beginner, beginner and pre-intermediate, with a formal curriculum and up-to-date teaching materials and Volunteers will work with children from 8 to 25 years old.
Our teachers deliver a defined syllabus which includes reading, pronunciation, understanding, writing, grammar, sentence construction and conversation.
Classes typically lasts for 70 mins, the first one starting at 08:30 am and the last one, at 07:10 pm
Each student is provided with a text book as a learning support. The textbook contains multiple exercises that students are required to do, either in class with the teacher and volunteers, or at home, when they are given homework. Tests are also regularly done to assess assimilation of the learning & allows our teachers to adjust their classroom delivery.
- CONVERSATIONS
Class schedules are also interspersed with conversation sessions, where students engage in informal discussions with our volunteers. Conversations are a vital part of our program as they provide the unique opportunity for our students to practice and improve their English skills, to learn more about our volunteers, their country, their culture, and even become friends!