Teacher Information and Registration Form
The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program at St. John Neumann seeks additional volunteer teachers for the Fall Semester of 2023. Currently, the program has 14 teachers working with 21 students, both online, using the ZOOM program, and in-person in classes held at Saint John Neumann. Since Fall 2022, our new classes have all been in-person classes on Thursday mornings and evenings.
Requirements
Teaching English to speakers of other languages requires only a true interest in helping students learn English and patience since English is difficult to learn. Being fluent or knowledgeable in the native language of the students (mostly, but not exclusively, Spanish) is helpful but not required.
Textbooks and Curriculum
We are using the Oxford University Press’ Step Forward textbooks and workbooks for these classes, so there is a curriculum to follow for each one of the five levels of English proficiency. We provide each teacher with a hard copy of the textbook and workbook for their teaching level, a digital copy of the textbook, and access to the online Teacher Resource Center (provided by OUP for each teaching level) that provides additional teaching resources and a method for measuring student progress throughout the year. We have a teacher Orientation meeting in September before the start of the Fall Semester.
Classes
We have reserved classrooms for English classes on Thursday mornings (9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon) and Thursday evenings (7:00 – 9:00 PM). Volunteer teachers should indicate their preference and availability to teach during these two periods each Thursday. Class size varies each semester, but the Level 1 classes generally attract the largest number of students. If there are more than five students in a class, we try to assign two teachers (subject to availability) to that class to teach as a team. Historically, our courses have the highest student attendance early in the semester. Our students are busy, working adults, and most have families and the many obligations and uncertainties that go along with both. Consequently, we lose some students over a semester or full Learning Year. Nonetheless, many students can persevere and continue to learn English throughout the full Learning Year, and this is the opportunity that we strive to present to each student.
Deadlines
As you will see in the schedule above, we develop our teaching resources before student registration. So we advertise for teachers in June for the Fall Semester and November for the Winter-Spring Semester. However, we are always open to more volunteers afterward for full-time teaching, as needed, and substitute teachers, when needed. If you would like to volunteer for this rewarding ministry, please complete the ESOL Teacher Registration Form and return it by text or email to Eddie Byrne, esl.stjohnneumann@gmail.com, or 703-298-2292.