A teacher in the ESL training that I currently facilitate commented that she makes community connections for her ESL students to create openings for them to volunteer. Different agencies and organizations commit to mentoring students in the process. The experience for them is a real confidence builder.
Her practice reminds me of the great benefits of service learning among all students. From reports among teachers at all levels, service learning provides an ideal way to practice math, reading, writing and many other skills. As students give, they also receive abundantly.
What experience do you have in this practice of encouraging community participation as a way to develop skills among your learners?
What additional benefits do you perceive for students with different learning preferences, needs, and backgrounds? Please share! Leecy
Leecy Wise, Moderator, Reading and Writing, and Diversity and Literacy CoPs
leecy@reconnectioncompany.com
Comments
We have our students volunteer in local schools and retirement homes to gain communication skills. It also gives them an opportunity to learn first hand more about the culture and community they are living.
Anetha, thanks for adding to this great topic! Please share any comments from students or form the schools and homes where your students volunteer.
I hope others will join us with similar experiences and suggestion on this very creative way of enhancing language/work skills while contributing to the community! Leecy
The residents at the retirement/ senior citizens' homes our Japanese students volunteer to teach low impact yoga, are very appreciative of the time they spend to teach them to stretching exercises that some of them can do even when they are on the wheelchair. Our students enjoy the opportunity to communicate in English and gain more understanding of the community in which they are living.
Our schools and teachers appreciate the help in class, field trips and fundraisings. Our Japanese community gives a thanksgiving meal every year for the school personnel during Teacher Appreciation week. Yesterday was this year's appreciation dinner. One of our student is the chair of the committee, and almost all are very involved in the planning, providing food, and making this day a very successful one. They get experience in writing invitations, creating them on the computer, planning the program agenda etc. They always ask our input as well as correction for their writing before they print out the materials.
Love it, love it, love it, Anitha. What creative and hugely effective practices. Way to go! Leecy