English Conversation Facilitator Needed! (NH-Antelope area) Training provided

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Do you love interacting with people from different cultures and languages? Are you great at making others feel welcome and connecting with people from diverse backgrounds?

English Conversation Group Facilitator (for adults) at Sacramento Public Library may be the volunteer position for you!

Not a teaching position, no teaching experience required, and bilingual not required but helpful. No specific education requirement. Training and ongoing support provided. Participants are often native speakers of a variety of languages (not one dominant language), and may be at significantly different levels.

This is intended to be an informal, friendly, relaxed conversation group that is based on a particular theme/topic for each session and has some structure but only minimal direct instruction, if any. It is not meant to be a class. No teacher lecturing, please! Facilitator talk should be minimized in order to maximize participants' fluent speaking opportunities. Think of it as creating a social space for participants to speak and connect with each other, and even have fun.

If you are more interested in teaching/tutoring, we do also need ESL Tutors throughout Sacramento County.

Top personal qualities and skills desired:

• Humble, curious, patient, creative, flexible, culturally competent, self-aware
• Comfortable with beginner level English speakers
• Values participants' interests and needs over own
• Fluent in English and easily understood by others
• Excellent facilitation skills or willingness to learn, encourages peer interaction
• Willingness to incorporate interactive activities
• Models activities and instructions (vs. explains only), even if outside of own comfort zone (e.g. role play)

This posting is specifically for the North Highlands-Antelope library and will start off as once a month, the first Saturday of every month for one hour as the group is small at this time. (There is another session on the 3rd Saturday, already filled by another volunteer, but there may be opportunities to fill in then as needed.)

Some preparation time should also be factored in, although the length of time may depend on the individual facilitator and the participants' needs/interests. A minimum of 20-30 min should be expected, up to 1 hour.

Note: We may have openings at other Sacramento library locations, and we also have virtual co-facilitator opportunities available.

Please contact us if you are interested or have questions. If you are being referred by a specific person or organization, please let us know!

If you are more interested in tutoring, see our "Help an Adult English Learner..." posting or use this posting to contact us and make a note in the comments.

We look forward to hearing from you!