Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us!
Our program relies on the dedicated work of our volunteers, and we greatly appreciate your interest in joining our team
Application Process:
- Complete the online application and upload your resume by clicking here. You are being directed to another site to complete the application, please allow a few minutes to load.
- After 1-3 weeks, applicants identified as a strong match will be invited to interview.
- After the interview, applicants will be notified of the decision within 2 weeks.
- All accepted volunteers will be required to provide a valid Criminal Record Check (https://epatch.state.pa.us/) as well as Child Abuse Clearance (https://www.compass.state.pa.us/CWIS/Public/Home) before the first day of service.
- If you have further questions, or if there are any issues with the online application, please email our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteers@nscphila.org.
- If you have any questions not addressed below, please see our Contact Page. (Select 'English Classes' as the Service Area)
Online Class Schedule
- Monday and Wednesday mornings
9:30am-11:00am - Monday and Wednesday evenings
6:00pm-7:30pm - Tuesday and Thursday mornings
9:30am-11:00am - Tuesday and Thursday evenings
6:00pm-7:30pm
*We tend to have a greater need for volunteers with evening availability. Having evening availability or flexibile availability will greatly increase the likelihood that we will be able to schedule you for a class.
2021 Course Calendar (Subject to change)
- Winter 2021
January 25 - March 18 - Spring 2021
April 19 - June 10 - Summer 2021
July 12 - September 2 - Fall 2021
October 18 - December 9
Volunteer Requirements
- 18 years or older
- Fluent English speaker
- Minimum commitment of eight weeks, five hours per week (see calendar and schedule above)
- Approved volunteers will be required to submit a PA Criminal Background Check and PA Child Abuse History Clearance dated within the past 5 years.
Volunteer Expectations
Volunteers are generally placed in one of two capacities:
- Teacher: Volunteers who have experience and/or training in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Teachers are expected to plan and deliver lessons with the assistance of a Teaching Assistant.
- Teaching Assistant (TA): Volunteers who are new to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Teaching Assistants are expected to support the Teacher through administrative tasks, monitoring of student comprehension, and additional ad-hoc tasks. For Teaching Assistants interested in gaining teaching experience, there may also be opportunities to teach portions of lessons, to lead occassional lessons, or to substitute teach.
FAQs
What are the student demographics?
Our student body is incredibly diverse. In the last year, we had students from over 70 countries, speaking over 60 unique languages. (Many of our students speak multiple non-English langauges.) All students are 16 years or older.
How many students are in a class?
Most online classes have a 6 student maximum, although class sizes vary depending on level and schedule needs.
What level will my students be?
We offer several levels of classes, from beginner to advanced. Students take a speaking assessment prior to registering for a class, which allows us to offer focused instruction that best meets the needs of our students. Volunteers are assigned to a class level based on student need.
What materials will be available to me?
Teachers, TAs, and students will all receive copies of the assigned materials. Volunteers also have access to teacher editions of the materials (with lesson plan suggestions).
Do I need to have additional language proficiency in order to volunteer?
English fluency is the only language requirement. Knowledge of additional languages can be helpful for gaining insight into student perspective, but as there are many languages spoken by our students, we encourage teachers to provide instruction in English so as not to exclude any students.
In addition, for our online classes, proficiency with Zoom and other digital platforms used to facilitate online learning is strongly preferred.
Do I need to have teaching experience or certifications in order to volunteer?
Teaching experience and certifications are welcome, but not required. We place volunteers who are new to teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) as TAs in the classroom. For new volunteers who are interested in developing teaching skills, we provide support through workshops and trainings, observations, and ongoing feedback from staff and the lead teacher of the class. We also have a library of resources available for volunteers interested in learning more about teaching theory, TESOL, and linguistics.