Volunteer as a TEFL teacher with the Welsh Refugee Council

TEFL teachers can usually reflect on the wonderful experiences they have had teaching around the world.  There is another opportunity to experience a very rewarding teaching position right on your doorstep:  by volunteering as an English teacher. Demand for government funded, full time ESOL courses far outstrips supply so thousands of migrants (refugees and asylum seekers) across the UK are placed on waiting lists. For such people, desperate to learn how to communicate in English, third sector organisations (charities) are where they turn to. Such organisations are able to deliver ESOL classes only through the goodwill of volunteer ELT teachers. Here teflhub interviews Dr Mike Chick who volunteers on such a programme with the Welsh Refugee Council.

1              Is there a demand for volunteer TEFL teachers in Cardiff and the UK generally?

Yes – overwhelmingly so. Funding for ESOL providers has been cut drastically in recent years – while the number of refugees has increased substantially – largely because of unrest in the Middle East and in parts of Africa. What’s more, the UK government has promised to resettle twenty thousand Syrians across the country. Local Authorities have been charged with looking after these families’ ESOL needs and many e.g. here in Rhondda Cynon Taff and Caerphilly are heavily reliant on volunteer ESOL teachers to help them learn English and thus successfully integrate.   

2              Are there any prerequisites for the role of volunteer English teacher?

Third sector organisations prefer volunteer teachers to be at least initially qualified (CELTA/Trinity etc.). However, there are always lots of opportunities for folk who wish to volunteer as a classroom assistant / help out in a conversation club etc.

3              How many hours can a volunteer teacher expect to teach a week?

Depends entirely on them – most volunteers teach between two and six hours per week.

4              What are the class sizes?

This will vary – depending on the organisation. For pedagogical (and practical) reasons, we cap the number of learners in a class at 16.

5              Am I right in thinking that the English level will vary?  What level are most of the students?

At the Welsh Refugee Council, we run classes at all levels. However, there are more pre-intermediate students than any other.

6              Do volunteers follow a particular curriculum?

This depends on the class. Teachers can, if they wish, be guided by a coursebook or Government ESOL syllabus guidelines. What’s more, some classes are exam preparation (IELTS) so teachers will be preparing learners for a specific exam or test. However, the learners in a refugee ESOL class change frequently –it is a very transient community as migrants get moved to other parts of the UK, find a place on a full time ESOL course, get a job and so on. Also, more migrants are arriving each week meaning that classes are rarely the same week on week. This means that following a fixed syllabus is often not a practical approach.

7              Do volunteer teachers get any help towards expenses such as travel?

At the Welsh Refugee Council, all volunteer teachers get their travel expenses covered. However, this might not be the case for all third sector ESOL providers.

8              What are the challenges of the position?

The biggest challenge is that the learner cohort is very fluid and nearly every class contains new faces. This means that a teacher must be able to react quickly to the linguistic demands / levels of a varied and ever-changing group of individuals. However, the enthusiasm and goodwill of the learners more than compensates for any of the challenges. Indeed, volunteering as an ESOL teacher is an ideal way of honing teaching skills quickly – especially for newly qualified teachers. And voluntary ESOL work is very attractive on a CV.

9              It must be a very rewarding job, am I right?

In over twenty years of language teaching, across many parts of the world, in both state and private institutions and to both children and adults, this is by far the most satisfying, rewarding and enjoyable teaching that I have done. I have met the most courteous, resourceful, polite, courageous and enthusiastic people imaginable. The learners are so keen to learn that it makes the classroom a buzz of ideas and energy. Each week I learn more about the world and about being human, than in any other location in which I have taught.  Student teachers from the University of South Wales do their teaching practice at the Welsh Refugee Council and each year they report it as being an amazing experience. In 2016 the collaboration won a national prize for best community project and this is what one student TESOL teacher had to say about the experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clGA_oiXzBI

10           How would a TEFL teacher apply to become a volunteer teacher with the Welsh Refugee Council, or with any similar institution in the UK?

Simply contact the organisation nearest to you. A quick google search will be able to inform you about ESOL voluntary opportunities in your area.  They will always be glad to hear from you and if they do not have a vacancy, they may know of another organisation that does – and will put you in touch. There is nothing to lose! Here are the Welsh Refugee Council’s contact details: https://www.welshrefugeecouncil.org/get-involved/volunteer-with-us