Provide English Education

The program

This exciting project was created with the goal of helping to improve the English-speaking abilities of the residents of Luang Prabang. As is common in many of the worlds' poorer communities, an ability to speak English unlocks a new world of possibilities for children and opens up many professional opportunities for the working-age, often within the service and tourism industries which is a growing market in Laos. Teaching volunteers on this program will be given the opportunity to be part of a number of special projects and teach in a range of diverse environments, making their volunteer experience both interesting and dynamic. Volunteers will find themselves working in the Santiphab secondary school library, teaching Buddhist monks, the disabled and those affected by land mines and at an English Learning Centre. This varied project aims to improve the lives of others by imparting the skills of language. 

Goals of this Project:

• Provide free English language classes to the people of Luang Prabang
• Improve the future prospects of some of Laos most disadvantaged and impoverished people, and help them to break the poverty cycle,
• Expose non-English speakers to native English speakers in order to improve pronunciation and conversational skills,
• Enable inter-cultural exchange which benefits both residents and international volunteers alike.

How you can help

Volunteers play an integral role in achieving the goals of this project. Having native English speakers impart their own inherent knowledge of a skill greatly improves the ability for non-English speakers to learn this language properly. Volunteers will have the opportunity to assist with conversational English, reading, and playing educational games with the children. Monks learn English to spread the teaching of Buddha and communicate effectively with people outside of the monastery. Teaching English to Buddhist monks is an excellent opportunity for volunteers who are interested in Buddhism, as they will also have a wonderful opportunity to learn and witness colorful rituals and prayers. The Temple Community classroom also welcomes disadvantaged children from surrounding areas so volunteers work with a diverse group of students. Classes are mostly focused on conversation and usually contain around 20 students, ranging in age from 10 - 22 years.  

Volunteers on this project contribute in a number of ways and can expect to undertake the following tasks:

• Teach English to a range of students in a variety of ways
• Play games with students and make learning fun
• Network with local residents and local project staff
• Work with the local teacher to improve their English skills 

Volunteers work Monday to Friday in Laos with weekends free to explore this amazing location. Volunteering generally lasts for around 4 and 6 hours and, while we ask all volunteers to be flexible, a typical daily schedule is likely to go something like this:

7:00am Breakfast at the Guesthouse

8:00am Travel to the project site

8:15am Pre-start meeting with the project supervisor

8:30am VOLUNTEERING DUTIES START

Lunch is taken near to the project site or can be packed and taken with you.

4:00pm VOLUNTEERING DUTIES END

4:15pm De-brief with the project supervisor

4:30pm Optional volunteering

Evenings classes are run from 4:30pm to 8:00pm and volunteers are welcome to assist if they wish.

Evening Free time

Dinner can be eaten in the Guesthouse or at one of the many eateries in Luang Prabang.