Volunteer English Teacher

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Training & development
• Wellness resources

Are you passionate about people, education, literacy, and making a meaningful difference in your community?
Literacy Achieves is seeking compassionate, dependable, and enthusiastic Volunteer Teachers to support adult learners in our Adult English Language Learning Program. This is a meaningful opportunity for individuals who want to give back, build community, and help adults gain the confidence and language skills they need to thrive in everyday life.
No formal teaching experience is required just a heart for people, a willingness to learn, and a desire to support adults on their literacy journey.

Why Volunteer with Literacy Achieves?

As a Volunteer Teacher, you will help adult learners:

• Strengthen their English speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills
• Build confidence in daily communication
• Support their children's education more confidently
• Navigate work, school, and community life with greater independence
• Create new opportunities for themselves and their families

Who Should Apply?

This opportunity is a great fit for:

• College students studying education, social work, ESL, linguistics, human services, or related fields
• Working professionals looking for a meaningful way to give back
• Retirees or former educators
• Community members passionate about literacy, adult education, language access, or equity
• Individuals who enjoy helping others learn, grow, and feel encouraged

Preferred candidates may have experience in teaching, tutoring, mentoring, adult education, English language learning, ESL, or community-based volunteer work; however, prior experience is not required.

Speaking another language is not required .

Campus Information

Volunteer opportunities are available at:

• Vickery Meadow
• ELM-East Dallas
• Wesley Rankin Community Center
• Online Campus

Summer Classes Begin: June 1

Summer Locations: Vickery Meadow and Online

Fall Classes Begin: August 31

Spring Classes Begin: January 25

Fall/Spring Locations: ELM-East Dallas, Vickery Meadow, Wesley Rankin Community Center, and Online

What You'll Do

Volunteer Teachers will:

• Lead or support adult English language learning classes using curriculum provided by Literacy Achieves
• Create a welcoming, respectful, and encouraging learning environment
• Help adult learners practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills
• Follow lesson plans, curriculum guidance, and classroom expectations provided through training
• Partner with co teachers and Literacy Achieves staff to create engaging, interactive class sessions that support student learning, confidence, and participation.
• Communicate consistently regarding lesson planning, classroom needs, and student support
• Use program technology and curriculum tools as needed
• Support different learning styles with patience, flexibility, and creativity
• Commit to teaching a minimum of 2 hours per week for the semester
• Bring a heart for empowering adults through literacy and education

Training & Support Provided

You will not be doing this alone. Literacy Achieves provides:

• Curriculum and lesson materials
• Volunteer teacher training
• Ongoing program support
• Guidance from campus and program staff
• Documentation of completed volunteer hours when needed for approved credit-hour or service-hour requirements

Credit Hours / Service Hours

Eligible volunteers may be able to obtain course credit, internship hours, service learning hours, or community service hours with approval from their school, program, or institution.

For volunteers seeking college credit, the following will be required:

• A copy of class/program requirements
• Approval from the class professor or school representative
• Approval from the Literacy Achieves Adult Program Director
• Completion and documentation of approved volunteer hours

Additional Volunteer Opportunities

Additional volunteer opportunities may also be available in:

• Student registration
• Student recognition events
• Special events and program support
• English communication practice sessions
• General program support

How to Apply / Get Involved

Ready to turn two hours a week into lasting community impact? Become a Literacy Achieves Volunteer Teacher and help adults take the next step toward confidence, opportunity, and success!

Email:

Website: LiteracyAchieves.org/Volunteer

Phone: View phone number on click.appcast.io

Flexible work from home options available.

About Us

Our Mission

To equip non-English speaking adults and their young children with English literacy and life skills to promote self-sufficiency and the overall well-being of our students, their families and the greater community.

Literacy Impacts Everything

Lack of English literacy severely limits access to employment, effective parenting, and preventative healthcare while increasing vulnerability to living in poverty.

Individuals at the lowest literacy and numeracy levels have a higher rate of unemployment and earn lower wages than the national average. Low literacy costs the U.S. at least $225 billion each year in non-productivity in the workforce, crime, and loss of tax revenue due to unemployment.

Of adults with the lowest literacy levels, 43% live in poverty, and 70% of adult welfare recipients have low literacy levels. There is a clear correlation between more education and higher earnings, and between higher educational scores and higher earnings.

Children of parents with low literacy skills have a 72% chance of being at the lowest reading levels themselves. These children are more likely to get poor grades, display behavioral problems, have high absentee rates, repeat school years, or drop out.

Removing Barriers to Learning

At Literacy Achieves, we understand the difficulty many non-native English speakers have in finding the time, transportation, technology, childcare or money they need in order to attend English language classes. Our programs are effective because we remove these barriers by providing:

• Convenient Scheduling Located in Neighborhoods of Highest Need
• Access to Quality Early Childhood Programs
• Classes Free of Charge, yet Accountability Driven
• A Structured Program Approach with Multiple Levels Offered Through Daily Classes
• Online Classes Offered

Effective Use of More Than 200 Weekly Volunteer Teachers - Compassionate and committed volunteer teachers give students much needed support and encouragement, while developing mutual respect and understanding for one another through a common purpose of learning English.

Results

In 2023-2024 Literacy Achieves, served 1,180 adults and 278 children

• 89% increased their confidence in life/community skills and 48 students received GED assistance
• 357 students received student services and 490 one-on-one consultations, and 374 referrals were made
• 96 students gained employment
• 165 improved by one level or more
• 70% attended 12 or more hours of class