Welcome to the SLCC English as a Second Language Lab

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to help English as Second Language (ESL) students to develop their English language skills, to succeed at school and to be employable after graduation from SLCC.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

During a tutoring session we focus on six areas of language development:

1. Conversation
2. Listening
3. Oral presentations
4. Pronunciation
5. Reading
6. Writing

Every student who utilizes the lab is at a different level of skill. This is why it is so important to have individual time with a tutor. ESL students need to have the chance to speak with English speakers so they can learn from them.

In the ESL Lab, we pair a native-English speaking student with an ESL student for approximately an hour in each session. During that time, the ESL student will have the opportunity to ask the tutor for specific help according to her/his needs.

Also, tutors can go into an ESL classroom and, under the direction of the teacher, help students to practice conversational and pronunciation skills.

To volunteer in the ESL Lab you must: have the ability to speak English fluently and with proper grammar. You must also have a sincere desire to help international students learn the English language

SUGGESTIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL TUTORING

1. Show up on time and follows through with your commitments.
2. Show respect for all cultures, races, and religions. The topics of politics and religion inevitably come up when working with international students. It is appropriate to discuss the U.S. political process, but please keep remarks impartial and refrain from expressing your personal opinions. You may discuss religion so long as it is within a cultural context or if it is used by the ESL student as a part of an assignment.
3. Use professional and clean language.
4. Correct grammar and punctuation appropriately and considerately.
5. Promote conversation through open-ended questions.
6. Let the ESL student do most of the talking.
7. Complement the classroom instruction and course content of the ESL student.
8. Cooperate with instructors, and let the students complete their own homework. Do not complete assignments for them.
9. Dress appropriately. Do not wear clothing that is distracting, like baseball hats or dark glasses that hide your face and eyes. The college dress standard is business casual. Keep it comfortable and professional. The way you dress reflects your degree of professionalism. Avoid short shorts, bare midriffs, torn jeans and offensive t-shirts.
10. Use time wisely. Make sure all conversation is a productive use of time.
11. Ask questions and make sure you understand each other.
12. Recognize cultural differences and respect them. Sometimes what is good in one          culture is not acceptable in another. For example, chewing gum is acceptable in America, but it is very offensive in other cultures. Please do not chew gum in the ESL Lab.

TIME COMMITMENT

Learning is a process and this experience is not something you can do once and be successful. Please sign-up for a tutoring schedule early in the semester, no later than the second week.

Each tutoring session is one hour. For service-learning students, please refer to your course syllabus, or ask your instructor about the required number of service hours in your course. 

RECIPRICAL LEARNING

For service-learning students, the ESL Lab would appreciate a copy of  your reflection paper(s). It is a rewarding experience to read how this program changes lives. Reading your reflections also helps the ESL Lab know how to better serve students. We really appreciate volunteers in our lab. Without them we would not be able to assist the numerous students seeking help every day.

CONTACT INFORMATION

The SLCC ESL Lab is located in The Learning Center on the Redwood Campus (TB 213 F).

We are an official community partner of the Thayne Center for Service & Learning. Please refer to The Exchange (the Thayne Center’s service-learning website) for further information about the ESL Lab and other volunteer opportunities. The Exchange: http://thaynecenter.slpro.net

Thank you for your interest in our tutoring program. We appreciate your willingness to help students to learn English as a new language. I am here to help you. Please feel free to contact me.