Our ESOL adult students say that they can understand when their teachers at RLP speak with them. What's hard, they say, is when "real Americans" -- not ESOL teachers! -- speak to them on the street or subways or in stores or offices or on the phone. Therefore, "real Americans" from all walks of life are needed to give our students practice talking with and listening to native/fluent English speakers. Our students gain valuable "snapshots" of American life; volunteers gain valuable "snapshots" of life in other countries and of the immigrant experience. Lifelong friendships are often formed. Caution: it may change your life forever!

Volunteers (high schoolers, college or graduate students, workers, retired people) who speak English fluently (no training is necessary!) and who love to talk with and listen to people are the perfect conversation partners for individuals and small groups of our ESOL students. We'd like volunteers to be able to commit to at least 60-90 minutes of conversation on a regular basis each week; the school year extends from mid-August to the end of June.

This opportunity is sponsored by: RIVERSIDE LANGUAGE PROGRAM, INC.

This volunteer opportunity is available to the following types of volunteers

Adults (18-54) Large Group (11+) Adults (55+) Small Group (2-10) Individual

Contact Person:
Phyllis Berman, Executive Director, (212) 662-3200 , x. 203, (email)

View all organization contacts

Address:

91 Claremont Avenue (between W. 120 And W. 122 Streets) New York, NY 10027 (See a map)

Directions:

Take the # 2,3 express trains uptown to West 96 Street. Change to the #1,9 local trains uptown to West 116 Street, the Columbia University stop. Walk north (uptown) on Broadway to West 120 Street; turn west (toward the Hudson River) on West 120 Street for one block to Claremont Avenue; turn north (uptown)on Claremont to the Riverside Church entrance at #91. Sign the visitors' log with the Security Guard and ask which elevator to take to the Riverside Language Program main office, room 313.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: W. 116 St. (#1,9 trains),   Walk distance (in minutes): 5 minutes   Nearest Bus Stop: #104 (Broadway) or #5 (Riverside Dr.) to West 120 St., 2 minute walk

This opportunity can also be performed in these locations:

Miscellaneous Information

Borough
	Manhattan
Volunteer Shifts
	Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Overall Experience   
I'm passionate about ESL and so are the students

Riverside Language Program teaches ESL to legal immigrants from all over the world. I loved my "job" and only wish they offered more hours for "language partners". posted on November 6, 2008