Are you an excellent conversationalist and listener?
Consider volunteering with the English Language Institute (ELI) to help international students in our program practice their English conversation skills.
In the English Language Institute (ELI), international students take non-credit classes in our Intensive English Program (IEP) to improve their language proficiency, often toward later enrolling in a degree program or pursuing professional goals. A full-time student in the ELI usually has classes for 20 hours per week, and we'd like to provide them additional opportunities to practice English in an informal setting outside of the classroom.
NOTE: Volunteer opportunities are based on the number of ELI students who choose to participate in the Conversation Partner and/or Talk Time group programs. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that everyone who completes the volunteer registration form will be assigned a Conversation Partner or Talk Time group.
Benefits of Volunteering
As a volunteer, you will benefit by being able to...
- meet students from different countries and learn about their cultures and languages
- engage with diverse perspectives from other cultures and enrich your university experience
- gain cross-cultural experience that complements your academic studies and career goals
- develop your leadership and communication skills
Volunteer Requirements
Volunteers must...
- be a current student, staff, or faculty member of the University of Pittsburgh
- be a highly proficient speaker of English
- have a desire to help international students in the ELI to improve their conversational English skills
- have strong interpersonal communication skills in English, including the ability to start a conversation, keep a conversation going, and engage and actively involve the ELI student in conversation in English
- have the ability to be patient with the linguistic differences of English language learners
- be reliable, responsible, and committed to meeting with an ELI student for one hour per week for one semester
- abide by the Student Code of Conduct and the law
Be a Conversation Partner.
In the ELI's Conversation Partner program, high-proficiency English speaking volunteers* are assigned to meet with an international student who is studying English in the ELI's non-degree English language programs. Your responsibility is to provide English conversation practice for our students; you will not do any type of teaching or tutoring or provide assistance with assignments.
Partners agree to:
- meet weekly during the semester for one hour at a day/time that is convenient for both.
- meet on campus or in some other public location where both individuals are comfortable.
Partners may choose to spend the entire time practicing English or split the time between practicing English and practicing both partners' languages. Every effort will be made to match volunteers with an ELI student who speaks a language or comes from a culture that the volunteer is studying, but we cannot guarantee that. Conversation Partner assignments are usually made around the thrid week of Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.
Volunteer registration for Fall 2024 is closed. If you are ready to commit to being a conversation partner in the future, please complete the Volunteer Conversation Partner registration form.
Be a Talk Time Leader.
Some students are more comfortable in group settings than in one-on-one conversations. For those students, the ELI's Talk Time Conversation Group program assigns a high-proficiency English speaking volunteer to lead conversations with a small group of international students in the ELI's non-degree English program. These are fun and informal group discussions; these are not classes and do not involve any teaching, tutoring, or assisting with assignments. Talk Time groups typically meet around lunch time or late afternoon on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays.
Talk Time Leaders commit to:
- meet weekly on campus at a time scheduled by the ELI
- facilitate and participate in group discussions (i.e., provide discussion topics and ensure that all members participate)
Talk Time leaders are provided a handbook that contains optional discussion topics, but more often ELI students will come to the meetings with questions about culture, slang, etc. that they are more comfortable talking about with someone their own age. Talk Time Leader assignments are usually made around the third week of Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.
Talk Time Leader registration is not open at this time. Please check back soon.
Request Additional Information
- Contact elicomm@pitt.edu with any questions about volunteering with students in the ELI's Intensive English Program.