Teaching English to Underprivileged Children in Vietnam
Teach English to underprivileged children through online classes.
Overview
Teach English to underprivileged children through online classes.
You have:
- Volunteers should have strong English communication skills, patience, and a genuine interest in supporting children and youth in learning and practicing English.
- Teaching experience or a teaching certificate is desirable but not required.
- Experience working with children, facilitating online learning, or creating engaging educational activities is considered an asset.
- The online class will be on Google Meet, familiarity with the platform is an asset.
Contract
This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.
English education in Vietnam remains a challenge, particularly for students from low-income families and rural areas who have limited access to quality English learning and opportunities to practice with native speakers.
The program has been introduced to local schools where interested children can register to join with the help of their teachers or parents. We will group them based on their ages and performance.
While English is increasingly important and becoming one of the most spoken second languages in Vietnam, teaching in public schools often relies heavily on grammar and does not sufficiently focus on communication and speaking skills, with many teachers also lacking strong casual conversational proficiency.
To help address this gap, Better Life Vietnam launched the Online English Class Program to provide underprivileged children and youth with opportunities to practice English with expert volunteers from English-speaking countries, supporting improved access to quality education and contributing to SDG 4 on Quality Education in Vietnam.
In the first three-year pilot phase of our program has attracted volunteers from English speaking countries, and with their help, our students have become more confident in speaking English. As a result, they can express their thoughts in English comfortably and are excited about further improving their English-speaking skills.
To help address this education gap, Better Life Vietnam launched the Online English Class Program to support underprivileged children and youth in improving their English communication skills.
Online Volunteers will support beginner-level children aged 6–14 through small-group online English classes. Each volunteer will typically teach 1–3 groups per week for 1 hour (ICT evenings), with 1–5 children per group, using provided lesson materials and structured guidance. Specifically, online volunteers will:
- Follow structured lesson plans and provided learning materials to lead conversational English practice sessions for 1 hour, up to 3 times a week.
- Support children in improving pronunciation and spoken communication, as well as encouragement and confidence building in spoken English.
- Help identify and correct spelling, grammar, and word usage errors
- Support grammar and vocabulary development.
- Create additional lesson materials or interactive activities where relevant and appropriate
- Review lesson materials in advance to prepare for each class
- Participate in orientation, observation, and trial teaching sessions before independently facilitating classes
- After the end of the course, volunteer teachers will support by filling in evaluation sheets for students.
Please note that while lesson materials are provided, online volunteers are also welcome to create their lesson materials if they have experience in doing so and with prior approval.
Volunteers will have a chance to observe how a session is conducted and will be provided with the opportunity to teach trial sessions for practice.
- Teaching experience or a teaching certificate is desirable but not required.
- Volunteers should have strong English communication skills, patience, and a genuine interest in supporting children and youth in learning and practicing English.
- Experience working with children, facilitating online learning, or creating engaging educational activities is considered an asset.
- The online class will be on Google Meet, familiarity with the platform is an asset
Potential interview questions
| How would you encourage a shy child to participate in conversation during class? | This question assesses your ability to engage and motivate students who may be hesitant to speak. | Share specific strategies or experiences where you successfully encouraged participation. |
| Can you describe a lesson plan you would use to teach English pronunciation? | This question evaluates your planning and teaching skills for language acquisition. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you handle unexpected challenges during an online class? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What strategies would you use to keep children engaged during a one-hour class? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you assess the progress of students in an online English class? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What is your experience with using technology in education? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How would you approach creating lesson materials suitable for beginner-level English learners? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Can you share an experience where you had to support students with varying language abilities? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |