Since all IB classes are in English, it is imperative that we help our students from non-English-speaking countries raise their language competency as quickly as possible. One exciting way that we will do this with our 10th grade class is through a wonderful group of volunteers in Santa Barbara, California. These volunteers will be personal language coaches for the year! Students will be paired with a volunteer for two one-hour English sessions per week. We are sure that these sessions will show that we are not all tired of Zoom meetings and be another example that shows that bringing together people from different societies is greater than the sum of its parts.
In these one-hour sessions, the volunteers will guide students by working on both grammar and conversational skills. Not only will this help in developing their English language skills, but also in their ability to sustain meaningful dialogue with the other, which is such an important part of our work in forging the way for a more open and just society.
Our language volunteers and students are excited to get talking!