RALC follows the Richardson ISD semester system; consequently, the majority of our classes are offered in the fall and spring semesters. Classes vary in duration and length depending on the course.

Leveled ESL Classes

The leveled ESL classes are each 2 hours long and held twice a week during the spring and fall semesters. Volunteers teach 1 session for 2 hours each week for 15 weeks. A co-teacher will teach the other 2-hour session during the week.

Ancillary Classes (Conversation and Book Club)

Conversation classes and Book Club meet for 1 hour each week during the semester. Advanced Writing meets for 1 1/2 hours each week during the semester. These classes usually last for 11 weeks. Book Club and Advanced Writing are only offered during the fall and spring semesters. Conversation Classes are offered all year long.

RALC follows the Richardson ISD semester schedule. Our ESL classes for adults is a 15-week program offered each fall and spring semester. The fall semester starts at the end of August and continues through mid December. The spring semester starts at the end of January and continues through mid May.

RALC Volunteers are asked to commit to teaching for one semester.

You will teach one day a week for 2 hours for the duration of the semester. A co-teacher will teach the other 2-hour session during the week.

We offer daytime and evening classes, both online via Zoom and in-person at participating RISD schools, local public libraries and partner organizations. Days and times vary each semester depending on class locations, but we generally offer classes according to this schedule:

• Online classes are usually offered on Mondays and Wednesdays.

• In-person classes are usually offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

• Class locations are in Richardson and sometimes Dallas.

The greatest need is for volunteer teachers to teach evening classes from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

At the moment, we only offer one class on the weekend. The Intermediate/Advanced Conversation Class meets at Network from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Saturdays during the spring and fall semesters.

Volunteers are asked to commit to teaching for the entire semester. Of course we understand that emergencies happen and scheduling conflicts occur. At the beginning of the semester, you are encouraged to work with your partner teacher, co-teachers, and leveled teachers to cover each others absences during the semester.

Contact RALC’s volunteer coordinator, to discuss your specific situation by emailing volunteer@ralc.org.

All classes are taught in English. Our students represent 25+ different languages so even if you speak a second language, we encourage you to only speak English in class in order to reach everyone equally.

RALC is a well known and respected program in that it provides extensive training and support to all of our volunteer teachers. Many of our teachers hold a TEFL certificate or are currently working on obtaining one, but some of our best teachers come from backgrounds other than teaching.

We will provide the training that you need to be effective. We also hold regular roundtable discussions with our teachers to share best practices and any additional support or updates. Coming prepared for class, engaging your students and showing kindness and consideration are the keys to being successful in this role.

RALC provides everything you need to teach and be successful, including teaching materials (teacher’s guide, workbook, pacing guide), classroom materials, supplies, and a student roster.

As you begin the process, it may take a little longer, but the goal is that your preparation will be about 30-60 minutes per class.

We use Google Classroom as an information hub and portal for our teachers each semester; so to volunteer, you need a working Gmail account that you check regularly.

New Teacher Training workshops are held the second Saturday in August and January each year. The August training is in preparation to teach in our fall semester, and the January training is in preparation for our spring semester. For specific dates and times, please complete our Volunteer Interest Form.

Yes, it is, but if you have dietary restrictions please plan to bring you own lunch.

Teacher training is required of all new RALC volunteers who would like to teach with our program. We offer in-person teacher training twice a year on the second Saturday in August for the fall semester and the second Saturday in January for the spring semester. Make up trainings are available on the third Saturday of both August and January at the RALC office, but limited space is available.

Yes, you will have a Kick-Off meeting 1-3 weeks after the teacher training workshop. Here you will pick up your materials, meet your co-teachers and learn more teaching tools. In addition, we hold regular Roundtable Discussion events throughout each semester. This is a chance for teachers to share best practices, challenges, and for everyone to learn from each Roundtable. We also provide any updates and announcements at those times.

Absolutely! New volunteer teachers are matched with a volunteer mentor who has significant, formal teaching experience. This person is there to support you throughout your teaching experience. Additionally, RALC holds teacher roundtables throughout the semester, encourages collaboration and sharing of teaching activities with partner teachers, co-teachers and leveled teachers, and provides additional teaching resources through our office resource library and online resource hub.