Volunteer Spotlight: Will Hanger

How long have you been volunteering with Literacy NRV?

Almost 2 years!

Tell us why you volunteer with Literacy NRV. I was interested in finding an organization to volunteer with during summer break. I found Literacy NRV and thought it was an interesting and meaningful way to spend my time; the opportunity for me to make a long-term impact on others’ lives through learning English appealed to me, and I was excited to get involved!

Tell us about your volunteer experience with Literacy NRV?  What role(s)?  I first started with Literacy NRV as a classroom assistant, helping an instructor, Ellen Rabun, facilitate their lesson. I was given the opportunity to lead a class, and I have been leading the advanced conversation class for almost one year!

What have been the most rewarding parts of volunteering with Literacy NRV? What have you enjoyed?

The most rewarding part has been witnessing students improve their English and watch their confidence increase over time! I always enjoy seeing students outside of class and seeing the impact they have in the community! 

How did you hear about Literacy NRV?

I first saw Literacy NRV on the VT Engage website when I was first finding a place to volunteer. 

Tell us about your student’s (s) goals and what you worked on/are working on? What progress have you seen?  

With the advanced conversation class, many of our learners are trying to become more comfortable when speaking English more naturally. Many of the students' goals include expanding their vocabulary, such as learning idioms and homonyms. I have witnessed students become more confident, speak up, and take our conversations in many different directions! I hope this confidence helps students feel better equipped when speaking with others, whether at work, at school, or out and about!

What is a favorite story or memory you have about tutoring?

One of my favorite memories from tutoring was during a class where we were working on using more descriptive words instead of basic ones like “big,” “small,” or “sad.” We played a game in which I asked argumentative questions, such as “What is the best sport, and why?” and the students earned points for using a descriptive noun in a sentence as they discussed them in groups. The winner would unknowingly get two basketball tickets to a VT Basketball game! I witnessed how competitive the students were during our game, and how they let their guard down and tried to talk as much as possible. It was also exciting to hear about the basketball game the next week, when we came back together and talked about what a college basketball game is like! 

What have been the most rewarding parts of volunteering with Literacy NRV? What have you enjoyed?  

The most rewarding part is hearing about what the students are doing in their lives. From getting a new job to starting school to learning to drive. It is really impactful for me to know that what I am doing is not only helping the students now but also making an everlasting impact on their lives! I always enjoy seeing students outside of class, and I always love it when they say hello or start a conversation! 

What have been some struggles or challenges you’ve experienced with tutoring adults? How has it changed or improved?

A major challenge is meeting only once a week. As adults, we all have prior commitments and busy lives, so it is hard to dedicate a couple of hours a week to learning, let alone more. So the challenge has been how to make lessons not only fun but also beneficial in a short time. I have found that it has improved as I have gotten a better feel for what the students are looking for, a smaller amount of content that they can practice throughout the week before the next class! 

What is something you have learned?  

I’ve learned to really embrace the conversation and not feel pressured to finish a lesson. Some of the best classes haven’t been about getting through a packet or a list of words; they’ve been about listening, sharing stories, and learning about where everyone comes from and what they do. Those moments tend to be the most helpful for students, and show the entire point of why we are all here to learn English, to talk!

We are so grateful for all you do, Will!