Refugee English Class Leader

English Class Leaders play a crucial role in our ministry model and strategy because classes are the means that allow us to meet refugees, help them learn English, and create lasting relationships with them. Learning English is one of the biggest needs of refugees when they enter North America. We offer English classes at our Training Center which is located within walking distance from where refugees live. Therefore, we need individuals who have a passion for helping adult refugees work through English lessons and make progress in their language abilities, which gives us opportunities to love the foreigner and share God’s love with them.

English Class Leaders do not need a special teaching degree or ESL certificate (although that would be very much beneficial). Instead, we use computer-based language learning software so that each refugee can work at their pace and start at their own level. The English Class Leader will oversee and facilitate the classroom during each one hour and fifteen-minute class. They will help register and accommodate new students, help students with issues or problems with computers and lessons, and teach a topic each class during the 15-minute large group discussion. Additionally, the Class Leader might also help students through lessons on cultural adaptation, citizenship test preparation, job preparation, and more.

In addition to refugee students, the ministry of GoTEN utilizes volunteers in our classes from local churches. We call these volunteers Encouragers. The goal is to help connect local believers to refugees as they sit with them during each English class to provide encouragement, assistance, and friendship. The Class Leader will also be in charge of helping to train new Encouragers to work with refugee students, maintain good communication about our ministry and class information, and help mobilize encouragers to take further steps in ministry to engage their refugee friends.

When Class Leaders are not overseeing English classes, they will visit homes of refugees bringing volunteers along as we share Bible stories and invite unreached refugees into discipleship relationships. Since 1980, Arizona has resettled almost 90,000 refugees of which the majority have come from unreached people groups (People groups with 2% or less of a Christian presence). Our teams build relationships with refugee neighbors who belong to unreached people groups from around the world. We demonstrate God’s love by empowering refugees through language acquisition while also meeting their spiritual and physical needs. We seek ways to share the Truth of God’s Word by telling stories of Jesus whenever we have the opportunity. The ultimate goal is to start Gospel story groups that birth churches in homes.

In short, our staff teaches English, makes consistent weekly home visits, helps meet physical needs, and starts Gospel storytelling groups. The environment is incredibly diverse and cross-cultural. Expect to meet Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and non-religious people from all corners of the world. The people groups we focus on are from Iraq, Syria, Myanmar, Congo, Sudan, Somalia, Nepal, and Afghanistan. Class Leaders will be coached by GoTEN team members on a weekly basis and will receive ongoing training designed to give Goers new tools, accountability, practice, encouragement and community.