I want to get your reaction to an idea, but first I need to give you some background. Voluntourism, travel designed to facilitate guests helping local people by volunteering their time is considered to be one of the biggest growth areas in travel. A year ago April a post on voluntourism.org suggested that incentive travel is  “potential [...]

Last week’s post, How Travelers Can Help Local People, an Alternative to Conventional Voluntourism, sparked some very strong feelings and provocative comments. I am going to post 2 of the comments below. Both of the comments come from people who are new to the blog, Costa Rica Expeditions and our lodges.  So I have now learned that [...]

For years I have been trying to solve the puzzle of how to have guests who are only spending two or three days at our Lodges effectively help local kids learn English. I quickly found out that the methodology for teaching was simple enough to learn in a few minutes, but what has had me stymied [...]

Two of the comments on last week’s posts asked about the kids. Ellen Sporn asked: “Sounds like you’re developing a plan. Where will the children come from?” MSK: The children will come from the village of San Francisco de Tortuguero.  San Francisco is a “suburb” of Tortuguero, which is about as remote as you can get. You [...]

Yolanda and I are in New York City for the next 3 weeks.  One of the highlights this week is “Fleet Week.”  Over a dozen ships from the US and Canadian Navies and thousands of sailors and marines are have come to visit. What I’ve always loved about Fleet Week is that it embodies the generous [...]

Last May and June I did a series of posts about a project to develop a method for guests at Tortuga Lodge to help local kids learn English. My biggest concerns were that either the local kids, or the guests would not enjoy the process.  Those concerns turned out to be unfounded.  Nearly 2 months into [...]

This first video gives an overview of the Words Adventure just a week after the program started.  It was shot and produced by my friend John Canning from Media Sherpa. [...]

Brilliant I cat agree more that most of the volunteer stuff I see seems insulting Great idea...I’m in

Excellent ideas.( However,IS there a fast & easy method of teaching a language?!) But,yes, I think it's a great idea to volunteer at teaching English,rather than at the other stuff you mention .It's the old story about giving man a fishing rod rather than a fish.... Other languages are liberating, especially English in today's world.And many people in Costa Rica can't afford expensive language schools, as you say. I've taught French, a little basic Spanish & English as a 2nd language when they were short-staffed for a few months in the HS I worked at here in Canada (some of the students were actually from El Salvador!).It's not so easy teaching ESL - just being a native speaker doesn't mean it'll be a cinch.You have to work at it & see it from the students'point of view, as a foreign language. I love your idea of helping children who otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to learn English .I firmly believe that motivated & bright people whose background may not be privileged should be given every chance of bettering themselves through education, right up to University,if they are academically inclined,& to other kinds of higher education if not. Here in Montreal there are many young people who are trilingual - English, French & Spanish or whatever their native tongue is. This is a great idea.I'm sure most people will be interested in giving some time to contribute to this worthy project.

This is something I have been talking about for a long time. What good does it do for someone to spend $1000 on transportation to get somewhere to build something in a week that $1000 could have built four times over by local people?. Voluntourism is about good feelings for the tourist more that results for locals. I am a family doctor. We seem medical students who don't speak Spanish going to Latin America or South America to help out for a few weeks on a medical mission. Why? How well can you treat someone if you cannot speak their language. Better to find a small local hotel, tour guide stay with them and contribute to the local economy and have a vacation at the same time!

Michael, I totally agree with your observation. Having participated in a mission trip in the past, I left not with a strong sense of accomplishment, but rather with the image of walking by local unemployed people, fully capable of being paid to do what I was volunteering to do. Needless to say, I began to question my efficacy there, who was it that was actually benfitting? The Sponsors?, Myself? Indeed I think that I benefitted the most from that experience, so maybe the experience really should be called something else. I think that if there is a coordinated approach to teaching English, with a local teacher who considers it important to expose the students to native English speakers and English as a second (third, etc.)language speakers, and as an opportunity to perhaps come in and expound upon certain English concepts, differing dialects, plain useage, etc., - almost like a "guest speaker". The volunteer could give a presentation that would maybe illustrate some aspect of the English language that the students are currently working on, while presenting it within a larger story, and rely on the teacher to really hammer it in before during and afterwards. I think that it would have to be a coordinated effort between a group of volunteers who could help the local teacher by accepting assignments from the teacher according to where the class would be during the volunteer's/guest presenter's travels through. The volunteers would coordinate stateside, and be led by someone who can initiate the contact with a local teacher/interpreter. Volunteers could possibly help offset the cost of the program by bringing school supplies, lesson materials, (whatever they need most that is practical), etc., to distribute to the school/students. Start small and focus on one school, one committed teacher, and get some success going. Find out what works and what doesn't, and focus on what does! I think that you would find more people willing to accept assignments if they weren't forced to explain the "Past Particple....", but rather prepare a presentation that use words, concepts, etc. using the "Past Participle..." in a creative way. Yes, that would require some forethought on the part of each volunteer, to weave a lesson into a presentation that illustrates a concept, but hey,that is part of the committment. The volunteer would learn much more about the subject than his students, and learn much more about their native language and cultural situations as well. I think that the key is coordination by a committed leader who is close to a willing school and a teacher who is willing to cooperate on the development of their curriculum. Also, they may need to be able to fill in the gaps sometimes when no travellers are expected. However, if planning is done perhaps 1 or 2 semesters ahead of time, the teachers will know ahead of time when volunteers can be expected and can plan accordingly. Sorry for the diatribe, my $.02, but I do think that you have an excellent idea that could really benefit many people, and can be done! Cheers!

The National Wildlife Federation used to have Family Summits in different parts of the United States. They included five days of classes and outdoor activities for adults and children but encouraged participants to take a half or full day doing some volunteer work in the area that they had arranged for ahead of time, usually planting, picking up trash, or working on a trail. It was voluntary. I think one to two days of volunteering out of a week to ten days would be wonderful. I have heard that it does need to be something that is needed and wanted and would not compete with local workers. Couldn't the people who live there be asked? Were you thinking about an hour each day or an hour total teaching English? My husband has done some volunteer dentistry in Mexico and Guatemala. He needed to be careful not to compete with the dentists that were working in those countries, so they worked in rural areas with the indigenous people. I do remember seeing on Gap's website in the past where people worked on a water project for two to three days and they toured the rest of the time in Guatemala. Is there more of a need in Guatemala and Nicaragua? Safety would be an issue, and it would be helpful for people teaching English to know some Spanish. Actually, it would be a good experience on both sides for older children to help teach also with their parents.

Keeping talking, Shannon. This is very helpful. As we progress we will keep close track of how long the lessons should last.

I swore I wasn't going to post a comment this week because I think I "talk" too much! However, I cannot resist commenting on this topic! I SO agree with Michael's observations that many of the projects which tourists take on are not really in the best interest of the community. I remember going on a trip to the Amazon and one of the members in our group suggested that we all throw in money to cover the cost for a church to be built for the local Indian tribe. On the surface this seems like a wonderful thing to do, right? Well, it was my feeling that the local people did not particularly want us to do that. It seemed rather arrogant of us and there was this sort of self-congratulatory air about the whole thing. The church was a project which the people were working on together in a spirit of unity and when we came in and plunked down the money, it was somehow demeaning to them. My mother and I were the only ones who did not contribute to this project and I'm sure the others in our group thought we were just being cheap. However, I honestly felt that we should have asked the people if they wanted this instead of grandly taking over their project. As to teaching English: I love the idea, but I think that volunteer teachers should only step in for 1 hour, not 2. There will most likely be some teachers who are good, but others who are not. It isn't fair to subject the students to 2 hours of a rotten teacher. It also is easier to integrate one hour of a vacation into teaching than 2.

Dear Michael , that is great idea , but the one problem That I can foresee is the time restriction for most of us vacationers . One would have to find extra time to do this , though I am sure that it would be very gratifying . I dont know if it would be possible to have a kind of volunteer exchange or pool , where travellers could register to teach a few hours of English at an assigned site .. I am well aware of the time it takes , since I am involved in a literary program for non English speaking adults . Regards , Meena

IF there were a very fast and easy way to learn such a teaching method, it would be really useful for a lot of things, not just "voluntourism". There isn't. Some people, though they would love to be, are never going to be great teachers. Just because they can speak English, does not mean they can teach it. Besides this flawed assumption, the three main things that made me uncomfortable with this idea were: a) the title of this post. In order for us even to be considering this, the post should be called "How Travelers Can Help Local People Who Need and Want to Learn English." I think this was addressed in previous comments, but teaching English is not necessarily better than building a fence if no one is doing a needs assessment and following up - knowing that this is a need - and making sure THIS is the most effective and overall positive way to do so. b) the statement: "What I need is a way for my guests to have the rewarding experience of using only a few hours of their vacation time teaching English..." This shouldn't start with what WE need. c) my biggest issue with this: why kids? In my opinion, volunteer work and larger NGO projects in general should have a goal of helping people more easily solve these same problems in the future. If the problem is that kids are not learning English and they need/want to, then having someone transient teaching a few of them for a few hours is not helping anyone solve the same problem more easily in the future. If anything, why not have the travelers teach the TEACHERS - because at least then you are investing in a resource which can be improved and renewed. (I fear that the answer is that "the travelers want to work with kids" in which case go back to b.) We need to consider child safety issues as well as I'm pretty sure having a stream of visiting foreigners working with kids for short stints will be less beneficial and pose more risks than a well vetted and trained permanent teacher) I have a lot more thoughts about voluntourism and potential impacts on my blog. Here is a post about what I have seen go wrong with voluntourism: http://lessonsilearned.org/2010/02/voluntourism-what-could-go-wrong-when-trying-to-do-right/ Thanks for sparking the conversation, Michael (and for passing it on Alexia!)

These are all good points, Daniela. Rather than respond to them in this reply to your comment. I will quote them and respond in future posts where more people will have a chance to see them and join the discussion if they are so inclined. I can see already that this is topic I will want to explore on the blog for some time to come.

Hello Michael, I've traveled to Costa Rica twice... with your firm and have absolutely loved the experience and Country. I have dreamed of teaching in Costa Rica. I am a retired banker, now teaching hispanic children in Massachusetts. I recently completed a second masters in Education. My primary subject is math, I have been recently awarded a certification and teach math as a second Laguage to English language learners. It is within this context that I am replying to your question regarding the concept of guests teaching English to the children in Tortuguero. I think it is a great idea. No doubt there would be great benefit to the community in that Costa Ricans already have a widespread use of English in their country. Over the past few years, I have learned that inquiry based learning is one model that is highly effective in teaching English. As a math teacher, working primarily with English language leaners I have observed how important contextual learning is for children. I think your various tours offer many contextual opportunities to exchange and develo language skills. However, I also understand that increasing and practicing vocabulary is different from attaining fluency. I am certified to assess English Language production and comprehension. In a "revolving educator" environment, I imagine the role more as a guest educator vs a language instructor. Do the chidren study English now? Do they have a classroom language instructor? Do the children study their primary language and attain gramatical fluency and literacy? These are important questions in considering the structure of your "English course/curriculum". There is undoubtedly a lot to consider and discuss regarding this topic. So much, that a blog approach is challenging. Overall, its a great idea and I wish you tremendos success. BJMB

Hello Michael....I believe your intention is going in a good direction, however the idea of only a couple of hours is really not enough to either establish any kind of meaningful connection with the students, and the little time you are advocating would not be fulfilling to me if I was the teacher. For me a minimum of a half a day would be rewarding, and why not repay the teacher with a meal with the students at lunch time. I believe that the satisfaction generated would make this a personal enriching vacation -the icing on the cake that would make the vacation time like no other. Keep up the good work...Michael

Hi, Mike: First, I want to let you know how impressed I was with the level of service provided by Costa Rica Expeditions. In particular I was blown away by your company's quick response to a complaint that I expressed regarding service. The level of listening and immediacy with which the complaint was handled exemplified the caveats you and your company display. I've long since forgotten why I complained and but am left with the reminder of excellent service. My family and I feel in-love with Costa Rica and I look forward to the future when I can live there permanently. I've become the president of the Costa Rican fan club, constantly referring friends and strangers to your country. I'm intrigued by the idea you presented of using volunteers to teach English to Tortuguerans. The quick answer is of course there is a way to accomplish what you proposed and I'd love to help you accomplish your mission, not only in Tortuguera but throughout Costa Rica. During my career as a Speech Pathologist, I concentrated on not only improving language and speech in disordered individuals but teaching English skills to a variety of second language learners. In addition, I've created and implemented a systematic literacy approach which is multi-sensory and works. I've discovered/developed a needs analysis that quickly assesses skills (less than 5 minutes) to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness. Currently, I'm working in an urban education school system in a Chicago suburb, with 11-14 year olds, a most challenging age. Throughout my tenure in this district, I've worked with children, aged 3- 14, including many bilingual children. I've also worked intensively with adults, who wanted to learned English with amazing results, as indicated by their passing the TOEFL, following their work with me. Based on my experience, I've learned that an intense approach works well since it allows sufficient skill practice to integrate the skills into one's memory, quickly. Using a multi-sensory system, individualizes the experience, which allows maximum growth. With children, I engage them in lots of "hands-on" activities, such as soccer, running, songs.... English is used when we eat, play, swim, tell stories, camp-fires..... The adults who wish to "volunteer" could be trained in an hour to three hour orientation session. One of the key benefits of working in a school system is vacation-time- This summer I'm done with my professional obligations on 6/4. I'd love to work with you to make your vision a reality. My sons, who are 16 and 12 would also be available to work with the children of whom you spoke. In addition, I've many colleagues who might also be interested. Looking forward to further dialogue!

I am an American who's been living in a non-English-speaking country for almost 30 years and have taught English as a second language in the classroom as well as in a more casual, conversation-oriented context. I have also taught teachers how to teach ESL. I think what makes any language program a success is adapting to the local context. Of course it would be ideal to have visitors in Tortuguero teach local teachers, but if that isn't possible or would take a lot of time to set up, isn't it better to do what you can with what you have rather than to wait for all conditions to be exactly right? A program like the one in China where native speakers talk with locals in an informal way has the added advantage of creating some friendly ties between teacher and student. My experience of teaching English to non-native-speakers is that when students start to think of their teacher as someone who cares about them as a person, they are much more motivated to learn and much less inhibited about trying to speak the new language.

We are open to the English teaching idea, although we are not "grammerians". I would think that the majority of your customers would be interested.

Hi, Michael: My e-mail/gmail went poltergeist on me two days ago so I'm not sure if you received my enthusiastic response to your response- Please feel free to share the info I provided via a blog or in any other manner. Look forward to talking with you more- Blair

I can't think of anything that I would enjoy more. I am a retired school principal and the one thing I truly miss is my contact with young people.

Hi Michael, I am a retired High School teacher. One does one's utmost not to disparage one's fellow educators - in other words, we stick together. But this time, I have to speak out. To say that one needs a Master's degree in order to teach good pronunciation is silly; then to compound it by suggesting that Ph.Ds are needed to teach a foreign language is just pompous,arrant posturing. There.....now I feel better! Good luck in your venture.The kids will learn.

Sounds like you're developing a plan. Where will the children come from? Ellen

I have been following the topics in Vacation Time is Precious, but this is my first response. The idea of some sort of cultural exchange when visiting a foreign country is compelling. Our first trip abroad was to Costa Rica last year with our 2 daughters, ages 14 and 12. I had always wanted to visit Costa Rica, but the trip was planned for their benefit, at least as much as it was for mine. Since both girls had been studying Spanish in school for several years, one thing I hoped was that they would have an opportunity to try using it. It turned out to be nearly impossible to get them to say so much as por favor or gracias. They were shy around adults, and didn’t feel comfortable being put on display to trot out their meager Spanish vocabulary. Interestingly though, they were quite comfortable interacting with the guides (who acted more like kids) in the natural setting on the river rafting portion of the trip. They enjoyed helping them with their English pronunciation and supplying the right words. One memory they often recall was simply the drive from the take out to Cano Blanco Port because our driver and one of the guides who came with us did not speak English, and we all had to try very hard to communicate. When we were in Tortuguero, the girls were fascinated by the village, and although we went for a visit, we never got to talk to anyone. Reflecting on these experiences, and thinking about how kids of all ages seem to interact better with, and be more influenced by, other kids than adults, I think it would be worthwhile to use kids and approach the “teaching English” thing more like a mutual teaching and cultural exchange. The simple dialogs that are used in Spanish programs in the US could be used as templates for developing vocabulary and dialog that would enable the kids to meet and learn about each other and have an adventure together. Our girls would have loved a tour of the town, a visit to the playground or the beach, or to learn a game, and in the process to practice communicating. I’m sure there are lots of 2 – 3 hour activities that could be arranged to generate dialog and verbal exchange among kids.

Michael, These are very good suggestions. We can make the amount of time flexible. The meal might present some problems for hygienic reasons, but we could do something like have the kids repay the lesson with a tour of the village.

Dear Michael , That is a great idea . As I had suggested dearlier , some kind of organised place to register , where one could have the folders of students , would make it much more productive , since the ongoing volunteers could pick up from the previous ones to continue the lessons . Good luck , Meena

Michael, Is there a plan to make this exercise fun for the children? If they see it as a game I think the attendance rate will remain strong; however, if it becomes tedious the kids will quickly lose interest. Also, are you planning to try to catch these children under the age of 3 to optimize their ability to learn a second language or were you just showing us those 2 models as samples of a more extensive target group? It seems to me that I read somewhere that a child learns language in one part of the brain up until a certain point and then switches to another area around age 10? (not sure of that age--you all probably know better than I). My husband did not learn English until he and I were married (he's from Mexico). Even after living in the U.S. for 30 years he speaks with a very heavy accent.

These are very good points, Shannon. I am planning to respond to them in next Monday's post.

Good question, Ellen. I will answer it in next Monday's post.

Years ago, used to teach at the British School in Rio. The language of the school, as you might guess, is English. But the language of the playground was Portuguese, and many of the children were genuinely bi- or even tri-lingual. Something I noticed was that if a new child joined the school before the age of 8, it was only a matter of months before he/she became fluent in Portuguese, regardless of overall ability level. But after the age of 9 or 10, even for the brightest and most-outgoing children, Portuguese was a second language, haltingly spoken. I imagine there are exceptions to this, but as an overall observation, I'd say it's pretty accurate. I've no idea whether this is something to do with brain development, or whether it's more physiological - larynx, palate etc. I guess there'll be someone out there who's done research into this.

I think you have some wonderful ideas and would be delighted to participate when next I have the good fortune to visit Tortuguero. Might you consider having a small selection of suitable books, such as Word Books and lesson books available for visitors to sponsor with donations? I tutored reading with the Vista program and many of our students were ESL. Many enjoyed Word books with pictures because they helped them acquire vocabulary.

I love this idea! I wish it had been functioning when we were at Tortuguero last year; I would have loved to participate. As an ESL teacher, I can see how this can work. It seems to me that you need a notebook of 1-hour self-contained lessons that untrained native-speakers can teach with simple instructions. I'm sure tourists would enjoy participating, especially with guidance on the lesson plans.

Hi Michael, Just wanted you to know that this longtime fan of yours and CRE is excited about this project. Our friend, Kathy Callahan, who is going to TL in August plans to participate. Philosophically I guess I am sorry that learning English is so all-important but pragmatically it's going to be a great thing for them.

I think your plan is a good one, Michael. Your open-mindedness in considering new ideas and your vigilence regarding keeping the needs of the locals in mind are commendable. I think the stomp-shuffle game sounds hilarious--count me in!

Loved your response to Mr. Kristorf! Every country is complicated. My husband, our nephew, and I traveled around Costa Rica two years ago, most of our trip organized by Costa Rican Expeditions. We had a marvelous time, especially hiking in the rain forest at Corcovado with our incredibly well-informed guide, Fillo. Because my nephew is studying to be a nurse, Fillo made sure to tell us about which rain forest plants have traditional medicinal uses. We thought Costa Rican Expeditions did a great job for us! I'm happy to have the opportunity to thank you. In a few days my husband and I will return to Costa Rica to help build a house with Habitat for Humanity. We're looking forward to it.

Michael, I'm so glad you mentioned reciprocity as I agree that the exchange between the local student and guest teacher must be rewarding for both. As a tour operator trying to offer your guests a meaningful experience, one of the goals should be for the guest/volunteer to come away from the experience feeling enriched by the encounter. Judie's comment expresses how moving that exchange can be. One remembers those special moments much more clearly than the details of archeological ruins, museums, etc. In my own experience, my life was changed by the kindnesses expressed to me on a daily basis by a Mexican family with whom I lived for a semester while studying Spanish. I corresponded with the mother of the family for several years after returning to the States and then eventually married her son (who was away at veterinary school most of the time I was living with the family). The mutual respect and interest in one another's culture and beliefs opened the door to possibilities which would have seemed unthinkable before the experience. We have been happily married for 31 years.

ABOUT SHARED KINDNESS....I was fortunate to be in Costa Rica with Habitat for Humanity. We worked on a house and a school in Rosario de Naranjo and while I was painting the outside of the school a small child came up and stood beside me without saying a word. I tried to speak with him about his school and his family in spanish , but still he said not a word, though I knew he understood. He had something in his hand and it looked like a tiny deck of playing cards and I thought he wanted to play with me. All of a sudden he took the cards...ALL of them... and put them in my hand...and then he ran off.I looked down at the cards and then read them in spanish and realized they were valentines.This is what he had to share with me for helping his school and his kindness brought me to tears because he could have given me A CARD, but instead gave them ALL to me .I never could find him to thank him...and I'll never forget the fact they he gave me ALL he had.It made me realize that I had so much more than he had monetarily yet, if I were in his place I would probably have given him ONE not all . .I learned alot about myself and his culture from his act of shared kindess and i am so greatful for him.

What a heartwarming story !

Hi Michael, I found the article in the "Tico Times"very,very heart-warming & uplifting.Made my day. It looks as if your Great Plan is really working out.Such a splendid opportunity for the youngsters & also for the tourist-teachers who will get more out of it than they ever thought.... Your reduced prices are a generous idea, too,& should attract people. In fact,it seems clear to me that you're very kind & generous all round!

Bravo, Michael! The program has taken off beyond anyone's wildest expectations! Kudos to you for pursuing this vision. You are bringing tourists and locals together in a way that benefits both parties. I would imagine your program can serve as a model for similar endeavors around the world. I will certainly spread the word about your generous offer for travelers to Costa Rica in the low season.

Sounds like a wonderful program! I am planning my 40th b'day trip in november and have not yet decided where to go-I will be traveling from Los Angeles with my husband, 2 daughters (age 6,2) and my mother-in-law-a retired elementary school teacher. This would be her dream vacation! Need some help figuring out logistics and cost, who should i contact for detailed information? miranda liu

These are wonderful! Congratulations on getting this up & going,Michael.Takes vision & commitment.

WOW! Very impressive. I especially like how games are incorporated into the learning experience and how visitors of all ages can be teachers. Someday I hope to be one of them! Those kids are lucky to have you in their corner......

And I'm lucky to have such open and enthusiastic kids---not to mention all the other people who are supporting and contributing to this project.

Miranda, I'm delighted that you like the program. It is very close to my heart. The best thing for you to do is go to our website at http://www.costaricaexpeditions.com/wl3/index.php and fill out and send us the Wish List. In the first comment box where it asks about "Personal Primary Trip Goal" mention that you heard about the Words Adventure from the blog and want to participate. On the basis of the Wish List we will assign our trip planner who is most qualified to advise you on your vacation.