Gwenna gifts her many skills

Volunteers are incredible people keeping the wheels turning – at all levels.

Gwenna Finikin is one exceptional ELP volunteer who’s happy to share her valuable skills, wherever they’re needed.

Gwenna’s connection with ELP stretches back many years – to the year 2000, when she first trained as a volunteer. As an ESOL home tutor, she’s helped six newer Kiwis learn English and, before ELP amalgamated, Gwenna volunteered as our Palmerston North centre’s committee calm and measured chair for an incredible twelve years!

She’s recently shared her creativity again – running a workshop for volunteer tutors and ELP teachers, the first held since lockdown level 4 in March.

Gwenna presented teaching tips on using synthetic phonics to support the literacy of English learners in the early stages of reading and writing.

Gwenna says she was delighted to meet up with people she’s known over the years, because, as her day job has slowly taken over, her interactions with ELP have diminished, but thankfully not extinguished!

Download Gwenna’s teaching tips and presentation notes.

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