Volunteer Teaching and the Growth of Teaching Skills among English Education Students

This study investigates how volunteer teaching contributes to the development of teaching skills among English Education students at Universitas Sriwijaya. Although experiential learning is widely recognized in teacher education, there is limited empirical evidence on how non-mandatory volunteer teaching fosters pedagogical growth in the Indonesian EFL context, particularly at the university level. Addressing this gap, the study examines on how volunteer teaching influences students’ perception of the teaching profession, what specific teaching skills are developed, and what challenges arise during these experiences. Using a qualitative case study design, 23 purposively selected students participated in open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews guided by Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Model. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic approach. The findings indicate that volunteer teaching enhanced participants’ lesson planning, classroom management, and instructional delivery, while also strengthening emotional resilience, adaptability, and professional identity. Challenges such as resource limitations, classroom discipline, and cultural adjustment prompted creative problem-solving, reinforcing instructional awareness. These results highlight the role of volunteer teaching as a practical bridge between academic preparation and real classroom demands, with implications for integrating structured volunteer opportunities into teacher education curricula in Indonesia.