EnglishConnect for Missionaries
What Is the Mission Leader’s Role in EnglishConnect for Missionaries?

“What Is the Mission Leader’s Role in EnglishConnect for Missionaries?,” EnglishConnect Mission Leader Guide (2024)

“Mission Leader’s Role,” EnglishConnect for Missionaries Leader Guide

mission leader training missionaries

What Is the Mission Leader’s Role in EnglishConnect for Missionaries?

The greatest influence on missionary language improvement is encouragement from mission leaders.

The mission president plays a crucial role in helping missionaries achieve the benefits of learning English. Your emphasis and support, more than any other variable, determines the success of missionaries learning a language.

Help Those Who Do Not Speak English to Learn It While on the Mission

“The ability to speak English will be a great blessing in the lives of the non-English-speaking missionaries no matter where they serve. Encourage the missionaries who do not speak English to use EnglishConnect for Missionaries throughout their missions to learn and practice English” (Handbook For Mission Leaders, 2.4.4).

The mission president’s primary role is to:

Establish the vision.

  • Help missionaries understand how learning English can bless them during their mission and throughout their life.

  • Help missionaries learn to seek and recognize the gift of tongues.

  • Encourage missionaries to set goals and strive for continued language improvement.

Create a culture of language learning.

  • “Create a culture of love coupled with high expectations” (Handbook for Mission Leaders, 2.3).

  • “Emphasize the importance of consistently studying the language each day” (Preach My Gospel, 145).

  • Invite missionaries to take their scheduled language assessments, and follow up with them. Provide opportunities for missionaries to account for their language learning progress.

Assign someone to coordinate the program.

  • The mission president may assign someone to help oversee the program, manage materials, and encourage missionaries in achieving their goals. This person can be a senior missionary couple, a mission counselor or secretary, the mission president’s companion, or a local or remote service missionary.

Mission Leader Best Practices

  • Encourage missionaries who do not speak English to study it as a missionary (see “Learn English,” Preach My Gospel, 140).

  • Encourage missionaries to follow the principles of language learning included in chapter 7 of Preach My Gospel.

  • Provide opportunities for missionaries to account for their efforts.

    • Invite missionaries to share their efforts and concerns in their weekly letter to the mission president (see Handbook for Mission Leaders, 2.1.4).

    • “Emphasize the importance of consistently studying the language each day” (Preach My Gospel, 145).

    • “Look for opportunities to talk with missionaries in the language they are learning” (Preach My Gospel, 145).

  • Encourage missionaries to take their scheduled assessments.

    • Use the Language Development Report (available in “Language Learning Resources” on Missionary Portal) to track assessment completion and missionary progress.

    • In their final transfer, ensure missionaries take the last assessment, receive their certificate, and, if interested, apply to BYU–Pathway Worldwide.

  • Invite missionaries to learn English with their companion.

    • Encourage missionaries to study English with their companion during the language study (see Preach My Gospel, 142).

  • Find opportunities to talk with missionaries in the language they are learning, including English.

    • Be sensitive to each missionary’s needs.

    • Consider interviewing missionaries or talking with missionaries from time to time in the language they are learning, including English.

  • Assign someone to coordinate the program.

    • Select someone who can provide encouragement and support for missionaries and manage the logistics of materials distribution and progress tracking.

    • This person will help provide EnglishConnect materials as needed. EnglishConnect for Missionaries includes the following resources:

      • EnglishConnect 1 and 2

        • Learner manuals with audio (Gospel Library or print)

        • Workbooks with audio (print workbooks; audio in Gospel Library)

      • EnglishConnect 3
        Based on your mission, phone data plan, and missionary access to internet, instruct your missionaries to use the online course or the workbook.

        • Online self-study course at ec3.englishconnect.org (requires internet connection or data).

        • Workbook (for missionaries without daily access to the internet)

    • Missionaries who attend an MTC receive an orientation and the EnglishConnect 1 Workbook and EnglishConnect 2 Workbook. Those who do not attend an MTC will need to receive an orientation and the workbooks from the mission office.

    • When missionaries complete EnglishConnect 1 and EnglishConnect 2, they should use the EnglishConnect 3 online self-study course. If missionaries do not have daily access to the internet, they will need to receive an EnglishConnect 3 Workbook from the mission office.

    • Your language coordinator can order printed workbooks or other materials from the Church store at store.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. They can also be accessed in the Gospel Library (Handbooks and Callings > Mission Callings > EnglishConnect for Missionaries).

Visit missionary.englishconnect.org to learn more and find additional training resources.