Across Borders Through Words: English Tutoring to Students in Rural Nepal

Nestled in the shadows of the majestic Mt. Everest, the rural village school named “Chandrodaya Basic School” located in Mapyadudhkoshi Rural Municipality ward no, 2 , Thulodhunga, Solukhumbu, Nepal, provides education to curious young minds who are eager to learn. English education remains a challenge due to limited resources. In the summer of 2025, we set aside our time and effort to help bridge this gap by teaching English to students in grades 6–8, with the hope to help these young dreamers unlock new opportunities for their future. Our goal is to ignite interest in learning English through well-planned fun and interactive sessions, while boosting their confidence in speaking the language.  

Chandrodaya school serves 105 students (53 boys and 52 girls). Established in 1983, the school began when parents from Thulodhunga village saw the need for a place where their children could learn. The school is surrounded by hills and lush greenery, with beautiful mountains visible to the north. The school administrative team, including the school principal, has worked tirelessly to provide regular and quality education to village children. However, given its remote location, limited resources and lack of knowledgeable subject-matter teachers, currently there is a limited English curriculum that is offered in the school despite the students’ enthusiasm. English is an important language for Nepalese given the vast eco-tourism industry and to be able to connect with other parts of the world.

Considering the need and significant interest in learning English for school students as expressed by the school principal Mr. Kubir Rai, we hold a kick-off meeting in late-May to get to know the students, their interest and gauge their enthusiasm. The kick-off meeting was scheduled for 9:30 PM Friday EST time and their Saturday morning 6:30 AM in Nepal. When we joined the video call, we were stunned to see 20-30 children who woke up early on Saturday morning and got to school in school uniform and were eagerly waiting near the camera. Many had walked over 30 minutes to get to school that early. We were stunned to hear many more things about their day-to-day activities, lifestyle etc. and despite all this how they are making an extra effort to thrive in such a limited resource setting. To be honest, we learned more than they did during our first call, and it made us appreciate the resources we often take for granted in the U.S. What started as a simple virtual tutoring project turned into a meaningful cultural exchange and learning experience for both sides.

After the initial kick-off meeting in late May, we began teaching regularly starting early June. Every Friday from 9:00 PM to 10:30 PM EST, which is 6:45 AM to 8:15 AM Saturday morning in Nepal we meet around 30 students, splitting students into two 45-minute groups. Our lessons start with story book reading on screen, pausing to explain new words, asking comprehension questions and encourage predictions about what will happen next. Each session also includes 5-10 main vocabulary words, supported by PowerPoint slides with pictures and definitions to strengthen their word bank. 

To keep our tutoring session lively, we include interactive activities (e.g. Hot potato game where they pass a ball around and when the music stops student holding the ball answers a question in English). To help students learn how to have a useful conversation: we use conversation prompts and teach them how to form sentences and what to say during the two-way conversations. We have also asked students to do a show and tell by bringing an item from home and tell a few things about that item in English language. The overall goal is to help them get comfortable with speaking with others in English. Our students enjoyed all of games and activities we have used so far and eagerly look forward to hearing what we have planned for the day after book reading. 

One of the most rewarding parts for us has been watching shy students come out of their shells. Some who were hesitant to speak at first now volunteer eagerly, share stories, and even ask for homework. Their enthusiasm and eagerness drive us to prepare even more engaging lessons each week.

Throughout this process, it has not been all smooth sailing. Coordinating across time zones was challenging and teaching remotely required adjusting lesson plans to the school’s limited resources. It was also hard for the students in Nepal to understand at first what we were trying to teach them, but they grew more confident as the lessons went on. Although we faced challenges, we overcame them well and thoroughly enjoyed this experience. We must admit that both parties have benefited from these sessions, they have become better at understanding and speaking English and our Nepali fluency has improved quite a lot as well.

Teaching English is more than just sharing a language; it is opening a door to the world. Through engaging lessons, culture exchange, and encouragement, we are not only helping them communicate globally but also building their confidence to dream bigger. Each new word is a step toward greater opportunity and connection. Our time teaching is a reminder that education is not a one-way street. It is a shared journey of learning, laughter, and mutual growth that leaves a lasting mark on both us and them. What started to us as a summer project will continue beyond 2025. We plan to continue teaching these students throughout the year and hope we can offer other opportunities to these young enthusiastic students.