Teaching Abroad

"When I arrived, the children were reluctant to speak, even in their own language. Most only knew a few phrases in English or none at all. By the time I left they were all babbling, singing and arguing in English, eager to show off their English!"
- Kate d'Armada, Teaching Programme, South Africa

You don't have to be a teacher to take part in and enjoy our Teaching placements. Open to all volunteers, you really benefit the students you work with, while gaining valuable skills yourself. Placements are in primary or secondary schools, special schools and even universities. All our placements have one thing in common - a genuine need for conversational English practice.

Usually you work in timetabled conversational English lessons. Sometimes (usually at a primary school) you are given your own class. Depending on the country you choose for your placement, you can find yourself teaching a group of five-year-olds or a class of adults. You might even be in a special school for the deaf or physically disabled.

Teaching placements vary even within the same country, but you'll usually be in lessons for about 18 hours a week. This may not sound a lot - but you will need to prepare your lessons in your spare time!

If, like many volunteers, you feel a little unsure about taking an English class of any age, we give you a great deal of help. Once you are on your placement you have the full support of your supervisor (usually an English teacher at the school) and Teaching Abroad local staff.

Before you leave we brief you comprehensively about teaching English. You receive a 64-page teaching guide packed with guidelines and ideas, teaching games and advice. It includes tried-and-tested teaching resources, and takes you through beginners and intermediate lessons.

But you are your own primary resource. The teaching guide gives lots of suggestions about how you can maximise yourself as a 'resource'. Bring along 'props' - like family photos, postcards magazines, coins, CDs - to kick-start conversation or a lesson. And when you get to your destination, comparing notes about what works and what doesn't work with other volunteers is always helpful.

Anyway, you're not likely to have many problems getting your pupils' attention. They want to speak English well so that they can get into good universities, get better jobs, have a better life - and sometimes enjoy everything that satellite TV has to offer!

While your pupils want to learn English, you will probably find that local teachers are just as keen - and they will practise their spoken English on you. This is, of course, part of the benefit of your placement - the better local teachers speak English, the better they will be able to teach their pupils.

Teaching Plus...

Most of our schools welcome volunteers who want to get involved in other aspects of school life, or run extra-curricular activities and after-school clubs. Alongside your conversational English classes you could help with the following:

Teaching Sports
You can teach football in most of our destinations, and teach children cricket in India and South Africa. Everyone enjoys having a volunteer who is keen to teach English in the morning then get involved with arranging sports clubs and matches in the afternoon.

Teaching Drama
Drama is a useful tool for teaching English. If you are a drama specialist, schools in most of our destinations will have a place for you. If drama is a hobby, a school play is an enjoyable way to teach and learn any language!

Teaching Music
Many of our partner schools are keen to enhance their Western music curriculum. If you are a music student, it's an excellent opportunity to learn about world music, while teaching extra-curricular lessons. You can start a choir, arrange music groups, teach composition and raise the profile of the arts where you are teaching.

Teaching Maths
South Africa is always looking for volunteers happy to teach any level of maths.

Teaching Others
Let us know what other subjects you're good at.there's bound to be some way of using them!

"We started after-school clubs, open to kids from all over the area. We saw the production of the first school magazine, rearranged the library and got the computers up and running."
- Claire Garden, Pre-University, Teaching in Ghana

"I introduced science-teaching which involved practical work, demonstrations, games and use of the imagination."
- Jenny Croft, Teaching in Nepal

“I lectured extensively on astronomy and space exploration to schools, colleges and orphanages in the area. The young Nepalis were really interested in learning what was going on in the outside world. A terrific experience in a fascinating country!“
- Hugh Mooney, Teaching in Nepal

To read some stories from volunteers who have joined us on a Teaching Project click here.