Volunteer English Teachers needed in Costa Rica

English Volunteers for Change (EVOLC) is looking for volunteers ready to make a lasting, sustainable impact in Costa Rica. Our volunteer teachers offer classes to children and/or adults in rural/impoverished communities, tourism communities, public schools, as well as organizations and businesses in the public and private sectors. Improving their English language skills enables students to completely change their lives by gaining a better education and more opportunities.

When volunteer teachers arrive, they will participate in a 2-3 day orientation at our office in Costa Rica's capital city, San José. Upon finishing orientation, our volunteers will be taken to their respective teaching communities. Volunteer teachers will live with friendly, prescreened host families in communities throughout the country during their volunteer work. They will be responsible for teaching English classes approximately 20 hours/week and have the rest of their time free to plan their lessons and enjoy Costa Rica!

Programs with English Volunteers for Change-

1) Community Service: 3-12 weeks

Our Community Service program is a great option for those looking to travel for any length of time and contribute to a good cause while exploring the real Costa Rica! Volunteers will work side by side with Costa Rican teachers providing English classes to elementary and high-school students and/or to adult community members in varying areas of the country.

2) Local Development: 3 months-1 year

Commonly referred to as our "traditional program," volunteers can choose to teach in communities from all over the country. They may choose to live on one of the warm beaches, developing cities or in the lush mountainous regions.Volunteers will work with the local Chamber of Tourism or government institutions such as the Coast Guard, where they will give free English classes to members of the community in order to support a sustainable tourism industry.Students include airport employees, rafting and zip line guides, taxi drivers, masseuses, etc.

3) Teaching Assistant with INA (The Costa Rican National Institute of Education) 5 weeks-3 months

Volunteers for our INA (Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje) program are not required to have a university degree, but we do require that volunteers be a student of education and or have a TEFL/ TESOL certificate or equivalent. Becoming a teaching assistant with INA is an opportunity to have further instruction from skilled English professors and a chance to earn experience with an internationally renowned learning institute. The volunteer will not take over as the principal teacher, but closely assist with classes and conversation sessions.

This is an excellent option for a recent TEFL/TESOL/CELTA graduate looking to gain more experience soon after earning their certificate. It is also an excellent opportunity for those wanting to gain professional, international experience before applying for paid teaching positions in his or her home country, or in other parts of the world.

4) Public School Assistance: 6 months-1 year

This option is excellent for those who prefer to gain experience working with children. In order to participate in this program, it is mandatory that volunteers have a university degree in education, and a TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificate is preferred.The Costa Rican public school year begins in February and ends in December, with a two-week vacation in July. Volunteers can choose between working in the school for 1 semester or the entire school year. Qualified volunteers will work with the English professor(s) at the school, where he or she will sometimes take over and conduct the English classes. This will also serve as training for the professor, as he or she will be observing the volunteer and learning new techniques to continue in the classroom in the future.

5) Corporate English Program: 6 months-1 year

EVOLC has recently teamed up with our partner ALIARSE, in order to promote corporate responsibility within larger-scale Costa Rican corporations.EVOLC recruits and prepares volunteers to teach business-centered English classes for employees ranging from office personnel to factory workers within the corporation.Our corporate English classes use different materials focusing on both work and life, along with supplemental materials targeting specific areas such as English for accounting, mechanics, human resources, or whatever language skills the position requires.

6) University Practicum: 4-12 weeks

This program option is specifically for university students studying Bilingual Education or a related career with a practicum teaching requirement. We work directly with the university and adapt our program to fit the academic requirements of the university. Students receive university credit hours dependent on the amount of hours taught here in Costa Rica. Classes will range from 4-8 weeks depending on the requirements of the university and number of teaching hours per day.Classes will be conducted at Costa Rican Public Schools or INA, depending on what age group the student is studying to teach.