Secondary Education English Teaching

Volunteers teach conversational English, English as a second language (ELS) or content-based English in middle and high schools, creating opportunities for students and local teachers to contribute to their country's development. In addition to classroom teaching, volunteers share resources, develop teaching materials with local teachers, and become involved in community- and school-based projects. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in any discipline (not necessarily education). Most applicants have at least three months of teaching or tutoring experience in English or ESL. This experience can be in classrooms or one-on-one. Applicants range from recent college graduates to those with years of classroom experience. Other relevant experience includes community organizing and work with community groups; drama activities; health or HIV/AIDS education; civics education; youth development work, such as daycare or Head Start; and computer literacy and programming.

Secondary English Education Teacher Training

Teacher trainers work with new and experienced English teachers, training student teachers at teachers' colleges or providing in-service training to experienced teachers in current methodologies, subject content, and resource development, thus creating sustainable improvements in teaching that will affect generations of future students. Projects include increasing local teachers' English language competency and conversational skills and organizing teacher associations and training seminars. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in secondary education, English, teaching English as a second language (TEFL), or a foreign language; or a master's degree in teaching ESL, applied linguistics, or a foreign language; or a bachelor's or master's degree in education; or state teaching certification in English, a foreign language, or a humanities subject; or a bachelor's or master's degree with classroom teaching experience or stand-up training experience in English, a foreign language, communications, or a humanities subject. Most applicants are university graduates with student teaching, graduate teaching assistant, or substitute teaching experience, or they have at least six months of teaching experience. Some applicants are mid-career or retired teachers or mid-career professionals pursuing a career change to teaching. Other relevant experience includes building links to community organizations, developing nonformal or youth education programs, leadership experience, and involvement in health, HIV/AIDS, environmental, or drama activities.

University English Teaching

Volunteers work with university-level students who need enhanced English language skills to make use of academic and technical resources published in English in their study of languages, literature, business, medicine, engineering, or other fields. Volunteers teach English grammar, conversation, phonetics, American literature and culture, creative writing, and linguistics; establish English language clubs and resource centers; share ideas and develop materials with fellow teachers; and integrate communicative teaching techniques into the classroom. Applicants must have an advanced degree, either a master's in English with a concentration in composition, creative writing, American or comparative literature, rhetorical studies, speech, or technical writing; or a master's degree in French or another foreign language, teaching English as a second language (TEFL), or linguistics, or in subjects such as history, language arts, humanities, and the social sciences. Most applicants have full- or part-time experience as graduate teaching assistants, substitute teachers, tutors, or student teachers. Other relevant experience includes working with community organizations or projects, working with adult literacy programs or environmental or health education, drama activities, and editing or writing for college literary magazines or newspapers.

Health Extension

Volunteers raise awareness in communities about the need for health education. They act as catalysts for a wide range of activities, limited only by the creativity of the community and the volunteer. Activities include identifying local leaders to teach families about maternal and child health, basic nutrition, or sanitation; setting up training on nutrition, sanitation, or oral rehydration therapy; organizing groups to raise money for needed healthcare materials; and training people as peer educators on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in any discipline and a demonstrated interest in community health; or be a registered nurse with a demonstrated interest in community health. Interest in health is demonstrated through volunteer or work experience in areas such as AIDS outreach, hospice, Planned Parenthood counseling, Red Cross emergency medical technician (EMT) or CPR certification, and hands-on caregiving in a hospital, clinic, or lab setting. Counseling or teaching can also qualify as experience for this program.

HIV/AIDS Outreach

Volunteers serve in a broad range of areas, including HIV/AIDS education and prevention. HIV/AIDS Volunteers assist communities that are currently being ravaged socially and economically by the AIDS pandemic. Volunteering in the area of HIV/AIDS offers an opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of others. Activities include working in an orphanage with HIV-positive children; implementing programs for at-risk youth; collaborating with faith-based organizations on prevention messages; working at a community HIV center; creating a support group for HIV-positive people; teaching—formally and informally—about HIV/AIDS prevention and care; counseling and aiding local residents; and providing nutrition and hygiene education classes in communities.