Education is highly important in all developing communities. You can teach English overseas on a variety of levels across all out GapBreak destinations. We offer basic volunteer teaching training prior to your departure, helping you prepare lesson plans and overcome language barriers.
English is generally the medium of teaching , so you can have lots of fun with the children and be fairly adventurous in subjects taught. Past students have taught a range of subjects from English, maths, arts and crafts, sports and music.
In most destinations, students teach on a volunteer basis. In China, however, students can participate in paid teaching placements at schools around the country. This placement starts with a 1-month TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course that is followed by five months teaching practice in Chinese schools.
As many of the GapBreak placements involve some aspect of teaching, we believe it is an important area to prepare for. A comprehensive Teaching Guide is provided to all participants and useful advice on teaching is given at the mandatory training course. Whilst no previous teaching experience is necessary, you must be enthusiastic and ready to face a challenge. Students may be teaching for approximately three to four hours a day, resources may be limited and it is possible that the local teachers may not be of great assistance. However, the classroom and the children often become the most rewarding aspects of your experience. Once you know the average age of your students, it is worth having a think about possible teaching aids that will help you.