With or without an education background, students can teach individually or in pairs at local schools in a range of countries. English is generally the medium of teaching and so students can have lots of fun with the children and be fairly adventurous in subjects taught. Students can teach a wide range of subjects including English, adult-literacy, maths, handicrafts and sports in destinations such as Cambodia, India, Nepal, Kenya, Ghana, Peru and China.

In most destinations, students teach on a volunteer basis. In China however, students can carry out paid teaching placements at schools in and around Beijing. This placement starts with a 1-month TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course which is then followed by 5 months teaching practice in Chinese schools.

As many of the UniBreak placements involve some aspect of teaching, we believe it is an important area to prepare for. A Teaching Guide is provided to all participants and useful advice on teaching is given at the training course. Whilst no previous teaching experience is necessary, suitable candidates must be enthusiastic and ready to face a challenge. Students may be teaching for approximately three to four hours a day, facilities may be limited and it is possible that the local teachers may not be of great assistance. However, the classroom and the children may also 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. Don’t forget that some of these schools are very poor and have few, if any basic teaching aids.