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Jamaica: Volunteer English Teaching and Work-Experience
- Placement locations: Mandeville
- Types of schools: Primary, Adult Literacy Programme
- Age of students: 6 - 12, adults
- Class sizes: 30 - 40
- Role: Teacher or teaching assistant (English, French, Spanish, Geography, History, Maths, Sports)
- Extra-curricular roles: Art, Dance, Drama, Dutch, German, IT, Music
- Accommodation: Host families
- Price: From £1795
- What’s included? Food, accommodation, transfers, insurance, personal webpage, induction and orientation, 24/7 support, social activities
- What’s not included? Flights, visa costs, spending money
- Length of placement: From one month
- Start dates: Flexible
As a Projects Abroad volunteer teaching in Jamaica you will have the opportunity to significantly contribute to the welfare of Jamaica’s education system and you will gain an amazing new perspective on this incredible country. You can gain invaluable development work experience without any previous qualifications and you are not required to have undergone TEFL training. Whether you are coming to volunteer during your gap year, career break or an extended holiday, you will have a role to play in one of the schools that we work with and will be able to make a real difference.
Jamaica is today a country of extremes, with wealthy Jamaicans enjoying a modern, western lifestyle, frequenting shopping malls and exclusive golf clubs, whilst the poorest people in society, some 16% of Jamaicans, remain living below the poverty line. The wealth distribution reflects Jamaica's slave-plantation heritage and the descendants of black slaves tend to be among the poorest classes in Jamaica. Yet it was the end of slavery that heralded the start of education for all and the government is currently investing in improving and modernizing the education system throughout the country.
Teaching English Language in Schools with Projects Abroad
Projects Abroad Jamaica is based in the University town of Mandeville. Although Jamaica's official language is English, many children grow up speaking Jamaican Creole (patois) at home. Jamaican Standard English (a mix of American and British English) is taught in schools and is key to getting a sought after job in business or within the tourist industry.
Volunteer teachers work alongside the Jamaican staff to help improve the pronunciation of Standard English. By teaching Standard English and making the lessons fun and inclusive you can really help to develop the students' confidence. They are sure to be interested in you and your life, and you can take advantage of this to get them talking to yourself and each other.
In most schools you will begin as a classroom assistant, supporting the teachers in their lessons. However, as you get to know the children better and start to grow in confidence you may want to take on more responsibility.
Volunteering on a Teaching Project in Jamaica
If you are interested in teaching other subjects too, you will have an opportunity to do so. You can teach dance, drama, mathematics, art, sport, history, geography, social studies, French or Spanish, as well as assisting in teaching German or Dutch as an extra-curricular activity in the afternoons. If you speak good French it is even possible to teach French as a full time placement.
Whatever your skills or interests, as a volunteer in Jamaica you will make an important contribution by improving students' spoken English, improving their understanding of these subject areas and giving them the confidence that comes from being able to communicate more easily. You will also help to increase cultural awareness, which is one of the main aims of the government's current educational campaign.
Volunteers can also choose to help on a Community Literacy Project which offers adult literacy education programmes. Volunteers work with individuals and small groups of no more than 10 to 15 adults in an assigned community. Community based literacy programmes and one-on-one interaction are known to improve literacy levels and it is with this in mind that the Community Literacy Project is being promoted. Volunteers are provided with appropriate training and materials.
We also have a teaching placement in a centre for deaf children aged from 4 to 20 years old. This placement is ideal for anyone who knows American Sign Language. Volunteers work as assistant teachers or substitute teachers, teaching maths and English. There is also the option to teach crafts, sports, and agriculture.
The impact you have on the lives of your students will be long lasting. In addition, you will also be part of a much larger volunteer network, which is making a really positive contribution to the wider community. It will be an experience you’ll never forget!
You can also join a Teaching Music in Jamaica Project, where you will teach music to children, teenagers and possibly adults.