Peru: Volunteer English Teaching in Latin America

Peru: Volunteer English Teaching and Work-Experience

Peru has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Latin America. Its potential for economic prosperity through its exports and tourist industry is doing much to improve the high unemployment and poverty levels there.

We at Projects Abroad, are particularly proud of our Teaching projects in Peru. We are working with the Peruvian Ministry of Education on an eight year scheme to update the English curriculum for 23 schools in the Sacred Valley between Cusco and Machu Picchu. The English curriculum, created in the capital city of Lima is not always relevant to children in the more rural Sacred Valley, and local English speakers who would otherwise be teachers are often more tempted by the higher salaries on offer in the local tourist industry.

If the scheme is a success it will be applied to more rural schools in Peru. This project is run by our Peru Director, Tim DeWinter - previously an education specialist with UNICEF.

Teach English Language in schools with Projects Abroad

For the scheme to succeed we need your help. Volunteer Teaching in Peru is a way to help at some of the most poorly resourced schools. You can gain invaluable work experience teaching overseas and no TEFL is needed.

Whether you want to volunteer teaching during your gap year, career break or as a trained professional, you will have a role to play on one of our teaching projects. Voluntary Teaching in schools in Peru will benefit the many children, teachers and locals within the different communities.

Volunteering on a Teaching Project in Peru

As a volunteer in Peru, your role is built firmly into this scheme and curriculum. You may find that you teach any ages from all five secondary school year groups. With worksheets and teaching resources available in our office in the town of Urubamba you will be well supported. You'll also be able to see a full history of what has been taught previously in your schools and tips from past volunteers. We recommend that you bring your own resources that you can use as part of your lessons such as postcards, photos, magazines, stickers etc. It is always useful to have authentic material that the students can use to further understand the English language as well as Western culture.

Our teaching supervisor in Peru arranges regular teaching workshops to help all the volunteers through the hurdles of teaching English in such an unusual environment. If you have a successful lesson you can share it with others, and it may even become part of the curriculum. We also promote two local teacher networks, so they receive in-service training regularly.

Please note: Although we recommend you join us during term time if possible, if you volunteer during Peru's long school holidays (January - March) you'll help at summer schools teaching the teachers and spend some time on local community projects. While this may sound challenging, volunteers have been wonderfully successful and really loved this side of the work!

The teacher training is carried out by volunteers under the close supervision of Tim and the teaching supervisor. You will prepare interactive lessons for small groups that are divided up according to their level of English language knowledge. It is worth noting that most Peruvian teachers will have a very basic level of English.

Our Teaching programmes will provide an invaluable opportunity for two different cultures to learn from each other. Teaching in Peru is one way to build relationships and to gain rewarding voluntary experience overseas.

All volunteers on Teaching, Care, Community, Medicine & Healthcare, Sports or Spanish placements in Peru now have the opportunity to add a 7-Day Peru Conservation Project to the end of their main placement. For more information please visit our 7-Day Peru Conservation Project page.