As a volunteer with our Teach English Program, you will be working in local community centers that desperately need teachers and support from native English speakers. You will be responsible for planning your own classes according to your students' needs and teaching those lessons with creativity, patience and compassion. You will also have to opportunity to help students with their homework, organize games, and assist with administrative work.
Volunteers in Buenos Aires will not only be teaching English to students who would otherwise have little or no language instruction, but will also have the opportunity to mentor and be a role model for young Argentineans at a critical time in their lives.
Accommodations: •Argentinean host family or hostel
Schedule: You will volunteer in the afternoons, usually 3 days a week and attend Spanish classes in the mornings Mon-Fri. The exact hours and details of your day will be decided during the volunteer orientation. Schedules vary depending on project needs, and volunteers should remain flexible.
Start Dates: •Any Monday of the year, except the following dates
when the project is closed:
December through March and July 20th - 31st
Cost Includes: •Airport pick-up • Accommodations •Intensive Spanish classes •TEFLOnline.com teacher certification course •1-2 meals per day •Activities (schedule-permitting) •Donation to non-profit organization
Requirements: There are no formal requirements. However, we strongly recommend that volunteers have basic to intermediate Spanish skills, and we suggest completing the TEFLOnline.com training course before arriving. You should also come with creative ideas for lesson plans and classroom activities.
Argentina Teach English Program Overview
>The Situation
English is an increasingly valuable skill for Argentineans, but the country's recent economic recession has made instruction unavailable to many residents. The government does not provide funding to bring native English-speaking teachers to work in Argentina, and most families cannot afford to send their children to quality private schools.
>What's Being Done
Nonprofit groups throughout the country are taking an increasing role in helping people who are living below the poverty line, especially in the area of education. In addition to ensuring that the basic needs of children are being met, one of the main goals on projects such as this is to find ways to help youth and adults from economically disadvantaged areas progress, and to give them the tools and encouragement they need to break out of poverty. This means developing educational and job-training programs, providing day care for parents who must work, and creating programs that give local students the opportunity to learn English from native-speaking volunteers.
>What You Can Do
As a volunteer with our Teach English Program, you will be directly involved in helping children, teens and young adults develop their English skills. You will help organize English programs in community centers, soup kitchens and shelters, and will conduct English classes for various age groups and abilities. If you have the desire and experience, you may also be able to organize and lead field trips. Most importantly, you will be tutoring and mentoring young Argentineans with the goal of increasing their confidence, educational skills, and chances of finding quality employment as adults.
Teach classes to children, adolescents and young adults
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Help students with English homework after school
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Organize book drives
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Fundraise and collect donations of materials (crayons, markers, colored paper, notebooks, scissors, pencils, etc.)
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Organize field trips
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Develop special English workshops (i.e., games, songs, drama, writing, art, etc.)
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Assist with administrative tasks and record-keeping
>Teacher Training
All volunteers in our Teach English Programs receive teacher training before going abroad. By completing our online teacher preparation program, you will earn your certification in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), which will give you the skills and confidence needed to teach English overseas. Read More.
>Airport Pickup and Orientation
After arrival in Buenos Aires, you will be picked up by a shuttle service and transported to your host family or hostel for the first night. The following morning, you will begin your volunteer adventure with an extensive orientation. During this time, you will learn about living and working in Buenos Aires, using public transportation, and volunteering at your project site. You will meet your project coordinator to discuss the details of your work and your responsibilities as a volunteer. Your project coordinator will accompany you on the first day and also on subsequent days if possible.
>Transportation
We will arrange your airport pickup in Buenos Aires and transportation to your host family. Volunteers pay for transportation to and from the project and other activities.
>Language Classes
Volunteers take Spanish language classes at BridgeArgentina, our affiliate language school in Buenos Aires. For more efficient placement upon your arrival, we ask that you take our Online Spanish Placement Test to determine your language proficiency. You will be placed according to your language level in a group of four or fewer students, learning conversational Spanish for four hours a day*. After your class hours, you will go directly to your organization for your volunteer experience.
*Class time for groups of fewer than three students will be reduced from 4 to 3 hours per day.
>Accommodations
Volunteers choose to stay in either a centrally-located hostel or with an Argentinean host family. Hostel accommodations include a double-occupancy room with a shared bathroom. Host family accommodations include a private room and a shared bathroom. Commute time to the project varies between 30-90 minutes, depending on your placement. If you opt to stay with a host family, you will be glad to know that our host families are carefully screened and must meet strict requirements before being accepted as a host family. You will be given a key to your host family's home to come and go as you please.
>Meals
Hostel serves breakfast only. You will have access to a kitchen if you choose to prepare your own meals. Host family provides two meals a day, breakfast and dinner.
>In-Country Support
Volunteer coordinators will provide support during your time in Buenos Aires. You can also expect help from your fellow volunteers, and local staff of both BridgeArgentina and our partner organization. We also provide a 24-hour cell phone number for emergencies.
>Commitment
On your first day, you will be asked to sign a contract confirming your commitment to your volunteer work. Your commitment is what makes our programs work, and we need to be able to count on you to be present and willing to help during the hours that we have arranged for you. If at any time you cannot fulfill your commitment, you must contact your project coordinator immediately.
>Excursions
Although you will be serving the community for much of your time in Argentina, there may be time for some sightseeing. Below are a few of the trips that BridgeArgentina organizes for students and volunteers, schedule permitting. Students are expected to pay their own transportation costs and entrance fees.
•The Recoleta
One of our most popular excursions, this trip takes you to the beautiful Recoleta neighborhood known as a "slice of Paris" in Buenos Aires.
•The Rosedal
The Rosedal is Buenos Aires' most famous and most visited park, filled with bridges, piers, ponds, sculptures, and abundant vegetation.
•San Telmo
A walking tour of this artsy neighborhood offers a chance to visit antique shops and the San Telmo Market, where you can find antiques, crafts, and artwork made by local artisans.
•La Boca
Colorful houses characterize the lively waterfront neighborhood of La Boca. The area is also home to the country's most popular soccer team, the Boca Juniors.
•The Plaza de Mayo
This plaza is the epicenter of Argentina's political history. This tour of the plaza also includes famous buildings nearby, such as the Casa Rosada, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Cabildo.
•Puerto Madero
This port city has converted its old brick warehouses into first-rate restaurants, movie theaters, and office complexes. It is now Buenos Aires' newest, most exclusive, and fastest-growing district.
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Argentina Teach English Program Overview
