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GYC1382 - Teaching (English and other subjects) Country: Costa Rica Cost: £1295.00 Cost Includes: The price includes accommodation, food and pickup from airport but does not include flight, insurance, kit or visas     Duration: 5 weeks Company Rep Nearby: Never 0845 344 7613 or

 

	This placement would suit... Anyone with a love of kids and a desire to immerse themselves in the Costa Rican way of living. Support local teachers in under-staffed schools and help organise fun & interesting lessons. Help teach English, Sports & other subjects. Build close friendships with your pupils, locals and other volunteers. Open to all. What to expect Discover Costa Rica 's enchanting people and beautiful tropical wildlife through helping to teach English other skills to San José's shanty town children, and giving them a chance to develop their own creative and academic abilities. No experience is needed and you will join the close GAP SPORTS Community while living, working and socialising with other volunteers and friendly locals - learn Spanish while making friends, swim and surf in the Caribbean sea, spot tropical birds and jaguars, zip-line through cloud forests, scuba dive off Cocos Island and relax in the hot volcanic springs of Arenal, all under the warm and welcoming skies of Costa Rica. NB: No prior teaching experience is required. Basic Spanish would be helpful but not essential. Teaching in Costa Rica Although Costa Rica boasts one of the highest literacy levels in Latin America, there is still an overwhelming number of children and adults that still cannot read and write, let alone speak English. This minority tends to live in the 'forgotten' favelas located in and around San José. And although Costa Rica is home to some of the world's most stunning landscapes and tropical wildlife, this beauty is equally matched by the poverty and hardship prevalent in these shanty towns. Many children do not even reach secondary school and the figures for many illiterate and out-of-school children living in the shanty towns can often be neglected. However, through the implementation of GAP SPORTS's skills development programme (SDP), children (and adults) in these shanty town areas can, for the first time, have the chance to develop their literacy levels, learn basic English language and receive other skills training. These are important and employable skills that you, as a GAP SPORTS teacher, will impart onto a developing community and start to address the imbalance of educational opportunities in Costa Rica. Your Placement Working on the skills development programme can at first appear daunting, but it need not be. Having the title of an English teacher is not one to be intimidated by. The very fact you speak English as a first language gives you a skill above so many people living in developing communities. By starting with homework-support and conversing with children, you will soon develop the confidence and imagination to offer fun and engaging ways to teach English. The in-country team and other volunteers will be there to support you and you can even do a TEFL course (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) to boost you confidence before you leave. There may also be other activities for you to get involved in during the placement such as art and craft, sports and any other ideas that you may have. There may also be the opportunity to teach or assist in teaching in one of the local schools in the same area. Your Role As a GAP SPORTS teacher, your role will be to build relationships with the children and adults you work with and help develop their English language and any other skills you may have knowledge of. At first you may feel slightly overwhelmed but your confidence will soon grow. With guidance from our in-country team, and by working with other volunteers, you will soon gain an understanding of new teaching methods and the best ways to encourage learning. However, it is important to remember that your role is intended to be as independent and self-supported as possible, so that you can develop greater self-confidence in your own organisational and communication skills. This does not mean that you will be 'left on your own', but rather that you will have the chance to expand your understanding and ability in creative lesson planning, discipline and cultural courtesies. A portion of the placement fee you pay will also buy important equipment, such as English dictionaries, text books and stationery that you will get to use during your time Costa Rica, and will be left behind afterwards. Preparation On applying for a teaching placement, GAP SPORTS will offer you advice on how to prepare for your placement overseas. Although it is by no means necessary, you may find it useful to complete a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course. This will give you some knowledge and added confidence before you leave for your project overseas. Accommodation All our volunteers are provided with a very comfortable and centrally-located place stay. You will be placed in individual home-stays with Costa Rican families and, although this may seem daunting at first, there really is no need to worry! The families are incredibly friendly and you will soon become very close to them through sharing meals together and practising your Spanish. It is by living with your family and working with the children that your conversational Spanish and your understanding of the Latino culture will advance dramatically. Volunteers are also located within very close proximity to each other, so it will be very easy for you to hang out and socialise during your free time. There are also shops, a supermarket, bakeries, an internet café and many more useful amenities a few minutes' walk away. The area in which you live is a safe and secure part of the city and the in-country team will be living close by to make sure you are happy and getting the most out of your time abroad. Speaking Spanish Working in Costa Rica is a great time to learn or improve your Spanish. But, if you don't speak Spanish, don't worry! You will receive an introductory language course and ongoing lessons to keep you up to speed. However, your greatest progression will come from living with your home-stay family and through interacting with the children and locals. You will naturally feel overwhelmed at first, but this will soon develop into a comforting self-confidence. By the time you leave Costa Rica, you will be very strong in conversational Spanish which is a transferable skill that you can use for the rest of your life. Social Life GAP SPORTS believes it is important to give volunteers the chance to unwind and have fun whilst they are away. The in-country team therefore organises a variety of activities to bring volunteers together, to share their experiences and, above all, have a good time. If you enjoy playing any recreational sports, social teams are great fun, particularly with other volunteers and the children. The in-country team will take you to Tico bars to try your hand (or feet!) at the national dance, Salsa. You will also enjoy the GAP SPORTS all-you-can-eat-and-drink night and get to try the local dish of Casado. The social life in Costa Rica is both fun and relaxing, and will certainly provide some of your best GAP SPORTS memories! Travel and Adventure The adventurous travel opportunities in Costa Rica are second to none. San José is literally 'slap-bang' in the middle of the country, which makes it a very easy base to travel out from. And because Costa Rica is about a fifth of the size of the UK, it makes travelling short, quick and cheap! Beyond San José, there are countless places to visit. You can enjoy the adrenaline-rush of sliding down a zip-line through the Monteverde cloud forest, or travel north and visit the active volcano of Arenal. Or head east to Cahuita to swim, surf and snorkel in the clear Caribbean waters, while sloths hang from the trees and the locals play reggae. Or perhaps you might watch sea-turtles hatch from their nests on the shores of Tortuguero. And then there's Corcovado in the south which is home to some of the world's most colourful tropical birds, the majestic jaguar and the deepest emerald canopies you could ever imagine. And with scuba diving, sports fishing and white water rafting, if you've got a taste for adventure there's more than enough to whet your appetite! You'll have every chance to travel with other volunteers during your free time and we will give you more than enough advice to make it as safe and as breathtaking as possible. If you are interested in this project, fill in the enquiry form below... 0845 344 7613 Join sports and non-sports community projects in Ghana, South Africa and Costa Rica, become a ski/snowboard instructor in Canada with work experience, play and train at international football, rugby and cricket academies abroad, or become a qualified dive master and work in dive schools worldwide... no previous experience is needed and applicants are welcome from all walks of life!