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Summer English Teaching Program in Chile 2010:
TEFL Institute and the National Volunteer Center of the Chile Ministry of Education have partnered to offer this summer program. The program is geared to those who would like to immerse themselves in the Spanish culture of Chile. Participants receive housing, meals, and a stipend.
You will serve as a volunteer English instructor teaching mostly in the small villages and towns throughout Chile. The majority of the English teaching assignments are alone but couples and friends can be grouped together as well. You can expect to teach English about 20 to 25 hours each week plus spend 10 to 15 hours on activities outside of the classroom. Each class period is about 90 minutes and there are 40 to 45 students in each class. You will be placed as an individual teacher in your town.
Read more about teaching abraod in Chile If you wish to teach long term in Chile in the language school market
or to learn more about the country.
English classes are taught in 100% English immersion. You do not need to know any Spanish to teach or live in Chile.
TEFL Institute Chile Summer Program Requirements: TEFL Training
Your TEFL Institute course prepares you to teach students at all levels using a variety of methods and approaches. You will be prepared to teach various class sizes as well. You can complete your 120 hour TEFL training online or onsite (in-person) at over 21 international locations. You may start your training at anytime but it must be completed by May 31, 2010.
Your TEFL Institute certification is good for a lifetime You can utilize TEFL Institute's lifetime job placement assistance as our graduate. TEFL Institute graduates teach in all corners of the globe as paid full time teachers or short term summer program volunteers.
Arrival in Santiago, Chile
Upon arrival in Santiago, participants will take a pre-paid shuttle to their hostel. Participants will spend the next 3-4 days in Santiago preparing for their teaching assignment. On the third or fourth day each participant will be taken to the town and home of their host family.
Orientation in Santiago, Chile
The Santiago orientation is designed to help you become acquainted with
teaching 
English in Chile. The orientation includes teacher training
and cultural workshops conducted by the staff of the Ministry of Education.
Santiago is a fascinating city. During your free time you are encouraged to take in the sights and enjoy the food.
Traveling to Your Assignment
You will travel to your respective village or town by bus. Through the Chile Summer Program you will teach English for about 10 weeks. The majority of the assignments are located in the small villages and towns throughout Chile. Most assignments are located south of Santiago and north of Puerto Montt.
About The Summer Chile Teaching Program
This is our 4th year partnering with the Chile Ministry of Education Volunteer Teaching Program.
Your accommodations and meals are all covered by the Chile Ministry of Education. Housing is provided in the form of a homestay. The English Opens Doors Volunteer Program will provide you with a small program completion bonus of about $170 USD to cover the cost of personal items. Participants are recommended to have an additional $750.00 - $1,000.00 with them in Chile for additional expenses – gifts, travel, emergency needs, etc.
In this program you are responsible for your round-trip airfare, course tuition, mandatory health insurance, entrance fee into Chile and incidentals. Most other costs are covered by the Chile Ministry of Education.
There will be an orientation and cultural training in Santiago at the start of your teaching program. Then for the next ten weeks you will live, work, and teach English in Chile. There will be ample time to sightsee and connect with other volunteers around the area. In the middle of the program during the month of July the schools have a 2 week winter break. You will have one week off vacation and one week of working in a winter English language camp nearby. Last year, many of the teachers traveled to Peru or Argentina with their friends in the program during their week vacation. You are welcome to stay with your host family during that time if you wish..
Finally, everyone will return to Santiago by the weekend of August 21st or 22nd. Most will return to the USA, some will stay to travel, and others may choose to go on and teach English in other countries with the assistance of TEFL Institute.
In this program you are responsible for your airfare, course tuition, health insurance, entrance fee into Chile and incidentals. Most other costs are covered by the Chile Ministry of Education.
Requirements & Eligibility for TEFL Institute Chile Summer Program:
- Native English Speaker or highly fluent in Conversational English
- 18 years of age or older (45 years old is the maximum for this program)
- Current college student or college graduate at the Bachelor’s level or above
- Graduate from TEFL Institute 120 hour TEFL certification by May 31, 2010
Requirements for Ministry of Education volunteers:
To participate in the program, volunteers must meet the following criteria.
- Be native English speakers OR use English in their everyday language. Non-native speakers must have received their K-12 or undergraduate degree in English.
- Have previous expererience teaching or working with children and have a genuine interest in assisting English teaching.
(You will gain this experience during your TEFL training course.) - Possess a level of maturity which enables the volunteer to effectively work with children and adolescents.
- Have international living or travel experience, especially in the developing world.
- Have interest in Chilean culture and the developing country.
- Be highly committed, flexible, and responsible.
- Have a spirit of public service.
TEFL Class Requirements:
Any of our 120 hour TEFL courses will qualify for the Chile Summer Teaching Program:
a) 120 Hour TEFL Professional Online Certification – 2 months - Tuition $ 1,350
b) Any of our 120 hour 4 week in person locations: - Tuition: $ 1,995- $ 2,095 plus expenses
Dates for all of our TEFL courses are listed here:
Other fees to register:
$ 50 activity fee
Due date for registration is now until March 31, 2010
Positions for Summer Chile Programs are limited to 15 and will be filled early.
Advance registration is highly recommended.
Registration, tuition and activity fee will reserve your position.
What 2010 Chile summer program participants can expect at the orientation in Chile.
"…it is very organized and although there are some long hours in the classroom, there is definitely time for fun and exploring. I was very impressed with all of the people who were involved in the orientation and the orientation itself."
"A complete, though quick, review of all the TEFL material, some sample activities for L, S, R, and W, and getting to work with other volunteers and Chilean teachers. Also, a general overview of the Chilean education system and how it works – specifically regarding handling discipline, etc."
"Well thought out preparation sessions to help along the way of English teaching in Chile."
"Some of the speakers would speak in Spanish to the TEFL students, which helped us assimilate into a new language that we would be hearing every day."
Cultural Differences and Embarrassing Moments
"I speak Spanish fluently, but not the Chilean Spanish! Every time we would meet Chileans at asados I would try to use my newly acquired Chilean slang, but they never understood me so my sister would have to translate...and it came to be known that she was the cooler younger sis…"
"Students always laughed with me when I had to read the roll; we also laughed at how each group would impersonate the other: Americans imitating Spanish-speakers and Chileans imitating English-speaking Americans."
What previous participants wish they knew before they went to Chile
"How useful teaching material form the US would have been. For example, the flag, magazines, newspapers, cd/cassette school songs."
"…if going to Chile in the summer (June, July, August) bring layers of warm clothes."
"Although the full English immersion is important for the students, it is also imperative for the teacher to have a great interest in the host language and be expecting to have to speak the language often, in not in the classroom, then around the school, etc."
Reflections and Advice about host families
"My host family in Caleu, was a dream come true. I cannot say one bad thing about my host family experience, I have made lifelong friends and I was treated like part of the family. Chilean people are truly amazing and open, by the end we had many families that were constantly offering us meals, excursions, etc."
"Invite the family places (they may feel it is too forward to invite you), offer to share your talents with them, cook with them, bring them fun and meaningful things from home, teach them little pieces of English, and don’t let the language barrier break down or shut off communication."
"Be patient. Most Chilean families like to talk and eat meat so be prepared to answer many questions if you are quiet or vegetarian."
Most useful Material learned from the TEFL Course
" Various ways classrooms are set up. It helped me work with a class of 50 students per period."
"Speaking English as much as possible to create an immersion environment for students. Also the practice teaching in front of peers and the feedback from it were helpful."
"Lesson plans and examples. I learned that without a lesson plan, holding a class is very difficult, so I planned for classes better."
"The different ways to begin a class to refresh the previous day’s lessons."
Future Plans for our previous participants
"I am interested in the possibility of teaching English overseas after I graduate."
"…I will be studying in Mexico this Spring semester. I may choose an option to teach English in Mexico. I also plan to utilize my certificate this summer, hopefully teaching in Philadelphia."
"I would like to go abroad with TEFL for another 6 months after graduation, possibly in South America again."
Frequently Asked Questions:
PRE-DEPARTURE
1. When will I know about my zone, region and school placement details?
Accepted applicants will know about their region placement and school placement information during the first week of the Santiago orientation training period.
2. Do I need to get vaccination shots prior to entering Chile?
Contact your physician or check on the Centers for Disease control for any vaccinations, www.CDC.gov .
3. What kind of teaching material should I bring?
Refer to the Pre-Departure checklist on our website the Prospective in the Accepted Volunteers section. It is good to bring materials that can be used for all levels of students.
4. What kind of clothing should I bring to Chile?
We will provide you a list of suggested items and packing information in our Chile information packages.
5. What are the weight limits for flights to and in Chile?
Contact your airline for information on weight limits and bag allowances.
6. Do I have to organize accommodations during the Santiago orientation? 
No. The Chile Minister of Education will provide accommodations for Summer Program Volunteers during the Santiago orientation period.
HOST FAMILY
1. Would I have to pay for accommodation?
No. Full-Time Program Volunteers, either live with a host family within the community where they are placed, or are provided assistance in an alternative accommodation arrangement in some special situations (Couples). During your participation in the EOD Volunteer Program your accommodation and meals are provided by the host family. Your host family is given a stipend to supplement the additional costs to house and feed you. This amount is just about enough to cover the extra expenses.
2. What is the host family selection process?
First, schools request to have a volunteer be placed at their school. The school then starts looking for families living in the community. The Chilean Ministry of Education requests various prerequisites from possible host families, such as: separate bedroom for the volunteer in house in a safe neighborhood, and if possible located near the school. The EOD Volunteer Program then contracts social workers from the placement region to visit the families to establish preliminary interviews. The host family also has the opportunity to submit a profile of a volunteer that they would like to host. We then cross-reference the host family requests with that of the volunteer to find the best match.
The selected families receive preparatory material directly from the MINEDUC, which includes the volunteer's profile, contact information and a dictionary. They will also be sensitized to cultural differences and possible difficulties that may result because of these. For example, although your family may seem comfortably middle-class, you are probably used to a higher standard of living. There may be some things that you might take for granted in your host-home that are actually budgeted for very carefully.
3. When would I find out about my host family
accommodation arrangements?
You will find out about your host family arrangements during the orientation in Santiago.
4. Could I make certain requests regarding my
host family placement?
Volunteers have the opportunity to let us know personal preferences (non-smoker, vegetarian etc.) on the application form. Program staff will do their best to match these preferences, although in some cases, it may not be possible. Applicants are requested to remember that families today come in many different forms, and are not always comprised of a mother, father, and children, but instead may be
comprised of a mother, grandmother, and children, etc.
HEALTH INSURANCE
1. Is health insurance mandatory?
Yes, health insurance is mandatory. All volunteers participating in the EOD Volunteer Programs must obtain comprehensive international health insurance for the duration of their volunteer program, before arriving to Chile. The Chile MOE will require all participants to use one insurance vendor, the cost is $ 80 USD per month x 3 months ($ 240 USD). There are no exceptions to their requirement.
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