Overview
Teach English in Guatemala

Volunteers joining this program will be teaching English to indigenous children in communities situated near Antigua, Guatemala. By teaching our children English, alongside a qualified TEFL trainer, the children are more likely to learn English and pass their exams. Volunteers will spend half the day teaching English and the other half planning lessons alongside your TEFL teacher. Volunteers joining this project will take an introductory TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course in Guatemala which will help prepare you to teach indigenous children English. College credit may be available for those attending this project. Consult GVI’s college credit page for helpful tips and advice.

View Film Footage, images, blogs, volunteer stories from the field, volunteer video diaries and more at the programs media centre

By learning English I can now converse in three languages: Kaqchikel, Spanish and English, which will really help me in later life

Student, 2007

What Difference Does This Project Make?

The project in Guatemala makes a huge difference to the children as they will receive TEFL-trained English tuition. The English they learn in school is often from a Guatemalan teacher who has no grasp of the English language, and is teaching from a book. By providing the children with natural English teaching, they will have more of chance of passing the year.

Highlights

Living with a host family in Antigua; learning Spanish (optional); Receiving an Introduction to TEFL, teaching indigenous children in remote communities; going on an adventure weekends or attending various cultural workshops and/or events.

Location

Guatemala is one of the jewels of Central America, packed with ancient ruins, active volcanoes and intriguing Mayan culture. Volunteers live in the beautiful old Spanish colonial town of Antigua and project work is carried out in communities all within a one-hour journey from the town.

Field Conditions

Living with local families in comfortable but basic accommodation gives volunteers an enriching cultural experience and provides them with the valuable opportunity to practice their Spanish! All accommodation provided is private and includes three meals a day apart from Sundays; lunch is eaten in the communities with a local family during the week. Travel upgrades are available on this project see dates and costs for more information.