Volunteer in Nepal - Teaching in Schools

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Teaching in Schools in Nepal often lack appropriate funding and resources to adequately teach children. As English is an international language, it is becoming more and more of the required skill for job placement, educational advancement, and future success. Many classes are delivered in English by Nepali teachers, who frequently have only a basic knowledge of English themselves. Therefore, there is limited opportunity for Nepali students to expand their knowledge and use of the English language without direct contact with a teacher fluent in English. In teaching in schools program, volunteers participate in teaching activities in Nepali schools by delivering conversational English and reading classes to Nepali children. To teach English at a Nepali school you don’t need to have formal teaching qualifications. You will need a good command of written and spoken English, plenty of enthusiasm, creativity and a lot of patience.

The first few days of volunteering are spent observing the Nepali teachers or other overseas volunteer teachers’ classes. After observing a few classes, volunteers will start supporting the local teachers and take part in some classes. Later, when the volunteers feel comfortable, they can start teaching classes of their own.

Volunteers, who are professional certified teachers or have previous teaching experience and TEFL certification, may train the local teacher as most of the Nepali teachers lack training and experience.

Children are approximately between five and 16 years of age and volunteers will teach three to four hours per day. Schools are open six days a week, Saturday being the day off. Class sizes range from ten to fifty students. Schools in Nepal often lack appropriate funding and resources to adequately teach the children. Many classes are delivered in English by Nepali teachers, who have only a basic teaching skill.

As a volunteer, you may:

• Teach English, mathematics, environmental science, pure science, international history, computer science.
• Get involved in organizing activities which encourage the personal development of the students, using their initiative to learn life skills.
• Assist local teachers.
• Form student groups, which allow further educational experiences for the children, with a particular focus on capacity-building. These groups are also useful for disseminating information on children’s rights, sanitation and hygiene, and adolescent health issues through various informal activities such as debates, quiz contests, art competitions, folk song competitions, street dramas, one-act plays, etc.
• Focus a great deal of their time teaching groups before and after school.
• Teach or train the students with art, music, sports, P.E. and other vocational subjects.
• Run remedial classes for weaker students.