MAJOR FAQ-Chile

WHY SHOULD I JOIN THIS PROGRAM

Volunteers enjoy a unique international experience with a range of program benefits, but also participate in something greater: a nation-wide initiative to improve English teaching and learning.

The Country – Chile is a safe, quite developed and leading country in South American
The Teaching – With increased globalization, teaching English in emerging economies is a social contribution and you gain international work experience
Program Reputation – The program is run collectively by the Chilean Ministry of Education and the United Nations Program for Development
Spanish – Immersion is the best way to improve your fluency and comprehension
Travel options – Chile has extreme geography and breath-taking natural wonders: from the driest desert in the world to electric blue glaciers, stunning snow-capped mountains and the vast sparkling ocean

What is the Bernardo O'Higgins Region like?

Bernardo O'Higgins region is located in the middle of Chile , just south of metropolitan Santiago . With the exception of the capitol city of Racangua , Bernardo O'Higgins region is largely a rural area where farming, mining, and agriculture are the main areas of subsistence among the working population. Region VI is known as the home of the Chilean cowboy (‘huaso') and there are a great deal of rodeos and harvest-time festivities throughout the year. Region VI is also the source of Chile 's finest wines and vineyards. Many travelers are attracted to the geographic beauty of Region VI, and flock to the area to indulge in a host of outdoor activities and excursions such as surfing, windsurfing, and diving to the west in Pichilemu, or hiking, camping, and skiing to the east in the Andes Mountains and other national parks. Volunteers will be placed in different communities throughout the region and will be assigned to schools in both semi-urban and rural areas.

What are the schools like?

Chilean schools interested in participating in the volunteer exchange program must complete an application form developed by the Ministry of Education to receive an English-language teaching assistant. To be accepted into the program, schools must provide an “English Room,” a separate classroom reserved for the volunteer's work, a fully functioning English department, an English teacher contact representative at the school, and a strong commitment to their English program from the school director and English teachers. Volunteers are then assigned to municipal (public) or subsidized (semi-private) schools funded entirely by the Ministry of Education. While the schools have varying English teaching resources available, all volunteers are encouraged to bring authentic teaching materials in English to use in their lesson plans. Objects that would qualify as authentic teaching materials in English would be English menus, flyers, posters, newspapers, comic books, magazines, etc.

Are there exceptions to the home-stay option?

Yes, if a volunteer is placed in a very rural area in Bernardo O'Higgins region , they will be provided housing in a residence hall on the campus grounds of the school where they will be teaching. For married couples, it is often difficult to find a host family that is willing to house them. The couples may elect to live in separate home-stays if they wish. However, the other option for couples is to live together in their own separate apartment. The couple will then receive the stipend that was initially going to be paid to their host family to help pay for their rental fees. However, in most cases, the stipend alone will not be enough to cover all of the rent costs, so couples should expect to pay the additional fees out of their own pocket. In the event that a volunteer is unhappy with their housing situation and they would like to switch host families, this may be done as well, but only once and only under extenuating circumstances.

What are the students like?

Depending on the school assignment, volunteers will work with one or more grade levels from 5th -12th grade. In rural areas, volunteers may work with younger students. For most of the students, this will be their first experience learning English from a native English-speaker, so they may be bashful at first to practice their abilities in front of their English-teachers. However, the main responsibility of the volunteer is to help students overcome their initial shyness, and create a friendly environment that will lower their inhibitions when it comes to speaking English in public.

Will I be teaching with other volunteers?

Most, if not all, volunteers are placed at schools individually in Region VI. While the volunteers' schools are distant from one another, their placement with their respective host families is close enough that they can get together from time-to-time

Location

Bernardo O'Higgins Region (Details)
Maule Region (Details)
Map of Chile