Abroad ESL Teacher for International Language Center
Summary(Review): ILC has been around since 2003 and are established as the only language center in the Amazonas Region in Peru. ILC offers courses in the following languages: English, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, and Spanish.
ILC operates with recognition from the Peruvian Ministry of Education, as well as with recognition from other universities based here in Peru and internationally. ILC also includes schools of gastronomy, computer science, and information technology.Job Overview for Abroad ESL Teacher:
Salary Per Month:
Minimal: $
Maximum: $
Class Schedule:
Late Afternoon (3pm-6pm)
Evening (6pm-9pm)
Night (9pm-12am)
Student Ages:
Elementary & Junior (age 5-15)
High School & College Prep (age 15-18)
Adult (age 18+)
Country(s):
Peru
Job Details for Abroad ESL Teacher
Degree Required:
No
Certificate Required:
Yes
Accent(s):
Native North American
Native UK
Native Australian/New Zealand
Native Ireland
Native South Africa
Min Hours Per Week:
28
Abroad ESL Teacher Job Description
Tasks
Teach English in small groups of up to 12 people
Exchange teaching practices and experiences with other national and international teachers to improve the overall quality of education at the school
Represent your culture to improve global understanding and acceptance
Create your own lesson plans and exams, with the guidance of the Academic Director
Work 3 or 6 hours a day with us.
Requirements
Must be at least 20 years old
Native speaker of English with excellent communication skills.
Willing to stay for a minimum of 3months
Preferred Additional Qualifications
Intermediate Spanish Language Proficiency
Bachelor’s Degree in Education or Languages
Language Teaching Certifications (TESOL, TEFL , etc)
3 months practical experience teaching
What is the mission of the ILC?
ILC is the only private institute to offer certified language courses in Amazonas and San Martín.
Therefore, an ILC certificate has real meaning for the job prospects of our students. Many of our students need a second language to work as tour guides, to improve business contacts overseas, or to work in a foreign country. Tourism is underdeveloped in Amazonas and San Martín, and English is not widely spoken.
Our aim is to educate, and we like to employ ex-students as teachers where possible.
Is the school affiliated with any religious or spiritual order?
No. ILC is not affiliated with any religious order.
Does the school have its own curriculum?
The school follows a stable curriculum, with tight deadlines regarding materials, structure and examinations. However, teachers are expected to vary from the text and to develop supplementary materials where possible.
We encourage native speakers to make an effort to bring old language books, newspapers, games and magazines to Peru for the school to use as additional materials. We also donate materials to other public schools in Peru. Chachapoyas is two days travel from a foreign language bookstore, so every donated item helps.
Which methods/theories does ILC embrace in Foreign Languages Education?
Grammar plays a central role in all classes, but our methods are interactive, dynamic and focus primarily on speaking and listening – and on communicating only in the target language from day one. This involves more repetition than teaching through decontextualized grammatical exercises, but ensures our students are confident users of the language, not holders of a mere certificate.
Are classes given in a traditional classroom learning environment?
Lessons are provided in fully audio and visual equipped classrooms, in the traditional manner.
However, we also offer foreign language karaoke, weekend conversation clubs, reading materials, computer access with audio and visual activities and a variety of learning games. We also show foreign movies on a regular basis. So there are many informal opportunities to practice the target language, as well.
STUDENTS, CLASSES AND MATERIALS |
How many students are enrolled in the school?
Currently, we have around 300 students per month enrolled in the school. This varies seasonally due to vacations in January, February, and August, which are particularly vulnerable to fluctuation.
Are the students children or adults?
We have classes for all ages. We can offer teachers classes comprised of preschoolers, children aged 7-10, teenagers, or adults. Normally, we offer new staff classes of teenagers and adults, in a mixed schedule, with the option to teach children if you wish.
Are the students Quechua Speakers or Spanish speakers?
Amazonas and San Martin has 0.01% Quechua speakers, one of the lowest ratios in Peru. The indigenous peoples in Amazonas speak largely Achuar Huna (also known as Ajuarun), but our students are all speakers of Castellano Spanish.
What type of books and materials are used?
All student books, wordbooks, CDs, rubrics and teacher materials are provided. Teachers are expected to bring their own laptops in order to help with lesson plans and exam creation. However, there is a computer lab on the ILC Campus.
English | Pockets / Play Time / Let’s Begin / Let’s Go ,next move
(Children Aged 4-11) |
Smart Choice / American Headway 2nd Edition / American English File 2nd Edition, Open mind
(Basic, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced levels) |
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Specialist courses:
• Person to person (Conversation) • Tourism (At Your Service) |
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Spanish | Español Sin Fronteras / ELE Curso de Español / Para Extranjeros / Conquistando El Español |
French | Café Creme / Tout Va Bien / ALTER ego |
Italian | Caffé Italia |
Portugese | Bem Vindo |
German | Tangram Aktuell |
Examinations | TOEFL IBT / Michigan ECCE / MASTERCLASS / TOEFL ITP |
HOURS, LANGUAGE AND DRESS CODE |
How long does each class last?
1.5 hours to two hours per class. We have some classes in the mornings but most of the classes are in the evenings from 3.30 p.m to 10:00 p.m. Some specialty classes have longer class times of 4 hours each. Weekend classes run in the mornings and afternoon at 4 hours each as well.
What are the standard school days and hours?
Teachers mainly work in the weekday evenings, 4:00 p.m. -10:00 pm. However, there may also be classes between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on weekends Saturdays and Sundays. Other specialized class weekend hours may be scheduled.
How many hours will I need to devote to school related functions?
An estimated 10-15 hours per month on lesson planning and preparation, plus another 5-6 hours on revising and grading exams and workbooks.
Staff will be expected to assist with publicity drives, attending interviews on local radio and TV stations, and being filmed for TV advertising.
General faculty meetings are held once per week and last about an hour.
Teacher workshops are also occasionally scheduled so that teachers are able to share ideas and better develop teaching methods. We encourage all staff to register with TESOL ($40 annual fee) and to utilize their materials for further professional development.
Due to student demand and the academic calendar, staff hours may change month to month.
How many teachers are at the school?
ILC has had staff of as many as twenty-two teachers, Peruvian and International, in the past, but the number of teachers on campus varies on a monthly basis, according to need. Most months, you will find 4-5 regular teachers, with local staff taking other lessons as required. The majority of our staff is qualified with 4-15 years of experience.
Do I need to know the language?
Our classes are conducted entirely in the target language, so Spanish is not necessary; but outside of ILC few people in Amazonas speak any English. Therefore, some conversational Spanish is strongly advised. We also offer Spanish Classes at discounted rates to our teachers.
In general, for teachers who wish to travel independently in Peru, outside of the Cusco/Machu Picchu tourist zone, it is necessary to be able to communicate in Spanish.
Is there a dress code?
There is no specific dress code. However, our teachers are professionals and we expect them to dress as such. This means clean, neat and respectful clothing. Shorts, oversized T-shirts, damaged jeans and flip-flops, for instance, are not acceptable. Polo shirts and nice denim are acceptable. You will also need one “smarter” outfit for the occasional school event or TV commercial.
Does the school provide any teacher training?
TEACHER TRAINING AND STATISTICS |
Teacher training is informal and consists of one or two days of observation and planning before the full teaching begins. This is to ensure that the teaching methods employed by our staff match the methodological expectations of ILC. This training occurs on a monthly basis, based on need.
Teachers will sometimes be asked to prepare a 20 minute demonstration lesson, for beginning, Basic I, students on one of the following topics.
- Present simple tense forms of `to be`
- Past simple tense forms of irregular verbs
- Object pronouns
- A general introductory lesson (if the teacher offers a second European language)
If you are asked to prepare a lesson, the demonstration will be given to two experienced ILC staff members for feedback and critique, a day or two after you arrive.
Additionally, the academic director is always available to go through planning, materials, pacing, activity development and methodology before and throughout your time at ILC.
Are the positions open to native English speakers only?
We do not restrict our staff to native English speakers only. In fact, we have a great need of individuals who can speak and teach in more than one language.
DIVERSITY AND JOB DESCRIPTION |
What about diversity?
We welcome people of any race, faith, nationality, age, gender or sexual orientation. Unfortunately, however, we cannot accommodate teachers with mobility difficulties. Sidewalks in Chachapoyas tend to be rudimentary at best, and the school does not have an accessibility entrance. Additionally, most of the classrooms are also located on the second floor of the building.
We can attempt accommodate some other disabilities, such as hearing loss or visual impairment, but, in reality, we lack the specific technology to support these conditions as well.
Terms of employment | ||
Tasks
Ø Teach English in small groups of up to 12 people Ø Exchange teaching practices and experiences with other national and international teachers to improve the overall quality of education at the school Ø Represent your culture to improve global understanding and acceptance Ø Create your own lesson plans and exams, with the guidance of the Academic Director Ø Work 3 or 6 hours a day with us. Requirements Ø Must be at least 20 years old Ø Native speaker of English with excellent communication skills. Ø Willing to stay for a minimum of 4 weeks (the completion of one term)
Preferred Additional Qualifications Ø Intermediate Spanish Language Proficiency Ø Bachelor’s Degree in Education or Languages Ø Language Teaching Certifications (TESOL, TEFL , etc) Ø 3 months practical experience teaching |
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Contracts are 3 months long and cover 108 hours in the classroom with weekends generally free. Most teachers have free time daily between 10:30 AM and 4 PM, at minimum, so there is plenty of time to prepare and create lesson plans and exams outside of this. Additionally, on some months, in between the end and start of terms, teachers will have additional 2 days off to travel, if they so choose, depending on the academic calendar. | ||
A full time contract consists of 4 classes a day and each class is 1 and a half hours long. Classes normally run 5 days a week. The majority of our classes are held Monday to Friday but we will occasionally ask teachers to work on Saturdays and/or Sundays, with additional pay. | ||
Failure to complete the semester if you decide to leave ILC earlier than agreed and therefore fail to complete the semester, the cost of reimbursing your students of their school fees for the whole month (usually around S/.150 per student) will be deducted from your salary. This means you are likely not to receive any compensation for the hours taught during your last month. | ||
When does ILC pay it’s teachers? | ||
You will be paid between the 10th and 12th of each month following the semester they worked. The months of January, July and December will be paid on the 15th. of the following month. | ||
How will I be paid? | ||
The stipend for all volunteers is paid in cash in Peruvian Nuevo soles. |
VISAS AND TRAVEL |
What are the visa requirements for teaching in Peru?
For native speakers interested in long term employment, 18 months, ILC is prepared to assist in the acquisition of a working visa. The prices are the responsibility of the applicant and are approximately S/.1000 ($350) initially and then an additional S/.300 ($95) for each year worked. If interested you will need to enter the country on a tourist visa, bring your original university degree and birth certificate, with notarized Spanish translations, and be prepared during your first month in Peru to travel to Chiclayo for paperwork and other formalities.
We recommend that teachers, who wish to work for less than a year at ILC, obtain a standard 3 or 6 months tourist visa dependent on their duration of stay. Students who wish to extend their visa later can easily head to the border of Ecuador (1 day’s travel) and process new documents.
Do I need save funds for on-going expenses?
Teachers are paid at the beginning of each month following the month they have worked, this includes your first month working here which means you will need sufficient funds to support yourself during your first month in Peru until you receive your first salary.
One USD Dollar = S/. 3.30 (this changes daily check exchange rates online)
Travel expenses
Expenses vary greatly according to the distance travelled and where the teacher comes from. It also depends on how much exploration in the area the teacher expects to do.
USA to Chachapoyas | price depends greatly on the time of year and where in the world exactly you are coming from. However, we estimate the trip here to cost between $800 – $2000 USD. This included buses, flights, taxis and hotel accommodation. |
Europe to Chachapoyas | |
Australia to Chachapoyas | |
Chiclayo to Chachapoyas | S/. 60 – 90 |
Tarapoto to Chachapoyas | S/. 35 – 70 |
Local Tours & Trekking | S/. 30 – 70 per day |
City Taxi Cabs | S/. 3 – 5 |
Food, Entertainment & Essentials
Restaurants normally offer Menu or lunch for S./ 6.00 – 8.00, whereas dinner can be upwards of S/.10.00 – 15.00. There is a local mini market where you can buy snacks and other food items to prepare yourself as well as an outside market with local fresh fruits and vegetables. Street vendors and small shops sell the majority of all other essentials and prices can be haggled a little bit.
Normal Restaurant Meals | S/. 5.00 – 10.00 |
Gourmet or Fancy Restaurant Meal | S/.15.00 – 35.00 |
Cup of Coffee | S/. 1.50 – 3.00 |
Home Cooked Meal | S/. 3.00 ( avg) |
Bottle of Beer (1 Liter) | S/. 6.00 |
Laundry Mat Services | S/. 25.00 (if doing lots of trekking more) |
Approximate Costs of Living S/.700-1000 per month
This includes rent, food and leisure activities
Is housing provided by the school?
No. ILC will assist the teachers in finding a suitable accommodation but renting a place is your own responsibility. Most teachers will find accommodation shortly upon arrival, although sometimes this process can take a few days and a teacher will need to wait and stay in a hotel in the meantime, at their own expense.
ACCOMMODATIONS |
What do I do about housing?
Housing options can vary greatly from unfurnished apartments which include a small empty room, shared bathroom facilities and no kitchen for S/. 80 ($30) per month to paying S/. 350 ($120) for a reasonably sized, furnished room with private bathroom and hot shower. A monthly deposit is often required and in some cases you will need to pay your own utilities
Teachers should be aware that most bathrooms in Chachapoyas only supply cold water, and that locally rented apartments, normally, do not include use of a kitchen or have wifi.
Accommodations
An apartment in the city requires monthly rent paid in advance and sometimes a month’s rent as deposit. Rent can vary between S/. 250 – 450 per month.
Option 1: A small room + private bathroom + cold shower. S/. 250.00 per month
Option 2: An average room + bathroom + hot shower. S/. 450.00 per month
Option 3: A two bedroom apartment with a shared bathroom + kitchen from S/. 400.00 per month per person.
Option 4: A host family where accommodations vary. Approx. S/. 800.00 per month
When the teacher accepts a living arrangement the contract is for a minimum of 3 months. If a teacher wants to break contract early a fine of S/. 200.00 will need to be paid.
Please bear in mind that in Amazonas you will be living in conditions slightly better than an average middle class citizen, but these conditions may not equate to the luxury housing and tourist accommodations in westernized cities. Meaning, there’s no poolside bar or wifi, but cable in your room can be done at a price.
How do I get home from school? Is it dangerous?
You will walk home as there are no city buses and accommodations are always within a few blocks from the school and no, it is not dangerous. Chachapoyas , Moyobamba are small communities, and is virtually free of crime. All the streets in the city center are patrolled throughout the night by local security guards.
In other Peruvian cities, however, you should be on your guard against theft, credit card fraud, etc. Keep your wits about you as you would in any foreign city, please.
Vaccinations and Health
HEALTH |
This is highly dependent on the teacher’s personal travel plans. Nothing is essential, but Typhoid, Yellow Fever and Hepatitis are highly recommended for traveling in Peru in general.
Chachapoyas is in the northern highlands, above 2200 meters, and therefore it is a Malaria free zone; but visitors who wish to explore the jungles in the Amazonas region will need to take careful health precautions, particularly with Malaria and Yellow Fever. If you intend to spend any time in the jungle and rainforest a Yellow Fever vaccination is a requirement.
It also doesn’t hurt to be vaccinated for Rabies due to the large population of street dogs in Peru, although, the majority are harmless.
Please visit IAMAT’s website for advice on these regions http://www.iamant.org or consult your local vaccination clinic for additional information.
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There are several hospitals and clinics in Chachapoyas or Moyobamba as well as in other towns and the cost of health care is very low. However, specialized procedures are probably best arranged in larger cities. Expatriate health insurance coverage, such as Cigna Global, is recommended, as is emergency air transfer insurance in the event of a serious medical complication.
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Chachapoyas and others cities also has a couple of options in regards to drugstores and pharmacies. Most notables are InkaFarma and Arcangel which carrie Peruvian versions of most over-the-counter medicines at low costs. Female staff should bring sanitary products, as these are expensive and in short supply away from the coast but they are available for purchase here as well.
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In regards to eye heath, bringing spare contact lenses and solution is a good idea but there are optometrists in the city and appointments can be made.
In regards to dental health, most name brand toothbrushes and toothpastes can be purchased here at higher prices or you can buy generic. Dental offices are also available in the city.
If you have severe allergies to food or environmental causes, please bring with you the appropriate medicines you will need such as Benadryl and Epipens in cases of accidental exposure. Allergic reactions are uncommon in this area and most people will not know how to help you or the correct medicines to provide in case of emergency, additionally it is against the law for them to try!
Do I need to do a health screening or provide additional health information before coming?
A health screening is not necessary but we do expect teachers to be healthy mentally and physically as they will need to be in office every day and in some cases dealing with children.
COMMUNICATION & ITEMS FROM HOME |
Communicating Home.
Chachapoyas is a small town but there are means in which to directly access the outside world.
Calling Home
International phone calls can be very pricey, we recommend using Skype or Google Hangouts on your computer to video chat instead. Another option is Viber is a phone app that can be used to call for free to another person with the same app. For texting, What’s App and Google Voice work great for keeping in contact with your friends and family.
Phone booths can be found in town and generally charge around s/0.80 ($0.25) per minute for international calls.
Wifi
Free wifi is available at the school for all ILC staff. Most of the restaurants in town have it as well and you need only to ask for the password, or clave. Additionally, there are a couple of coffee shops with great atmospheres, where you can sit and enjoy perusing the internet. Internet in the cafes and restaurants are free for patrons.
Wifi in Moyobamba is excellent.
Internet cafes are another option which charge s/1 ($0.33) per hour, and have facilities for Skype calls.
Most living arrangements will not include wifi.
What should I bring with me from home?
Although the sierra has a cooler climate than equatorial South America, there is often harsh sunshine in the afternoon. Sun block from your home country is often cheaper and more effective than that which can be purchased in Peru.
If you plan to visit the jungle areas, anti-Malaria medicines and bug repellent is normally cheaper and more accessible in other countries and bigger cities than Chachapoyas. Especially, if you are looking for repellent with higher levels of Deet, as is necessary to ward off the mosquitos.
It is difficult to locate European and North American food outside of Lima, so you may want to bring with you your favorite snacks or specialty items that you will miss from home.
Staff, who travel for a weekend to a bigger cities in the area, normally receive requests from other teachers for the following items: bacon, sausages, pickles, bulk loads of muesli, bread in loaves, pesto sauce, cheeses, sanitary products, face wash, shower gel, DVDs, and cooking spices.
Books and western music are the most difficult things to locate in this region. The nearest foreign language bookshop is in Trujillo, 12 – 16 hours, and a book in English at the airport, even at the very lowest price, is S/.50. That’s equivalent to 20% of your rent!
Abroad ESL Teacher Job Requirements
Must be at least 20 years old
Native speaker of English with excellent communication skills.
Willing to stay for a minimum of 3 months
How to Apply to Abroad ESL Teacher?
Company Information for International Language Center
We have been around since 2003 and are established as the only language center in the Amazonas Region in Peru. We have offered courses in the following languages: English, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, and Spanish.
ILC operates with recognition from the Peruvian Ministry of Education, as well as with recognition from other universities based here in Peru and internationally. ILC also includes schools of gastronomy, computer science, and information technology. Additionally, the center participates in cultural exchange programs with the American Embassy as well as several exchange programs involving various other countries. ILC’s Spanish Immersion Program allows foreign visitors to learn Spanish outright or improve their preexisting Spanish-speaking skills through traditional classrooms and out of class cultural activities. ILC is particularly noteworthy for its TESOL program, which has helped a great number of students in Amazonas to advance in their English studies. The center has been assisted in this endeavor through participation in informative programs from Education USA, which feature input from more than 4,000 American universities. The International Language Center is licensed in Amazonas under Resolución Nº 0772-2005 / 0228-2008 / 1878 – 2010. Also we work closely with ALIANZA FRANCESA Chiclayo and UNIVERSIDAD DE LAMBAYEQUE.
ILC has branches in other wonderful Peruvian locations, such as Moyobamba, Bagua Grande , Bagua capital, Luya – Lamud, Rioja.
From 2018, ILC students will be involved in exchange programs which will give them the opportunity to travel to the United States or Europe for 3 weeks, of which 2 will be dedicated to English language learning and the remaining week will allow them to visit various cities within the USA. These programs in the United States and Europe will operate through our partnerships around the world.
School Location
chachapoyas, Moyobamba, Bagua Grande
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