Teaching English Volunteer Kerela, India

Our English teaching program in India is based in Kochi, Kerala. Kerala is known to be one of the most progressive states in India with very high literacy rates (almost 99%).This percentage however is calculated by the ability to read ad write in the local language Malayalam only. This makes our English teaching program a necessity especially for underprivileged children attending local government schools where the medium of teaching is in the local language.

In government schools there are very limited budgets and therefore lack quality teaching staff and proper infrastructure. Rote learning is the main method of teaching in these schools and this results in the lack of deep understanding of certain subjects and does not encourage the use of social skills amongst students. As a result children from underprivileged families prefer to take up jobs at a very young age rather than struggle with education in difficult classroom settings or due to rote learning which some find difficult. School drop out rates after high school are still very high in Kerala. Moreover because of rote learning from an early age many do not have develop confidence in later life also. This combined with poor English language skills means they can not get well paid office jobs that require English or work in tourism which is one of the fastest growth sectors in Kerala.

Our teaching program in India achieves the dual goal of aiding local government schools in Kochi, that have poor infrastructure and resources, and to help underprivileged children to get support with their education. With the help of volunteers we can often make contributions to schools to improve facilities like creating library rooms and introducing the use of e-learning with computers and ipads. Through this program we hope to build up children’s understanding of English by alternative teaching techniques, giving them resources and support and thus developing confidence and making them enjoy education rather than fearing it. We hope that with the skills and motivation volunteers give them, students pursue higher education and get well paid jobs that often require English language skills.

Once you arrive to Kerala, we will give you all the support you need starting from appropriate training with our teaching coordinators, daily project meetings and providing you with appropriate resources to help you. In return we expect you to be enthusiastic and enjoy the experience of teaching in India.