Many students in Asia grow up thinking that their English ability is next to nil. But sometimes, a few confidence-boosting classes with a native speaker – where they’re understanding more than they expected to and communicating right back – is all it takes to change their minds. As a volunteer English teacher, you become a catalyst for student development.
In schools in developing nations, members of the English faculty are well versed in grammar and mechanics. If anything’s missing, it’s the fluency that develops through practice in a native-speaking environment. Regardless of your teaching background, your mere presence in this public school gives students and faculty the chance to take their English skills out of the textbook and put them to work in the real world.
Teaching Projects by Country
Vietnam
English Teaching Volunteer Project
The Friends for Asia rural schools project offers a candid view of daily life in Vietnam. Ideal candidates will be keen on getting an inside perspective on a side of this country that tourists rarely encounter.
Volunteers applying through Friends for Asia can sign up to assist a newly formed NGO that is poised to assume a leading role in an at-risk community in western Hanoi. This is a critical time in the life of this NGO, as it’s currently operating under a two-year charter. With ample support from volunteers like you, this organization has the potential to set a new standard for community development in Vietnam.
Thailand
English Education Volunteer Project
A lot of Thai students grow up thinking that their English ability is next to nil. But sometimes, a few confidence-boosting classes with a native speaker – where they’re understanding more than they expected to and communicating right back – is all it takes to change their minds. As a volunteer English teacher, you become a catalyst for student development.
Teach English to Buddhist Monks
Of all the opportunities to volunteer in Thailand, teaching English to Buddhist monks commands the strongest following. Each of our volunteers is assigned to a specific Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where they instruct novice monks in daily English lessons. This sort of candid, behind-the-scenes access to a working Buddhist monastery is difficult to match.
Teacher’s Assistant at International University for Monks
Buddhism has always been a catalyst for higher education across Asia and Thailand, and in this assignment, volunteers step into an authentic university setting. The student body is budding Buddhist monks from across Thailand and Asia, fostering a dynamic international atmosphere. This is an ideal opportunity for candidates with an interest in the higher teachings of Buddhism.
Bali, Indonesia
Teaching English Volunteer Project
With the onset of the tourism in Bali, English education has become imperative for any person in a professional career. As a volunteer English teacher, you become a catalyst for student development. Regardless of your teaching background, your mere presence in the school gives students and faculty the chance to take their English skills out of the textbook and put them to work in the real world.
Nepal
Teaching English in Monasteries Project
Friends for Asia’s Teaching English in Monasteries Project offers volunteers a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in Buddhist monastery life in one of the world’s most spiritual countries. Volunteers contribute to the education and personal development of hundreds of children in Kathmandu and play their part in preserving Tibetan culture and Buddhist practice.
Teaching English in Schools Project
At Friends For Asia we firmly believe that the path to a brighter future for Nepali children lies in education. Volunteers in our Teaching English in Schools Program make a real difference to the lives of Nepalese children by advancing their English language skills, eventually making it easier for them to enter employment and further their education in the future. This project is all about the kids, but make no mistake, this will be a valuable learning experience for volunteers and students alike.
