Education in Chile
In 2003, the President signed a law that provides 12 years of free compulsory schooling for all children in Chile, a landmark without precedent in Latin America. Previously schooling was only compulsory for eight years. Chile's Ministry of Education launched a differentiated subsidy that rewards schools that focus on socio-economically disadvantaged students. The subsidy also reinforces school actions that prevent dropouts, teen pregnancies, and child labor.
Improvements in English curriculum were launched in Chile in 1996. Recent progress in education includes free textbooks for all children, an extended school day, an increase in teachers' salaries, and improved teacher support. Chile currently has the highest educational level in Latin America and the fastest growing economy in South America. However, English is the single largest gap in the skills of Chilean professionals. English language skills will greatly increase their opportunities for success in their future careers.
In 2004, the Ministry of Education in Chile designed a volunteer program to support English learning in public and semi public schools. It was developed to compensate for the lack of students’ exposure to native English speakers and to help motivate students to speak English.
WorldTeach in Chile
In the fall of 2003, WorldTeach was invited to partner with Inglés Abre Puertas (English Opens Doors), a program of the Chilean Ministry of Education. Volunteers teach at public or semi-private schools in small to medium-sized towns in Central/Southern Chile. While most placements will involve teaching students in fifth through twelfth grade, it is possible that some volunteers may teach younger students as well. The program was developed to compensate for the lack of students’exposure to native English speakers and to help motivate students to speak English.
For Chile, mastering the English language is vital in order to meet the challenges that the country faces in sustaining its development as an emerging economy in an increasingly globalized world.
Volunteers lead classes by coordinating closely with co-teachers, as well as extracurricular activities that focus on developing listening and speaking skills. Volunteers create new opportunities for students to use English in everyday situations, motivating them to lose their fear of speaking English. For many teachers, contact with the volunteer is their only opportunity to practice English with a native speaker. It is important to note that volunteers do not replace teachers’ work, but rather work as co-teachers by encouraging students to learn English in a more communicative and interactive way.
WorldTeach advocates for a communicative approach that is centered on an English-only method of teaching in the target language to capitalize on the students’ exposure to a native speaker. While this approach presents significant challenges in the classroom the language benefits for the students are tremendous. A large portion of the WorldTeach Orientation is dedicated to preparing volunteers to teach effectively using this method.
For more information check out:
National Volunteer Center: http://centrodevoluntarios.cl
English Opens Doors: http://ingles.mineduc.cl
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