location
Chile is a country of extremes, from the arid Norte Grande, to the thermal and snow capped Andes on its eastern border, the lush vineyards in the central valley, and the chilly southern tip pointing towards Antarctica, not to mention the 2,700 mile Pacific coastline. The diverse geography affords opportunity for an active lifestyle making Chile a destination for adventure seekers.
The capital city of Santiago is located 60 miles from the coast and is the fifth largest city in South America. Home to over five million inhabitants, Santiago is both modern and dynamic, dominating the political, economic, and cultural life of the country. Its pleasant climate and proximity to the mountains permits many outdoor pursuits such as hiking, skiing, camping, river-rafting, and horseback riding.
Valparaíso and its twin city of Viña del Mar are on the Pacific coast, just two hours by bus from Santiago. Valparaíso is a port city, housing the Chilean Congress, and Viña del Mar is a modern resort city with shops, beaches, and recreational facilities as well as residential housing. The two cities each consist of 600,000 inhabitants, of which more than 60,000 are university students. With affordable mass transportation between the two cities, many find it a friendly location in which to live and work.
teaching assignments
CIEE provides the opportunity to teach English as a Foreign language to local students in Chile. Assignments are at primary, secondary, or post-secondary levels. Placements are driven by demand for native English speaking teachers of the host institutions, so CIEE cannot guarantee to honor your placement requests. Teach in Chile offers two types of placement assignments for participants.
- Some placements are at DuocUC, a system of technical community colleges associated with Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Here, participants are lead English teachers dedicating 18 hours to the classroom per week, and like all teachers contribute time to lesson planning, test correcting, and other site specific activities. There are 9 DuocUC campuses in Santiago, Valparaíso, and Viña del Mar. Specific instruction on DuocUC’s methodologies are shared during their training program.
- Other English teaching assignments are available at private primary and/or secondary schools in one of Santiago’s affluent neighborhoods. These colegios have recognized the importance of English language learning at a younger age, thus the ever growing demand for foreign teachers. In this placement, participants should expect to be teaching half-time with around 20 hours of on-site responsibilities including classroom teaching. Above that, participants can expect to dedicate extra time for lesson planning, assignment and exam correcting, and other preparation activities.
pre-departure training
Applicants accepted to the Teach in Chile program must participate in a TEFL certification program that includes 100 hours of online interactive learning and a 20 hour practicum in your local community. This course is designed to provide participants with quality coursework and experiences which will aid in developing and awareness and mastering teaching skills for the EFL/ESL classroom. There is no specific meeting time for the TEFL course, however there will be a specific start date. Participants must log in to their account daily to submit assignments, communicate with classmates through online discussions, and take quizzes. A passing grade is required for participation in Teach in Chile.
in-country orientation
All Teach in Chile participants receive an in-country orientation in Santiago conducted by CIEE staff and local experts. The initial focus will involve cross-cultural understanding and practical information to help with the adaptation process. After a few days, the group will split for training courses on techniques and resources to help make you an effective teacher in Chile. Housing and some meals will be provided.
mid-year debriefing
CIEE will arrange for participants to re-group with CIEE staff for a training weekend between semesters to discuss the teaching experience and cultural integration into Chile. CIEE and program participants will talk about the experience of living and working in a foreign country, address concerns, and have an open dialogue for feedback.
housing
CIEE will provide each participant one month of rent-free furnished accommodations beginning after the cultural segment of orientation. This provides participants with a base from which to locate a permanent living situation. During orientation we’ll focus a session on apartment hunting, and we also have local leads in the CIEE Santiago office to assist participants in their search. Participants should plan to live with roommates to help make ends meet. Keep in mind that due to locations of some of the schools, most participants should expect to commute to campus from their permanent housing.
details, details
school levels |
primary, secondary, college/university |
school locations |
Santiago area, Valparaíso, and Viña del Mar |
typical teaching load |
15-22 teaching hours weekly* |
stipend
|
300,000 – 335,000 pesos monthly, depending on assignment
|
program dates |
late February – mid-December (coincides with Chilean academic calendar) |
application deadline |
September 2 |
*Teachers must devote additional time including class planning, presentations, faculty meetings, and extra-curricular activities.