As a volunteer teaching English in Ghana, you will provide additional support to schools in Kumasi. PMGY’s Ghana volunteer programs will see you help young children in Ghana. Play a vital role in developing English skills that will help improve their future job prospects. Demonstrate your passion, energy and enthusiasm for learning within a new culture. Teaching other subjects such as Science, Maths and Art represents further volunteer opportunities as you teach English in Ghana.
BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM
Ghana is a multilingual country in which about eighty languages are spoken. Many of these languages are local dialects only spoken within local communities. Officially, English is the official language of Ghana. The language was inherited from the colonial era. However, with many indigenous languages, English is not frequently known or spoken within local communities.
Conversing with fluent, native English speakers greatly improves local people's language skills, essential for future employment. Education is a priority for the Ghanaian government. Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education was implemented in Ghana between 1996-2005. As a result, many poorer families are now able to send their children to school.
However, severe classroom overcrowding, lack of educational materials and overall weak infrastructure are common problems. Because of this, the Ghanaian educational system can be very fragile. Nevertheless, you’ll still find the children extremely excited to see you and eager to learn. Whilst resources are limited, if you are creative and determined then you can make a difference.
Volunteer opportunities in Ghana provided by PMGY will provide you with a platform to make a positive impact when teaching English to the local community. Since many of these children will be seeking to improve their English and you as a volunteer teaching English abroad can support with. To teach English in Ghana, you will need to donate your time and skills effectively. This is to ensure you can maximise your impact on the local people.
The common teaching practices in Ghana are largely repetitive. Most noteworthy, this often results in the children memorising information without really understanding it. It is important to understand that discipline and teaching styles are quite different from those in the West. Furthermore, conditions are poor and classes are extremely overcrowded. This may be a culture shock for some.
As you teach English as a volunteer in Ghana, the majority of your time will be spent teaching the core subjects. However, there is always the opportunity to initiate extra-curricular activities such as sports. Physical education is usually a weekly activity at schools in Ghana. Experience is required should volunteers look to specialise in certain subjects.
Volunteers will also get the chance to join with the younger classes. Once you have joined the projects with the younger children, you can spend time leading more creative and relaxed activities. Such activities include singing songs, dancing, storytelling and colouring. Volunteers provide a great valuable cultural resource for the children where they can learn about different people, places and traditions.
Volunteer opportunities provided by PMGY offer a platform to make a positive impact when you teach English in Ghana. When working at our English teaching volunteer projects in Ghana, it is important to maintain energy, enthusiasm and creativity. Many of these students will benefit from having someone fluent in the English language teaching them in Ghana. As a volunteer teaching English in Ghana, you will need to donate your time and skills effectively. This is to ensure you can maximise your impact on the local people.
TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES
Divine International School - Volunteers at Divine International School can work with children of all ages. Children can range from the age of 4 right up to the age of 16. You will work as a teaching assistant to the local English teachers. Similarly, you will also have the opportunity to lead your classes.
A volunteer’s first day at Divine International School is purely observational, allowing participants to become familiar with their new surroundings. New volunteers then have an opportunity to meet their class before getting down to business the next day. You will be greeted every day by the children running over to welcome you. Thus every day at Divine International becomes a special day.
Christian Life Teaching School - Opening its doors in 2013, Christian Life Teaching School originated a small-scale project. Indeed, the school was originally home to a class of only two students. However, word of a new school quickly spread and the institute now hosts almost 400 pupils.
Split across only 11 rooms, each class accommodates close to 40 students. This puts a large strain on the quality of lessons that can be offered. This makes the support of a volunteer teaching English in Ghana at this project invaluable.
Volunteers at Christian Life Teaching School will be provided with a timetable. Such a timetable dictates the classes they will be working with on a day-to-day basis. You will work as a teaching assistant and also have the opportunity to lead your classes.
As you complete your volunteer work in Ghana, you will be playing an important part in supporting local teachers at Christian Life. Furthermore, you will be providing a new lease of life in the classroom through creative thinking and innovative teaching techniques. Just by being able to speak English with the students, you will be making a positive impact.
PMGY Volunteer teaching English in Ghana at school on the volunteer abroad programs in Kumasi.
OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING CHILDREN IN GHANA
Return Airport Transfer - Your return airport transfer is not included in your Program Fee. Our local team can help arrange onward transfers to the airport or an alternative destination from the volunteer accommodation. Making specific arrangements once in Ghana provides more flexibility as plans can often change and participants may be on similar flight plans. The costs depend on your method of transport and your final destination. Participants will usually get the coach back to Accra airport or arrange a short domestic flight from Kumasi to Accra airport instead.
Experience - For the English Teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.
TEFL Course - We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.
Resources - On the teach English in Ghana project, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their teaching English project experience.
Project Flexibility - As for all our volunteers in Ghana, it is possible to combine multiple projects. First of all, please apply for the main program start date you’d like to partake in. Secondly, outline in your online application the details of the other projects you’d like to do. Our local team will finalise the details of your placements during your in-country orientation.
Cultural Differences - It is very important that volunteers join this program with an open mind and understanding of cultural differences. Children’s rights and the methods of discipline used often greatly differ from what is the norm in the West.
Although mistreatment of children is never condoned volunteers should be aware that physical discipline does happen in Ghana. This can be quite shocking, but it is important to remember that physical discipline is commonplace throughout Ghana.
Therefore, volunteers should be open-minded on arrival and come with limited expectations. You are there to help and make a difference in the local communities. However, this must be done in a framework where there are rules to follow and cultures to abide by.
Our local team will brief you on these issues during your in-country orientation. As a result, you will be fully prepared for your placement. If you see something that you believe is not right, then please approach our local team. As a result of doing this, the team can then aim to resolve or give clarity on the issue.
Weekends - Your project work in Ghana runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Ghana Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend. We also run two separate weekend trips which you can sign-up to before you depart for Ghana. We offer the Cape Coast & Busua Surf Trip along with the Mole National Park Trip with opportunities running every month.
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