About this role
Project Description
Zambia is looking for English teachers to support the next generation of leaders. English is Zambia's official language, yet only 2 percent of the population speaks English as a first language, and many rural residents have no English proficiency. While curriculum revisions are making a difference, school lessons are still taught in local languages.
Rural Zambian schools face deep systemic challenges: massive learning resource shortages, overcrowded classrooms, low community literacy, and an inadequate distribution of trained educators. Consequently, when students in grades four through six transition to English-language instruction, they face a considerable language barrier, causing many to fall behind or drop out.
As an English Education Teacher, you will co-teach, run extracurricular programs, and pioneer interactive, student-centered methodologies. Through daily conversations, you will empower students, teachers, and community members to speak with confidence, preparing Zambia’s next generation for future success.
Required Skills
Bachelor's degree in any discipline.
Living Conditions
During pre-service training, Trainees live with a Zambian host family in a rural community for 10 weeks. Throughout this period, they hone the skills and competencies needed to live and work effectively in their assigned site.
After training, Volunteers reside in a rural community in an independent house but on a family compound. Volunteers use bicycles to get around their host community and access water and electricity in the same manner as their neighbors. In most cases, solar power is used for lighting and to charge electronic devices; water is collected from a borehole or well and treated; and mobile and internet access is available intermittently.
Job Highlights
Gain valuable, hands-on experience as an English teacher at the community level.
Learn a new language and culture with training from skilled language and intercultural facilitators.
Develop lasting friendships through cultural exchange and community engagement.
Activities
Teach English to primary and secondary students using interactive, student-centered methodologies.
Plan and facilitate extracurricular student clubs to boost language confidence.
Facilitate the capacity building of fellow educators through communities of practice.
Plan and lead community members in informal adult English literacy classes.
Plan and facilitate regional educational events like spelling bees, essay competitions, and youth leadership camps.
Facilitate community engagement and partner with parent-teacher associations to support school improvement.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as an after-school English conversation club and sports programs combined with malaria prevention or HIV awareness campaigns.
Training
As an English Education Teacher, you will participate in a 10‑week pre‑service training designed to prepare you to support teachers, strengthen students’ English-language skills, and engage the community through education initiatives. You will learn a local language—such as Bemba, Nyanja, or Tonga—and receive intercultural training to help you comfortably live in and connect with your community.
After training, you will move to a rural community where you will work with schools and community groups such as women’s cooperatives, community health workers, and local organizations. Together with your community and school staff, you will assess needs and use collaborative problem‑solving strategies to address the educational priorities of your students.