TEFL Courses in Latin America
Costa Rica is known for natural beauty, advanced environmental policies, a democratic government, amazing wildlife, and friendly people. The tropical climate has 2 seasons, a rainy season (May into November) and a dry season (mid-November through April). Temperatures vary based on altitude, from year-round beach weather on the coasts to the consistently temperate mountain valleys. Most TEFL graduates work in language schools focused primarily on teaching adults business English, while a smaller number find jobs in private universities, primary schools and high schools. Job placement is focused in the Central Valley, in and around the larger cities and popular tourist areas. Costa Rica can be the perfect starting point for exploring Central and South America, neighboring Panama and Nicaragua offer jobs as well, following the course.
Crossing Panama into Colombia, South America offers plenty of opportunities, all the way down to Cape Horn at the bottom tip of Chile! From teaching in multicultural business communities of Santiago and Buenos Aires to casual conversations with Bolivian farmers and Peruvian waiters, English truly is the global language.
Because of the strong commercial links between the two American continents, the demand tends to be for American English. The whole continent is culturally and economically oriented towards the United States. While some language schools may require teachers with a BA/MA from a US university, others are looking for no more than a good command of English (whatever the accent) along with a TEFL certificate.
The academic year begins in February or early March and lasts until December. The best time to look for work is a few weeks before the end of the summer holidays. However, many institutes run 8- to 12-week courses year round and will hire a TEFL teacher any time of year.
The Costa Rica TEFL Training Facility
The Costa Rica TEFL training centre is located at Samara Beach, in Guanacaste. Known as the "gold coast", Guanacaste province has lush countryside, beaches and a rich culture making it exceptional region for travel and study.
The school is situated on a beautiful Samara beachfront campus and offers fully equipped air-conditioned rooms. On the weekends trainees enjoy local surf contests and concerts, bonfires and a variety of delicious international restaurants. Trainees may also snorkel, take surf lessons, swim or boat to Isla (Island) Chora, go horseback riding, bike ride and bask in the sun on the white sand shores. Housing is available for $300-650 depending on shared or independent. Home stays are $105/week with local families and includeds some meals.
TEFL Course deposit: $150 usd TEFL Course fee: $1200 usd
Course Dates:
6 February - 2 March
12 March - 6 April
16 April - 11 May
21 May - 15 June
25 June - 20 July
30 July - 24 August
3 September - 28 September
15 October - 9 November
19 November - 15 December
South America:
The South America TEFL programs in Buenos Aires, Santiago and Rio have been approved by ACCET (Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training) and are recommended for credit at over 1,500 universities. These 3 programs have been recommended for six graduate-level semester hours as an elective or as a teaching practicum in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
The Buenos Aires, Argentina TEFL Training Facility
The spacious TEFL training center in Buenos Aires offers first-class facilities in a historic part of town. There are two fully equipped classrooms, a comfortable work area for planning lessons, a small computer lab, as well as free WiFi. There is also a patio for coffee breaks and a terrace for the occasional asado (BBQ). The training center is located in San Telmo, one of the most traditional and picturesque neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. Within walking distance are the many restaurants, bars, and cafés that make San Telmo popular with tourists and locals alike. Also within walking distance is the famous Plaza Dorrego where you will always find something interesting going on. For trips further afield, there is excellent public transportation in the city including trains, subways, buses, and even ferries to neighboring Uruguay.
TEFL Course deposit: $500 usd TEFL Course fee: $1495 usd
The Santiago, Chile TEFL Training Facility
The "TEFL experts" in Chile with over 15 years of experience in the country, this TEFL training center in Santiago was founded in 1990 and is now the largest of the South American schools. The center's modern facilities offer fully equipped classrooms, central air-conditioning and heating, plus access to fax, phone, e-mail and the Internet. The training center is conveniently located in Providencia, an upscale neighborhood with tree-lined residential streets, high-rise office buildings, and plenty of shopping and restaurants. It is also only a few blocks from the city's metro system, and just a five-minute walk from Suecia, a hotspot for nightlife that hosts some 50 restaurants and nightclubs.
TEFL Course deposit: $500 usd TEFL Course fee: $1495 usd
The Rio de Janeiro, Brazil TEFL Training Facility
The Rio de Janeiro TEFL training center offers modern, comfortable facilities in a convenient downtown location. It is just blocks from the Uruguaiana metro station and close to the famous SAARA, a flea market where you can find anything at amazingly inexpensive prices. Established in 1984, the TEFL center features 10 classrooms with TVs and DVD players, central heat and air-conditioning, computers with free Internet, and WiFi. It is in the same building is an amazing café where you can taste Brazil’s world-famous coffee. You'll find the TEFL center staff welcoming and professional, and always ready to help you with whatever you may need during your time in Rio.
The Santiago, Chile Teaching Program ( English Opens Doors )
In Chile there is also the opportunity to participate in a unique teaching program, for 8, 6 or 4 month periods. Chosen by the Chilean Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) and the United Nations Development Program to recruit a select group of English teachers for the esteemed "English Opens Doors" Program. The Chilean government created English Opens Doors in 2005 in order to connect local children with native English speakers. Since then, the program has been extremely successful and continues to expand. And now, you can be a part of it.
As a teacher with this program, you will have the chance to team-teach classes with Chilean English teachers in public and subsidized schools, helping to motivate students to learn English and create new opportunities for both teachers and students to practice English language skills on a daily basis. You will also organize and implement extracurricular activities such as English conversation groups, art projects, dance classes, and sports and science clubs.