Teach English in Ghana with Projects Abroad

  Ghana

• Other Cities in Ghana: 
Cape Coast,  Rural Areas
• Accra: 
Accra

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: All Year Round (you set the start and end dates)

Description: Bordering the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, Ghana is the former British colony of the Gold Coast. Ghanaian children grow up mainly exposed to their local tribal languages, such as Ga, Twi and Ewe, but English remains the country's official uniting language, and is needed to communicate with fellow Ghanaians in education and business. As an English teaching volunteer you can therefore have a huge impact, helping local children in their speaking and conversational skills.

Ghanaian schools are often understaffed and poorly resourced, but you can help to improve this situation by volunteering. You can gain work experience teaching at primary or secondary schools overseas and no TEFL or other formal teaching qualification is required. Whether you want to volunteer abroad by teaching during your gap year, career break or vacation you will have a role to play and your efforts will be greatly appreciated.

The impact you have on the lives of your students will be obvious and long lasting, but you will also be part of a much wider international volunteer network, which is making a really positive contribution to the communities in which we work.

Volunteer Opportunities Teaching English in Schools with Projects Abroad

With placements based mainly in the semi-rural Akuapem Hills but also available in Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi, Ho and sometimes in more remote rural areas, English teaching opportunities in Ghana are extremely varied.

Most of our projects are in Primary Schools in and around the traditional Akuapem Hills area, about an hour north of Accra. You'll generally be asked to take the scheduled English classes for a range of ages. Your encouragement, praise and some creative lessons are often all that are needed to spark an interest in the language and a desire to learn more. Your friendly Ghanaian teaching colleagues act as supervisors and ensure that you feel happy with your classes. They will generally have a good command of the English language themselves which will make your life that much easier!

Rural placements are available if you wish to do your volunteer program somewhere a bit more remote. All we request is that you are prepared for slightly more basic facilities in your host family's accommodation. We are very eager for our volunteers to gain experience of this sort, living in a smaller community and helping out at schools that would otherwise miss out from the benefits a volunteer teacher brings.

Volunteer Overseas on a Teaching Project in Ghana

We also work with several primary and junior secondary schools, which rely almost completely on our volunteers for English teaching. These schools allow our volunteers to also teach a range of other subjects to younger children including basic literacy, math, art, drama and music.

In fact, French, geography, music, sports - particularly soccer - drama, art, and many other extra-curricular subjects are always welcome additions to the curriculum in most of our placements. Provided you can offer the basic provision of conversational English lessons, our partner schools are eager to let you develop the children's interests in other areas as well.

Highlights: Living in vibrant, colourful Ghana will feel like an explosion; an enchanting sensory overload. Music is a central part of Ghanaian culture, so in the bigger towns - especially Accra - you will hear some great live bands and have some memorable nights out.

There are many, many attractions and places to visit. You will want to see the slave forts and spend a night in the rainforest at Kakum Rainforest Reserve, feed wild monkeys at The Boebeng Monkey Village or elephant watch at Mole National Park. If you're even more adventurous, consider the challenge of a journey to Timbuktu.

Travel across Ghana is cheap and easy, whether it be in a taxi, a tro-tro (a sort of minibus) or on a lake boat. There are clean, affordable places to stay and eat in all the main towns.

Ghana is a superb location for bird watching and is developing a good ecotourism philosophy. It's also an interesting place for history lovers and, once your overseas voluntary work is over, it's a great stepping-off point from which to explore West Africa.

Qualifications: No qualifications or experience are required.

Cost in US$: USD 2,345 up

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Open minded and ready for adventure!

Age Range: 16-70

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Ghana Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement: As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded: 1992