Description

English is the third language in the Moroccan educational system, after Arabic and French, and is taught to students from the age of ten. With increasing international work opportunities in tourism, business and higher education, Moroccans are eager to develop their English language skills. They hear French regularly on TV and in songs but they have very little exposure to spoken English. As a volunteer on an English teaching project, you will be in great demand.

Volunteer teaching in Morocco will provide you with a fantastic platform from which to learn about this fascinating country and its people. This experience is available to anyone with an interest in helping others to learn the English language; you do not need to have any previous teaching experience and we do not require you to take a TEFL course. Whether you want to volunteer during your gap year, career break or as a volunteer vacation, you will have an important role to play and your efforts will be greatly appreciated.

Rabat has an ancient history but is rapidly modernizing and the English language learning system is also modernizing with it. The old fashioned, grammar based English syllabus has recently been overhauled to focus on communication skills and topical issues, and Moroccan teachers are gradually adapting to this new approach. By having people like you in the classroom, to bring English language and culture alive, it will really help to motivate and encourage students and to make the new system work.

Teaching volunteers also work with associations, which provide free English lessons to students from under-privileged backgrounds who would not otherwise be able to afford to learn English. These classes are usually small with between about 10 to 15 students generally aged between 15 and 21. Here you may teach the class alone, or work in a pair with another volunteer.

Everyone on a volunteer placement with Projects Abroad in Morocco stays with a local Moroccan host family. You will find them incredibly welcoming and they will doubtless be eager to find out all about you and your life back home. Take plenty of photos with you and be prepared for lots of questions!

Volunteer teaching in schools in Morocco doesn't have to be just about English teaching. French speaking volunteers also have the opportunity to teach French. As the language of government and commerce, French is generally understood in towns and cities. However, children from predominantly Arabic speaking households still lack confidence and accuracy in expressing themselves and can really benefit from some extra support.

There are also possibilities in some schools for volunteers to become involved in extra curricular English clubs and drama groups and, if you have interests in other areas which you would like to bring to your students, do please let us know when you apply.

Highlights

Historically, Morocco has been a crossing point for travelers, migrants and traders from all over Africa, Europe and the East. Such diverse influences have contributed to an amazing richness and complexity in cultural life, from art to architecture, music to cuisine. Morocco has both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines and many of the large towns are also coastal, including the fabulous trading cities of Casablanca, Agadir and Rabat. Inland, on the edge of the Atlas Mountains, lie the equally enticing towns of Fes, Marrakesh and Meknes.

The whitewashed city of Rabat has many attractions, especially its elegant mosques, enchanting palaces, tranquil parks and gardens, its sandy beach (stretching all the way to Casablanca), and its famous blue and white Kasbah, which is well worth exploring. If you're looking for more exciting activities, it's easy to organize a trip into the Sahara, where you can enjoy scenery straight from a film-set, as Tuaregs in flowing blue robes ride their camels across seemingly endless sand-dunes.

For the more adventurous volunteer, Morocco offers water sports like scuba-diving or white-water rafting. The Atlas Mountains are great for hiking, snowboarding and skiing, whereas the desert is the starting point for camel-trekking and off-roading.

Living and working in Morocco may be a challenge, but with so much to learn and so many magical sights to see, it's a challenge you'll be glad you accepted.

Qualifications

None.

Languages

• Arabic
• English
• French

Cost in US$:

Please go to our website for prices.

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Medical services
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Travel while in host country
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

The price of each placement includes all your food and accommodation, transfers to and from the airport, full travel and medical insurance plus support and 24 hour back-up from our staff based around the world.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

• Academic Reinforcement
• Culture
• Teaching
• Volunteering

Typical Volunteer

Open-minded with a desire to travel.

Age Range

16-80

This Program is open to

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

Typical Living Arrangements

• Apartment/Flat
• Group living
• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

10 days

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Job and Internship Network

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