1.5 English Teaching Assistantship Program

Objective

The Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships Program aims to improve the quality of the English language instruction provided in Uruguayan public schools.

Future Uruguayan English teachers as well as children from the full-time public schools, which grantees will visit as interns, will benefit from the native speaker presence and the cross-cultural understanding.

Benefits

• Intensive cross-cultural interaction
• Share innovative ideas in teaching English as a second language
• Create strong linkages between all participants
• International education and/or research: take up to two academic courses per semester or engage in independent research

Eligibility Requirements

·        Applications are welcome from graduating seniors and graduate students.

·        Candidates with degrees in English, Spanish, Education or TEFL/applied linguistics with experience teaching or tutoring are preferred. Other fields will be seriously considered if combined with teaching experience and/or coursework in pedagogy.

·        Proficiency in Spanish is strongly recommended.  Candidates must be articulate English speakers with native-level fluency.

·        Interest in working in an international educational environment

Grant Period

8 months – from mid-March to mid-November as per the Uruguayan academic year.

Following the arrival, grantees will attend a three-day orientation program. The attendance at the orientation program is required of all Teaching Assistants.

Grantees will also have mid-term and debriefing sessions.

Conditions of the Award

Teaching Assistants will be assigned as language learning assistants at schools and teacher training centers, but will not be responsible for teaching entire courses.

Teaching Assistant’s activities will include but not be limited to:

1) Sharing American Culture and way of life with the students
2) Giving presentations on different topics related to the United States
3) Preparing classroom activities
4) Creating activities to encourage students to communicate in English
5) Participate in or lead seminars, workshops and/or trainings

To allow for maximum exposure to the Uruguayan culture and the education environment, the ETA program will take place in two stages. The first stage will take place in the provinces (Colonia or Salto) and the second stage will take place in Montevideo, for an urban experience. During each stage, grantees will have two placements. One placement will be at a Full time school with an English Partial Immersion Program and the second placement will be at a High-school Teacher Development Centre. The week will be divided among these institutions with a maximum time commitment of 20-25 hours per week. The spare time will be devoted to the study/research projects.

Each Teaching Assistant will have a mentor from his/her host institution and the Fulbright Commission will hold monthly meetings with the ETA’s and their mentors.

In addition to Teaching Assistant activities, grantees may enroll in up to two academic courses per semester at a Uruguayan university or engage in independent research related to their field of study under the supervision of a faculty member. These activities combined with the Teaching Assistant’s responsibilities, will comprise a full-time program. In the application section “Statement of Proposed Study or Research”, applicants should describe their study and career interests in addition to providing a well thought out and feasible project proposal. The Commission will facilitate placement at a Uruguayan university.
 

Grant Benefits

Stipend, health insurance and international travel.

In order to apply, please contact the Institute of International Education, U.S. Students Programs, 809 United Nations Plaza, NY, NY 10017-3580

http://www.iie.org/fulbright