At a glance
- Make a difference in one of the most underprivileged countries in the world by supporting teachers at disadvantaged primary schools.
- Help students improve their English to open the door to better employment opportunities in a growing tourism industry.
- You can also teach special educational needs.
- You'll live with a friendly host family and use your free time to explore snow-capped mountains and sacred temples.
Is teaching in Nepal right for me?
This project is perfect for anyone who wants to help children improve their English and get practical teaching experience. You’ll work alongside qualified teachers, learning the ins and outs of being an educator in a developing country. This will add a lot of value to your CV, especially if you’re interested in becoming a teacher.
Even if you’re not planning on a career in teaching, this project will teach you useful skills that you can apply to any career. These skills include planning and leadership.
No experience? No problem! You'll be guided and assisted by a supervisor. We also run regular workshops to boost your teaching skills. You will have access to our online resources for lesson plan ideas, or resource templates.
Please note that all you need to have an intermediate level of English to join this project.
If you're interested in teaching other subjects, contact our Project Experts. They'll advise you on what subjects you can teach in Nepal, and whether you can teach those subjects part-time or full time.
This project runs throughout the year, and you can join at any time. We encourage you to stay longer to make a bigger impact at your school.
What will I do on the Teaching Project?
As a volunteer teaching English in Nepal, you'll be based in a primary school. You will work with local teachers, who will guide and assist you. You'll get involved in work such as:
- Teach children English and make speaking lessons engaging and fun
- Design resources to contribute towards a literacy-rich environment
- Assist teachers with subjects like music, science, sport, art, life skills, and hygiene
- Attend workshops about the education system in Nepal
Your work in Nepal will focus on the following areas:
Teach children English and make speaking lessons engaging and fun
Your main task in Nepal will be to work with students to boost their English speaking skills. Each day you will work alongside local teachers, learning from them and assisting. As your skills improve, you will be given more responsibilities in the classroom.
Tap into your creativity when thinking of ways to encourage your students to have fun, while speaking in English. You can create role plays or teach students how to play a board game which encourages speaking.
Design resources to contribute towards a literacy-rich environment
You will help us fulfill one of our goals in Nepal schools: improving literacy. You will help us ensure that all children have access to the essential resources needed for development. We do this by assessing each school based on a list of criteria designed to promote reading and writing skills. You can then get involved with designing and creating resources like flashcards, or writing templates used to encourage reading, writing, and speaking.
Assist teachers with subjects like music, science, sport, art, life skills and hygiene
Your role as a teacher in Nepal extends beyond the classroom. You have a chance to teach subjects like music, science, sport, art or life skills. Depending on your skills and interests, this is a great way to gain experience in other subjects, and to see your students excel in a different field. Use this time to build a rapport with your students and fellow teachers.
Attend workshops about the education system in Nepal
In Nepal, you will have access to workshops which are aimed at supporting your work. They will also give you insight into the country’s education system. Use this time to learn new techniques, refine your teaching style, or chat to other volunteers about tips and tricks to use in the classroom. We run these weekly workshops for all Care and Teaching volunteers.
Where in Nepal will I be working?
Kathmandu
You will live and work in Kathmandu. The city is the largest metropolis in Nepal, and serves as its financial hub.
Your time will be spent at local primary school. Most of the students at these schools are from disadvantaged communities, and are labourers’ and farmers’ children.
You will live with a local host family, in a comfortable and safe home. You will eat meals in your host family home, and get to know the family’s daily routine. This is the perfect time to learn a few Nepali phrases, while teaching your hosts a few words from your home country.
Home to Mount Everest, snow-capped mountains, and sacred temples, Nepal is the perfect place to explore in your free time and over weekends.
Chitwan
You may also stay in Chitwan, a smaller city but one that is famed for its higher education industry. This is one of the best places to be an educator, already being home to a knowledge-seeking culture. Although known as Nepal's medical city, it's an important region for educating the next generation in all subject areas.
Located 60 miles from Kathmandu, you'll be surrounded by the snow-capped mountains that Nepal is famed for. Let the natural beauty of this area inspire you in your volunteer work.
A typical day on the Teaching Project in Nepal
A typical day in Nepal starts with breakfast and chat with your host family in their comfortable home. Dressed smartly, you head to your teaching placement.
Each day, you use public transport. Depending on how far your placement is from your host family home, you use public transport to get around. You can use buses, tuk-tuks and auto-rickshaws to get around the Kathmandu. During your induction on your first day, you’ll be shown how to get around using public transport.
You will work for about 6 hours each day, Monday to Friday.
On arrival at your volunteer teaching placement in Nepal, you either lesson plan with a supervising teacher, or you begin assisting in the classroom. Sing English songs, practise pronunciation, read stories, or observe teachers during class.
Each day, you’ll have between 4-5 classes, of varying levels. As you gain teaching confidence, you may be asked to lead lessons. It is also possible to teach other subjects, such as music, science, art, and sports.
During lunch, chat with Nepali teachers and get to know more about the placement and the education system in a developing country. Lessons may continue into the afternoon, or you will take on extracurricular classes. You can also use your afternoons to plan lessons and prepare materials for class.
Over the weekend, use your free time to explore. Join volunteers on a hike, explore the Himalayan mountain range, or wander through ancient temples. Whatever you do, make full use of every moment in Nepal!
What are the aims and impact of this project?
The aim of this project is to provide students from disadvantaged communities with the opportunity to learn and improve their English.
Nepal is still listed as being one of the most underprivileged countries in the world. We focus on giving students the opportunity to learn from English speakers, and supporting local teachers in the classroom. They need help improving literacy, numeracy, and classroom management. To do this, we need your help.
With your assistance, we can make sure that all of our students have the opportunity to learn English, and that we can work toward other educational goals. We’ve identified four sustainable, long-term goals we hope to achieve in Nepal:
- Improve English
- Increase literacy levels
- Increase numeracy levels
- Improve teaching techniques
Volunteer with us and gain teaching work experience in Nepal, while also helping us achieve these long-term goals.
Management plans
We set out the aims and objectives of our projects in documents called Management Plans. We use them to properly plan the work you’ll do. They also help us measure and evaluate our achievements and impact each year.
Ultimately, our Management Plans help us make our projects better. This in turn means you get to be part of something that makes a real impact where it’s needed. Read more about our Management Plans.
Measuring our impact
Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.
Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family in Nepal. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Nepal and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Leisure activities and free time
When you think of Nepal, the first thing that comes to mind is the majestic Himalayan Mountain Range. This is just one example of the country’s extraordinary natural beauty. Combined with rich cultures, this makes it a unique country to volunteer in and explore.
There are a whole host of ways you can explore the stunning and incredibly varied landscapes of Nepal. You can drive off-road through Chitwan National Park, go biking through Kathmandu Valley, or trek in the foothills of Annapurna.
In the evenings and over weekends, it’s worth taking some time to see the sights in Kathmandu. This includes Durbar Square, where you can stand in the midst of an ancient palace. The towering spectacle of the Boudhanath Stupa is also a must-see.
Nepal is one of our most popular destinations, so there will be many other volunteers in the country with you during your trip. This gives you the freedom to spend your leisure time either exploring alone or in a group.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
This placement is fully researched, safety audited, and risk assessed in accordance with the British Standard BS8848 for the Adventure Travel Sector.
Meet the team in Nepal
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