TEFL Arequipa (Peru)

Each component comprises a set of standardized statements of competence, accompanied by indicators of success. The indicators describe the skills, knowledge and qualities associated with effective teachers of English as a Foreign Language. The standardized statements of competence are as follows:

Pedagogy Theory

• Describe a range of teaching methodologies, approaches and strategies
• Describe the skills, knowledge and qualities which characterize an effective teacher
• Describe the factors which influence the establishment of an effective learning environment
• Describe a range of strategies for supporting, monitoring and assessing student progress

Language Awareness

• Describe the purposes and nature of Communication
• Describe key features in relation to the structure of the English language
• Describe and explain the English tense system and other, commonly taught, grammatical features
• Describe how sounds are made and modified and use phonetic symbols to describe the sounds of English

Teaching Skills

• Design and prepare effective lessons
• Prepare and manage the physical learning environment and use resources in an appropriate way
• Provide innovative and flexible learning experiences for individuals and groups of students
• Create learning environments that are student-centered, challenging and safe

Cultural Awareness

• Engage in the process of learning a foreign language
• Demonstrate an awareness of the issues in relation to culture and language teaching
• Demonstrate a willingness to foster positive relationships with members of the local community
• Demonstrate an awareness of cultural similarities and differences and our shared cultural heritage

Life Skills

• Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills
• Demonstrate effective communication skills
• Demonstrate effective decision-making skills
• Demonstrate effective organizational skills
• Demonstrate effective financial skills
• Demonstrate effective employment awareness skills
• Demonstrate effective legal awareness skills
• Demonstrate effective personal welfare skills

Each component of the Via Lingua program is allocated a minimum number of study hours. These study hours mainly involve:

• direct contact with trainers or mentors in workshop sessions, planning meetings, lesson preparation or review meetings;
• direct contact with students during teaching practice sessions;
• private study and preparation;
• record keeping and personal reflection linked to the maintenance of a professional portfolio.

The content of each of the five components can be described as follows:

Pedagogy Theory

• Teaching and learning a foreign language
• Language teaching methodologies
• The syllabus
• The effective teacher
• Classroom management skills
• Language teaching materials
• Lesson planning
• Teaching receptive skills
• Teaching productive skills (speaking)
• Teaching vocabulary
• Teaching pronunciation
• Teaching grammar
• Responding to mistakes and errors
• Language games
• The assessment of language learners

Language Awareness

• The purpose and nature of communication
• Word classes
• Verb types and verb forms
• The tense system
• The present simple tense and the present continuous tense
• The past simple tense, the past continuous tense, the past perfect tense (simple and continuous)
• The present perfect tense (simple and continuous)
• Expressing the future
• Conditional sentences
• The passive voice
• Gerunds and infinitives
• Modal auxiliary verbs
• Multi-word verbs
• Phonology

Teaching Skills

• Six hours of observing experienced teachers
• Eight hours of assessed teaching practice (*groups and or individual students)
• Sixteen hours of supported lesson preparation time
• Eight hours of post-lesson discussions

Cultural Awareness

• The cross-cultural dimension of language teaching
• The Group Project

Life Skills

• Interpersonal skills
• Communication skills
• Decision-making skills
• Organizational skills
• Financial awareness skills
• Employment awareness skills
• Legal awareness skills
• Personal welfare skills

Food and clothing

The food of Arequipa has become famous world wide for being one of the most varied and delicious in Peru. It has the greatest diversity com pared to other areas thanks to its countryside and extensive coastline. The use of seasonings and preparation methods, both Andean and European, including peppers and chili, fruits and vegetables, beef, lamb, pork and a large variety of fresh and saltwater seafood make it a treat to anyone who loves food. When visiting Peru you should dress for mild weather. Not too hot and not too cold. The temperature ranges from low sixties to eighties. So pack some warm weather clothes like t-shirts and shorts/jeans. Then bring along a light jacket or sweater for the evenings. Make sure you do bring warm pajamas though because it does get cold at nignt at times. It does rain in Peru when you are in the higher regions. Make sure you bring a rain coat, some waterproof shoes and warm clothes.

Climate

Peru is in the Southern hemisphere so the seasons are reversed. December is in summer and June is in winter. The climate in Arequipa is warm and rather dry throughout the year. Arequipa lies alongside the southernmost tip of Peru’s desert coast and enjoys plenty of sunny weather, with daytime temperatures rarely dipping much below 70 degrees.

Excursions and cultural highlights

There are many opportunities to travel throughout the mountains and deep canyons of southern Peru. Lake Titicaca and the floating islands of the Uros native people, Cusco and the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, the Nazca lines and mountain climbing through the Anoes are all offered for weekend excursions. Local beach villages are reachable by bus. At the weekend you can go to local village festivaIs where you will be able to interact with local people who wear traditional Peruvian clothing, work with alpacas and lamas and speak Quechua and Spanish equally. Extreme/Via Lingua Peru also offers opportunities to volunteer teaching underprivileged children who live at the base of the volcano near the edge of the city.

Accommodation

Upon request, Via Lingua is able to book housing for you. Most housing options are located within a 15 minute walk to the school. We strive to meet your requirements and work to meet your needs and make your stay enjoyable.