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TEFL Teaching Internship In Zambia

As a TEFL student in Livingstone, you will contribute towards community development initiatives by providing opportunities, support, and one-on-one attention that otherwise wouldn’t exist for the communities we work with. By applying for the online TEFL course and undertaking your practicum and teaching internship with us, you’ll teach young children as they start their education journey, work with teenagers who are transitioning into the next stage of their lives, and help adults wanting to improve their employability by enhancing their knowledge of the English language. These TEFL practicum hours also allow you to gain first-hand teaching experience with real students in an actual classroom setting. 

Please note: This program is only available to those who have booked their online TEFL course through African Impact, or those who have completed the 150 required academic hours for their 170-hour online TEFL course. 

Read more here about the online TEFL course.

Project Highlights

  • Complete the final requirement to become qualified to Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), undertaking 38 hours of practical teaching across two weeks (longer stays are possible)
  • Apply learned teaching principles to real-life situations.
  • Build confidence in your teaching skills through teaching children aged 9 – 16, as well as adults
  • Obtain exposure to varied classroom situations and diverse learning and cultural contexts
  • Support a community in rural Livingstone while gaining valuable teaching experience
  • Tick one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World off your bucket list, Victoria Falls
  • Live and work in the ‘Adventure Capital’ of Africa, where you can bungee-jump, go white-water-rafting or take to the skies on a microlight flight
  • See Africa’s most iconic wildlife on safari during your free time
Volunteer and three children sitting together in a learning lesson.

Quick Facts

Livingstone, Zambia 

Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport 

Every Monday

2 weeks

Impact: Teaching

$2,690 – $5,690
Apply Now

Destination

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Volunteers sitting and talking around fires at Victoria Falls Backpackers in Zambia
A photograph of a colourful communal seating area at Victoria Falls Backpackers in Zambia
Volunteers seated at backpackers accommodation
Volunteers seated at accommodation area
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Many schools in rural areas of Zambia suffer from a serious shortage of classrooms, educational resources, and formally trained teachers. This has led to a ‘hot-seating’ system, where children are not able to attend school full time and can often only come in for either the morning or afternoon session. This, coupled with the harsh reality of poverty and parents’ inability to pay school fees, means many children do not complete their primary education.

However, children in Zambia are extremely eager to learn and local teachers need all the help they can get in the classroom to ensure that each child in their care receives the quality education they deserve. This TEFL practicum program supports local teachers in primary schools and provides a host of additional educational activities for rural village children that contributes to brighter futures for them and their families.

You’ll be staying in a private African Impact house within the popular and welcoming Victoria Falls Backpackers Zambia.  You will have access to a lovely swimming pool, lounge, BBQ, and bar area.  Your accommodation is a 5-minute walk away from Livingstone’s town centre and just a stone’s throw away from one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls. The region is known as the ‘Adventure Capital of Africa’, so prepare for a lot of fun in your downtime.

You’ll be staying in a private volunteer house within the popular and welcoming Victoria Falls Backpackers Zambia.  You will have access to a lovely swimming pool, lounge, BBQ, and bar area.  Your accommodation is a 5-minute walk away from Livingstone’s town centre, which has many stores and a great selection of cafes and restaurants.  You won’t want to leave your “new home” as the staff will become your new family! 

You will receive three fresh and delicious meals a day cooked by local chefs during the week. For breakfast you can expect cereal and toast, along with a cooked option such as eggs, pancakes or French toast. Lunch could be a wrap, pizza or sandwich paired with a fresh crispy salad. For dinner you might have a pasta dish, curry with rice or an authentic stew. Vegetarian options are available and we can cater to most dietary requirements. At weekends you will have access to the kitchen to make your own food, though most volunteers choose to visit local cafes and restaurants. Café Zambezi makes great traditional Zambian food and is a favourite amongst locals, while Maramba River Lodge is a popular spot for sundowners and Fez Bar is a popular place to hang out with locals and do a little dancing in the evenings!

To keep in touch with family and friends back home, Victoria Falls Backpackers has complimentary WiFi for you to use during your stay. You can also purchase a SIM card with data bundles if you wish.

Weather in Livingstone tends to be stable and sunny from August until late October when the “monsoon” rains start to hit. Either side of this time, the weather is very pleasant. The climate is tropical or sub-tropical depending on altitude, with a hot, humid, and rainy season from mid-November to March and a dry season from April to mid-November. October is typically the hottest month of the year.

Project Impact Areas

Assist A Local Teacher

You will spend your mornings at a primary school in one of Livingstone’s rural communities, supporting a local teacher in their classroom. During your stay, you will remain with the same class so that you can get to know the children, identify problem areas, and provide individual support to the students. You are also there to share your skills with the local teacher so that they are better able to educate the children in their care. Through general classroom assistance, you will improve the learning experience for all.

Remedial Work

In overcrowded classrooms, it is very easy for students to fall behind, especially when there is normally only one teacher to – on average – every 50 students. Volunteers, therefore, provide an essential role in identifying those struggling students and providing one-to-one attention that they would otherwise not receive. This will involve taking individuals, or groups of children, outside of the classroom and repeating the lesson at a slower rate with greater repetition to enhance learning and retention. It is an extremely rewarding way to contribute to a student’s education and future.

After-School Clubs

After-school programs help a great deal in the development of children, in their motor skills, reading, literacy, and creative development. Part of your volunteer work will include teaching children the alphabet, phonics, spelling, pronunciation, and general reading and comprehension skills. You will also conduct and develop outdoor games and art projects and just have some fun interacting with the kids.

 

Adult Literacy

Improving adult literacy subsequently improves the chances of employment. If you would like to, you will get a unique volunteer opportunity to gain first-hand insight into a different culture – and to make new friends from the community – by facilitating structured lesson plans and tests in our adult literacy course. A certificate is issued to students upon successful completion of the course, and they are really invested in their ongoing education

Assist A Local Teacher

You will spend your mornings at a primary school in one of Livingstone’s rural communities, supporting a local teacher in their classroom. During your stay, you will remain with the same class so that you can get to know the children, identify problem areas, and provide individual support to the students. You are also there to share your skills with the local teacher so that they are better able to educate the children in their care. Through general classroom assistance, you will improve the learning experience for all.

Remedial Work

In overcrowded classrooms, it is very easy for students to fall behind, especially when there is normally only one teacher to – on average – every 50 students. Volunteers, therefore, provide an essential role in identifying those struggling students and providing one-to-one attention that they would otherwise not receive. This will involve taking individuals, or groups of children, outside of the classroom and repeating the lesson at a slower rate with greater repetition to enhance learning and retention. It is an extremely rewarding way to contribute to a student’s education and future.

After-School Clubs

After-school programs help a great deal in the development of children, in their motor skills, reading, literacy, and creative development. Part of your volunteer work will include teaching children the alphabet, phonics, spelling, pronunciation, and general reading and comprehension skills. You will also conduct and develop outdoor games and art projects and just have some fun interacting with the kids.

 

Adult Literacy

Improving adult literacy subsequently improves the chances of employment. If you would like to, you will get a unique volunteer opportunity to gain first-hand insight into a different culture – and to make new friends from the community – by facilitating structured lesson plans and tests in our adult literacy course. A certificate is issued to students upon successful completion of the course, and they are really invested in their ongoing education

Other Activities

Rhino's standing in open field

AFRICAN SAFARI

Livingstone, Zambia is safari country. Here, you can spot a whole lot of wildlife, with elephants being particularly prevalent along the river banks. do rhino bushwalks or even take a boat safari to spot elephants off the Zambezi River. Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park offers a convenient safari where you can spot elephant, zebra and more, against beautiful backdrops of the Zambezi River. The real highlight of the park is the re-introduced white rhino, which you can track on foot in a thrilling wildlife encounter! A water safari is also a fantastic way to see wildlife grazing on the river banks – expect elephants, hippos and crocodiles. Across the border in Botswana is Chobe National Park, famed for its huge elephant population (currently estimated at over 120,000!). An overnight safari to this National Park is a popular weekend activity that many past volunteers have enjoyed.

interns white water rafting in Zambezi

VICTORIA FALLS ADVENTURES

Livingstone is known as “Africa’s Adventure Capital” because there is so much to see and do. Take advantage of your proximity to the great and mighty Victoria Falls, as well as the other adventures the Zambezi has to offer. Zambezi boat cruises, white water rafting, and canoe trips are all ways in which you can encounter these great waters. You can also ride quad bike trails, swim in “Devil’s Pool” (seasonal) or view the breath-taking scenery from the air in a microlight or helicopter. For the adrenaline junkies, why not try the famous bungee jump or gorge swing?

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CULTURAL TOURS AND MARKETS

Livingstone has a rich culture and you can embark on a walking or cycling village tour to a local African village, giving you further insight into the traditional way of life. You can also shop at some of the many markets and stock up on locally hand-made goods for your loved ones back home or find interesting local foods to try.

Recent Volunteer Reviews

“My experience in this program was undeniably the greatest thing I have done in my life! The people I met were amazing, kind, helpful, and allowed me to have an unforgettable experience in Zambia. You immediately feel like part of the family when you start, and it only gets better the longer you stay!”
Kelley Elise Costa, USATEFL ZAMBIA
I had such a great time here. The experience was so much better than I ever expected. I’ve made a lot of good friends and had an awesome time. I'm going to miss all the days I spent here, and if I have the chance I would definitely come back.
Emma Kolstad, NorwayTEFL ZAMBIA
“Very good experience overall. A lot of assistance pre-departure and on field. Even if you stay only for a short period you can feel this organization is really making an impact in the local community.”
RI, ItalyTEFL ZAMBIA
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Select your Duration
2 weeks $2690
3 weeks $2990
4 weeks $3290
5 weeks $3590
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11 weeks $5390
12 weeks $5690
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Project Fee Includes:

  • Online TEFL Course
  • 20+ hours of practical teaching experience abroad
  • 14-nights of accommodation
  • 3-meals per day (Mon-Fri)
  • 24/7 support from live-in staff
  • Guidance and mentorship throughout

Project Fee Excludes:

  • Flights
  • Medical or travel insurance
  • Visa-related costs
  • Weekend trips or tours, or any other non-placement activity
  • Snacks, soft drinks, gifts or souvenirs
  • Mandatory contribution of US$25 that is donated to the African Impact Sustainability Fund

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Frequently Asked Questions

Across Africa, there is a great need for teaching support in schools. Many schools in Sub-Saharan Africa struggle with under-funding from governments and a shortage of teaching staff. As a result, there can be upwards of 40 students to one teacher in a single classroom. With this disproportionate ratio of teachers to students, many children in Africa – at no fault of the incredible teachers who work in these schools – do not receive the one-on-one attention they need to thrive academically.

Additionally, English literacy is quickly becoming an essential skill for employment in the African tourism sector. Many locals are eager to develop their English-speaking abilities to increase their employability in this income-generating industry and support personal economic development. However, with a lack of formal classroom environments and qualified teachers, achieving this goal is often challenging.

Requirements to register for a TEFL internship

We’ve partnered with TEFL to directly provide the official online TEFL course to our interns before beginning their internship with us! We include the online course in your program fees with us, and you’ll receive access to the materials once we finalize your application. To join the online TEFL course, you must have a minimum of a High School Diploma or GED, fluent and proficient English skills, and an ability to complete a part-time university-level course and overseas practicum.

What to expect in the online TEFL course

The TEFL online course consists of 150 hours of course readings, peer participation, essays, and tasks that’ll develop you into a confident and thriving English teacher! Taught by a highly qualified university professor in a class of no more than 20 students, course work will cover teaching methodology, lesson planning and proper classroom management. This course typically takes 11 weeks to complete, over a part-time schedule with about 10-15 hours of work each week. Once you’ve successfully passed the online course, you’ll be ready to take the next step and join us in Africa for your exciting teaching practicum!