Visiting Teacher Programs Offer a Chance to Work in U.S.

I'm Jim Tedder with the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT.

Everyone knows about exchange and visitor programs that give students a chance to study in another country.  But today we are going to talk about two programs that give teachers a chance to teach in the United States.

One of them is the Visiting International Faculty Program.  VIF is based in North Carolina and says it is the United States' largest cultural exchange program for teachers and schools.  This program has brought about seven thousand teachers to the United States since nineteen eighty-seven.

The program is open to teachers from Latin America, Europe, South Africa, Canada, Australia, the Philippines and New Zealand.  It places them in schools in seven states for one to three years.  After that, they must return home.

The seven states are North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Florida and California.  The teachers work for local school systems and are paid the same as an American teacher.

The majority are placed in elementary education, Spanish language and English as a second language, special education, math and science.  Some teachers are placed in other language classes and other subjects.

Teachers in the program must have an advanced proficiency level in English.  They must have a teaching or university degree equal to an American bachelor's degree.  And they must have three years of teaching experience with students between the ages of five and eighteen.  Two years of driving experience is also required.

Visiting teachers may also be able to earn a master's degree while in the United States.

Another visiting teachers program is offered by the Spanish government.  Teachers from Spain are placed in elementary, middle and high schools in several American states and in Canada.

This program is also for one to three years.  The teachers from Spain are teamed with teachers in Spanish language classes.  They also help students who speak English as a second language.

This VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT was written by Nancy Steinbach.  To find this report online, and for links to the Web sites of these two programs, go to voaspecialenglish.com.

And one more thing -- if you are a teacher using Special English in your classroom, please let us know.  We are interested to know where you are and what you teach, and how you put our programs to use for your students.  Write to special@voanews.com.  I'm Jim Tedder.