Realizing the significance of the ability to communicate in English in a globalizing world, the Chilean Ministry of Education took the initiative in 2003 to establish the English Opens Doors (EOD) Program, an innovative program devoted to improving English teaching and learning in public schools throughout Chile. One of the program?s main projects is the EOD Volunteer Program, which was founded in 2004 as a joint effort between the Ministry of Education and the United Nations Development Programme-Chile.

Since its founding, the EOD Volunteer Program has facilitated Chilean students English language learning by giving them the chance to interact with a native speaker. The EOD Volunteer Program has brought more than 800 volunteers to public schools throughout Chile. The importance of this Program in contributing to Chile?s future is evident from strong governmental backing from both the Ministry of Education and President Michelle Bachelet, who supports the EOD Volunteer Program through her Presidential Initiatives.

The EOD Volunteer Program offers you the opportunity to teach within the Chilean education system. You will learn to coordinate classes with your host English teacher and also teach independently by running your own classroom. By bringing your unique cultural experiences to Chile, you will increase your students? interest in English and help them gain personal contact with people from other nations. Moreover, arriving as a volunteer for a reputable government program, you will have the credibility to make a lasting impact.

EOD Volunteer Program has developed an innovative e-blended Spanish course, the first of its kind in Chile, to provide you with program-long Spanish lessons. These lessons complement and reinforce the language-immersion experience afforded by daily communication in Spanish with your host family and community members. The host family stay will also allow you to engage in family activities, like asados (Chilean barbecues) and provide insight into local culture.