As a volunteer teaching English in Costa Rica, you will provide additional support to local teachers across the schools in Coronado. Not only this, Costa Rica volunteer programs provide a great foundation to improve your Spanish. Combine your Spanish learning and enthusiasm for teaching to make the most out of your teach English in Costa Rica experience!
BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM
The beautiful city of Coronado is located in the suburbs of San Jose. Communities are expanding in Coronado and classrooms are becoming increasingly overstretched. Teachers are overseeing classrooms of as many as 30 students, calling out for much-needed assistance.
For over a century, education has been free for all Costa Rica citizens. The literacy rate of Costa Rica is 95%. Moreover, most students will graduate from secondary school with some form of specialised training. This specialisation will help students stand out when it comes to finding a job in Costa Rica in their free time.
The belief behind free education is the empowering future that comes as a result. The government believes that providing a solid education will then provide the country with a more skilled workforce. People who can advance the times and opportunities for Costa Rica.
The mission of the Costa Rican school system is, “To create a well-educated populace that will one day improve their national (and even global) lot.” Costa Rica is a community-based society and not based on the individual success of students.
In 1869 Costa Rica was the first country in Central America to make education free for all citizens. Primary education is mandatory for children 6 to 13 years old followed by a voluntary secondary education lasting five years. The final two years of secondary education are specialised. This includes subjects such as computer science, media & technology, clinical assistance and childcare training.
The public and private school systems are similar in the respect that the curriculum is enforced and determined by the Ministry of Education. The major difference between the two is that extra classes are offered to prepare students for study abroad. The cost of private education is very high and only those from high-income families are able to receive such programs.
Social classes are a major factor in the social system of Costa Rica. Costa Ricans feel that their high education sets them apart from those of less fortune. Due to this, there has been a great focus on the expansion of primary and secondary education.
Families with a higher cost of living born into the lower classes will almost always remain in this class. However, in certain cases due to free education and family sacrifice to save money, students can have their prospects enhanced. This may be through being placed into private education or English classes that progress them into further levels of education. This is where free assistance within the public school system can really provide a fighting chance for those of lower classes.
Our Costa Rica local team is happy to provide assistance and lessons for the teachers of Coronado. Many teachers have studied with foreign educators but do so at a University level. Consequently, their English was developed at an older level. To ensure our volunteers are equipped to teach English in Costa Rica, the teaching program will include 1 week of Spanish language classes to start your project! This is to ensure you are able to apply yourself to the children and teachers!
Volunteer opportunities offer a platform to make a positive impact when you teach English in Costa Rica. When working at our volunteer teaching English abroad projects in Costa Rica, it is important to maintain energy, enthusiasm and creativity. Many of these students will benefit from having someone who is fluent in the English language teaching them in Costa Rica. As a volunteer teaching English in Costa Rica, you will need to donate your time and skills effectively. This is to ensure you can maximise your impact on the local people. If you need motivation for volunteer gap year options, then our projects in Costa Rica provide some fantastic opportunities.
TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES
Escuela San Francisco - Located just 1.7 km from the centre of Coronado, Escuela San Francisco has been serving the local community since 1996. The school provides education for around 400 students aged 7 to 12, with class sizes of up to 25 students. Children attending the school come from the surrounding neighbourhoods, creating a close-knit community environment. The school is easily accessible on foot from the volunteer accommodation, with a local bus also available for those who prefer not to walk.
As a volunteer in Costa Rica, you will support the school’s English teachers by assisting during lessons and helping to deliver engaging classroom activities for children from first to sixth grade. Volunteers may also help with extracurricular English sessions, encouraging students to build their confidence through conversation, games, and interactive learning. In some classes, you may work with children who have additional learning needs, providing valuable support alongside the teaching staff. Your enthusiasm, creativity, and willingness to get involved will help create a positive learning environment while giving students extra encouragement to develop their English language skills.
Community Based Educational Centres - In some cases, volunteers may be placed in different schools or community initiatives in Coronado or nearby towns. Each centre has its own age groups, routines, and teaching styles. Some follow a structured classroom format, while others provide more open and informal learning spaces. These variations are an important part of the experience, encouraging volunteers to adapt, take initiative, and plan activities that suit both the environment and the needs of the children.
This teaching placement is ideal for individuals who are proactive and open minded, who enjoy engaging with children and hope to make a meaningful contribution to their learning. It also offers a chance to improve Spanish skills, gain classroom experience, and build genuine connections with local families and educators.
The primary teaching placement is usually Escuela San Francisco. However, placements can change depending on placement availability, holiday schedules and the needs of the community. Such flexibility gives volunteers the chance to experience a variety of teaching settings and offer support where it is most helpful.
OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING CHILDREN IN COSTA RICA
Return Airport Transfer - Your return airport transfer is not included in your Program Fee. Our local team can help arrange onward transfers to the airport or an alternative destination from the accommodation. Making specific arrangements once in Costa Rica provides more flexibility as plans can often change and participants may be on similar flight plans. Alternatively, a more common and cheaper method is to use a ridesharing app. Participants can often be travelling across their final few days and therefore are not necessarily heading back to the airport directly from our accommodation. The costs depend on your method of transport and your final destination. This can often be split across multiple participants if you are travelling with someone else on the program.
Experience - For the English Teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.
Preparation and Initiative – Since each school and community setting works in its own way, volunteers are encouraged to develop a few simple lesson ideas or activity plans as they settle into the project. The local team is available to share examples and practical resources that will help you prepare. Volunteers usually take the lead in guiding daily activities, and a local coordinator is on hand to provide steady support and oversight when needed, creating a balanced environment where your ideas can develop while local routines and expectations are respected.
TEFL Course - We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.
Spanish Requirements - As for all our volunteer in Costa Rica programs, we recommend that you speak a reasonable level of Spanish prior to your trip. There are no specific language requirements in order to join the program and you can join as an absolute beginner. However, we find that the ability to speak a good level of the Spanish language and a passion to learn more will greatly enhance your overall experience. This is because English is generally not widely spoken and therefore our programs should be viewed as a broader language immersion experience. If you do not speak a reasonable level of Spanish then you will find it difficult to communicate. As a result, this could lead to a more frustrating experience.
All volunteers in Costa Rica will participate in the learn Spanish in Costa Rica program for the first week of their experience. This provides everyone with 20 lessons per-week of group Spanish lessons and some optional afternoon cultural and social activities. In cases where a participant is the only one at their level, a participant may partake in 15 private lessons per-week instead. Each lesson lasts 50 minutes.
Prior to your arrival, you will receive an email request to take a Spanish Proficiency level form. The form is quick and used by the local team to prepare your classes upon arrival. The aim of this week is to try and improve your level of Spanish before you start volunteering in your second week. Most participants in Costa Rica are purely joining the Language Immersion program rather than volunteering. Therefore, the Spanish language experience is a huge part of the overall culture of the setup in Costa Rica.
We also offer Online Spanish Lessons that you can take before your trip. The lessons provide you with the opportunity to receive one-on-one classes from a trained Spanish teacher. Classes are held via Zoom and can be worked around your schedule back in your home country.
Once you are in-country then you are also able to organise additional Spanish lessons directly with our local team. Volunteer feedback suggests that it can often be tiring to complete Spanish lessons at the same time as your volunteer programs in Costa Rica. Consequently, we generally recommend extending your Language Immersion Program.
Weekends - Your project work in Costa Rica runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Costa Rica Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend.
