Commune de Yene, Dakar Region

You will be teaching English in an Elementory, Middle and High school in the community of Yene on the west coast of Senegal. 

Your Project

You will be teaching English at the local Elementory School, the CEM Yene (a Middle School) and Lycee de Yene (a High School). Students in Senegal don’t start learning English until they attend middle school so for many of your younger pupils this will be their first experience of learning English.  

Commune de Yene is a collection of rural villages on the coast. These include Toubab Dialaw, a relaxed village catering for low scale tourism, with small beachside restaurants, bars, and guest houses.

Class sizes are large, often with up to 70 students in each, all with varying abilities. This means we need you to use your initiative and energy to keep the students engaged and excited to learn. You will mainly support the students to improve their English language by teaching them basic English vocabulary. You will be provided with textbooks that you can use to plan and prepare lessons, delivering the whole curriculum. Previous Volunteers at the Lycee have also helped to reorganise the small library, making it more accessible for students.

There are lots of opportunities to get involved in extracurricular activities. Previous volunteers have set up a successful English Club where students enjoy learning to speak English through the medium of drama, art and singing. You may also be asked to support around the school, especially with marking exam tests and helping with exams. Students are keen to improve their speaking and will often ask for 1:1 sessions.

Accommodation

You will live in an apartment close to the schools. You will share a bedroom with your partner and also have a living area and bathroom. Living conditions in Senegal are basic and though you have access to running water and electricity, these can be temperamental. Your meals will be cooked by your neighbour and you will likely eat communally with other people from the community.