Winter Term 2023 - Biblioteca David Kitson (Costa Rica) Teacher Assistant/Intern

The Biblioteca David Kitson in Nosara is a foundation that, during Costa Rica's summer break, serves as a place where children and adults receive ESL, ESOL instructions. Middlebury students have taken part in this program during Winter Term (4 weeks in January) since 1998.

Goals and teaching methods for English in this setting are different from the way foreign languages are taught in the US. We are not teaching reading and writing skills, nor are we after an in-depth understanding of the grammar and structure of English. Our job is to help the local students to communicate with English speakers at whatever level they can reach. Many of the students will have taken English the January before and so have a little knowledge but are extremely hesitant to speak. That is our goal...to get them to say/speak whatever they know.

It is not necessary to speak Spanish, but it is preferred to have completion of Spanish 220 or higher. This is helpful in their relations with people outside of class but to teach, no Spanish is used in class. It's not only possible, but preferable to use only English in teaching English.

**Middlebury Only**

Please visit go/WTinternships for information on receiving credit (if desired) for Winter Term internships.

information session will be Wednesday, October 12th 8:00-8:45 via Zoom at tinyurl.com/CRwt2023 Passcode 092181. Please contact Miguel Fernandez for more information.