YOUR ROLE
You will support the English teacher by planning activities, texts, role plays and games using text books, newspaper/magazine articles, photos, pictures, maps, CDs, videos, DVDs or any other media to enable students to practise their English.

If you have been placed in China, Latin America or Switzerland you will almost certainly have to teach whole classes. However you will still have a mentor teacher to discuss problems with.

Assistants in other countries should not have to teach alone, but will be asked to take small conversation groups or ‘team teach’ with the class teacher. You will be the main resource for native speaker reading, pronunciation, dictation and speaking.

You should not have to: -

			discipline pupils regularly
			mark work*
			teach other subjects
			work extra hours unpaid
			cover for illness
			be responsible for the overall curriculum.*

*Some assistants in Chile and Colombia may have overall responsibility for a group of students, but should be made aware of this prior to departure and receive training in their host institution.

Schools use assistants in different ways and teachers will have different approaches. You should be classed as a member of staff and have full access to use the staff room and classroom resources.

Your responsibilities
Even if you are on your year abroad, the assistantship is a job. Your actions and performance will influence your teachers’ and students’ perception of life in the UK.  Therefore you must behave in a professional and responsible manner.

In case of serious misconduct assistants can be, and have been, dismissed. Make sure you: -

			prepare carefully and seriously for lessons
			arrange to discuss your work regularly with your mentor
			arrive for class on time, even if the students are late
			show an interest in your students’ progress
			offer to make up time for classes missed.

Absence from school
If you need to take time off for any reason, make sure you agree this with your school in advance. Don’t return home without informing anyone!  If you are absent without prior agreement (except in cases of illness), you may not be paid.

Find out the procedure in your school for calling in sick and follow it. Any long periods of absence should be reported to our partner organisation and the British Council in the UK.

If you have to resign from your post during the year, you must give sufficient written notice to the school (usually one month), sending copies to the partner organisation, the British Council in the UK and your university if you are on your year abroad.