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Serve where you’re needed mostEnglish Education Teacher Trainer and Material Design Specialist
Education
Job highlights
Costa Rica • North America
In partnership with: Ministry of Public Education (MEP)
Applications are now closed. View current openings.
Apply by
November 15, 2025Know by
January 1, 2026Depart on
June 8, 2026Duration
12 monthsAbout the project
The Ministry of Public Education (MEP) in Costa Rica has requested the support of a Peace Corps Response Volunteer (PCRV) to serve as an Adult English Education Curriculum and Materials Design Specialist. In 2017, the MEP began rolling out a multiyear curricular implementation plan to introduce teachers to new lesson plans and teaching guides. A new English curriculum was developed with the support of a cohort of PCRVs, and the Peace Corps – MEP collaboration has continued growing through different initiatives. MEP has identified a need for support for the National English Advisors at the Curriculum Development Department of MEP in the implementation of the new curriculum through material and curriculum design, with a focus on secondary education.
The PCRV will collaborate closely with two counterparts from the Secondary Education Department, National Advisors from the Youth and Adult Department to produce materials and develop resources such as audios, videos, teacher tool kits, student resource kits and dialogue scripts. The PCRV will also support a variety of curriculum development initiatives through document revision and organizing resource creation workshops. The overall goal of this assignment is to support MEP to provide Costa Rican students with an updated learning model that reflects the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to succeed as a citizen in the 21st century.
Candidates selected for this position will be arriving in Costa Rica together as a group, so while the departure dates for the whole group could change, dates cannot be changed for individual candidates.
Learn more about what Volunteers do in country by visiting our Costa Rica project page.
Required skills
Qualified candidates will have the following criteria:
• BA or MA in Education, preferably with a focus on curriculum/instruction.
• BA plus 3 or more years of relevant experience, including teaching and curriculum development, and teacher certification/license or MA plus 2 or more years of relevant experience.
• Specialized experience in one of the following areas: Adult English Education, Vocational English Education, or Special Education.
Language: Spanish
A. Completed 4 years of high school Spanish coursework in the past 8 years
B. Completed college-level Elementary II Spanish semester (Elementary III in quarter system) within the past 6 years
C. Score between 50-62 on the Spanish College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam in the past 6 years
D. Score Novice-High or Intermediate-Low on official American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in Spanish within the past 6 years
Required behavioral competencies
These competencies are essential for all service assignments and are assessed in the application and interview process:
Motivation for and commitment to service
Adaptability and open-mindedness
Problem solving and resourcefulness
Behavioral maturity and professionalism
Photos from Costa Rica
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Learn more about the living conditions, including detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics on our Costa Rica country page. You can also delve into stories about local communities by reading our blog or Volunteer stories.
Meet a Volunteer in Costa Rica
Henry B.
Elementary English Education Volunteer
"Dancing is big in my community, and it has been a great way to meet people and to distinguish myself from the tourists who are constantly coming through town."
See full Volunteer profile
To learn more about serving as a couple in Costa Rica, visit the country page.
Application process
From application to departure takes around nine months. Learn about the application process for Volunteer opportunities.
Medical/legal clearance
You will need to be cleared medically and legally in order to serve in Costa Rica. Review information on medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.
