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Connect with the Peace Corps
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Serve where you’re needed mostEnglish Literacy Teacher
Education
Job highlights
- Be one of the first Peace Corps Volunteers to serve in Palau since 2018.
- Build marketable teaching and literacy‑support skills through hands‑on classroom experience and structured training.
- Form lasting connections with Palauan teachers, students, and families while experiencing rich island culture and traditions.
Get answers live — every weekday at .
Apply by
October 15, 2026Know by
December 1, 2026Depart on
April 28, 2027Duration
2 years, plus 3 months trainingAbout the project
Elementary schools in Palau are looking for individuals with a passion for literacy to support young learners.
A longstanding national education priority has been to improve English reading and writing skills. Despite dedicated teachers, schools continue to face literacy challenges, such as limited resources, varying home language environments, and pandemic-era learning gaps. Ministry of Education data show that many elementary grade students struggle to reach foundational reading benchmarks. With classrooms often stretched to full capacity, teachers welcome additional support in providing individualized attention and engaging learning experiences. Schools wish to expand the time and attention given to early readers, introduce practical literacy activities, and strengthen teacher confidence in student-centered approaches.
As an English Literacy Teacher, you will support students’ reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension while creating supplementary teaching materials tailored to local needs alongside local educators. Together, you will strengthen local English proficiency, the students’ readiness for secondary studies, and educational outcomes aligned with Palau’s national development goals. You will also contribute to lasting partnerships that encourage continued innovation and shared learning among teachers and families.
Learn more about what Volunteers do in country by visiting our Palau project page.
Required skills
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
Bachelor's degree in any discipline.
Language: There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position.
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 Palau
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Conduct classroom support sessions focused on early‑grade English literacy.
Develop simple reading and writing activities aligned with school needs.
Plan lessons with teachers and model student‑centered approaches.
Facilitate small‑group and one‑on‑one reading practice.
Create low‑cost teaching materials to supplement classroom instruction.
Support school‑wide literacy events and family engagement activities.
Collaborate with teachers on monitoring student reading progress.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as community gardening or an English conversation club.
Volunteers serve in small island communities across Babeldaob, Koror, and some outlying island states. Schools vary in size, resources, and access to materials. Housing is typically a private room within a host family’s home, which offers deep cultural immersion and close community relationships.
Learn more about the living conditions, including detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics on our Palau country page. You can also delve into stories about local communities by reading our blog or Volunteer stories.
As an English Literacy Teacher, you will be trained on foundational literacy instruction, co-teaching strategies, effective classroom management, and how to develop low-cost learning materials. Peace Corps/Palau will teach you conversational Palauan to help you comfortably live in and connect with the community.
After 10 weeks of training, you will move to a rural community where you will collaborate with local schools and teachers. You will work with the community to assess the local needs and develop solutions based on strengthening elementary grade English literacy.
Heterosexual and same-sex couples are accepted for this program. Each person must apply separately and qualify for a position in the same sector as their partner. Couples will live together during training but may separate occasionally for field-based activities. Couples who are selected for the same sector will live together but work with different local partners which may be in the same community or in neighboring communities (not more than 30 minutes apart).
To learn more about serving as a couple in Palau, 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 Palau. Review information on medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.
