Help strengthen English communication and teacher capacity in a rural vocational school

The Instituto Filhas de Maria Auxiliadora (IFMA), through Palms International Volunteering, is seeking an English Teacher Mentor to support students and teachers at St Maria Mazzarello Vocational School in Venilale. Your mentoring will help young people—especially young women—gain the English communication skills needed for future employment in hospitality and tourism, one of Timor Leste’s most promising economic sectors.

This role is ideal for someone passionate about practical English teaching, cross cultural learning, and sustainable skills transfer.

What you’ll do

First several weeks – Learn, observe, and build trust

• Learn local language, cultural norms, and school context with guidance from a local mentor.
• Observe existing teaching practices and document strengths and community assets.
• Avoid recommending changes during this period; focus on understanding why things are done the way they are.

Ongoing responsibilities

Teaching Strategies & Lesson Planning

• Support teachers to create simple, structured lesson plans aligned with the curriculum.
• Model effective teaching routines and low resource activities.
• Help teachers adapt lessons for mixed ability classes.

Improving Students’ Ability

• Demonstrate strategies that build student confidence and participation.
• Promote inclusive, active learning through pair work, games, and communication tasks.
• Guide teachers to use quick checks to monitor student progress.

Leadership & Mentoring

• Model professional, collaborative leadership in the school environment.
• Build teachers’ confidence to lead lessons independently through gradual handover.
• Encourage reflective practice and peer support among teachers.
• Participate in school activities.

English Communication

• Model clear, simple English for classroom use.
• Coach teachers to use practical English phrases and routines confidently.
• Support balanced use of English with appropriate scaffolding in Tetun/Portuguese.

Cross Cultural Understanding

• Promote respectful, culturally sensitive communication with teachers and students.
• Integrate English learning with local culture and school values.
• Encourage mutual learning and appreciation of different teaching traditions.

What you’ll bring

• Formal training in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
• Native English speaker university graduate.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and basic computer functions, with the ability to transfer these skills.
• Experience in English teaching strategies and lesson planning.
• Experience teaching in low resource or multilingual classrooms.
• Ability to design simple learning materials.
• Familiarity with Timor Leste’s education context.
• Strong teamwork, coaching, and mentoring skills.
• Compassion, patience, adaptability, and cultural sensitivity.
• Ability to cope with cultural isolation and different living standards.
• Commitment to serve in Venilale for 12 months with limited resources.

What you’ll gain

• Deep cultural immersion in the mountains of Timor Leste.
• The opportunity to strengthen English communication and teacher capacity in a rural vocational school.
• Professional experience in cross cultural education and mentoring.
• Contribution to SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 17 (Partnerships).

About St. Maria Mazzarello Vocational School (SMVS) in Venilale SMVS is a Salesian Sisters–run institution that provides young people, especially young women, with practical hospitality skills, a safe learning environment, and strong values based education.

About Palms International Volunteering For 65 years, Palms International Volunteering has supported skilled Australians to live and work alongside communities in the Asia-Pacific. Our volunteers don’t ‘fix’ problem - they build relationships, strengthen local capacity, and walk with communities striving for dignity and opportunity. These are ‘solidarity placements’. Accommodation and a small stipend is provided, as well as preparation and ongoing support.

The focus is on living as a true neighbour to learn, and to establish an effective mentoring role. This is the basis for lasting capacity building in the community. It is also a chance for you to step out of the rush and reconnect with what matters through a deep cultural immersion and genuine community relationships.