Literacy Promoter - Volunteer Position - Onsite in Guyana - 2 years, plus 3 months training
Peace Corps
United States
Posted on May 3, 2025
About The Job
Apply by :
October 1, 2025
Know By
December 1, 2025
Depart On
June 2, 2026
Duration
2 years, plus 3 months training
ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.
Project description
SPECIAL NOTICE ABOUT CITIZENSHIP: Candidates who are dual citizens of Guyana and the U.S. are not eligible to serve with Peace Corps Guyana. Volunteer safety is of paramount importance, and the protections of U.S. citizenship promote Volunteer safety. If anyone holding dual U.S. and Guyana citizenship were to face a legal, safety, or other emergency situation in Guyana, the Peace Corps' ability to intervene would be limited. If you hold citizenship with both the U.S. and Guyana, we encourage you to look at other opportunities within Peace Corps.
Guyana is known as the Land of Many Waters and has a vibrant culture and is rich in biodiversity.
The goal of the Peace Corps’ Read to Achieve project is for Guyanese students to attain literacy skills that contribute to academic success. The Ministry of Education has an expressed goal of ensuring that all Guyanese children are reading at grade level by Grade 4. Small improvements in scores at the National Grade 4 and 6 levels have not translated into reaching the projected national goal of 80% of students meeting defined grade level standards in literacy or English.
Primary or Secondary Literacy Promoters work at primary/elementary /secondary schools in villages and towns throughout the country to support the Ministry of Education’s literacy curriculum for Grades 1-4 with children ages 6 to 9 and Grades 7-9 for ages 12-15. Literacy Promoters are in school at least 20 hours per week are supervised by the Head Teacher and work with an identified teacher counterpart. Additionally, the Literacy Promoter spends at least three hours engaged in community development projects with a community member or organization.
Literacy Promoters work directly with students through small group “pull-outs” and one-on-one student tutoring sessions, supporting students who need more directed assistance. They conduct diagnostic assessments with students, arrange pull-out schedules, deliver literacy lessons and maintain records of students progress to share and discuss with staff.
Literacy Promoters also work with teachers to strengthen general teaching skills and specific skills related to teaching literacy. This is done through modeling of teaching techniques, participating in communities of practice and assisting teachers in developing appropriate multi-sensory classroom learning resources. Depending on experience, Primary/Secondary Literacy Promoters may have the opportunity to conduct technical training (e.g., workshops or professional development sessions) with teachers at their school or in the region.
Outside of class, the Primary/Secondary Literacy Promoters’ work-plan often involves the following options: 1) Developing and/or maintaining classroom and school libraries and use of such resources to improve literacy. 2)PCV’s also collaborate with teaching staff and local Parent Teachers’ Associations to increase community awareness of literacy and support activities so parents and caregivers can help their children learn to read. 3)Partner with community-based interest groups to support community development activities or projects that addresses specific needs within a given community.
Other tasks include the following and are taught during your training periods with Peace Corps:
Use of Participatory Analysis for Community Assessment (PACA) tools to integrate and work with community members to identify secondary projects.
Leverage Project Design and Management training to develop grant proposals to fund school/community-based projects.
COVID-19 and a prolonged teachers’ strike have had impacts on the education sector in Guyana. As such, Primary /Secondary Literacy Promoters will be exposed to a larger number of children whose reading skills are significantly below the expected grade level. These children may have suffered severe learning loss due to limited access to technology and the internet as well as the inconsistent supply of learning materials.
Required Skills
Competitive candidates will have a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any discipline and a strong desire to teach English
Apply by :
October 1, 2025
Know By
December 1, 2025
Depart On
June 2, 2026
Duration
2 years, plus 3 months training
ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.
Project description
SPECIAL NOTICE ABOUT CITIZENSHIP: Candidates who are dual citizens of Guyana and the U.S. are not eligible to serve with Peace Corps Guyana. Volunteer safety is of paramount importance, and the protections of U.S. citizenship promote Volunteer safety. If anyone holding dual U.S. and Guyana citizenship were to face a legal, safety, or other emergency situation in Guyana, the Peace Corps' ability to intervene would be limited. If you hold citizenship with both the U.S. and Guyana, we encourage you to look at other opportunities within Peace Corps.
Guyana is known as the Land of Many Waters and has a vibrant culture and is rich in biodiversity.
The goal of the Peace Corps’ Read to Achieve project is for Guyanese students to attain literacy skills that contribute to academic success. The Ministry of Education has an expressed goal of ensuring that all Guyanese children are reading at grade level by Grade 4. Small improvements in scores at the National Grade 4 and 6 levels have not translated into reaching the projected national goal of 80% of students meeting defined grade level standards in literacy or English.
Primary or Secondary Literacy Promoters work at primary/elementary /secondary schools in villages and towns throughout the country to support the Ministry of Education’s literacy curriculum for Grades 1-4 with children ages 6 to 9 and Grades 7-9 for ages 12-15. Literacy Promoters are in school at least 20 hours per week are supervised by the Head Teacher and work with an identified teacher counterpart. Additionally, the Literacy Promoter spends at least three hours engaged in community development projects with a community member or organization.
Literacy Promoters work directly with students through small group “pull-outs” and one-on-one student tutoring sessions, supporting students who need more directed assistance. They conduct diagnostic assessments with students, arrange pull-out schedules, deliver literacy lessons and maintain records of students progress to share and discuss with staff.
Literacy Promoters also work with teachers to strengthen general teaching skills and specific skills related to teaching literacy. This is done through modeling of teaching techniques, participating in communities of practice and assisting teachers in developing appropriate multi-sensory classroom learning resources. Depending on experience, Primary/Secondary Literacy Promoters may have the opportunity to conduct technical training (e.g., workshops or professional development sessions) with teachers at their school or in the region.
Outside of class, the Primary/Secondary Literacy Promoters’ work-plan often involves the following options: 1) Developing and/or maintaining classroom and school libraries and use of such resources to improve literacy. 2)PCV’s also collaborate with teaching staff and local Parent Teachers’ Associations to increase community awareness of literacy and support activities so parents and caregivers can help their children learn to read. 3)Partner with community-based interest groups to support community development activities or projects that addresses specific needs within a given community.
Other tasks include the following and are taught during your training periods with Peace Corps:
Use of Participatory Analysis for Community Assessment (PACA) tools to integrate and work with community members to identify secondary projects.
Leverage Project Design and Management training to develop grant proposals to fund school/community-based projects.
COVID-19 and a prolonged teachers’ strike have had impacts on the education sector in Guyana. As such, Primary /Secondary Literacy Promoters will be exposed to a larger number of children whose reading skills are significantly below the expected grade level. These children may have suffered severe learning loss due to limited access to technology and the internet as well as the inconsistent supply of learning materials.
Required Skills
Competitive candidates will have a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any discipline and a strong desire to teach English