Teacher of English

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 202122 we reached 650 million people.

Role Purpose:

• To promote and ensure quality teaching and effective learning of English across a range of young learner and adult programmes.

• To support the wider aims of the British Council and its cultural relations mission.

Overview:

• The teaching centres in Portugal are dynamic and well established in three main cities Greater Lisbon (Lisbon and two branches), Porto and Coimbra. We also work with partner schools and offsite school collaborations as well as with corporate clients. We deliver programmes face to face and online for young learners and adults. It is common for teachers to work across programmes and in different sites within the city area.

• We have a six-day week operation, with teachers typically working one of two shift patterns between Monday-Saturday, determined by Operational need. We deliver in excess of 40,000 class hours per year and we teach around 4000 students. Our main academic year runs across three terms from late September to late June, with holiday programmes during the Easter and Summer periods.

• Portugal works as one operation and there is a national academic management team driving teaching quality across the country as well as national operational support teams. Teachers have the opportunity to work closely with colleagues in their centres, as well as some chance to work together across different cities. More recently, programmes have involved connections with students in other countries across the global programme. There are over 40 teachers in Greater Lisbon, 30 in Porto and 20 in Coimbra.

• We offer young learner courses at four life stages: Early Years (4-5 year olds), Primary (6-9), Lower Secondary (10-12) and Secondary (13-17). We use British Council products across all the life stages and integrate exam preparation materials into the courses at B2, C1 and C2 levels, as per groups needs.

• There are opportunities for Continuing Professional Development through an in-house teacher development programme, DELTA and specialist YL training support.

Main Accountabilities, Responsibilities and Duties:

Accountabilities:

• Ensuring teaching meets learner needs and expectations

• Ensuring teaching meets Teaching Quality standards and organisational expectations of safeguarding and risk compliance

• Maintaining good relationships with customers, academic colleagues and operational support staff

• Supporting the teaching centres activities and British Council plans

• Enhancing the British Councils reputation as a world authority in ELT

• Continuing professional development and sharing of best practices

Responsibilities & main duties:

Teaching

• Plan, prepare and deliver high quality English language teaching in line with the British Council statement of approach, designated course materials and guidelines and the needs of different life stages, deploying a variety of approaches, techniques and media (e.g. face-to-face, online, blended learning) as required

• Provide feedback to learners and regularly assess their progress and development to ensure they experience a supportive and effective educational environment in accordance with the British Councils high quality brand offer; promote learner autonomy through self and peer assessment and reflection on learning

Teaching product, programme and curricula development

• As required, give feedback to support the development, evaluation, and improvement of high-quality teaching courses for use in country and across the British Council network

Teaching expertise

• Actively engage in professional development and performance management to ensure quality and high standards in teaching and learning, and maintain British Councils position at the forefront of best ELT practices

• Undertake a range of CPD activities (e.g. attending INSET sessions, online learning, wider ELT reading and review of wider teaching practice/techniques) to promote ideas sharing and reflection on effective practice

Managing resources

• Plan and prioritise own work activities, responding to changing requirements to ensure effective and high-quality delivery of teaching and administrative responsibilities over a daily/weekly/termly timeframe

Risk & compliance

• Follow agreed corporate risk management processes, procedures and policies in all areas (including Safeguarding, EDI, Health and safety, Anti-Fraud, Information management) when delivering services to protect the interests of the British Council and its customers at all times

Language Requirement:

• High proficiency in English i.e. full mastery of English across all four skills equivalent to CEFR C2 / IELTS Band 8/9 in each of the four sections of the academic module

Qualification:

Essential

• Undergraduate and or University degree

• Cambridge CELTA and or Trinity CertTESOL

Desirable

• Recognised diploma in EFL i.e. Cambridge DELTA/Trinity Diploma TESOL

• Additional specialist qualifications such as PGCE/B.ED in Primary, TYLEC, Nile Teaching English in Pre-Primary education

Work Experience:

Essential

• Equivalent to 2 years experience post-certificate (CELTA/Trinity cert TESOL)

• A minimum of 1200+ hours of experience should have been gained from teaching three or more of the following a life stages:

  • Early Years aged 4 to 5 (200+hours)

  • Primary aged 6 to 9 (400+ hours)

  • Lower Secondary aged 10 to 12 (400+ hours)

  • Upper Secondary aged 13 to 17 (400+ hours)

  • Adults General English 18+ (400+ hours)

Desirable

• Experience in teaching:

• Online (e.g. via Zoom)

• Exam preparation at B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency (400+hours)

• Training and teaching for corporates classes /in-company

• One-to-one teaching

• IELTS preparation (200+hours)

Salary & Benefits:

• Salary: 1,515.09 EUR to 1,746.82 EUR gross per month, depending on qualifications and experience

• Meal Allowance: Euros 6.25 per working day (x11 months, not paid in August)

• Onboarding Allowances:Applicable if hired from outside Portugal only

  • A one-way onboarding flight

  • Up to two weeks accommodation upon arrival

  • Two weeks settling-in allowance

• Leaves: Annual paid leave of 35 days per 12-month period in addition to locally observed public holidays proportional to the time of joining. Leave usage is determined by the operations of the centre.

• Medical allowance: You will be registered with a local medical insurance scheme, subscribed to by the British Council which (at this time) covers 80% of medical costs, subject to the eligibility criteria of the scheme.

Additional Information:

• Contract Hours: 18 Hours

• Contract Duration:12 months with the option of renewal subject to performance

• Right to Work: Successful applicants must have the right to work in Portugal.

Closing Date and Time 25 December 2023 (23:59 PM IST)

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion(EDI) Statement

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

The British Council iscommitted to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.

We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.

Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Councils Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you have any problems with your application please email askhr@britishcouncil.org

Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our ASK HR email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.