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SPECIAL EDUCATION
INTERNSHIPS
IN LATIN AMERICA
Latin America, like other developing regions of the world, is rapidly changing in the way it manages special education for its citizens. As a historically under-funded sector, and due to certain cultural norms, special education remains a major challenge for countries like Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. Access to special education, sufficient funding, and teacher training are 3 of the most important areas for development and improvement.
Note, if you are an expert in American Sign Language (ASL), you can bring English to the special needs classroom—helping hearing impaired students learn English as a second language.
Intermediate Spanish is required to be effective in a special education placement. If your Spanish language skills are not at this level, we offer online Spanish classes and our Spanish Immersion program to bring your skills up to the appropriate level.
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Why I Maximo Nivel
As a special education intern, I had the opportunity to work in a special education school ca couple of miles outside of central Cusco. I worked primarily in the first grade classroom. I helped plan and teach lessons to the class and helped supervise the students. I also had the opportunity of partaking in school festivities, such as holiday celebrations. I truly felt like I became a part of the school community and had an experience I will never forget.
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERNSHIPS
IN COSTA RICA
In 1957, Costa Rica passed one of the world’s first pieces of legislation pertaining to special education–further proving the country’s leadership in the education sector. The Fundamental Law of Education established the constitutional right of students with disabilities to receive special education, including appropriate didactic techniques and materials, and the right of parents to receive information on assisting their children with special educational needs.
While special education services continue to expand, the challenge for Costa Rica is to ensure the quality of the services provided. With the majority of teacher training programs based in the capital city of San Jose, your international internship gives you professional hands-on training working with certified special education teachers. As an international intern, you provide individual attention to students with various disabilities, plan lessons utilizing appropriate level curriculum, and advance your classroom management techniques to encourage students to work at their highest potential.
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERNSHIPS
IN GUATEMALA
Guatemala took its first step toward special needs education when the country established its first school for the blind in 1940. Since then, a number of disability laws have been passed which enable people with special needs to participate in education services. While these services continue to expand, Guatemala has also received aid and training for effective special education instructional methods.
Despite these positive developments, a large part of the special needs population continues to be underserved. Your special education internship in Antigua, Guatemala provides hands-on experience assisting professional teachers in the daily management of a special needs classroom. As you give attention to students, you can ensure learners understand the material being presented and their individual needs are accounted for. International interns share ideas, prepare unique lesson plans, and teach lessons based on a standardized curriculum–all while receiving the ongoing support of a designated staff member.
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERNSHIPS
IN PERU
Peru’s general education system has undergone many improvements over the last 20 years. However, the demand for proper resources and training to support students with special needs is still very high. Designated schools have been constructed to support students with disabilities–80% are provided by the public education system, while 20% are run by NGOs or private schools. Still, the average student-teacher ratio in special education classes is 15:1 or even higher!
This means, students with disabilities are often overlooked and misplaced in classrooms with regular learners, which causes learners to feel discouraged—they fall behind and end up dropping out. Special education internships in Peru give you the opportunity to utilize your educational training in a true special needs environment. As an intern, you provide hands-on assistance to special education teachers by conducting lessons, developing classroom management strategies, and improving individual student attention. You receive ongoing support and constructive feedback from a designated staff member to help you blossom in the field of special education.
WHY INTERN WITH MAXIMO NIVEL?
Maximo Nivel is a local organization based in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. Our role is to bring structure, organization, and quality service to your internship program.
- New internships start every Monday year-round
- Academic credit available
- Dedicated internship advisor
- Internships available for 4 to 24 weeks
- All-inclusive—Private accommodations, meals, & Spanish classes
- 24/7 in-country support
- Program fees from $1,595
Your internship is personalized from the beginning, and we match you with the very best placement based on your professional and academic goals. Schedule a call with a program advisor today!
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