Teach Abroad – Catania | Phoenix Sister Cities

Program Overview

Want to live abroad and have a rewarding career? Phoenix Sister Cities seeks Phoenix residents to serve as English Language Teachers in our sister city Catania, Italy. Participants fulfill a contract from September to May with Tuttolingue English School.

Tuttolingue English School is in the city center of Catania. The school was founded in 1995, and focuses on teaching school-aged children and teenagers (5-19), although some of the individual students may be adults. The School prepares students for English Language exams, especially Trinity, Cambridge (YL and Main Suite) and IELTS.

All lessons take place at the school.

Working hours are Monday through Friday afternoons (with occasional mornings required) and Saturday mornings (9 am to noon).

Applications are due July 15, 2024, for the following school session that begins at the end of September. To be eligible for the program, applicants must be a U.S. citizen with residency within the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area and must possess a 4-year degree. Teaching experience or experience working with children very much preferred; familiarity with the Italian language is not required.

Program Information

The Teach Abroad Program selects Phoenix residents, who are US citizens, to spend seven months in Catania, Italy teaching English to young children (5 years plus) and some teenagers.

To qualify, a degree in any discipline from a four-year institution is required; however, a teaching certificate is not required.
CELTA certification or equivalent preferred.

Training provided by Tuttolingue:

Optional one-week training before the start of the Academic Year (unpaid)
Professional Development sessions throughout the year
Training on Cambridge exams (and other exams, where needed)
Observation by other teachers

Program Calendar:

View the 2024 Teach Abroad Catania Calendar (forthcoming).

Pre-departure training and expectations:

Teachers are required to attend biweekly two-hour training sessions in August. For 2024, most of these sessions will be held virtually. Topics may include: lesson planning, ESL, Sicilian culture, etc.
Teachers are encouraged to enroll in an Italian language program of their choice.
Teachers must become a member of Phoenix Sister Cities.

How to Apply

The 2024 Teach Abroad Catania application is open now. Applications are due July 15, 2024.

View our Application Preview Document to see what you will be asked in the application.

Applicants must be able to provide a copy of their college diploma by August 1, 2024.

Applications and payments must be received on or before the deadline. Any applications received after the deadline will be considered late and not taken into consideration.

Application Fee

The application and a $25 application fee must be received by our office (submitted online) by the deadline.

To pay the deposit online, please submit a payment of $25 under the “Donate” button. When checking out, please note that you are an applicant for 2024 Teach Abroad Catania.

You can also mail or hand-deliver your payment to Phoenix Sister Cities, located on the 20th floor of Phoenix City Hall:

Phoenix Sister Cities

Attn: Teach Abroad Catania

200 W Washington St. 20th Floor

Phoenix, AZ 85003

Application

The 2024 Teach Abroad application is open now.

Your online application is made through Survey Monkey. Once begun, your application must be completed using the same device. If you pause anywhere in the application, you must reach a designated checkpoint (noted by a “Next” button). Before navigating away from the page, click “Next” to save your work on the current page. This will allow you to return to your application and complete it.

To continue working on your application, return to the URL using the same device.

Ready to Apply? Have you…
• Reviewed the Application Preview Document?
• Reviewed the 2024 Teach Abroad Catania Calendar (forthcoming)?
• Updated your resume?
• Written responses to the 2 short-answer questions?
• Collected work history information?

Catania’s raucous fish market, which takes over the streets behind Piazza del Duomo every workday morning, is street theatre at its most thrilling. Tables groan under the weight of decapitated swordfish, ruby-pink prawns and trays full of clams, mussels, sea urchins and all manner of mysterious sea life.

Cost and Benefits

Program Fees:

$25 – application fee (supports training costs)
$45 – Individual membership to Phoenix Sister Cities

Purchase of a Phoenix Sister Cities membership is not required prior to being formally accepted into the program.

Rent/Utilities:

A room in a shared apartment costs about 400 Euros per person per month. Tuttolingue is working to identify suitable available apartments.

Utilities (i.e., water and gas) are included in the rent. Electricity, Internet and phone service are not included.

Salary:

Teachers enter into a “cooperation contract” with Tuttolingue to receive 1300 Euros (net) per month for about 100 hours of teaching per month.

The school is closed on the following holidays: November 1, December 24 to January 6, February 5, April 18 to 21, April 25 and May 1.

Public healthcare services are generally free or relatively inexpensive in Italy. Once you arrive in Italy, you can apply for public healthcare, which means getting registered at a GP. Whether you register at a GP or not, you can access emergency services (A&E; ‘Guardia Medica’) free of charge.

Benefits:

Pre-departure trainings which may include language lessons, lesson planning, and cultural information.
Airfare to and from Catania, Italy

FAQ

Trip Preparation

Q: Are there any immunizations that need to be done in advance?

A: No immunizations are required by the program.

Q: What kind of documentation will participants be required to take with them?

A: Participants must take their passports, visas, and an alternate form of photo ID. It is also a good idea to make copies of each and carry them in your luggage.

Q: How do I obtain a passport?

A: For information on how to obtain a passport, please visit
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply.html

Q: How do I obtain a visa?

A: Phoenix Sister Cities (PSC) will assist with the visa process. Participants will submit their passport, (2) passport-size photos, a completed visa application, and release of liability. Visa applications will be given to program participants at their first mandatory meeting. PSC can also assist with obtaining visas for family members accompanying the teacher to Catania.

Q: Do I need to become a member of Phoenix Sister Cities?

A: Yes, program participants are required to become members of Phoenix Sister Cities. Personal membership fees vary in cost; there are student, single adult, senior and family rates available. You will receive monthly newsletters, discounted offers, invitations and additional announcements on various Phoenix Sister Cities events and programs with your membership.

Q: How will I be taxed while I am in Italy? What is the process and or what are the forms that I will need to complete?

A: Please consult your tax preparer. Individual tax questions may also be directed to the IRS and can be answered by phone at 1-800-829-1040.

Meet Our Teachers

All of our teachers come from various backgrounds and experiences. We encourage anyone interested who meets the requirements to apply. Living abroad and making a difference in a foreign country is a unique opportunity not available to everybody. Upon their return, teachers find that they have learned quite a bit from the very students they were teaching.

Coming soon!