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Job
Vacs in JAB
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FINDING
WORK ABROAD
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TEACHING
ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN OR SECOND LANGUAGE
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How to Teach English
as a Foreign Language
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| Ideally,
to teach English as a foreign language, the prospective
teacher should have a degree and a TEFL qualification;
though a degree, in any subject, would satisfy many
language school owners. |
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| When |
| Anytime. |
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| Where |
 Anywhere
that people want to learn English from a native speaker.
Though only experienced, qualified teachers will be
able to teach in English speaking nations or find
a job in advance. For those with no qualifications,
teaching jobs will have to be picked up en route to
Spain, Greece etc.
In some countries, teaching English is virtually the
only job you will be able to find. Asia, for example,
has no need of dishwashers or waiters; its own masses
can fill those jobs for far less than we can survive
on. Japan is a popular choice for TEFLers, and Taiwan,
Thailand (a few years ago 98% of schools were reportedly
prepared to take on English speakers passing through)
and Hong Kong are equally keen to obtain your god
given skill of speaking English. Private schools are
also cropping up across the rest of China.
Eastern Europe has embraced the English language,
as a way to get ahead, after years of Russian lessons.
In Africa and South America, like Asia, English teaching
is the easiest or only chance of working. |
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| Work |
At
it's most basic level, teaching English to a class
of either children or adults involves the "chalk and
talk" method; standing at the black or whiteboard
and writing and speaking only in English. Language
school owners tend to discourage use of the local
language (some of which you'll pick up after a while).
Adults and children are, of course, entirely different
and teaching to one group will be different to the
other. Other factors to consider are the level of
English of your students, which may vary drastically,
and their willingness to learn. Many teachers face
the dilemma of whether to press ahead with advanced
topics for a minority of able learners or to teach
the basics to the less advanced students. Also some
schools, particularly in Thailand, will expect teachers
to pass EVERY student in the class.
Teaching can be both a rewarding and stressful experience
and the work doesn't always stop once you step outside
of the classroom. Whether you teach on a one to one
basis to a polite businessman or to a large, unruly
class of spoilt kids, lesson planning will play a
major role in your life. Expect to start accumulating
materials such as songs, games and pictures. |
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| Qualifications |
Some
schools will snap up any native speaker who doesn't
mumble, no qualifications needed. But you also run
a higher risk of being employed by a shark, working
for a fly by night organisation that is slow to pay
your wages, if at all. And of course working at the
bottom pays a bottom wage.
A degree will vastly improve your chances of getting
work, so take your certificate, or a copy, with you.
Teachers are expected to teach only in English so
a foreign language is not required.
The number of TEFL sites on the web gives an indication
of how big this industry is, though you will face
competition from other worker travellers. If you're
serious about financing a stay abroad or a world trip
through teaching English, look towards getting some
qualifications. The benefits include a greater chance
to find work, earn higher wages and work for good
schools.
An introductory TEFL certificate can be taken for
a couple of hundred pounds. Even better is a UCLES/RSA
diploma, the recognised qualification in the industry,
which vastly raises your prospects but takes nine
weeks to study at a cost of around £1000. A
TESOL certificate is a recognised alternative. |
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| Pay |
| Often
a fortune compared to the local population, though
in Japan, for instance, extortionate rents can eat
into your wages. Private tutoring can bring in a higher
hourly rate but commuting to clients' homes will ensure
you can't work too many hours, whereas a fixed number
of hours and a set wage will mean your hourly rate
is lower. The price paid for more hours and security.
An alternative, mentioned earlier, is to teach English
to a family in return for your keep. |
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| Finding
Work |
Most
schools would prefer to hire a teacher face to face.
They fear broken promises from teachers as much as
teachers do from the schools.
A number of organisations can arrange work in advance,
particularly in developing countries. Using the internet,
or a TEFL guidebook, is the best method to locate
them. |
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| Tips |
| Get
qualifications if you intend to do more than pick
up work on a casual basis. |
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| Further
Information |
| Susan
Griffith's Teaching English
Abroad (Vacation Work) is our favoured
choice. The latest edition and other books on Teaching
English are available
from amazon.co.uk |
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| Links |
| Directory
> TEFL |
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