Basics Job Types Destinations Qualifications Recruitment Contracts Links
Basics ————————————————————————————————————————-
ESL / TEFL means teaching English to those whose first language is not English.
ESL related acronyms: ESL = English as a Second Language; ELT = English Language Teaching; EFL = English as a Foreign Language; ESOL = English for Speakers of Other Languages; TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language; TESOL = Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages.
The ESL / TEFL acronyms are used interchangeably and effectively mean the same thing i.e. teaching English to those whose first language is not English.
The worldwide ESL market is huge; most estimates claiming that there are over a billion students actively studying English as a second language.
Common reasons for people wanting to learn English are to: communicate with new people; improve their job / business prospects; pass school exams; gain entry to an English speaking university; travel in other countries; understand other cultures and customs.
Teaching English as a second language allows you to: learn new skills; travel the world; interact with a range of new people; learn another language; assert your independence.
Potential negative aspects of living overseas and teaching English as a second language: can be frustrating; won’t make you rich; takes you away from family and friends.
As an ESL teacher, your main job responsibilities include: planning, preparing and delivering lessons; giving feedback on students work; being available to answer language queries and questions; participation in social and cultural activities.
Who you’ll be expected to teach, and how many students make up a class, depends largely on the type of school / institute that you choose to teach at.
It’s the ESL teacher’s job to deliver interesting and relevant sessions that teach the various aspects of the English language.
When learning a new language, students have to master four key skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.
As well as developing the key English skills, an ESL teacher should also aim to give students the confidence to use what they know.
It’s widely accepted that ESL teachers should only speak in English during classes; the ability to speak a foreign language not being a requirement for teaching English.
A native speaker’s teaching role is predominantly related to conversation, not grammar.
Some schools / institutes want their teachers to teach specific aspects of the English language whereas other want them to teach general English.
Within ESL, it’s possible to specialise in: conversational English; business English; exams; young learners; teacher training.
Be sure to ask your students what it is they want to learn from you; keeping them happy will keep you in a job.
Different topics that you could teach about in your classes include: food; weather; sports; business; entertainment; family; travel.
Different aspects of language that you could teach about in your classes include: vocabulary; pronunciation; tenses; verbs; nouns; grammar; spelling.
Different methods of teaching that can be implemented into your classes include: conversation; comprehension exercises; games; songs; flashcards; role-plays; videos; debates; pair work; group projects.
Most ESL teachers have a great deal of autonomy inside the classroom; being free to teach in their own style without interference from the schools / institutes management.
Most ESL teachers have little control over school policy, curriculum, choice of texts or what class students are placed in.
To be an ESL teacher you need to have a good understanding of the English language and to be able to express and explain what you know to others.
You’re not expected to know everything about the English language and it’s ok to check up on aspects of it using a reference book.
Job Types ——————————————————————————————————————–
The advantages of working in government / public schools are: you need fewer qualifications; fewer teaching hours; long holidays; a high degree of autonomy; being part of the local community.
The disadvantages of working in government / public schools are: receiving a low salary; being responsible for creating your own curriculum; teaching large classes.
The advantages of working in private language institutes are: they have jobs available throughout the year; pay is normally higher than average; teaching small classes; teaching materials are provided.
The disadvantages of working in private language institutes are: teaching a lot of hours; management and contracts may be unreliable; making money takes priority over students needs.
The advantages of university positions are: having a high degree of autonomy; fewer working hours; long holidays.
The disadvantages of university positions are: being responsible for creating your own curriculum; lower than average pay.
A Masters Degree and / or substantial teaching experience are generally required for university positions.
International schools are schools in foreign countries that follow an English or American curriculum.
The advantages of international schools are: a high salary; longer than average holidays.
The disadvantages of international schools are: having responsibilities besides teaching (such as a homeroom class, parent’s evenings, paperwork etc.); a requirement to have a teaching degree.
The advantages of in-company positions are: pay is high; working hours are low; teaching small classes.
The disadvantages of in-company positions are: work tends to be on short term contracts; travelling between teaching locations.
Both TEFL qualifications and previous business experience are generally required for in-company positions.
Doing freelance work, such as private tutoring sessions, pays very well; however, your contract with your school / institution may not allow you to undertake such work.
As well as paid teaching positions, there's also the possibility of teaching for voluntary organisations; these are ideal for gaining experience and can be very rewarding.
Destinations ————————————————————————————————————–
TEFL can be undertaken either overseas or in an English speaking country.
TEFL jobs can be found in virtually all parts of the world; Europe, Latin / South America, Asia and Africa.
Argentina: Job Hotspots = Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Cordoba & Santa Fe; Types of Teaching = Private Language Institutes, In-Company; Basic Salary = $1000 / Month (Average).
Brazil: Job Hotspots = Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife & Belo Horizonte; Types of Teaching = Private Language Institutes, In-Company; Basic Salary = $500 / Month (Average).
Czech Republic: Job Hotspots = Prague, Pilsen & Brno; Types of Teaching = Government Schools, Private Language Institutes, In-Company; Basic Salary = $1200 / Month (Average).
China: Job Hotspots = Beijing & Shanghai; Types of Teaching = Government Schools, International Schools, Private Language Institutes, Universities, In-Company; Basic Salary = $600 / Month (Average).
Italy: Job Hotspots = Rome, Milan, Florence & Naples; Types of Teaching = Government Schools, Private Language Institutes, In-Company; Basic Salary = $2000 / Month (Average).
Malaysia: Job Hotspots = Kuala Lumpur, Sabah & Sarawak; Types of Teaching = Private Language Institutes; Basic Salary = $500 / Month (Average).
Mexico: Job Hotspots = Mexico City, Guadalajara, Cancun & Monterrey; Types of Teaching = Government Schools, Private Language Institutes, Universities, In-Company; Basic Salary = $600 / Month (Average).
Russia: Job Hotspots = Moscow & St. Petersburg; Types of Teaching = Government Schools, Private Language Institutes, In-Company; Basic Salary = $700 / Month (Average).
Saudi Arabia: Job Hotspots = Riyadh, Jeddah & Damman; Types of Teaching = Government Schools, Universities, In-Company; Basic Salary = $2800 / Month (Average).
Spain: Job Hotspots = Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia & Seville; Types of Teaching = Private Language Institutes, In-Company; Basic Salary = $1500 / Month (Average).
South Korea: Job Hotspots = Seoul & Pusan; Types of Teaching = Government Schools, Private Language Institutes, Universities, In-Company; Basic Salary = $1800 / Month (Average).
Taiwan: Job Hotspots = Taipei & Kaohsiung; Types of Teaching = Government Schools, Private Language Institutes, Universities, In-Company; Basic Salary = $2000 / Month (Average).
Thailand: Job Hotspots = Bangkok & Chiang Mai; Types of Teaching = Government Schools, Private Language Institutes, International Schools, Universities; Basic Salary = $1000 / Month (Average).
Turkey: Job Hotspots = Istanbul, Ankara & Izmir; Types of Teaching = Private Language Institutes, Universities; Basic Salary = $1200 / Month (Average).
There’s demand for TEFL teachers in the , particularly in the south of the country during the summer months.
TEFL jobs are available in the USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand but it’s extremely difficult for non-citizens to get a working visa.
TEFL jobs in English speaking countries tend not to pay well when compared to the cost of living in those countries.
When considering which country to teach in, you should research and consider: location; climate; culture & customs; salary levels; cost of living; living conditions; visa & work permit regulations.
Cultural differences that may be encountered include: language, living standards, beliefs, religion; food habits; dress.
Qualifications ————————————————————————————————————
Nearly all ESL jobs require you to be a native speaker; this means that you were born in the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, New Zealand or South Africa, and that English is your first language.
ESL teachers can be any age from 18 to 80; though it can be more difficult for teachers under 21 and over 50 to find employment.
TEFL specific certifications / qualifications are not required to teach English, but job prospects and salary increase if you do have them.
Most ESL jobs require you to have a university degree, though it's not necessary for that degree to be a teaching or English language related degree.
It’s possible to find ESL jobs without having a degree but: you’ll be limited in the countries you can work in; will likely be offered lesser paid jobs; may have to work illegally (i.e. without a work permit).
A quality TEFL course / program / certificate should consist of: at least 100 hours of studying teaching practices and methodology; at least 6 hours teaching real students under the supervision of an experienced teacher; an overseeing body (a university or examining board) that externally controls quality.
Online / Distance-learning TEFL courses are becoming increasingly common due to their price (approximately $400-$800) and flexibility.
Online / Distance-learning TEFL courses offer a good introduction to ESL; however, many are not internationally accredited and as such may not be accepted by future employers as a valid teaching qualification.
The most recognised, trusted and preferred TEFL qualifications are the ‘Cambridge Celta’ and the ‘Trinity CertTesol’.
‘Cambridge Celta’ and ‘Trinity CertTesol’ courses involve: sessions on language, teaching materials and classroom management; observation of experienced teachers; teaching practice; assessed written essays.
Both the ‘Cambridge Celta’ and the ‘Trinity CertTesol’ are 120-hour courses that last for 4 weeks and cost from $1200 to $3000, depending on which city / country they are undertaken.
To be accepted on to the ‘Cambridge Celta’ or the ‘Trinity CertTesol’ you generally need to be at least 18 years old and have qualifications which would allow you admission on to a university degree course.
Teachers planning to make a long-term career out of teaching English as a second language should consider undertaking a qualification beyond the ‘Cambridge Celta’ or the ‘Trinity CertTesol’.
Higher TEFL qualifications include: Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults (DELTA); Trinity Licentiate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (LTCL TESOL); MA in Applied Linguistics / Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
TEFL diploma courses are offered intensively over 8 weeks, or several months part-time; the minimum requirement being two years relevant, post-certificate level, teaching experience.
Recruitment —————————————————————————————————————
Academic calendars (i.e. when school terms start and finish) vary from country to country; teacher recruitment generally taking place a couple of months prior to the start of a new term.
Find an TEFL job by: searching through job advertisements (on the internet or in newspapers); posting your CV on ESL / TEFL websites; phoning / visiting schools directly; asking friends in the profession if they know of any job openings.
The internet is a great resource for finding TEFL jobs; just type in the name of a country and ‘ESL jobs’ or ‘TEFL jobs’ into a search engine.
TEFL / ESL internet forums are a useful tool for both new teachers and teachers researching a new country.
The use of third-party recruiting agencies in the TEFL industry is common.
A good TEFL recruiting agency should: have an office based in the country in which you plan to teach; provide a range of teaching opportunities; offer assistance in finding suitable accommodation; have co-ordinators available to provide support and services during your stay; give pre-departure information regarding your flight / visa / work permit / future school.
Standard recruitment procedure: a school contacts a recruiter; the school tells the recruiter how many teachers they require and their required qualifications / experience; the recruiter conducts the interview / selection process; the recruiter receives a fee from the school for every suitable teacher that they find.
Teachers generally don’t have to pay recruiters for their services.
Some employers / recruiters prefer to recruit over the internet / telephone (this is normally done through agents) whereas others prefer to face-to-face interviews.
Employers look for the following abilities when recruiting an ESL teacher: a friendly and confident manner; excellent communication skills; time management / planning; able to work under pressure; flexibility; clear speech / pronunciation.
ESL teachers are expected to ask lots of questions before deciding whether prospective schools / institutions are suitable.
Before accepting a TEFL job offer, ask the potential employer to put you in contact with existing or past employees.
Contracts ——————————————————————————————————————-
To work legally in a foreign country you need both a work permit and a residence visa.
To get a work permit you need a job, or at least a firm job offer; the employer should then agree to sponsor your permit and to take care of the necessary paperwork.
The issuing of a visa is dependent on: what country you’re from; the country you want to go to; how long you wish to stay there for; what you plan to do whilst there.
Before agreeing to a contract, ask for clarification on: working hours; age / ability of students; location of the school / institute; accommodation; salary.
Most overseas TEFL positions are for fixed-term contracts of between nine months and two years (year long contracts being the most common).
In most countries, ESL teachers work five days a week, with 20 to 25 teaching hours and 10 to 15 hours class preparation time.
Depending on the type of school / institute, working hours could be Monday to Friday daytimes, Monday to Friday evenings, split shifts (where classes are in the morning and evening with a long break in-between) or involve weekend work.
Some ESL teachers are paid by the number of classes that they teach and others on a set monthly salary.
Overseas salaries vary from candidate to candidate and country to country, determining factors being: the teacher’s level of expertise; the development of a country; the desirability / competitiveness of teaching there.
In general, wages are low compared to wages available in a teacher’s home country; however, the cost of living will likely be correspondingly low, making it possible to live a good lifestyle on a teaching salary.
Unless teaching in the Middle East or some Asian countries (such as Korea or Taiwan), it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to save money.
Some employers will arrange and pay for your accommodation; others will arrange it but you’ll have to pay the rent; whilst some will leave everything up to you.
If you contract doesn't include medical insurance, it’s recommended that you arrange it yourself.
The TEFL industry is an unregulated one and you should be aware that laws in other countries aren’t always as strict as they are in the UK.
Basics Job Types Destinations Qualifications Recruitment Contracts Links
www.iteslj.org : TEFL articles. How to be a better teacher. Lesson plans and worksheets.
www.eslsite.com : TEFL resources and teaching ideas.
www.eslbase.com : Find TEFL training course providers. TEFL job listings. Lesson plans and worksheets.
www.ihworld.com : Provider or TEFL training / qualifications. Courses available worldwide.
www.tefl.com : TEFL job website.
www.britishcouncil.org : Official British Council website. TEFL job listings. Lessons plans and worksheets.
www.eslcafe.com : TEFL internet forums. TEFL job listings. Lesson plans and worksheets.