ESL teacher - working abroad

So you want to become an English teacher.

ESL/TEFL teachers help non-English speakers to gain experience and confidence in both written and spoken English. An English teacher needs to have lots of patience and especially compassion for those trying to learn a new language. It is also a necessity for ESL teachers to have different teaching methods as every learner will differ and what works for a student, may not work for the other.

Step 1 What qualifications do i need as an English teacher?.

The more qualified you are is of course better, and you can expect better salary packages and hourly wages than you can expect from teaching ESL. Most ESL jobs are only avaiable to native speakers or those fully fluent English speakers. While you can find ESL jobs in foreign countries simply by being a Westerner, better, more competitive jobs will likely need you to have TEFL/TESL certification.

Because of this, it is recommended that you do a CELTA/TEFL degree to get you ready for Teaching English. The course will teach you lesson planning, class preparation, games and activities, among other things, which will assist you in your future ESL classes.

The learning English as a Second Language population is growing very quickly, which means there will be a long term increase in the demand for ESL teachers and the potential for this career is really good.

Step 2 Where to find ESL teaching positions.

If you are looking for basic ESL teaching jobs at language schools or private companies around the world, check job listings on popular esl job sites . If you are looking for full-time jobs at international schools, there are certain companies that offer access to their databases of job vacancies and salary packages at schools and institutions in many countries. Another place to search for esl jobs is at universities.

Third step Where to teach ESL?

In general the best places to teach ESL are 1. Universities or colleges, 2. elementary or high schools, 3. Private schools, 4. Language institutes, or 5. Kindergartens.

Many international colleges and universities that have classes in English have a preliminary ESL program to help incoming students adjust to using English at the university. Candidates for these types of positions generally require a strong linguistics background or a graduate degree in TESOL together with prior teaching experience.

Then, Steps in getting the Job.

If you find a job you're interested in send them an email with your CV, be sure to mention which esl job your responding to. You should get a response fairly quickly. Depending on the school, there may or may not be an interview (usually over the phone). If you are successful in getting the job, you need to think about it very carefully.

This is not a commitment to take lightly. Make sure that you confim your pay, housing arrangements, if the school provide insurance, travel expenses, and teaching hours. Bear in mind that teaching hours are not the same as normal working hours. Forty teaching hours would be almost impossible, as you need to prepare lessons, grade tests, and so on. It may feel a bit odd to have to negotiate all this over the internet and phone. Check the reputation of your employer on the internetonline to make sure that it is a well-established school and free from any scams.

Finally, you will need to get a visa. Your employer should provide this for you, but sometime they will not. Be very cautious of any school that asks you to work on a regular visa, as this is most likely against the law in most countries. Be sure to check online with the country that you will be working in.