Teaching English Abroad Advisor

Ten Tips for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language

2007-01-07T14:22:00.001-08:00

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Here are some tips to help you avoid classroom culture clash in those heady first months of teaching abroad:

1. Dress right. Jeans, sneakers, and just-out-of-bed hair may be okay for teachers in the U.S., but in many parts of the world, a neat appearance counts far more than credentials. In Korea dark clothes lend an air of authority. Red is to be avoided at all costs. In Morocco female teachers don’t wear pants, sleeveless blouses, or short skirts.

2. Behave appropriately. When Judith Johnson asked 250 students at the Sichuan Institute of Foreign Languages in China what they liked and disliked about native speaker English teachers, the students’ main gripe was the informality of foreign teachers, who often seem to undermine their own authority by acting in undignified ways. In the U.S. teachers go on a first-name basis with students, sit on their desks, sip coffee, and even bounce off the walls without causing student discomfort or losing prestige. But these behaviors don’t export well.

3. Don’t worry if students seem unresponsive at first. Americans are used to participatory classrooms with plenty of teacher-student dialogue. Elsewhere, students are often trained to be silent, good listeners, and memorizers. In my classes in Poland, the Balkans, and Mongolia, students wore impassive classroom masks the first few weeks of class. It’s disconcerting to stand in front of a sea of blank faces, but expecting it reduces the shock. Introduce new concepts, such as discussion and role-play gradually. You’ll be surprised at how students will come to embrace the change.

4. Choose topics carefully. In the 1980s in totalitarian Yugoslavia I made the mistake of asking students to debate the pros and cons of capital punishment. A painful silence fell over the room. What discussion was possible, someone pointed out to me later, when the government’s position was clear? There are still many countries in the world where people are hesitant to voice opinions because of a fear of reprisal. If you’re conducting a classroom debate, remember that there’s a distaste for Western-style argumentation in Middle-Eastern societies, and in Japan it’s offensive for an individual to urge others to accept his opinion.

Certain topics may be taboo for cultural reasons: Most Americans don’t want to discuss their salaries or religious beliefs; Japanese may be disinclined to talk about their inner feelings; the French think questions about their family life are rude.

5. Don’t ask, “Do you understand?” In China and Japan, students will nod yes, even if they’re totally lost, in an attempt to save face for the teacher. Even in a country as far west as Turkey, yes often means no.

Nor should you expect students to ask questions in class if they don’t understand something. A former student of mine told me: “In China, a student who asks questions is considered a pain in the neck.” Check understanding by asking students to paraphrase or write questions they have in groups.

6. Avoid singling students out. Our society fosters a competitive individualism which is clearly manifested in our classrooms. American students are not shy about displaying their knowledge. In classrooms outside the U.S., however, showing solidarity with classmates and conforming to the status quo is often more important than looking good for the teacher. In Turkey and Montenegro students told me they disliked volunteering answers too often because it made them look like show-offs and attracted the evil eye of envy. This holds true in Japan and China, too, where proverbs express the cultural idea in a nutshell: “The clever hawk hides its claws” and “The nail that stands up must be pounded down.”

If you want to play a game, make the competition among groups rather than among individuals. If you need to discipline a student, do so in private.

7. Be aware of cross-cultural communication styles. French students appreciate wit. Venezuelan students like boisterous rapid-fire exchanges. In Japan, where debate is not as valued as in the U.S., students appreciate long pauses in discussions and silent “think time” after you ask a question. “Hollow drums make the most noise” goes a Japanese proverb, and Japanese students are uncomfortable blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. American teachers, who are uncomfortable with silence, tend to anticipate the student’s words or repeat their original question—both irritating interruptions for the Japanese student.

8. Present a rationale for what you do in class. Your pedagogy is going to be very different from what students are used to. They’ll conform much more eagerly to new classroom content and procedures if they understand the benefits.

9. Expect the best of your students. They’ll be serious about learning English because their economic advancement often depends upon mastering it.

10. Relax and enjoy yourself. Happiness in the classroom is contagious.

Classroom Teaching Tools Ten Things to Bring Along When Teaching English Overseas

2007-01-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

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The last thing you want to do when setting out on an overseas English teaching adventure is to pack a ton of stuff that will weigh you down on your travels. But these packable objects could prove invaluable as teaching materials.

1. Family Photos. Any beginner-level class will involve a unit on the family, and using examples from your own family will be far more interesting to students than a lesson from a textbook. Be sure to bring photos of extended as well as nuclear family so you can use them to demonstrate words such as "niece," "brother-in-law," or "aunt." Before you leave home, consider taking some photos to a copy shop to blow them up to the size of 8x10 and then laminate them. This will make it easy for your students to see them during a classroom presentation, plus they will be more durable if laminated.

2. Postcards from Home. Students like to see photos of where their teacher comes from, and postcards can be used in a variety of lessons. Almost any postcard can be used for practice with descriptions.

3. Calendar. A calendar will have large photos that you can use for descriptions, and it’s easy to find one depicting the different seasons. Plus, you can use your calendar for lessons on the months of the year and the days of the week.

4. Travel Clock with Hands. Be sure to bring a travel alarm with movable hands rather than the digital variety so that you can use it in class to practice telling time.

5. Guidebook. You are probably planning on bringing a guidebook for your own travels. But when picking out one, keep in mind its potential as a teaching tool. Look for a book with big, clear city maps that you can reproduce for lessons on giving directions. You’ll also want a book with lots of short articles on the local culture and customs and sidebars with interesting facts and figures. These can make for good reading lesson materials since students are interested in what foreigners say about their country. A fun class activity is to have your students read a city guide and then write a guide to their own hometown with reviews of tourist attractions, restaurants, shopping centers, etc.

6. Play Money. You can find play money at any department store in the children’s toy section. It’s great for a number of activities, from practicing numbers and counting to prizes in class competitions.

7. A Cassette of Radio Broadcasts. Tape a couple of NPR, CBC, or BBC news broadcasts or feature programs before you go, and be sure to get some weather forecasts and business reports on the tape. This makes for authentic material that works great for listening exercises.

8. A Cassette or Burned CD of Songs. Songs in English make for an excellent way to present new vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, for introducing discussion topics, and for providing realistic examples of proper grammar usage. Furthermore, having students sing along to a song makes for good pronunciation practice. One popular teaching song is "Material Girl" by Madonna, which employs several fun idiomatic expressions and provides the basis for a discussion of materialism. Make sure to select material where the vocals are mixed way up front and the singer’s enunciation is clear. Pop music is a good choice, but don’t be afraid to expose your students to more obscure genres.

9. Minicassette Recorder. This can be useful in recording unrehearsed conversations with your fellow English teachers for use in a listening lesson. It can also be valuable to record your students and have them listen to and reflect on their spoken English.

10. Books. Books are bulky and heavy, but you never know what resources you will have access to at your teaching site, so you should bring at least a few. You’ll want a grammar reference; my personal favorite is Raymond Murphy’s Grammar in Use, Intermediate Level. I would also recommend bringing Penny Ur’s Grammar Practice Activities, which has a ton of great ideas for fun grammar-related activities and games.

The TEFL Job Interview The 10 Most Important Questions to Ask

2007-01-07T14:19:00.000-08:00

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If you are a new teacher or even an experienced teacher who hasn't taught in a foreign setting before, there are certain things you need to know in order to gauge the desirability of a TEFL job.

1. How many teaching hours does the position involve? 21-24 hours a week in class is the high end of a full-time teaching position. Anything more than that will wipe you out. 15-20 hours a week is optimal in terms of sanity.

2. How many preps will I have? In other words, how many different courses will I be teaching? At the very least, you'll spend one hour of preparation time out of class for every hour in class (a 2:1 ratio is probably more likely, especially if you're a new teacher. Two preps is probably the ideal.

3. How big are the classes? Once a class size exceeds 15 the teacher's job starts to get really tough. It's just too hard to monitor and provide feedback for that many students, and you won't have time to properly review their out-of-class work either. Really small classes can be a challenge as well, since you'll want to have small group activities.

4. What textbook does the school use? The important thing isn't so much which particular book they use but to make sure there is one. You'll probably end up modifying a lot of textbook lessons and you'll create a lot of your lessons on your own, but it's always good to have a textbook to fall back on.

5. What sorts of audio-visual equipment are available? Having regular access to a good CD and cassette player is essential. Also, ask about video equipment, since you'll probably want to watch videos from time to time. And see if there’s a computer lab where you can take or send your students for writing projects, interactive CD-ROM activities, or Internet research.

6. What are the resources for teachers? You will want to know if the school has a library with a good supply of resource books and if there are computers with Internet access available for teachers to use since you'll want to find materials on the Web. You’ll need to be able to print documents from the computers. Copy machine access is also very important: you’ll create a lot of your own materials that you'll need to copy for your students.

7. Who are the students and why are they studying English? Students studying English at high schools or universities are usually doing so to fill a graduation requirement or because it's useful in their major. But language schools attract people from a variety of backgrounds and age groups with a variety of reasons for studying English. Adult professionals often come to language schools looking for business English instruction or other specialized courses. Also, many language schools cater heavily to children and function largely as an after-school program. If this is the case, keep in mind that kids generally don't sign up for classes after school of their own accord. Motivation and discipline can be issues when teaching kids.

8. What benefits does the school provide their teachers? It's not common but still possible that a school might offer things like medical benefits, paid vacations, and holiday bonuses. Some offer reimbursements for your travel expenses to and from their country. And most schools offer their teachers free classes in the local language and history or fun stuff like cooking and dancing instruction.

9. Does the school provide assistance with housing? Some schools have apartments for their teachers; if they don't, see if they can offer you some assistance in finding a place once you get there. Having a native speaker along to help negotiate can save you from getting ripped off by a greedy landlord.

10. What are the visa requirements for the job? If you're going to teach at a university or a primary or secondary school you'll likely be required to obtain a legal work visa. Find out what role the employer will do to help you get the visa and if they’ll pay the fees. Do they have a lawyer or university official who handles the paperwork? Immigration officials can be difficult to deal with, especially when there's a language barrier. Be sure to ask about what you’ll need to bring with you in order to get the visa. Some countries require that you apply for the visa at their embassy in your home country, so obviously you'd need to get that taken care of before leaving.

One final note: If for some reason the pay for the job wasn't included in the announcement or if you're interviewing for an unannounced position, expect it to be brought up by the interviewer. If that doesn't happen and you feel uncomfortable about bringing it up yourself, try a roundabout approach. Start asking questions about local rents, transportation fees, and food prices. This might cue the interviewer to bring up teacher salaries in relation to these figures.

Choosing a TEFL Program

2007-01-07T14:15:00.000-08:00

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Ask questions about the trainer’s experience. Benik says trainers should at least have an MA in Linguistics, English, Education, or another related field.

Ask what you can be expected to learn. Most programs are only four weeks long. Will you be qualified to teach at the end of the course? Graduates should not only be able to put together a quality lesson plan but also teach a good class. Appropriate classroom behavior (how to dress, etc.) should also be addressed. Arnold adds teaching methodology and classroom management to other important musts when looking at a school’s program. Arnold also to make sure the curriculum is specifically geared towards English as a second language students.
Find out about the teaching experience the school will offer and how many practice teaching hours you will receive. Teachers usually teach a mixture of one-to-one (1 teacher, 1 student), in-company (teacher goes to a company and teaches their employees), and public (school offers open courses to the public at their location) courses. Will you get experience teaching all three aspects? Or will you do your practice teaching on your classmates? Do you want to teach children? Ask if it is possible to do your practice hours in a high school. Also, how many hours will you have the opportunity to teach? Benik says industry standard is six to eight hours; his school offers 12.
Does the school offer any “settling in” support? Most schools will offer assistance at finding temporary housing while you are in the course. What is the quality of the housing? Is it in a safe area of town? How accessible is it to the school and to public transportation? Who (if anyone) profits from the housing arrangements? Benik says the prices for housing is often the same, but the quality can vary widely.
The tuition at many schools is also nearly the same. But what will you get for your money? Look for hidden costs. Do you have to pay for copies, Internet access, your teaching materials? Extra “settling in” support? What are the teaching resources on site? Ask what books are in their library.
Twenty-five-year-old Doug Brown from London graduated from TEFL Worldwide (www.teflworldwideprague.com) in May 2004. He originally began his research looking at schools in the U.K. He liked TEFL Worldwide and chose to attend the course in Prague so he would receive his practice teaching hours with non-native speaking students. His big question was how easy would it be for him to find employment. What drew him to the TEFL Worldwide program were the qualifications of the trainers as well as the application procedure. Brown had to write two, 2,000-word essays. Benik echoes Brown’s recommendations, saying the school should have clear criteria that potential students must meet before being accepted into the program and some sort of application procedure.

For 23-year-old Jennifer Carlin it was the response of the staff and the cost of the program that sealed the deal for her. She graduated from Next Level Language Institute in July 2004. When she first started her online research she narrowed her choices to three Schools, based on the information provided on their web sites. She then contacted them individually and made her final decision based on the promptness and thoroughness of the responses she received. Benik warns about schools that don’t answer your questions promptly or fully. He says it is a red flag if a school only answers some of your questions or the answers are not to your satisfaction.

Both Brown and Carlin are teaching in Prague, but what if you wanted to go elsewhere? Ask your school who else recognizes the certification you will receive from them. Brown liked TEFL Worldwide because their certificate is connected with Trinity College in England and is recognized around the world. Arnold agrees. If you are looking to make teaching English a career, chose a school that offers an internationally recognized certificate. Some schools also have language schools and may hire you to work for them when you have earned your certificate. However, some school’s programs are not recognized by other language schools, so if you are looking to work in a few different places a school like that may not be your best choice.

Do You Have What It Takes?

So this is sounding pretty good, but do you have what it takes? Flexibility is the key. You must be willing not only to make a big living move but perhaps a major job change as well. Arnold says teaching experience is a bonus, but not necessary. He says EFL teachers need patience, good public speaking skills, as well as a good command of the English language. The majority of programs also require a university degree. Both Arnold and Carlin warn that neither the course nor the job is all fun and games. Arnold says students are expected to produce and learn a lot of material during their training. After you’ve secured your first job, Carlin warns that teaching is stressful and a lot of hard work in the beginning. Arnold agrees and he reminds potential teachers that they are responsible for their students improving in all aspects of the language.

Final advice? Carlin says don’t let insecurities about finding a job hold you back. Brown advises, “Just do it. It is as easy as buying a carton of milk.”

Teaching English Overseas How to Be a Successful Teacher

2007-01-07T14:13:00.000-08:00

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Teaching overseas can be exciting and rewarding. Problems like no texts and no library can be overcome. What you need are the secret weapons of the TESOL teacher: good preparation, effective organization, flexibility, a sense of humor.

Preparation

First, get TESOL qualifications. An Internet search will yield hundreds of options available for TESOL study—from an MA in TESOL to a 4-week intensive TEFL course. Courses are available online, through distance learning, residential overseas programs, or traditional means of study in your country. Which should you choose?

If you already have teaching qualifications and/or a degree, in some places you won’t need TESOL qualifications to find employment. (The joke in China is you just need to be breathing to get a job teaching English.) However, it’s in your own best interests, and your students’, to study and practice TESOL before launching your new career. Choose a course based on a minimum 100 hours training and at least six hours supervised practice teaching.

Before committing to any course, find out how it’s regarded both by TESOL practitioners and potential employers. Research now can save you problems later. Go to some online ESL employment sites to check what qualifications employers require. See if there is any advice by teachers about good or bad courses. Talk with former students in the course.

After you’ve completed your qualifications and are ready to find a job, don’t rush into a job commitment. Visit Internet sites like Dave’s ESL Café to discover the idiosyncrasies of different countries and institutions.

Are you best at teaching adults or are you confident about teaching students of all ages? Do you want to work for a private language school, with the probability of working nights and weekends? Perhaps working more traditional hours, even with a lower salary, is more important for you. Do you want a salary at all? There are organizations that will find you a volunteering position teaching English overseas. Some will provide accommodation and food but you may have to pay the airfare.

Organization

Once you’ve thought over the possibilities, make sure your resume is current and line up some references. A valid email address and telephone number are necessary so potential employers can contact you. To avoid confusion, leave a summary of the positions you applied for by the phone with a pen for note-jotting.

Don’t stop researching just because you’ve sent out a heap of job applications.

Keep visiting the ESL sites, browsing current jobs, reading, and making posts. Ask questions about your potential employers and try to establish a network with other teachers, particularly those who live where you would like to go. Read as much as you can about places you want to visit and the people you will meet.

Accommodations: Free of charge or how much? Will you have to share? Are utilities extra? Is there access to the Internet? Are linen/furniture/drinking water/kitchen utensils/cooking and washing facilities included?

Teaching: What are your hours? What is the normal salary and overtime rate? What are your duties? What resources does the school have? Is there a set curriculum or will you have to create your own? How many pupils are in each class? What educational equipment will be available? What free days will you have?

You’ll probably have many more questions, gleaned from your preparation. Make sure you have the email address of an employee at the school whose job is to answer your questions. Ask for the email address of a TESOL teacher already working there who can answer different questions, such as ones about living and working conditions. Do an Internet search on the school and town. Invest your time and energy now to avoid possible problems later.

Flexibility

Good preparation and organization can manage about 90 percent of the details of your job. Flexibility is needed for the remaining 10 percent. There will be surprises.

Being flexible means you continue until you find a compromise or solution. Perhaps you contact your network, asking for ideas. Make an appointment to see your principal with a bilingual staff member. Ask colleagues about a local solution to your problem. If all else fails, extricate yourself from an impossible situation gracefully.

Sense of Humor

A well-developed sense of humor is your suit of armor. If you can laugh with your students over the inconsistencies of the English language, you’ll be one step closer to understanding them. If you can laugh at yourself while eating deep-fried crickets on sticks, you have what it takes.

Teach English Overseas A Stepping Stone to International Careers

2007-01-07T14:10:00.000-08:00

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Country-Specific Goals

Unlike other international job searches, it’s easy to do a country-specific job search for teaching English abroad. With most professional international jobs it is the employer who selects your destination; for low-skilled jobs, there are always problems with work visas. But when teaching English abroad you can choose your country and you can teach English to achieve any number of parallel goals you have related to living in that specific country. Here are some ideas to get your imagination going.

Teach English to follow a spouse, lover, friend, or relative to a particular destination. There are many reasons to target a specific country to teach English: you fall in love with a foreign student studying in the U.S. and you want to return to his or her home; your spouse has an internship in Amsterdam; your best friend is living in a holiday home in Panama for a year; your long-lost relatives live in Italy; your uncle has just signed a 2-year contract to work in Bangalore, India. In all these cases you can join them and make a living by teaching English.
Teach English to further your cross-cultural goals. You can move to any country in South America, teach English on the side, and improve your Spanish. Or maybe you are studying Russian history: if you move to St. Petersburg or Moscow to teach English you can finance your trip and further your knowledge of Russia.
Teach English to pay off school loans. You can save as much as $15,000 a year, if you are frugal, while teaching English in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, or Korea. For most other countries English teachers receive just enough to live on while affording some local travel. You can, however, move up the salary scale by teaching extra courses, moving to better-paying schools, and giving private lessons.
Teach English to finance travel. If you want to travel around the world and spend a month or more in different cities, you can finance your trip by teaching English. There are short-term opportunities at private schools, and if you are an enterprising individual, you can talk you way into working as a live-in private tutor for children of wealthy families. While on the road, offer your services to hotels and tourist operators to teach English to their staff, or to edit the English text of brochures and signage.
Teach English to fulfill a retirement dream. If you are approaching retirement age and want a rich and meaningful experience, consider teaching English overseas. Whether you are young or not so young, you have the same chance of finding work. So pick the country of your choice and take a teaching position that matches your desires.
Break into the International Job Market
You need international experience before you can land a professional international job. But how do you get it? There are thousands of ways, but teaching English overseas can be an effective back-door strategy to land the job you desire.

Teach English to others in your field of expertise. This is a powerful strategy that will help you gain career experience. The classic scenario is the MBA student who has just graduated and is determined to land a business job in Hong Kong. The fastest route toward meeting Asian business decision makers is to teach business English in Hong Kong. Who will you meet when you teach business English? Businessmen or women who can offer you jobs. You can teach science-English in a Chinese university, or music-English with Japanese cultural umbrella organizations. Costa Rica is the Internet capital of Central America; if you are currently studying computer science or graphic design, offer to teach a specialized computer-English or graphic design-English course at any of the specialized private sector schools in San Jose. You can craft your own customized course or audit the Spanish course for terms to be taught in English (i.e develop a lexicon of English-Spanish terms specific to one field). With this strategy you will not only find many willing students, but at the same time meet others in your field and improve your Spanish.
Teach English as a stepping stone to a writing career. Many lovers of English dislike the very thought of teaching. Don’t despair. There are many opportunities to work abroad as English language editors, writers, reporters, and communication consultants. Almost every major city in the world has at least one English-language newspaper. Large corporations are always in need of English copy editors. Every tourist destination needs English writers. There are communications and public relations firms located in just about every part of the non-native-English-speaking world, and they often need English writers and editors. If you have Web experience (and you should have if you consider yourself a writer), you can become a web page copy editor and writer. All of these careers are possible, but you may have to teach first to make the required contacts.
Teach English to gain broad international experience. Many university students want to have an international career, be it in engineering, political science, or economics. But international employers require previous international experience. For the recently graduated university student, teaching English abroad is an easy and sure-fire way to prove to international employers that you have what it takes to succeed in another culture. If you can’t afford to study abroad, or if you can’t find an international internship, then acquire your international experience by first teaching English overseas.
Teach English to gain professional experience while traveling. If you are an enterprising individual you can backpack your way across Africa, for example, and offer your English-teaching and editorial skills on a volunteer basis. You may want to work as an English editor for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). You could also offer to train their staff in correct English when using MS Word or MS Excel or in writing business correspondence. You could offer to a write a tourist guide for an ecotourism organization. You may not get paid for this work, but it will help you build experience for your resume.
Teach English as a stepping stone to teaching in an international school. Many qualified teachers want to break into the exclusive world of teaching at an “international school.” These schools are located in almost every large city and offer courses to the children of diplomats, international business executives, and wealthy local elites. Without international experience you will find it difficult to find a job in one of these schools. Teaching English overseas is a great way to prove your competency. Good luck and enjoy teaching English abroad!

Where the ESL Jobs Are Online But Off the Beaten Path

2007-01-07T14:08:00.000-08:00

Mainstream Employment Sites

Try searching for overseas teaching positions on mainstream employment resources like Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, Yahoo! hotjobs, Workopolis and countless others. It doesn’t matter if you are an American and the site is Australian; generally speaking, employers are looking for native speakers from any of the well-known English-speaking countries, not one particular nationality. Many of the larger, better-known chain schools place job ads on these sites. Examples include Nova, Geos, English First, Peppy Kids Club, International House and the British Council. Some of the bigger placement agencies like Footprints Recruiting and Saxoncourt also use this medium to advertise to the larger audiences they require to meet their recruitment needs.

The key to navigating most mainstream employment websites is usually keyword searching. Most of the larger, general-in-nature job sites do not have dedicated ESL employment categories so you are going to need to find overseas teaching jobs by searching for terms like "tefl," “teach english,” "tesol," "esl," and “english teacher.” Those same terms can be combined with the name of the country you want to teach in to narrow your results. These same search strategies are of value when using a job search portal like Indeed.com which crawls the postings of multiple job sites and makes their job ads searchable by keyword.

Primary Websites

Monster.com: www.monster.com
Yahoo! Hotjobs: hotjobs.yahoo.com
Workopolis: www.workopolis.com
Careerbuilder: www.careerbuilder.com
Indeed.com: www.indeed.com
Guardian Jobs: jobs.guardian.co.uk
CareerOne: www.careerone.com.au
Local Newspapers and Web portals

Schools and recruiters looking for teachers at a local or regional level often turn to newspapers and Web portals based in and/or aimed at their market area. These sites can be fertile new ground for ESL job seekers but they have their drawbacks. Some of the advertisers will be looking to conduct face-to-face interviews, a difficult requirement for a new teacher job searching from their home country. Others may be seeking teachers who already have visas for part-time work. That said, motivated job seekers still in their home countries who are willing to relocate on potentially short notice have lots to gain by seeking work via local newspapers and Web portals.

You can find these local resources via Google but “square one” for this type of job search should always be craigslist, the granddaddy of all local employment resources. craigslist is an enormous if largely untapped job search resource for English teachers because of its global presence at the local level. For example, you can find jobs posted by recruiters and larger chain schools on the Seattle and Vancouver versions of craigslist while smaller schools might post locally, on the Mexico City or Bangkok editions of the site. Click on the “education” category of any edition of craigslist to access ESL-related employment opportunities.

A final local resource that is definitely worth investigating is the Yellow Pages of your target market. You won’t find actual job ads but you will find the contact details for almost all of the language schools in a given area. This is a great way to undertake a proactive job search (see DOs and DON’Ts: A TEFL Primer for North Americans) at the local level. Hint: you may need to learn how to translate “language school” into the language of your target market in order to search the Yellow Pages for contacts.

Primary Regional Websites

Europe

Prague Post: www.praguepost.com
Think Spain: www.thinkspain.com
Asia

Japan Times: classified.japantimes.com
Bangkok Post: www.bangkokpostjobs.com
Koreabridge: www.koreabridge.com
Hong Kong Expat: hongkong.asiaxpat.com
Korea Times: times.hankooki.com
Shanghai Expat: shanghai.asiaxpat.com
GaijinPot.com: www.gaijinpot.com
Pusanweb: www.pusanweb.com
Forumosa.com: www.forumosa.com
Latin America

Brazil: www.gringoes.com
Mexico: secure.mexonline.com
Guadalajara: www.guadalajarareporter.com
Middle East

Gulf News (UAE): www.gulf-news.com
Saudi Arabia: www.arabnews.com
School and Recruiter Websites

Some English language schools and recruiters are big enough that they do not always have to place off-site; their sites generate enough traffic on their own to maintain in-house lists of job vacancies. Such is the case with global powerhouses like International House, Wall Street, inlingua, Berlitz and English First. The same is true of some of the bigger recruiters and placement programs like Footprints Recruiting, Westgate, the CEC Network and Interac. In the case of some of these organizations, you need to go to them because they do not need to go to you.

Recruiter Websites

CEC Network: www.teachingoverseas.ca
Footprints Recruiting: www.footprintsrecruiting.com
Westgate: www.westgate.co.jp
Interac: www.interac.co.jp
School Websites

International House: www.ihworld.com
English First: www.englishfirst.com
GEOS: www.geoscareer.com
Harmon Hall: www.harmonhall.com
Nova Group: www.teachinjapan.com
British Council: www.britishcouncil.org
Berlitz: careers.berlitz.com
Wall Street: www.wallstreetinstitute.com
Inlingua: www.inlingua.com
Bell International: www.bell-centres.com
ACC: www.acc-english.co.jp
ECC Japan: www.japanbound.com
Bridge-Linguatec: www.bridgelinguatec.com
Hess Educational Organization: www.hess.com.tw
AEON: www.aeonet.com
YBM Education: www.ybmecc.co.kr
Media Kids Thailand: www.mediakidsedu.com
Tronwell: www.tronwell.cl
Peppy Kids Club: www.peppy-kids.com
Vaughn Systems: www.vausys.com
Shenker Institute: www.shenker.com
BCM: www.bcm.co.kr
Online but off the beaten path: most teachers never realize how many jobs are actually available to them when they execute their ESL job search. The first step towards finding your dream job is to find the job ad. Expand your search beyond traditional ESL employment sites and open up a whole new world of employment possibilities.

Long-Term Jobs Abroad Many ESL Jobs Available for Uncertified Teachers

2007-01-07T14:04:00.001-08:00

Click Here For English Literature Study Guides To High School Students And Teachers.

Teaching abroad is one of the most accessible and popular options for paid or inexpensive long-term stays overseas. Considerable cultural immersion is possible, especially if you already have some knowledge of the host country's language. But proficiency in the local language is rarely a requirement for obtaining a position. Here we review the great number of possibilities for those without teaching credentials.

The bulk of overseas teaching opportunities are for English teachers. As the world rushes to acquire the new lingua franca of international commerce, diplomacy, and higher education, your "credential" is simply being a native speaker of the English language. That may be all you need to obtain a job and a work permit in areas such as Asia and Eastern Europe. In addition to native fluency in English, many programs are now requesting experience in Teaching English as a Foreign (or Second) Language, known by the acronyms TEFL, EFL, TESL, ESL, or even TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).

Formal credentials in TEFL can be gained in a one-month course (see Susan Griffith’s book on Teaching English Abroad). This could open doors in extremely competitive areas like Western Europe. Those with a Master's in TEFL, available through a one-year program at many universities, can teach virtually anywhere.

Qualified teachers have still another range of options--see the chapter Teaching Abroad in Transitions Abroad’s Work Abroad.

Other teaching possibilities, some of which we list here, exist for those with knowledge of special fields such as business, health, math or science (through the Peace Corps and Teachers for Africa) or for graduate students (through the Civic Education Project).

Earnings can be good in the relatively wealthy countries of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. In China, Eastern Europe, Russia, and the Newly Independent States, pay may be high by local standards but not sufficient for savings. Africa and Latin America are primarily served by volunteer organizations. Western Europe presents dim prospects for Americans, even those with formal credentials, because British and Irish teachers do not need work permits as members of the European Union.

In general, if your main motivation in teaching is to make a lot of money, you will likely be disappointed. In some cases the experience may even cost you more than you earn, but this is usually still far less than the cost of study or travel abroad. (Student loans can often be deferred during volunteer work; inquire through your loan and program sponsors.)

Before You Begin

Before you begin your search, determine what you hope to gain from your overseas experience. Are your goals to experience a different culture? Gain language proficiency? Try out teaching as a career? How important is money--do you hope to make a lot of money, is it okay to break even, or can you spend more than you might make for the sake of the cross-cultural experience?

The answers to your money questions may limit your choices. The highest number of well-paying teaching jobs are in Asia.

Next, try to narrow down your geographic preferences to a few countries or regions. Do you hope to tie your experience to career objectives? How does this affect the money issue?

About a year before you would like to begin teaching abroad, think about getting TEFL experience or a certificate. You will be glad you did the first time you face a class thousands of miles from home. Opportunities are available as a literacy volunteer or through local ESL programs for international students or refugees offered by colleges, schools, and religious organizations almost everywhere.

Finding a Job

There are several strategies for finding an overseas teaching position. One is applying through a U.S.-based organization. These usually arrange placement and provide for logistical matters, such as housing and a work permit.

The second strategy is to write directly to overseas schools. Chances of success are limited without going to that country for an interview.

The third strategy is to go to the country where you want to work and apply in person. The major downside to this is cost: airfare, housing (possibly paying several months’ rent up front), and the need to travel to a third country to get a work permit once you land a job. The total up-front investment required by this last approach could easily be $2,000-$3,000 or more--something to keep in mind when evaluating program fees.

We generally recommend applying through U.S.-based organizations rather than seeking a job on-site because of the uncertainty and expense of the latter two strategies.

Most U.S.-based teaching placement organizations are small nonprofits, some staffed by volunteers. All (except for private language schools) view their primary mission as cultural exchange, not as overseas jobs.

Choosing a Placement Program

Programs vary widely in the fees, services, and assistance they offer. When choosing a program, inquire about: fees, salary, job placement, work permit, health insurance, housing, teacher training and materials, whether there is an orientation, and level of on-site support. It is better to be clear about these basics before you apply than to turn up and find you do not have a legal work permit.

Fees. What exactly do they include?

Placement. Find out who you will be teaching (elementary, high school, university students, or adults?) and where (a state school, private school, or for-profit language institute?).

Salary. How much and how often will you be paid? Compare your salary with the local cost of living.

Health insurance may not be provided by program fees, or you may be covered by socialized medicine available only in-country. Get an International Teachers' ID Card from CIEE (800-GET-AN-ID) which includes a minimal health insurance policy and which gives access to student-rate airfares. Consider special comprehensive coverage for educators provided by such organizations as John Hancock (800-767-0169), Seabury and Smith (800-331-3047), or Wallach and Company (800-237-6615). Costs begin at approximately $50 per month.

Materials and training. If they don’t provide materials, what do they recommend to bring with you? Even if some training is provided, would it still be useful to get experience teaching or tutoring in the U.S.?

Long-Term Jobs Abroad Many ESL Jobs Available for Uncertified Teachers

2007-01-07T14:04:00.000-08:00

Teaching abroad is one of the most accessible and popular options for paid or inexpensive long-term stays overseas. Considerable cultural immersion is possible, especially if you already have some knowledge of the host country's language. But proficiency in the local language is rarely a requirement for obtaining a position. Here we review the great number of possibilities for those without teaching credentials.

The bulk of overseas teaching opportunities are for English teachers. As the world rushes to acquire the new lingua franca of international commerce, diplomacy, and higher education, your "credential" is simply being a native speaker of the English language. That may be all you need to obtain a job and a work permit in areas such as Asia and Eastern Europe. In addition to native fluency in English, many programs are now requesting experience in Teaching English as a Foreign (or Second) Language, known by the acronyms TEFL, EFL, TESL, ESL, or even TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).

Formal credentials in TEFL can be gained in a one-month course (see Susan Griffith’s book on Teaching English Abroad). This could open doors in extremely competitive areas like Western Europe. Those with a Master's in TEFL, available through a one-year program at many universities, can teach virtually anywhere.

Qualified teachers have still another range of options--see the chapter Teaching Abroad in Transitions Abroad’s Work Abroad.

Other teaching possibilities, some of which we list here, exist for those with knowledge of special fields such as business, health, math or science (through the Peace Corps and Teachers for Africa) or for graduate students (through the Civic Education Project).

Earnings can be good in the relatively wealthy countries of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. In China, Eastern Europe, Russia, and the Newly Independent States, pay may be high by local standards but not sufficient for savings. Africa and Latin America are primarily served by volunteer organizations. Western Europe presents dim prospects for Americans, even those with formal credentials, because British and Irish teachers do not need work permits as members of the European Union.

In general, if your main motivation in teaching is to make a lot of money, you will likely be disappointed. In some cases the experience may even cost you more than you earn, but this is usually still far less than the cost of study or travel abroad. (Student loans can often be deferred during volunteer work; inquire through your loan and program sponsors.)

Before You Begin

Before you begin your search, determine what you hope to gain from your overseas experience. Are your goals to experience a different culture? Gain language proficiency? Try out teaching as a career? How important is money--do you hope to make a lot of money, is it okay to break even, or can you spend more than you might make for the sake of the cross-cultural experience?

The answers to your money questions may limit your choices. The highest number of well-paying teaching jobs are in Asia.

Next, try to narrow down your geographic preferences to a few countries or regions. Do you hope to tie your experience to career objectives? How does this affect the money issue?

About a year before you would like to begin teaching abroad, think about getting TEFL experience or a certificate. You will be glad you did the first time you face a class thousands of miles from home. Opportunities are available as a literacy volunteer or through local ESL programs for international students or refugees offered by colleges, schools, and religious organizations almost everywhere.

Finding a Job

There are several strategies for finding an overseas teaching position. One is applying through a U.S.-based organization. These usually arrange placement and provide for logistical matters, such as housing and a work permit.

The second strategy is to write directly to overseas schools. Chances of success are limited without going to that country for an interview.

The third strategy is to go to the country where you want to work and apply in person. The major downside to this is cost: airfare, housing (possibly paying several months’ rent up front), and the need to travel to a third country to get a work permit once you land a job. The total up-front investment required by this last approach could easily be $2,000-$3,000 or more--something to keep in mind when evaluating program fees.

We generally recommend applying through U.S.-based organizations rather than seeking a job on-site because of the uncertainty and expense of the latter two strategies.

Most U.S.-based teaching placement organizations are small nonprofits, some staffed by volunteers. All (except for private language schools) view their primary mission as cultural exchange, not as overseas jobs.

Choosing a Placement Program

Programs vary widely in the fees, services, and assistance they offer. When choosing a program, inquire about: fees, salary, job placement, work permit, health insurance, housing, teacher training and materials, whether there is an orientation, and level of on-site support. It is better to be clear about these basics before you apply than to turn up and find you do not have a legal work permit.

Fees. What exactly do they include?

Placement. Find out who you will be teaching (elementary, high school, university students, or adults?) and where (a state school, private school, or for-profit language institute?).

Salary. How much and how often will you be paid? Compare your salary with the local cost of living.

Health insurance may not be provided by program fees, or you may be covered by socialized medicine available only in-country. Get an International Teachers' ID Card from CIEE (800-GET-AN-ID) which includes a minimal health insurance policy and which gives access to student-rate airfares. Consider special comprehensive coverage for educators provided by such organizations as John Hancock (800-767-0169), Seabury and Smith (800-331-3047), or Wallach and Company (800-237-6615). Costs begin at approximately $50 per month.

Materials and training. If they don’t provide materials, what do they recommend to bring with you? Even if some training is provided, would it still be useful to get experience teaching or tutoring in the U.S.?

Teaching English Abroad What to Expect, How to Prepare

2007-01-07T13:54:00.000-08:00

English Listening Practice?Click Here to get English Listening Practice For Efl And Esl Students.

Myths and Realities
"Hey, you don’t even need a degree to get a good job. Schools will accept anyone who speaks English."

I’ve heard this statement many times before, but before you launch into a career in the field of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) you should ask yourself some important questions:

1. What are you looking for in a career in TESOL? First you have to determine your options and what interests you most. Talk to people in the field: your teachers, former graduates, and colleagues you might meet online. One place to explore options is an online jobs forum like Dave's ESL Cafe Job Discussion Forums (www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/index.php). Teachers and students from around the world post messages about potential job opportunities based on their experiences.

Next find out whether there is a market for the skills you want to acquire in the part of the world where you want to live. You have to be prepared to go where the jobs are.

Keep in mind that any job could lead you to other rewarding experiences that you hadn’t planned for. Over the past decade, I have been fortunate to have traveled (because of my work in Web-based language learning and technology) to Canada, China, Europe, Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and throughout the US. In these travels, I have met many wonderful people and have been able to share many things with them. Few professions give you opportunities to be a part of other cultures to the degree that TESOL does.

2. Are you mentally prepared for teaching overseas? Too often, teachers who go to another country soon return home disenchanted because things did not turn out the way they expected. While the employer bears some of the responsibility for preparing the new recruit, this does not exempt the employee from gathering as much information as possible about the host country and the place where they will work. Study up and consider the following:

Anyone can teach English abroad. Until recently, this was true. Many foreign schools and companies, seeking to take advantage of the boom in students interested in learning English, tended to hire anyone who could speak English or had any post-secondary education. However, since the profession has come into its own and more qualified teachers are available finding a good job with no qualification is no longer a sure thing.

Go with a purpose in mind. Teachers who have clear professional goals and can sustain themselves by nurturing their professionalism through outside activities and (and don’t blame the foreign culture for personal misfortunes) have the best chance of a successful teaching experience.

Learn to expect the unexpected. I have found that no matter how well I planned things out, there were always a few surprises. For example, I have sometimes been asked to carry out additional teaching or administrative duties beyond the stipulations of my contract (this could happen anywhere). Under some situations, teachers who are willing to contribute beyond these contractual boundaries will be well rewarded by the company for which they are working.

Speaking of flexibility, teachers may become perplexed because their attempts to initiate positive change are sometimes misinterpreted or shunned. Remember that resistance to change is often the result of underlying cultural factors that we are not aware of. Therefore teachers have to approach a new teaching situation with their eyes and ears open and be patient for their ideas to take root.

Study the language and culture of the host country. Although many training programs focus on the linguistic elements of the profession, an equally compelling reason should lead us to focus attention on diversity training to help teachers in the acculturation process they will need to undergo in a foreign land. Teachers themselves should make an earnest attempt to learn something about cultural adjustment and training that will lead to successful experiences abroad. Learning the language is a key step to adjustment, so you are able to become an active participant in everyday life. Tapping into what is "hot" and "what's not" with our students shows them we are not removed spectators.

Contribute to the local culture through volunteer, social, and educational activities: So much could be said about a teacher’s involvement in the lives of the people beyond the day-to-day teaching responsibilities at work. When we lived in Japan, our family enjoyed serving in a local Japanese church even though we didn’t speak the language in the beginning. We also enrolled our children in local Japanese public schools so they could develop friendships with children in the area and understand the culture in which they lived.