Are you a great communicator with a passion for travel? Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is a unique and interesting career opportunity that could take you on the adventure of a lifetime. If you’re bored of working 9-5 within the same four office walls, then why not spread your wings and see where a career as a foreign language teacher could take you? There’s a whole world out there just waiting to be explored, and the possibilities are endless…
What does Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) involve?
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (also known as “TEFL”) involves exactly what it says on the tin – which is helping non-native speakers of English to either learn English from scratch, or work on their existing English language skills.
English is a valuable language that is widely sought after by countries across the globe, so teaching opportunities are vast, and they’ll always be someone in the world who could benefit from your language skills and experience.
TEFL has the potential to take you on adventures to all corners of the world, so you could soon be sunning yourself in regions such as Latin America or Southern Europe. There are also options to teach English to non-native speakers living in native-speaking countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the USA – so the world really is your oyster!
The right person will:
TEFL salaries are very variable – as it will largely depend on where in the world you choose to teach, but it will usually be enough to live off by local standards. Many employers also offer free flights, accommodation and other bonuses, but again, this will very much depend on who you take a job with. It’s always best to confirm the details of your salary and any perks and bonuses (in writing) before accepting any offers.
The TEFL industry is huge and progression can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. If you get on particularly well at the place you’re teaching at, they could offer you a permanent position and the chance to progress to more senior teaching roles.
You may also decide that you’d like to go on and become a TEFL course designer or tutor, and help run courses for people who want to start their own journey to teaching English as a foreign language. If you’re in it for the long haul, you may even want to work towards becoming a TEFL Director of Studies.
You don’t need to know any other languages or have any formal qualifications in order to teach English as a foreign language. As long as you’re fluent in English and willing to take an accredited TEFL course, there’s no reason why you can’t get started…
The best way to prepare yourself to teach English as a foreign language is to take an accredited TEFL course which will cover topics such as lesson planning, grammar and classroom management. This should give you the skills and the confidence you need to get the most out of the role – and courses can usually be studied online, in person, or both.
Most employers (across all countries) will expect you to have had at least 120 hours of TEFL training as a standard – and as long as you’ve completed this and gained your TEFL certificate, there’s no reason why you can’t apply for your first teaching position.
Course provider Premier TEFL offer a range of courses, from shorter “fast-track” courses to the more detailed Level 5 qualification.
Fast-track courses are cheaper, but still enable you to teach abroad whilst travelling.
TEFL Ofqual related Level 5 qualification is more in-depth, so is a little more expensive and takes longer. However, it enables you to teach both abroad or online – and with a higher earning potential.
If you’re not sure which to do, there’s more information on the Premier TEFL website…
If you’re not sure which to do, there’s more information on the Premier TEFL website…
Once you’ve successfully completed an accredited TEFL course (made up of at least 120 hours of study), you’ll receive an internationally-recognised TEFL certificate and can start applying for jobs. And the first (and most exciting thing) to decide is where in the world you’d like to go.
It’s important to keep in mind that different countries have different entry requirements and criteria for hiring TEFL staff – for example, some countries in Asia have a compulsory retirement age of 55 or 60, which means that teaching opportunities for people above these ages often aren’t widely available. This means you need to research your dream destination carefully, but thankfully it’s only a minority of countries and there are plenty of other places around the world who do hire teachers well into their 70s. For example, in Latin American countries such as Costa Rica, Mexico and Nicaragua, older teachers are very desirable because of their skills, experience and work ethic – and the warm weather, beautiful scenery and rich history in these locations, make them incredible places to live and work.
If you find that you really enjoy TEFL and want to make it a long-term plan, but you struggle with the idea of being away from home for long periods of time, then you could consider TEFL online. You can teach a group of students regularly in a virtual classroom (using a webcam and headset), without having to leave the comfort of your own home. Many employers ask that you first have a year of TEFL experience before you start working online, which means that even if you only wish to teach abroad for a year, you will still have the option to continue with your TEFL career when you decide to return to the UK.
The rate of pay and the benefits attached to each TEFL job will vary significantly depending on the country you’re visiting and the employer. Your course provider should provide you with lots of information about the country you’re interested in teaching in, so you can make an informed decision. Once you start browsing, you never know where you might end up!
Did you find this page helpful? Have you already studied or taught TEFL? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]
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