how to teach abroad and become an in-demand esl teacher

If you’ve got questions, I’ve got answers—and years of experience teaching across many great nations around the world. Whether you’re an experienced ESL teacher or an adventurer with an English teaching spirit, I can help you along your journey. Here are some of the most frequently asked (and answered) questions about teaching English abroad. If you don’t find what you’re looking for here, feel free to contact me any time.

TEFL is an acronym that stands for Teaching English as a Foreign language. TEFL is the most common term for the teaching of non-native English students in non-English speaking countries.

You can teach English abroad in almost every country on earth! If you’re looking for how to get started, you can find more information in my Teaching Toolkit.

Yes. Full stop. Will it be easy to find these jobs? No.

Certainly. Lots of places are open to people without teaching experience. In fact, many TEFL teachers come to this sector from a variety of industries.

A TEFL Certification isn’t required to teach English abroad, but it is recommended. There are two reasons why you should consider getting certified: your potential income and your sanity.

Absolutely not. And in fact, it’s better if you don’t speak the language of the place where you teach (so you won’t resort to explaining things in the students’ native language).

You can earn as much as $5,000 USD per month or as little as nothing. It really depends on where you’re looking to teach, what qualifications you have, and how sharp your negotiation skills are.

If you’re a US citizen, you won’t have to pay taxes while you’re abroad unless you go over a certain amount that is so high it’s unlikely you’ll hit it. Check out my toolkit for more information about this.

You should save a minimum of the cost of a one-way flight home + any expenses for one month of life in the country you’ll be teaching.

In a nutshell, there is no difference. CELTA is a brand of TESOL which is the umbrella term for teaching English to speakers of other languages. TEFL is the industry-standard acronym for teaching English as a foreign language.

No, a TEFL certification isn’t always required, but I strongly recommend you have one before you start teaching. Notice I said before you start teaching, not before you go abroad.

Basically, accreditation means that the course you’re taking hasn’t been created by some basement-dweller looking to make a quick buck. It’s a third-party that has no affiliation with the course you want to take who comes in and says “Yeah, mate, this course is legit.”

Erm, no! If you’re certified to teach ESL, you don’t need to double down and get a TEFL certification.

However, if you’re certified in any other subject, including English Language Arts, you’ll need to get a TEFL certification.

Keep in mind, if you’re a certified teacher looking to teach abroad, you should be looking at international schools - the crème de la crème of teaching abroad.

Online courses usually allow you to go at your own pace and are generally cheaper than in-person courses.

Yes and yes. Find more information here.

There are a few ways you can do this.

1) Find a language training center in your area that will allow you to do a few classes.

2) Find a non-profit organization that teaches English to non-native speakers and ask to volunteer.

3) Go on Craigslist or something similar and get a few students together and run your own class :))

You need to look at the terms of your TEFL course to make sure you’re adhering to their guidelines.

You can find TEFL jobs year-round in almost every corner of the earth. However, more prestigious posts will hire from October to March for the following school year.

China - of course! Followed by the rest of southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

Yes! This market is growing at an extraordinary rate so it’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into.

Start here.

By having the best resume, the right attitude, and a spirit of adventure.

The fundamental requirements for a teacher of English in South Korea are as follows:

• A post-secondary degree (3 or 4 years depending on where you're from)

• Clean, criminal background check taken from a national agency (like the FBI)

• A clean bill of health (including a drug test)

• A passport-holder of one of the seven English-speaking countries (U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa).

Read more.

Absolutely. But as in any part of the world, you need to do your research before going and be clear about your expectations.

A visa is a legal document that says you’re allowed to be a guest in a foreign country under a specific set of guidelines. Visas tell governments who is in their country and why they’re there. You need a work visa to teach English abroad in most countries.

Teaching “under the table” most often means that you secure a visa yourself (say a student visa or a business visa) and you get paid in cash by schools or private clients.

As a basis, you’ll need an up-to-date resume, a passport with at least a year before it expires and a TEFL certification or degree,

Border hopping is for those who cannot secure a 1-year work visa to stay in a country legally.

This means they’ll get tourist visas, for example, that have a 60/90/120 maximum stay before they have to leave the country.

In this instance, the teacher needs to go to another country (most likely one that is closest), to comply with the visa regulations.

This involves literally going across the border, getting a stamp, and coming back.

There are a lot of schools that will provide you with insurance. If this isn’t the case, almost all health insurance providers have international coverage for their customers.

However, unless you have a chronic illness that requires coverage, I would recommend getting coverage in your designated country.

The US has, by far, the most expensive healthcare on earth and insurance premiums reflect that. If you’re American, I’d say wait. :)

100% yes! You can even find a husband like I did :)

The planning process depends on how much patience you have. I wouldn’t wait longer than a year if you can help it, but other than that the process depends on how much money you want to save and what kinds of posts you’re looking for.

Typically, your school should help you with this. When I say typically, I mean 99% of the time. If they don’t, you should see it as a red flag and think twice about working for them.

As a basis, you’ll need an up-to-date resume, a passport with at least a year before it expires and a TEFL certification or degree,

Glad you asked. Come over here and I’ll show you around.

The number one method for getting your students more engaged is to be more relatable.

You cannot go into a classroom like a robot with a one-size-fits-all lesson plan.

You have to know your “audience” and engage in things they’re interested in.

Right this way.

I encourage you to join our facebook group or contact me directly.