Everything You Need To Know About Teaching English Abroad
This post gives you a complete breakdown of what teaching English abroad is all about. Learn More about programs, salaries, certifications and background requirements.
What would life be like if I just took a leap of faith?
I remember the first time I thought about teaching English abroad. It was a bitter, grey day in December 2007 and I was sat in the cubicle of my most miserable job to date. To my left was Beth, whose voice could wake the dead with its screeches and squeals; and to my right was Jim, whose body odor filled our small office in a scent I can only describe as emetic. We had all just come back from a team meeting where we were once again ridiculed for having such low sales. Through gritted teeth and a red face, my manager seethed at our mediocre efforts, calling our nationwide rankings 'laughable', and introduced the idea of a six-day workweek. When that was mentioned I let out an audible snort; there was only one thing that was laughable in that moment and it was the idea that I would step foot in that office on a Saturday.
This can’t be all there is to life.
Six months post-university and I already loathed what my life had become; working in a job I hated, living in a city I despised. How was I supposed to continue on this path for another X number of years? At university, I had the chance to study and work abroad in France and wow, what a life-changing experience that had been. It had opened my eyes to the world and its endless opportunities. There was a vast and curious world out there, yet there I was - stuck in Oklahoma, having these wildly vivid, recurring dreams about the places I had visited. They were eating me alive. I would wake up angry that I had woken up! I wanted that life again, but how?
Can I just leave?
Having worked a mere six months in the professional realm, and having only minor experience teaching, I was hesitant about my next move. But when Jimmy McNoshower (aged 43) let out a fart and proclaimed to Beth NoIndoorVoice (aged 29), “That’s what I think of their Saturday schedule!” and she laughed so loud my ear actually twinged - I lost it. I decided then and there that no matter what, I was leaving and it was going to happen as soon as possible.
Deciding to teach English abroad is easy. Just decide. All the other stuff like "How do I find a post?" "What will my pay be like?" or "What qualifications do I have to have?", well that can get more complicated. So let’s unpack what it’s really all about.
Teach English Abroad: Programs
Programs can help you find incredible opportunities to teach abroad.
There are no shortage of teach abroad programs. In fact, far too many to list in this post. So for now, let’s focus on the range of programs available, rather than the programs themselves. I will scrutinize individual programs in a later post.
Volunteer Programs
Teaching English abroad to some of the most underprivileged people on earth can be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ve ever had. Volunteer programs span the planet from Quito, to Kathmandu, to Zanzibar. These programs usually offer some kind of room and board along with your commitment to their on-site TEFL certification. You aren’t always paid, but some places do offer a small stipend. Not all volunteer programs are equal, so you’ll need to research some important things like whether or not they will purchase your flight, pay for your visa, or provide basic housing and food.
Paid Programs
Just a step up from volunteering, paid TEFL programs allow you study and earn an income. These programs are typically structured like internships that last anywhere from 3-6 months. Teachers are usually given accommodation and flights, but should have money for things like meals and in-country travel opportunities. I have seen a trend of both volunteer and paid programs offering “cultural” classes to sweeten their program offers. These are normally in the form of free language classes, which in all fairness (if done well), could be tremendously beneficial.
Placement Programs
Getting placed as a TEFL teacher abroad will require a lot more credentials than the aforementioned programs. Usually TEFL placement programs will be seeking candidates with bachelor’s degrees, TEFL certificates (or at least in the process), and some teaching experience (not always). There are some placements programs that require a fee from you, and some that charge the employers. There is no way to tell if one works better than the other so remain diligent on what benefits the schools are offering, what responsibilities the school’s hold, and nail down your responsibilities before you sign any contracts.
Teach English Abroad: Salaries
Ah yes, the frequently asked “How much will I make?” question. And I can answer by saying, honestly - like most jobs out there - TEFL salaries are just as varied as any other career; though these salaries can sometimes be linked to the average GDP of its corresponding country. Having said that, as a point of reference for my readers, I took twenty of the most in-demand destinations and crunched some numbers based on 30 data points, across 10+ job boards, of companies hiring for positions in 2018 only. As with everything else, there are always exceptions when it comes to data: some schools may offer a lower salary than you see here, and some a higher one. This is is what I happened to find on average.
Salaries are always negotiable so it is important to have a good understanding of what people are paid in the region in which you would like to work.
A note about salaries:
As mentioned above, one’s pay is most likely correlated with the country’s GDP. In most instances, an ESL teacher hired from abroad will usually be paid much higher than their local counterparts. To this effect, your salary is generally a substantial one that would give you a comfortable life in your region; so it is imperative to understand how a $500/m salary in Nicaragua could be more appealing than $2500/m salary in the UAE.
Teach English Abroad: Certifications
TEFL certifications are an important addition to your resume so do your homework.
"To teach any subject, in any part of the world, in any public school - one needs to be certified. TEFL is different."
Is that statement a fact or an opinion? Well, we could say it is a little of both. Let's explore this statement by asking two questions. First, is the TEFL environment within a larger entity, like an international school or a bilingual program sponsored by the government? If so, you will most likely need to be certified. These environments usually have strict protocols on predetermined standards that need to be met during a specific time frame. Additionally, they have various stakeholders who are quite involved in having a say on the kinds of teachers who are chosen for the school. Having unqualified teachers would almost always negatively impact said schools (e.g. accreditation, reputation, etc.). Second, is the TEFL environment run through a privately owned and operated training center? Privately-run training centers have their own standards from which teachers will work and therefore qualification requirements will vary from school to school. For this reason you will find a variety of certifications offered at wildly different price points. Before you go looking for the quickest, cheapest certificate, there are few things you should consider in terms of TEFL certifications.
- Course Hours
- Speaking from experience, any TEFL certificate that is lower than 100 hours is NOT worth your time or money. Most schools will require 100 credit hours or more to be recognized as a valid certification. Depending on your available free time and financial standing, the more hours, the better.
- Course Methodology
- There is no right or wrong way to take a TEFL course. However, as a teacher having taught for more than a decade AND having hired dozens of people, I can say it is imperative you get some kind of access to a classroom during your TEFL training. This will greatly reduce the anxiety you will face when heading into a brand new country and a brand new career. If you have been exposed to the sorts of challenges you will face in an ESL classroom before having started teaching, you will be miles ahead of the start line. If you are unable to do this, don’t fret. Doing a TEFL completely online works fine as an alternative. Though, I would strongly suggest that once you know where you are going to be placed, you find out from current teachers what sorts of things the students struggle with most (i.e. Chinese students can usually write well, but have trouble speaking). This will allow you to do a good deal of research and walk into your classroom a lot more prepared.
- Course Brand
- There is no one brand that outshines them all, really. That being said, there are some names that schools - particularly international schools - like when they see them. CELTA is a brand that consistently ranks as one of the best TEFL courses out there. Yes, I have done CELTA and may be biased, but I have seen hundreds and hundreds of job posts that say something similar to “Candidate should have CELTA qualification or equivalent.” So one could infer it is the industry standard from which most schools base their opinion. You can think of CELTA as the Starbucks of TEFL certifications. There is a standard that is upheld, worldwide, throughout each of the centers where it is taught. And while some may think Starbucks is garbage in comparison to local cafes, so one could make the same argument here. Sometimes the best certifications are the ones that are taught in the country you want to teach. Again, your choice should mainly boil down to your time constraints and financial commitments. At the end of the day, no one’s going to deny you a teaching position because of the certifying entity unless it is not accredited or doesn’t meet the requirements set by the school.
- Course price
- This may be the most worrying thing of all when it comes to diving into TEFL certifications: TEFL CERTIFICATIONS ARE NOT CHEAP, NOR SHOULD THEY BE. You are essentially getting 100+ hours of instruction and materials to do your best job. When I see courses advertised for one or two hundred dollars I get worried for the poor souls who will take those courses and be left with a lot to desire. There is no way that you could get what you needed from a course that teaches you how to engage learners and really teach students who do not speak the same language as you. The techniques and methodologies that are necessary to run a successful ESL class require a lot more than simply reading case studies or answering multiple choice questions. You really need to see this as an investment, which could help you flush out the scammers and fakes.
Teach English Abroad: Requirements
ESL teachers have a lot to offer the communities they serve.
If you find yourself wondering things like “What will happen to my reputation if I decide to go into teaching?” you’re not alone. There’s an old saying that goes something like "He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches." I prefer the saying “Those who can’t teach, just do.”
Teachers often get a bad wrap; we’re seen as lazy, ungrateful rejects. This is often compounded when you decide to teach English abroad. I have always wondered why that is. Have you ever thought about what it would take to be a great English teacher in a foreign country? Been there. Done that. Got the receipts. Here's a list of character traits every teacher should have if they want to exceed in this field:
Understanding
Flexible
Highly organized
Sensitive
Fast learner
Perceptive
Enthusiastic
Driven
Goal-oriented
Now you might say those characteristics are indicative of any effective employee in any job, and that would be true on some levels. But do other jobs have consequences as serious as being able to change the path of a person's life - young or old? In many countries, a local who has a strong command of English can earn two or three times more than their non-English speaking counterparts and in some cases, this will actually pull their families out of a vicious cycle of poverty. So that my friends, is where the difference lies.
What about your own background?
For the highest paid positions with the best working conditions, you will find that you need to have a four-year degree with a TEFL certificate of 100+ hours. If you want to work in international schools (the creme de la creme) you will also need to be certified to teach ESL in your own country. That being said, there are still plenty of training schools that will allow you to work there without a four-year degree, bearing in mind you at least have a TEFL. However, these positions are slowly fading as visa laws are becoming stricter. Where China was once a land grab of opportunities for the TEFL teacher of various backgrounds, it is fast becoming more strict on who is allowed an employment visa; companies must prove that you are a better hire than a local Chinese.
A note for those without a degree.
If you don’t have a four-year degree, but are looking for meaningful employment in the TEFL sphere, you can most assuredly find it. Bear in mind, however, more often than not, your employers will use you not having a degree as an excuse to pay you less than your colleagues - even if you are doing the exact same job. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are hired by a school and things don't work out, understand that not having a degree could make it more difficult to find other employment in that country - especially if they have pulled some strings to get you there in the first place. There are some success stories where someone has worked their way from a teacher to something in a managerial role - but these are exceptions, not rules. I will not tell you to go get a degree for the sake of teaching abroad, but just know that, at the time of writing this, there doesn’t seem to be a change of heart in terms of the perceived value of a degree. Where engineers and coders have changed the perceptions of non-degree holders in the technology field, education still very much honors, well, education.
teach english abroad: is it right for you?
If you have made it this far in the post and you are still confused as to whether or not this career path is right for you, don't worry, there are other ways to suss out if traveling the world to mold young and old minds is really how you'd want to be spending your time. After all, learning a new language, exploring a new culture, and possibly meeting your future husband or wife (like I did!) shouldn't be the reason you take the leap. You should see what's out there first. Download my FREE Ultimate Toolkit for Teaching English Abroad to help guide you on your journey to TEFL anywhere your heart desires.
What would life be like if I just took a leap of faith?
Is there something I missed in this article? Comment below and I'll be sure to address it either in this article or any future ones.