Nothing gives you quite as much scope for working overseas as teaching English. After all, those that can (speak English with any degree of proficiency that is), teach.
Just make your way to your favourite search engine and enter 'TEFL jobs' and you’ll be inundated with teaching vacancies from the Far East, to the Middle East, and everywhere in between. In a world where everybody wants to learn English from a native speaker, you’ll never be short of work as a teacher.
While some teach English for a gap year, or a mid-life sabbatical, other’s make a career of it. Either in one place, or roaming the world, never spending more than a year or two in any single country. But the lifestyle and experiences you can expect teaching English vary greatly depending on the contracts you choose, and more importantly, where you choose them.
The Job Description
Again this depends on where you decide to work and the type of contracts you accept, but fundamentally you’re role is pretty self explanatory, to teach English. Whether it’s language, spelling, conversation, grammar, or pronunciation, you’re guaranteed to learn a few new things about your mother tongue in the process. While some work in schools in Japan where the timetable is longer and more vigorous, other’s teach private lessons in Thailand, earning less but being their own boss, or teach adults in the UK which is less exotic but less hectic than teaching kids.
Qualifications
Actually you don’t need any. In some parts of South East Asia you can apply for a job with no formal training or experience, or pick up private clients based solely on the fact that you’re a native speaker. Officially the qualification is a CELTA or equivalent certificate, a one month full time course including practicle training infront of a class.
There are shorter courses available, some which can even be completed online in a matter of hours, but generally if a school does require their teachers to be qualified, it’ll be the four week CELTA equivalent that they’re looking for.
Where To Work And Money Matters?
As a TEFL teacher the world truly is your oyster. And you have your pick of destinations depending on what you’re looking for. If it’s money you seek, then try the Far East, Japan traditionally paying very well for English ‘Sensai’s’, or South Korea where free housing is more often than not included as part of the package. If you’re a hedonist seeking parties and paradise, why not try Thailand. Although wages are low, the cost of living is very cheap and a person can live well on a teacher’s salary.
How about South America if you love all things Latin? Or if you want to learn another language? Again, you may not save money here, but you will have the time of your life and you'll never be short of work offers.
Finally if the only thing you’re truly seeking is yourself, then head to Nepal or India, where you’ll work for peanuts but have plenty of time to devote to self discovery in the form of yoga, meditation, healing, cooking, and massage to name but a few.
For information on work abroad websites and resources click here
Or find out how you can get paid to travel as a tour leader, travelwriter, or PADI diving instructor.
