The ELT Times The only online TEFL newspaper

By Luke Fisher

Once TEFL certified, course graduates are qualified to teach English abroad. Opportunities for teaching English abroad are plentiful with TEFL jobs, Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language, available in most countries. The vast majority of English teaching jobs tend to be in countries where English is not the first language an example of this is TEFL in Thailand or China. Asia is generally considered to be the largest market place for TEFL teachers. Although, in countries where English is the native language, there is an increasing demand for English teachers. This is due to growth of immigrants into countries where English is the native language such as Mexicans migrating to America and Poles migrating to England. The worldwide demand for knowledge of and ability to use the English language has created a wide variety of TEFL jobs throughout the world. For those that are TEFL certified, teaching job offers overseas or at home are plentiful.

A number of areas need to be covered with regard to TEFL jobs and teaching English abroad. Fortunately, most of these areas are covered during the job guidance and support sessions within the TEFL course and are a fundamental component of the course itself. Interview techniques are covered along with resume building. A variety of potential questions and answers are discussed in relation to interviews. Positives and negatives for TEFL in different countries are considered and discussed as well as salaries, working conditions and employment benefits. What to expect from your employer and what your employer will expect from you. Lastly and perhaps most importantly: where and how to locate TEFL jobs.

The internet has quickly become the main source for research into TEFL jobs and teaching English abroad. There are a plethora of forums, TEFL job databases and directories offering or advertising teaching positions in countries all over the world. Simply type ‘TEFL in Thailand‘ into a search engine and you will receive thousands of results. Another good source for TEFL jobs is the classified ads in newspapers both in print and online.

The variety of teaching jobs continues to increase with TEFL jobs available in areas such as schools, colleges, universities, language centers, businesses and companies, hospitals, hotels and tourism generally. TEFL in Thailand for example, businesses, hotels and hospitals employ English language teachers to train their staff to communicate with customers from overseas. This has become big business in Thailand due to the generally lower costs of living and especially in terms of lower medical expenses. For those wishing to teach English abroad there really is a great variety of locations and teaching positions to choose from.

Salaries, conditions and benefits vary greatly from country to country. TEFL in Thailand for example, salaries range from $800 to $2000 USD per month depending on qualifications and experience. Salaries are high in Thailand where a typical salary for a Thai person is about $200 USD per month. Living costs in Thailand are low and salaries afford the opportunity to live well, save and travel. Employers in Thailand provide all working papers which are renewed every 12 months. Health insurance is arranged automatically through monthly contributions. Teachers will have on average 20 to 25 contact hrs per week with their students. Students in Thailand are respectful and are keen to learn.

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Approximately 80% of TEFL graduates teach English abroad for between one and 3 years before returning home to pursue other forms of employment. This is not surprising as TEFL tends to be the spring board for travel and employment on a limited basis. Employers at home look favorably on applicants who have spent time overseas training, teaching English, gaining new skills and qualifications. Approximately 20% of TEFL graduates go on to gain advanced TEFL qualifications and continue with TEFL jobs. Advanced level qualifications include Diploma in TEFL and MA TEFL. With these advanced level qualifications the types of TEFL job options increases with positions such as Director of Studies, Teacher Trainer and Curriculum Developer become available.

Weather you choose teaching English abroad as career, a conduit for travel and experience or as a stepping stone to other things, you will have a wealth of choice in terms of location and type of TEFL job. Teaching English abroad will provide you with an unforgettable experience and also provide you with an opportunity to help in the lives of others through education.

About the author

TEFL in Thailand and TEFL International provides TEFL courses and TEFL certification leading to TEFL jobs and teaching English abroad. English teaching jobs are available in countries all over the world.

By Alex A. Smith

Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of thousands of islands, is known throughout the world for its biological diversity and Balinese beach getaways. As culturally diverse as it is biologically, the capital city of Jakarta is a melting pot of roughly 10 million people. Home to numerous expatriates from all corners of the earth, Jakarta has everything any cosmopolitan city has to offer - but you might just have to dig a little deeper to find it. While your first impression might leave you choking on fumes from the ubiquitous Metro Mini public buses that leave a trail of grey exhaust along the main thoroughfares, Jakarta quickly compensates with its high end shopping malls, excellent cuisine, and smiling faces. Known as the “Big Durian” after the notoriously stinky Southeast Asian thorny fruit, Jakarta certainly makes an impression on all who have counted themselves among Indonesia’s bule gila (crazy foreigners).

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If you are relocating to Jakarta, the first challenge you might find yourself up against is the hunt for accommodation. While short term needs are easily met by any of the international or national hotel chains in the city, longer term accommodation can be trickier. The decision usually boils down to a villa or an apartment. For those of more modest means, there are also communal living arrangements called kost that include a private bedroom and bathroom with shared living area and kitchen. The area in which you choose to live is usually decided by your particular needs. Families often opt to live in Jakarta’s southern neighborhoods in order to have a larger house with a yard and easy access to Jakarta’s international schools. Kemang is an area of town most known for its expat population and as such has numerous boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and bars within walking distance. Singles and couples often live in Kemang or opt for the more centrally located apartments that can be found in and around the central business district. Centrally located apartments are often on the higher end of rental spectrum as they offer a host of luxury amenities such as on site gym, security, and pool.

Jakarta has much entertainment to offer both young and old throughout the year. The up and coming local and international artists have made great effort to broaden Jakarta’s cultural horizon and sponsor annual events such as the Jakarta International Film Festival and the Jazz Festival. Embassies and Consulates also bring in talent every month which include pianists, operatic performances, and chamber music. For athletic types, whether children or adults, there are numerous intramural teams who are very welcoming to newcomers, such as the football teams and Ultimate Frisbee leagues. If your idea of athleticism is lifting a Starbucks while you contemplate whether or not to buy that cute Kate Spade bag - Jakarta will not disappoint. With new shopping malls springing up every year, Jakarta is quickly becoming a shopping haven to rival the nearby retail center of Singapore. With numerous high end stores such as Bulgari, Valentino, and Gucci as well as moderately priced chains like the U.K.’s TopShop, there is something for everyone.

If you find yourself missing home while in Jakarta, you don’t have to go far to find a taste of comfort food, whatever it might be. Be sure to check out Scusa at the Intercontinental for Italian, C’s for steaks and seafood at the Grand Hyatt, and of course the place to see and be seen for Sunday brunch, Seasons Café at the Four Seasons. If hotels aren’t your thing - don’t worry - there are more than enough International restaurants tucked away in a neighborhood near you. Try the persistent favorite, Koi with mouth watering desserts or line up for freshly flown in mussels at Cassis every Tuesday. For consistently good Indian, try Kinara in Kemang. The newly renovated Blowfish is the trendiest place for sushi these days, and the attached club gets going by 11pm making a late dinner transition into drinks a step away. If you have a hankering for dim sum, you will not be disappointed in the consistently high quality of Din Tai Fung in Plaza Senayan Arcadia. And if you stay long enough - there are bound to many new restaurants popping up as the city’s economy continues to recover.

About the Author

Alex Smith has traveled extensively in Southeast Asia, has lived in Bangkok, Thailand for the last four years where he maintains and manages the Cheap Thailand Travel website.

By Luke Fisher

In this article, Luke Fisher discusses the life of the English teacher in Spain:

There are a wide variety of TEFL course options available in Spain leading to TEFL jobs for those with TEFL certification. Spain has such a tremendous amount regional diversity that one is almost dealing with this country as a mini continent. The Costa’s - Spain’s huge coastline - differs greatly from the geographic nature of the big cities, which in turn differs greatly from the environment of the thousands of picturesque rural villages, which is again is different from the mountainous regions of Andorra or Granada. Dispirit locations and circumstances are united in a profound love of life. Hence it is very easy to get swept up in a seemingly constant round of festivals and fiestas, dancing and music - eating well and drinking well being all part of pursuing the good life in the best of all possible worlds. Few who have lived in Spain for a spell would disagree with the idea that, in terms of quality of life, Spain is a world leader. There is a high demand for English language skills in all walks of life generating a vast market of TEFL jobs for those with TEFL certification.

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Spain is a big country with a varying climate in different locations to suit all tastes. The country is very hot in the south with temperatures getting into the 40s, cooler in the north, and snowbound in the Pyrenees. The official language is Spanish, though Catalan, Basque and Gallego are the official languages in the Autonomous states. The population is approximately 42 million, and while there is plenty of hustle and bustle in the larger cities the rural areas leave one with the idea that no one has been there for years.

TEFL jobs for those having completed a TEFL course in Spain are excellent. Teachers of English have long been sought after with language schools catering to the needs of high school and university students seeking to shore up the tuition they get at their main place of study. Spain has undergone a huge period of economic growth during the late 20th century, and continues to be Western Europe’s fastest-growing economy. The result of this is that more and more employers in Spain require that their prospective employees have good English skills. Business-specific academies have sprung up almost everywhere to meet the needs of multi-nationals seeking to improve the language skills of their employees.

The large cities of the south such as Seville, Cadiz and Granada offer an array of medieval and Moorish architecture - often together in the same building - along with flamenco dance and music. The Costa’s range from Benedorm, where you will find it difficult to escape the idea that England has somehow been transplanted into the Mediterranean, to the beautiful and un-spoilt Costa de la Luz - coast of light. There are also many amazing locations that fall somewhere in between. Barcelona, in Catalonia, prides itself on its cosmopolitan environment, and has fabulous architecture, not least by the cities most famous son Gaudi. Madrid has everything that you would expect of any European capital city: Art and architecture abound in an air of cool sophistication. In Galicia you are greeted by mountains and mile after mile of spectacular, haunting forest.

For those wanting a TEFL job within a state or private school, employers require applicants to have completed a TEFL course in Spain, or in another country, and have full TEFL certification. Teaching experience is an advantage but often not a pre requisite. With language institutes, or acadamias, expect to find yourself to be teaching university or high school students - sometimes in the same class. Specialist business colleges and schools aim to provide for the needs of large multinationals, in this case a business background is an advantage. Enthusiasm for English is continuously increasing and there are moves to bring English into the school curriculum at an earlier stage. In many cases you will find yourself teaching students of varying ability, sometimes in the same class. Fortunately a great deal of time within the Spanish education system is spent on learning Spanish grammar which is a great help when learning English grammar. So with grammar a Spaniard will tend to know what they are talking about. As a result preparation for teaching classes is very important.

When researching TEFL jobs in advance a useful contact is the British Council in Madrid. They will be able to advise you as to where in Spain the British Council has offices and they keep a list of language schools, both private and state. In addition, the on-line Yellow Pages are a good resource for those with TEFL certification. Within the UK, The Guardian newspaper has a special edition on Tuesdays for TEFL courses in Spain and TEFL jobs. The vast majority of TEFL jobs and TEFL certification courses in Spain can be found on the net on websites such as TEFL.com and the eslcafe. With this said, the vast majority of teaching positions are filled on the spot and it is important to remember that timing is a very important issue. Many language schools close for the summer, thus September is good time to arrive for your TEFL certification course also to look for TEFL jobs. In addition, there is often a spike of recruitment activity in January and generally TEFL jobs are available all year round. Month to month September to June there are constantly TEFL job opportunities available.

A good idea, before setting off, is to contact your local Spanish Embassy to see what information they have available. Most consulates have a document entitled ‘Teaching English in Spain.’, and the consulate in the UK has a list of teaching institutes. It is also useful to contact the Federation Espanola de Centros de Ensenanza de Idiomas (FECEI) which is an organization of the better, more established language schools.

About the Author

Teaching English in Spain with TEFL International. TEFL International provides TEFL certification and TEFL courses in Spain with TEFL jobs. Teach, travel, live and work in Spain with TEFL International.

An article in which Tom Carter relates his experiences of teaching in Asia’s largest country

Having little luck finding an attractive job offer in the U.S. in 2004, I decided to take my skills where they were wanted - abroad.

Enticed by the “Teach English in China - No Experience Necessary” ads saturating the online classifieds, I emailed my resume with one hand and packed my bags with the other. I had no idea what to expect, but then, the great unknown can be what makes a job like teaching English in the People’s Republic so appealing.

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As the world’s largest economy opens to foreign investment, education has become one of China’s thriving sectors. Confucius probably wouldn’t stand for it, but he wasn’t wearing pinstripe suits and driving a shiny black sedan. The country may be Communist in theory, but the renminbi - Chinese currency - is emperor.

A Chinese adage says that the best advice is often born from the most challenging experiences. After three years helping the sons and daughters of Han learn English, I’ve had my share. Westerners looking to teach in China may want to consider the following before packing their bags.

Some foreign English teachers may be shanghaied at least once during their time in China. Baiting unsuspecting Westerners to China with false promises of a high salary, deluxe apartment, airfare reimbursement, visa or other incentives is a common online scam. Blame it on temptation. Often Chinese laws are too fluid and relationships (”guanxi” in Mandarin) with authorities too intimate, leaving some foreigners with little protection against scams.

The moment I arrived in the Middle Kingdom I had what some seasoned expatriates call “the complete Chinese experience.” The “school” that had accepted my application turned out to be a nickel-and-dime operation run out of an apartment by a guy in his bathrobe. I’d come half way around the world for a job and found myself out of work.

I was literally lost in translation. Despair and a desire to return home to Mom set in. But I quickly learned that, commensurate with its sizeable population, China has a profusion of kindergarten, primary, middle and high schools and universities in even the most remote cities. In short order, I wound up with a position and salary more attractive than the one I had originally accepted.

Chinese parents may work night and day to pay for pricey English lessons so that their child can get a head start in this competitive society of 1.3 billion. Unfortunately, academics are not an issue to many of China’s new educational entrepreneurs who put profit before curriculum and quality. Classroom experience and Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification is nice, but in many cases a Western face is all a native English speaker needs to land a teaching job in China.

In more reputable schools, most prospective English teachers don’t have it so easy. I endured a weeklong interview process, including a series of teaching demonstrations before 300 stern-looking parents, all while I was still jetlagged and suffering from culture shock. I must have done something right, because I was chosen to teach at a top school in the province.

Being rice-wined and dined by my prospective employer over 30-course banquet dinners did not distract me from negotiating a fair salary. Many foreigners (”laowai”) prefer to live in a cosmopolitan city like Beijing or Shanghai than a small town such as the one I had chosen, and I was able to use this preference as leverage during contract discussions. All deals in China, like the price of fruit at the marketplace, can be negotiated.

Most English teachers in China needn’t speak Mandarin in the classroom. Instead, we instruct students through a process of language immersion and simulation, which in time invariably leads to proficiency. Diligence and a little creativity are all that are really needed, but like performing on stage five times a day, it takes its toll.

Over the next few years, I would meet a number of disappointed young Westerners who came overseas as English teachers expecting to party all night and spend their free time pursuing adventures in the countryside. That, I would tell them, is a lifestyle for tourists, exchange students and embassy brats, not the hardworking teacher.

As a foreign expert English instructor, I’m scheduled for up to 30 classes a week and spend most of my free time planning lessons. I’m up at dawn with the older folks practicing their Tai Chi and not back home until after 10 p.m., about when the migrant construction workers also are getting off work.

I never thought I’d be an educator. I didn’t like most of my teachers when I was a kid. Teachers the world over are typically low paid, overworked and underappreciated. But the fatigue and the hit on my income - compared to what I might earn in the U.S. - are what I pay for being part of a rapidly-changing China. As it turned out, I’m not so bad in front of the chalkboard - I actually like it.

About the author

TOM CARTER is the author of CHINA: Portrait of a People, a definitive 600-page book of photography published in 2007 from Hong Kong publisher Blacksmith Books.

By Luke Fisher

In this article, Luke Fisher delves into the Italian TEFL scene and what you might expect to find in the country:

Teaching English in Italy is a great way to explore an amazing and diverse country. There are TEFL jobs available throughout the country, in many different teaching areas, for those with TEFL certification. Italy proudly boasts fabulous opera and art, ancient monuments, and a history that stretches back thousands of years. Whether you choose fashionable Milan, or ancient Rome in this relatively small country, you’re never too far away from, verdant rolling hills, alpine skiing and great beaches. The primary language in use is Italian, however, it may be useful to note that most Italians can communicate in Spanish. Outside of the main tourist areas English is not widely spoken, thus there is a great demand for teachers teaching English in Italy.

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There are good TEFL job opportunities in Italy for English Teachers, as many high-school students and adults seek to improve on what they have available to them via the state. There are a large number of language institutes ranging from elite academies, where experience, TEFL certification and a degree are a requisite, to small-scale language schools where only a TEFL qualification is required.

Italy has many, many famous cities such as Rome, Florence, Milan, Naples, Venice and Bologna. Each city is very distinctive and has its own history and character. Breathtaking art and architecture is everywhere, but the more rural areas such as Tuscany should not be forgotten as it has a great charm all of it’s own. Italy is a relatively small country in European terms, and good public transportation means that it’s easy to plan plenty of excursions from wherever your TEFL job is located. If you wish to teach in a state or private high-school you may need to have a degree, but TEFL certification is often enough. Some TEFL jobs in Italy require two-years’ language teaching experience, but there are always opportunities available for newly qualified TEFL teachers wanting to teach English in Italy.

In the main you will find yourself teaching students of varying ability, even within the same class. Hence, expect all ranges of ability. The challenge, particularly with children, is in motivating them. It is also a task to cope with varying levels of ability within the same class. Nevertheless, Italians can be great fun to teach, and can be very enthusiastic if approached in the right way.

For those seeking TEFL jobs in advance there is no over-arching list of the hundreds of language schools which exist in Italy, and one’s best resource is the Italian Yellow Pages and obviously the internet where many TEFL jobs in Italy can be found. The new arrival, with a TEFL certificate planning on teaching English in Italy, would do well to consult the weekly English language papers: Wanted in Rome and Metropolitan.

Whatever way you look for work it is important to remember that life comes to a halt during the month of August, as with many other European countries. Therefore, your travel plans should be arranged to avoid looking for TEFL jobs during the month of August. Although it is useful to complete a TEFL certification course during this period and beginning a TEFL job from September when many employers are hiring teachers for the new academic year.

When agreeing to a TEFL job contract for a position in an institute it is very important to thoroughly read your contract, and check what it stipulates. Remember what is important to you - accommodation, class size, salary, etc. and try and ensure these are adequately catered for in your contract.

It can be the case that some state schools are not prepared to go through the difficult process of hiring native English-speaking teachers wanting to teach English in Italy from outside of Europe. However, in many cases it can be easier to place teachers from the US in TEFL jobs than from other countries, such as Australia and New Zealand. Non-EU citizens should check with the Italian consulate in their native country to look for language exchange programs, etc. Americans may wish to contact there local visa authorities. You should be aware of the fact that the reciprocal social security system that exists within the EU means that high schools are required to register their staff for a social security card and also pay part of their contributions. Many individuals teaching for institutes are ‘freelance’ or self-employed. Therefore, the individual is responsible for paying his or her own tax and social security. New arrivals planning on teaching English in Italy are required to register with the police, arrange a bank account into which their wages will be paid, and also obtain a tax number from their local tax office.

For Americans it is worth a little investigation to see if there are TEFL jobs available through the US military. The military employs lots of civilians and may be able to process work permits, etc. for you. In addition to this student visas are also an option. Working your way through the bureaucracy you will need original certificates of any qualifications you have, along with passport photos, birth certificate, and passport.

Once you have completed a TEFL certification course for teaching English in Italy there are a great many options that will be open to you in cities throughout Italy. Italy is a wonderful choice for TEFL jobs and offers the opportunity for a rich and diverse experience while teaching English to a keen and motivated people.

About the author

Teaching English in Italy and TEFL International provides TEFL courses and TEFL certification leading to TEFL jobs and teaching English abroad. English teaching jobs are available in countries all over the world.