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  • 2012 Edublog award nominations November 25, 2012
    Here they are, then… the TEFL Times nominations for this year’s EduBlog Awards: Best individual blog: Box of Chocolates Best ed tech / resource sharing blog: Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… Best teacher blog: Year in the life of an English teacher Most influential blog post: The White Elephant in the Room: Extensive […]
  • Why TEFL Accreditation is a Great Idea September 30, 2012
    TEFL accreditation can be a great idea for just about any language learning institution and any language teacher. Getting accreditation from or through TEFL or teaching English as a Foreign Language provides a certain amount of weight and authority to just about any resume. If you sit and mull it over, would you be more […]
  • How to Teach a Language Class with Movies September 30, 2012
    This video shows you how to teach a language class with movies quickly and easily while your language students have fun learn a new language. You will learn exactly how David A. Baily used these same steps to teach English. How To Teach A Language Class With Movies […]
  • Learning and Communicative Strategies August 23, 2012
    Communicative strategies are systematic techniques employed by a speaker to express his meaning when faced with some difficulty and the difficulty here refers to the speaker’s inadequate command of the language used in the interaction (Faerch & Kasper, 1983:16). On the other hand, the term learning strategies has been defined as “the higher-order skills […]
  • Review: Teaching Unplugged by Luke Meddings and Scott Thornbury August 13, 2012
    by Hall Houston About 8 years ago, I read an article titled “Teaching Unplugged” by Scott Thornbury in It’s for Teachers magazine. The article described a new approach to teaching languages that de-emphasized coursebooks and other teaching materials, and stressed real communication between students. This approach was loosely based on a Danish film movement [ […]
  • Living and Working in Japan: A guide for US Citizens May 23, 2012
    Japan is a stable, highly developed parliamentary democracy with a modern economy. Tourist facilities are widely available, except in coastal areas of Northeast Japan still recovering from the aftermath of the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami. Below is a comprehensive list of all the information you should read before visiting or relocating to the [... […]
  • Experience a New Culture When you Teach English in China May 21, 2012
    The human desire to help others is an innate one. This is why, despite the negative aspects, people are still very attracted to the profession of teaching, notes Thomas Galvin. It has been regarded for centuries as a very noble job, and no doubt this will continue for centuries to come. Many teachers these days […]
  • The Importance of Vocabulary Roots in AP English April 16, 2012
    The Advanced placement exams are very important for students, suggests Joseph Paul, as they look very good on the students’ report cards and also help them to get credit in certain universities which helps them to save a major portion of the tuition money demanded from students who have not cleared the exam. The advanced […]
  • Business Translation: A Useful TEFL Sideline? April 8, 2012
    The use of translation in business is heavily underestimated and misunderstood. However translation has a big part to play in business and is rapidly becoming one of the most useful things an organisation can use to get ahead in the business world. Whether it be using in-house translators to transcribe documents, official papers and […]
  • How to Judge the Quality of Language Learning Software March 21, 2012
    We all know that learning a language is a great way to enhance the look of your resume! Fortunately, there are lots of different options available to you to help you make that a reality. Out of the vast number of options available to you, the option that provides you with the most flexibility […]

Finding a Reputable TEFL School Abroad

An article on how to find a school that won’t let you down by Alexia Nestora

We’ve all heard the rumors. Schools that refuse to pay, schools that work you like a Trojan, even schools that expect you to pay them! There are a lot of crummy language schools out there and you’ll want to avoid them like the plague, here’s how to do it…


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Turn the tables: A TEFL interview is as much about you finding out if the school is right for you as it is about the school finding out if you’re right for it. Prepare some questions before the interview and make sure you ask them. You can find out a lot about a schools approach to teachers by asking a couple of simple questions. For example…

Does the school only hire qualified TEFL teachers?

Does the school perform regular teacher assessments to ensure teaching quality?

Does the school follow a set syllabus?

Does the school encourage student feedback?

Does the school have regular tests to assess student progress?

This may seem irrelevant but if a school doesn’t value the people paying good money to go there then just imagine how it will treat the people who are being paid to work there! This is also a good time to negotiate your contract. Ask about rates of pay, sick pay, medical insurance, taxation, overtime, covering shifts and most importantly, find out whether the school adheres to the labor policy of the host country. Any reputable language school will have answers for these questions, but they’re rarely set in stone so don’t be afraid to haggle. In the TEFL world if you don’t ask you don’t get – so ask!

Work visas: If you’re going to be teaching abroad you’re going to need a work visa. You know that and so do the language schools you’re applying to. If they won’t support your application for a work visa then you need to find another school that will. Having the right visa is essential, without it you won’t be entitled to health insurance, legal protection or holiday pay and you’ll probably be paid significantly less than TEFL tutors who do have a work visa!

Qualifications: You should be wary of any school that doesn’t ask for some kind of formal qualification. Some schools ask for degrees, other just require a TEFL qualification, but they should require some proof that you are able to perform your duties as a TEFL teacher.

You might want to ask how the school will support your professional development. Will they allocate time for you to shadow experienced teachers? Will they help develop your understanding of teaching techniques while you’re working there?

Resources: It’s easy to say that any reputable language school will have a selection of teaching resources (like handouts, card games, lesson plans, dictionaries and grammar books) but this isn’t necessarily the case. These resources take time and money to acquire and if a language school has just started out then it won’t necessarily have them yet. If they don’t have such resources ask them why and question if they have any plans to build up a resources section in the future.

To help prepare you for the absence of resources in underprivileged schools you can take a Specialist Certificate in Teaching with Limited Resources, to learn more click here: http://www.i-to-i.com/tefl/specialist-certificates-limited-resources.html .

The contract: Needless to say, when you get your contract you need to read it carefully. Make sure everything you agreed on is included and check that they haven’t added any sneaky clauses. Don’t be afraid to ask for a translated copy of the contract. This is completely normal and should be expected.

Research: The internet is a great way to research your school to make sure it is completely reputable. Not only that but you can speak to people who have undertaken teaching placements in your chosen country and get a personal recommendation so that you know the school you’re applying for has made a real impression on past tutors.

If you follow this advice then the chances are you’ll have a problem-free overseas teaching experience that lives up to all your expectations!

For those looking for more resources and articles on TEFL courses visit: http://www.i-to-i.com/tefl-articles/ or call 800-985-4864 for more information.

About the author

Alexia Nestora is the founder and director of Lasso Communications, a marketing, public relations and strategic consulting firm. Specializing in volunteer and adventure travel, Lasso helps companies achieve their strategic goals by approaching issues from a unique and experienced perspective. For more information, please visit www.lassocommunications.com or email at [email protected].

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