True or False: Teaching ESL Abroad is the Job for You?

Look before you leap – Know yourself, and what you want in a job teaching English as a second language, before jumping into a position abroad, suggests Lisa Jenkins. Enlist the help of your friends, family, or anyone you trust, who will help you answer the questions below as completely and candidly as possible. There are no right answers here; the only correct answers are honest ones.

1. First, take an inventory of who you are. This is not who you want to be. This is who you are, today.

- How would you describe yourself: physically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually?
- How would your best friend describe you?
- Your parents? Siblings?
- Your enemies?

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2. Next, gauge your knowledge of English. Are you qualified to teach ESL? Begin by listing all the English classes you have ever taken. Specify whether these were literature, grammar, or writing courses. Also list any foreign language classes – these classes are helpful, since they are where most Americans learn English grammar.

- List the classes.
- How well did you do in these classes?
- Did you enjoy these subjects?
- In general, do you enjoy expanding your vocabulary, learning languages, exploring speech and communications concepts, analyzing literature, reading, writing, or any related activities?
- Have you taken at least one grammar or linguistics class? (Very helpful.)
- What English language skill do you enjoy using most? (i.e., listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, or vocabulary)
- What English language skill(s) do you think you can teach? Which do you think you can enjoy teaching?

3. Third, analyze your preferences around working with people and teaching ESL:

- Do you like working with people?
- What type of people energizes you the most? Children? Adults? Teenagers? Students? Professionals? Other groups?
- Which ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds are you drawn to work with? Why? What experience have you had working with people with these backgrounds?
- Do you do well, or are you willing to try, facilitating large groups of people (e.g., 19+)? Mid-sized (10-18) or small groups (3 to 9)?
- Do you prefer working with individuals, one-on-one?
- Have you had experience teaching or tutoring? What did you enjoy about these experiences? What did you dislike?
- Are you an extrovert or an introvert?
- Are you a perfectionist?
- As a teacher, would you view yourself as the imparter of knowledge or a facilitator of learning?
- Have you ever been in a situation where a person was angry? How did you interact with that person?
- How about someone who was depressed?
- Do you have clear boundaries?
- Are you ready to step outside your comfort zone?

4. Now, list your past job titles. Next to each job title, list the skills you employed and those that you learned. It doesn’t matter how easy, or how unrelated the skill may seem to you, write it down. If possible, interview your past supervisors and co-workers and ask them to tell you what they think you brought to the table, and how your work improved over time.

5. Enumerate your preferences and needs for cultural surroundings and daily environment.

- Do you need all the comforts of the average American city at all times, are you ready to completely rough it, or ok with something in between?
- What type of living space do you require? An apartment with electricity and running water? Or can you do without appliances, and indoor plumbing? Can you live in a temporary structure such as a tent?
- Have you ever been camping before? If yes, for how long and how did you enjoy the experience?
- Is having roommates ok? Do you want a private space? Need couples housing?
- Do you enjoy exploring cultures different from your own? Are you willing to research, respect, and comply with the cultural norms of another culture? Does your willingness extend to only certain cultures? Which ones?
- How much weight can you carry?
- Are you in good health? Will a doctor approve your travel abroad?
- Are you on a special diet?
- Do you need any medications?
- Are you able to commit to a contract teaching job (usually 10 to 12 months, but occasionally there are shorter assignments)?
- Do you have enough savings, personal contacts, access to resources, and guts to try freelance teaching/tutoring?

At this point, you should have a more complete picture of who you are, a general degree of interest in English and language learning, what some of your personal tendencies are, and whether you need a more Westernized, urban location, are looking for an experience with a very specific group of people, or ok with most any situation. At the very least, you should know by now whether you know enough English, or like English enough to learn what you need to know to teach it; whether you are a natural public speaker, have enough guts to try being one, or want to stick to tutoring; and the extent of your inclination to explore and be a part of another culture.

6. As a final exercise, rewrite the above responses into an essay that more succinctly addresses the following:

- Who are you?
- What do you have to offer in your ESL job?
- What attracts you to teaching English abroad?
- What do you think you will gain from the experience – the pros, the cons, and the degree of unknown? Do I believe the pros outweigh the cons and unknowns?

Whew! You made it to the end. Where you go from here, is up to you. The world holds unlimited possibilities for employment, and teaching ESL abroad is one of myriad niche. I guess the ultimate question is then, is this the best niche for you?

About the author

Do you have what it takes to pack your bags and leave home for ESL jobs abroad in Korea, Japan, Taiwan or another foreign country? Learn about TESL careers at home and overseas from Lisa Jenkins on JobMonkey.