3 easy steps to becoming a TEFL teacher

You may have heard a little rumour that, as a fluent English speaker, you can magically get paid to teach English in amazing places all over the world. It sounds a bit too good to be true, but in fact, Emma Foers suggests, it’s not! Teaching English abroad is as simple as 1, 2, 3…

Step 1: Get TEFL Certified

Without a TEFL course behind you, you’ll struggle to get out of the starting blocks. A TEFL course will give you a great grounding in the basics of TEFL theory, and give you a good idea as to how to put those principles into practice. More importantly, a TEFL course is usually a pre-requisite for the better TEFL jobs – without one you could struggle to find that dream job.

There are loads of different course options, from 20 hour classroom courses, jam-packed with fun activities, to comprehensive 140 hour courses, which mix top-notch online learning with practical experience.

Remember, the more hours of TEFL training you do, the better chance you’ve got of landing the best TEFL jobs!

Step 2: Research, Research, Research

So, you’ve got your shiny new TEFL certificate in hand, but before you rush off to apply for lots of TEFL jobs, it’s worth doing a little bit of research. Log-on to TEFL communities like TEFL Chalkboard to chat to people who are already EFL teachers, to work out whether you’re best off heading abroad to teach, or whether you’re better off teaching English at home.

It’s also worth researching different visa and job requirements at this stage to make sure you don’t set your heart on a country you’re not actually able to teach in.

Step 3: Find Your TEFL Job

So you’ve worked out where you want to teach – the last step is just applying for that all-important TEFL job. Here are a few different routes to consider:

1) Do a supported internship

Teaching internships are a great way to go if you’ve never taught abroad before and want that extra little bit of support to help get you started. You’ll usually get living allowances and free accommodation, plus someone on hand 24/7 in case anything goes wrong! Learn more here.

2) Use an agency or TEFL job placement service

If you picked your TEFL course provider wisely, they may have a job placement service which will help you find work abroad. Alternatively, search online for TEFL job agencies – just be warned that when using an agency you may not get as good a deal in terms of salary and working conditions as you would if you’d applied direct.

3) Apply for work independently

This may take a little more leg-work, but you’ll ultimately have more control about where you end up and your job conditions. There are plenty of sites online, such as www.eslcafe.com and www.tefl.com, where you can find TEFL jobs advertised, or if you’re already in-country check out local English-language newspapers and magazines.

And that’s it! What step are you on this minute?

About the Author

Emma believes teaching English abroad is the perfect opportunity for any English speaker to explore the world. As long as you’re a fluent English speaker, she suggests a TEFL course is your ticket to the journey of your life.