What You Need To Be A Teacher

The bottom line is that it is not necessary to have knowledge of any language other than English when taking a TESOL course or when teaching English abroad. In the modern age, the majority of English classes around the world are based on the communicative approach to English teaching that simply means that English is the only language used in the classroom by the teacher and the students. You may find yourself in a situation where you have a multilingual classroom that contains speakers of a dozen or more different languages. In these scenarios being able to speak one or two of them would be unlikely to help anyone. In contrast, teachers in monolingual classrooms often find that their students are more likely to revert to their common language during a lesson if they know that the...  [Read more]

If you have decided to pursue a career teaching the English language, it is time to figure out what you will need to get started. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching ESL, the following are the most commonly required qualifications to become a TESOL teacher: Although it may appear obvious, English fluency is required for TESOL instructors. We recommend that you look for another job if you don't speak, read and write English well. Non-native English speakers who are fluent in the language can find work in a variety of locations, including South and Central America, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Being a native English speaker, on the other hand, is almost a requirement in some parts of the world. Countries like China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia are probably not...  [Read more]

There are many reasons why fully certified teachers decide to leave their home country to teach overseas. It can often be difficult for newly qualified teachers to find a suitable job and teaching abroad is a great way to gain valuable classroom experience. More experienced teachers often feel like they need a new challenge and teaching in a new country can certainly provide that. Whatever the reason, the teaching profession is unique as it offers you the chance to develop your skills and knowledge and increase your experience and employability, while travelling and exploring the world. If you start searching online for English teaching jobs around the world you will quickly see that many employers expect their job applicants to possess a TESOL certificate. This applies to all...  [Read more]

  The simple answer is no, you do not need to have any knowledge or experience of languages other than English to take a TEFL course or to become an EFL teacher. The ability to speak other languages is not required as the vast majority of TEFL classrooms around the world rely on the communicative approach to English teaching that specifies that English is the only language used in the classroom. In multilingual classrooms where the students could have a dozen or more different first languages, being able to communicate in one or two of them would obviously be of no particular advantage. In monolingual classrooms you may also find that students are more inclined to revert to their mother tongue during the lesson if they are aware that the teacher can understand what is being said....  [Read more]

We have all spent a lot of time in classrooms during our lives and we have probably all experienced what it is like to be taught by a good teacher and varying degrees of less than good ones. The good ones seem to make it all look very easy as everyone in the class is interested, engaged, and keen to learn, but how do they do it? In most cases experience is the main reason why they make it look so straightforward, as doing something over and over again allows a good teacher to develop their skills and the best methods for getting the best results. However, there are a few common skills that are generally present in good teachers no matter how long they have been in the job. It probably goes without saying that a good teacher needs to have exceptional communication skills. Successful...  [Read more]

Although there was a time when it was not uncommon for people to teach the English language without any relevant training or qualifications, it is now largely a thing of the past as most employers realize that being able to speak a language fluently is not the same thing as being able to teach it effectively. This move towards suitable training has led to the development of TESOL certification courses that have been designed to provide native and non-native English speakers with the skills and knowledge required by anyone who wants to earn a good living in the classroom. Here we take a look at what a TESOL course actually teaches you? For many people the thought of understanding and trying to explain the different areas of English grammar is somewhat daunting. The average native...  [Read more]

If we look back on our own school days, most of us will remember some of our teachers more than others. In some cases this will be because they were terrible at their job and didn’t provide the environment we needed to reach our full potential. The worst traits are often things such as failing to listen to students, lacking enthusiasm, and being overly strict. However, most of us will also have good memories of one or more teachers who actually had a positive impact on our school experience. There are a wide variety of reasons why these particular teachers stand out. If you are already teaching or plan to teach in the future, there are several things you can focus on that when added together make up a memorable teacher. If you can manage to add all of these to your everyday...  [Read more]

During our own school days we probably all encountered more than one teacher who didn’t appear to be in the right job. Some might have been keen to dish out heavy punishments for minor offenses, some were probably extremely dull and uninteresting, while others simply failed to listen to the feedback of their students. Despite these negative influences, most of us will also have better memories of teachers who actually had a positive impact on our learning. So what actually made these teachers stand out? We think there are several skills and traits that can be combined to ensure a teacher is remembered for positive and not negative reasons. If you can manage to develop most if not all of these yourself, you should find your future students will remember you as a great ESL teacher....  [Read more]

Teaching English in a voluntary role is a very popular choice with TESOL course graduates. There are a wide variety of different options available, located across many countries worldwide. Below we take a closer look at some of the main questions you might have about volunteer teaching, in order to help you decide where the best places to teach English as a volunteer might be. There are plenty of great reasons to volunteer as an ESL teacher and everyone who does it has their own motivations. Some of the most common reasons include: The bottom line is that volunteer teaching programs are available on almost every continent and within dozens of individual countries. As there are too many different options to mention, the best advice is to do an online search of the countries that...  [Read more]

There are many reasons why you might need to send some of your income back home while teaching English abroad, including to pay off student loans, to cover a mortgage on a house or apartment, or to simply help your family. Whatever your reasons, you might find it is not always straightforward as there are a few things to take into account, such as transfer fees, exchange rates, and the time it takes to process the transaction. Depending on where you are teaching, a local bank might be a safe and reliable option. In well developed countries that have a large market for foreign teachers, such as Japan or South Korea, banks can often be a good choice as their transfer fees are usually quite low and it only takes one or two days for the transaction to go through. In contrast, banks...  [Read more]

  If you decide to complete your TESOL certification course online you don’t need to worry that you are compromising on the theory of ESL teaching as our courses cover all of the most vital subjects you will need to be familiar with. The 120-hour TESOL course is our most popular online course option and it includes 20 in-depth units that walk you through all the main subjects that are necessary if you want to enter the classroom on your first day feeling confident in your teaching knowledge. A large part of the materials look into English grammar subjects and how you can teach them effectively. Within this part of the course you will study topics such as the tense system, conditionals, modals, passive voice and much more. Initially you might feel a little wary of these subjects,...  [Read more]

When considering the best countries for TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) teachers with dependents, several factors need to be taken into account. These factors include job opportunities, cost of living, quality of life, education options for dependents, healthcare, and overall safety and security. Here are some of the top countries that are considered ideal for TESOL teachers with dependents: 1. **United Arab Emirates (UAE)**: The UAE, particularly cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, offer lucrative teaching opportunities for TESOL teachers. The salaries are high, and many schools provide benefits such as accommodation, flights home, and healthcare for dependents. The UAE also has excellent international schools for expatriate children. 2. **South Korea**: South Korea...  [Read more]

If you have a TESOL qualification and have been working as an ESL teacher for a considerable time, you might be ready to change direction. There are several options available to experienced teachers and one of them is to become a TESOL course trainer. TESOL trainers are responsible for ensuring that the next generation of ESL teachers are fully prepared for everything that the classroom has in store and it can be a very rewarding career. The pay can often be good and it can also be a route into management or even starting up your own language school. But what do you need in order to become a TESOL trainer? The most important qualification required is to complete a TESOL certification course. This will ensure you have a good insight into the training involved and all the skills and...  [Read more]

Every teacher makes mistakes in the classroom, particularly at the start of their career. As we learn to identify these mistakes we actually become better at our job, unless we fail to recognize these mistakes at all of course. Here we look at some of the most common errors made by new teachers and how to avoid them as we gain experience. Talking too much during lessons is probably the most common mistake made by inexperienced ESL teachers. The bottom line is that ESL students need to take every opportunity possible to speak the language as this is how they make real progress. However, if the teacher dominates the conversation any progress will be cut considerably. Only say what you need to keep the lesson moving forward and avoid chat that is not connected to the point of the...  [Read more]

It is not uncommon to find friends or couples enjoying the shared experience of living and working abroad as ESL teachers. Despite this, there are still a few things that you will both need to consider before you jump on the next plane. The most important thing to consider if you plan to head overseas to teach with a friend or partner, is that you need to choose a destination where you both have a realistic chance of securing a suitable job. Many people dream of relaxing in a hammock under the palm trees between lessons, but the limited number of jobs in these locations might make it difficult for both of you to earn a good income. In contrast, big cities in most parts of the world generally have a high demand for ESL teachers, which means that finding good jobs should be relatively...  [Read more]

With increased globalization has come an increase in demand for knowledge of the English language in many parts of the world. To meet this demand, teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) is a sector of the education field that is booming, especially in the developing world. Essentially, an ESL teacher is a professional educator who works with non-native English speakers who have a desire to improve their English skills either by choice or as an obligation of their employment or wider educational program. Unlike foreign language teachers, ESL teachers generally do not share the same native language as their students. They are also specifically trained in techniques suited to teaching non-native English speakers, such as repetition, drills, demonstrations, and visuals. Although...  [Read more]

If you are TESOL certified and have worked as an English language teacher for sometime, you might be thinking about branching out into another area of the ESL teaching profession. One possible option is to become a TESOL trainer who is responsible for guiding the next generation of teachers through their certification courses. This can be a very rewarding job that is often well paid, and it can even be a route into higher management positions or even a step on the way to setting up your own language school. First and foremost you will need to have completed a TESOL certification course as this will give you an insight into what the job involves. You will also need all the skills and knowledge that the course covers in order to pass that on to your future trainees. While successful...  [Read more]

One of the reasons why Mexico is an increasingly popular teaching destination is the fact that it is possible for most foreign teachers to get a work visa. Also, there is no requirement for you to possess a degree or to be a native English speaker in order to apply for one. As long as you possess a TESOL certification from a reputable provider, you are eligible for a work visa in Mexico. The great news for foreign ESL teachers is that there are very few restrictions on who can apply for a work visa for teaching English in Mexico. The only nationalities that are not eligible to apply are those from North Korea and Iran and there are no age limits either. A TESOL certificate is required, but there is no need to have a college degree or any previous teaching experience. The only other...  [Read more]

While English is commonly taught in schools across Russia, the standard of teaching is generally quite low. Due to this poor standard, many Russians choose to learn English once they have left school as a way to improve their job prospects. Many parents also send their children for private lessons outside of school hours. This high demand means there are job opportunities in most parts of the country, although the biggest markets are found in Moscow and St. Petersburg. As Russia is so vast in size, salaries can be very different in different parts of the country. Private language schools offer the majority of teaching jobs and these usually pay an hourly rate which typically equates to around $650 per month for a newly qualified teacher. If you have previous experience you can expect...  [Read more]

The NET (Native-speaking English Teachers) Scheme is a long running program that recruits foriegn teachers and is operated by the Hong Kong Education Bureau. Through the program qualified teachers from across the world are placed into state run schools to work as English language teachers. Every year, hundreds of teachers are recruited via the scheme to work in primary or secondary level schools. The mission statement of the program is to share and promote innovation in teaching practice, and to provide an authentic classroom environment for local students. Successful applicants receive a generous salary, several extra benefits, and the opportunity to live and work in one of Asia?s most vibrant destinations. Applicants need to be native or near native English speakers. If accepted by...  [Read more]