Working In Latin

The job market for TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) teachers in Latin America varies depending on the country and the specific city within that country. Overall, there is a demand for English teachers in Latin America due to the increasing importance of English as a global language for business, travel, and education. In larger cities like Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and São Paulo, there are numerous language schools, international schools, and universities that hire TESOL teachers. These positions may be full-time or part-time, and they often require a TESOL certification such as a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults). Additionally, there are opportunities for TESOL teachers to offer private...  [Read more]

Latin America attracts a large number of teachers from all over the world who are looking for fun and adventure. Across the region there are a wide variety of opportunities available in a diverse range of countries. By doing your own research and following a few simple tips, most people should have no trouble finding a good teaching job that will lay the foundation for a trip of a lifetime. The Latin America region typically has less restrictions on teachers than any other part of the world. There is generally no requirement for teachers to have a degree or previous classroom experience which makes it a perfect choice for first-time teachers. One thing that most employers will expect however, is for you to have completed a reputable TESOL training course. In many cases an online...  [Read more]

Depending on their chosen location, ESL teachers can find jobs working in a wide range of settings, including schools, institutes, academies, colleges, and universities. The largest number of positions, particularly in Europe and Latin America, are found in private language schools. Government run public schools are also a good choice in some countries, particularly in Asia. Private language schools provide the largest percentage of all ESL teaching jobs worldwide. This type of school can vary in size from a single classroom with one teacher, right through to large chains that operate in several countries and employ hundreds of teachers. Some will offer classes to all age groups and language abilities, while others might specialize in young learners or business related English....  [Read more]

If you are considering Spain as a location for teaching English, you certainly won't be alone as it has long been one of the most popular destinations in Europe. However, before you buy a plane ticket why not take a look at Latin America as many teachers find that this amazing region is actually a better option for them. For many people, the opportunity to learn a new language is one of the great benefits of teaching English abroad. When it comes to learning Spanish, the assumption that Spain is the best place to do so is certainly a common one. However, in reality the type of Spanish used in Spain actually uses accents and slang terms that are vastly different to the language spoken in other Spanish speaking countries. In fact, many native Spanish speakers from outside of Spain...  [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]

Before we go any further with this question, we first need to make an important distinction. Your number of teaching hours (known as contact hours) will not be the same as the number of hours you will be expected to actually be in school (known as contract hours). Most teaching jobs include admin duties on top of the actual teaching time. We also need to make it clear that different types of ESL teaching jobs have different typical classroom hours. Here we look at the three most common types of jobs available. In the majority of cases, overseas schools work normal office hours. This means that you should expect to be in school, Monday to Friday, from around 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. This rough timetable adds up to around 40 hours per week. Of course, not all those hours will be...  [Read more]

Latin America contains several countries such as Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico that are well known destinations for teaching English abroad. However, there are a few other countries across the region that are starting to challenge the dominance of these traditional teaching markets. Ecuador is certainly one of these as it boasts a wide range of extraordinary environments to explore, from the Andean Mountains to the Amazon rainforest. Big cities such as Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca, all have plenty of potential job opportunities, although there are many smaller towns and cities across the country to look at if you want to stay off the beaten track. The average salary for a foreign teacher in Ecuador is generally quite low when compared to many other popular destinations around the...  [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]

Teaching English abroad is a job much like any other and if you are not happy with your employer or things just haven?t worked out as you hoped they would, you are free to head back home or look elsewhere for employment at any time. Although the vast majority of ESL teachers see out the entire length of their contracts, there will always be some who are not able to complete it for a variety of reasons. A family emergency back home, difficulties with work colleagues, and unsatisfactory working conditions are all common reasons why teachers feel they have to terminate their contract. If your job is based on an hourly pay rate there are unlikely to be any repercussions if you decide to leave. This scenario will apply to a large percentage of people teaching in Latin America and Europe...  [Read more]

If you find that your everyday 9 to 5 grind is dragging you down and there is no light at the end of the tunnel, one popular option is to get TESOL qualified and start teaching English overseas. This unbelievable adventure is open to anyone who has a good understanding of English, whether they are a native or non-native speaker. Simply complete a high quality TESOL certification course with ITTT and you will have everything you need to get the ball rolling. The only question is where do you want to live and work as an ESL teacher? One of the biggest benefits of completing a TESOL certification course is that your qualification will be accepted by schools, colleges, universities, language centers, and a range of other employers in almost every country on the planet. No matter where...  [Read more]

The market for qualified ESL teachers around the world is huge. Right across Europe, Asia, Latin America and even Africa, there are dozens of countries to consider. However, if you want to teach ESL in an English-speaking country, you might find things a little more tricky. Although there is typically a strong demand for ESL teachers in most English-speaking countries, the required amount of teachers can normally be recruited from within that country's own population. Another common problem for foreign teachers looking to work in an English speaking country is getting hold of the necessary work permits and visas. However, there are always exceptions to the rule. Some teachers acquire the right to work in another English-speaking country via marriage to a foreign national, or as a...  [Read more]

As it is traditionally one of the most stable and wealthy countries in the Latin American region, Chile has long been a popular location for teaching English abroad. One convenient way you can do this is to join the English Opens Doors Program (EODP) that recruits volunteer teachers to work in schools across the country. Through this scheme you will work as a teaching assistant in classes with students ranging from 10 to 18 years old. The highly respected EODP is sponsored by the Chilean Ministry of Education and the United Nations Development Program. It is open to native or near-native English speakers aged from 21 and 35 (exceptions are sometimes made for those outside this bracket). All applicants need a bachelor's degree and funds to pay for their own transportation to and from...  [Read more]

Details such as the age, background, and general motivation of your ESL students will vary considerably depending on the location and type of school that you work for. Your class could be full of university students, businessmen, or hotel workers, all of whom will be looking for a different type of lesson. Alternatively, teachers in government run schools will have a class full of children whose could be aged anywhere from five to sixteen. Whatever the individual group, they will have distinct characteristics which may or may not appeal to different teachers. It is worth remembering that by completing a TESOL certification course before you start teaching, you will learn all the skills you need to be successful in any classroom environment you are likely to come across. Many people...  [Read more]

  The ITTT TEFL course in Colombia gives you the opportunity to learn how to teach English in one of Latin America’s brightest stars and the gateway to South America. Colombia is a country filled with unique landscapes and innovative cities, cultural and gastronomic delights, and villages surrounded by imposing mountains. It is a country of diversity with places that only exist in Colombia. For lovers of nature and extreme sports, the three mountain ranges of the Colombian Andes are an excellent setting for climbing or walking trails. For water sports, the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Coast offer some of the world’s best surfing and snorkeling, and our lakes and reservoirs in the interior of the country are great for fishing and rafting. Colombia has everything; Caribbean...  [Read more]

  Before looking at the methods or approaches themselves, there are some terms that we need to define. These are the approach, the method or the technique. Basically, these are hierarchical. The approach is an overriding set of principles that a method can actually make use of, whereas the technique are the things that we actually do in the classroom to approach that method. So, these three words are going to appear during the presentation. Again, for each of either the approaches all the methodologies we're going to ask four questions. So be it an approach or a method for each of those things: Where did it come from? What's its background? What does it involve when we're talking about actually in the classroom, in other words techniques? What is positive about it? What appears to...  [Read more]

Making the decision to leave behind your old life to head overseas as a TESOL qualified teacher will probably be one of the best you ever make. However, you then need to decide which TESOL certification course will suit your plans and give you the level of qualification and knowledge you require to hit the ground running. This is not always a straightforward choice as there are many courses to choose from and each one has its own length of study. All of ITTT’s in-class TESOL courses require a full-time commitment of four weeks at one of our training centers. If you are able to fit it into your schedule and you have sufficient funds to cover all the necessary expenses, this type of course certainly provides the most rounded and in-depth option out there. In theory, you could...  [Read more]

Although there are several countries around the world that require teachers to have a degree in order to qualify for a work permit or visa, there are still many other great destinations where employers are happy to take on teachers without one. Often the key is to be flexible about your destination and to go where the demand for your services is high. Whether you have a degree or not, completing an internationally accredited TESOL certification course before you start applying for jobs will undoubtedly help you in your job search. The vast majority of employers worldwide now expect their potential teachers to have undergone some form of formal teacher training before they set foot in the classroom. Unfortunately, the regulations have been tightened in China in recent times,...  [Read more]

After completing a TESOL course you will be ready to start looking for that all important first teaching job, but how long do employers expect you to commit to them for? Below we outline what you might find when signing contracts in different parts of the world. When working in Europe the most common contract length is for an academic year that generally runs from September to June in most countries. This can be ideal for many teachers as it allows you to take a couple of months off during the summer to travel around the continent, or you can continue earning in a different environment such as a summer camp. English language summer camps run for between four and eight weeks and can be found in many European countries. Contracts for six or even three months are also possible in some...  [Read more]

Teaching English abroad can be a rewarding experience for retirees who are looking for a new challenge and adventure in their life. Many countries welcome older individuals with open arms to teach English as a foreign language. As a retiree, you bring a wealth of life experience, maturity, and wisdom to the classroom, which can greatly benefit your students. One of the first steps to teaching English abroad as a retiree is to obtain a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification. While not always a strict requirement, having a TEFL certification can improve your job prospects and give you the necessary skills and knowledge to be an effective English teacher. There are many online TEFL courses available that cater to individuals of all ages and backgrounds, making it...  [Read more]

When it comes to teaching English overseas it is typical for schools to look for a commitment of 10 to 12 months from their potential teachers. However, if you only want a short-term position that fits into your summer break, there are certainly opportunities that might work for you. In some cases you will find schools or language centers that are happy to hire teachers on a short-term contract, but in reality most teachers looking for a short deal are better off looking at English summer camps or volunteer positions. During the summer months English language camps pop up in a number of different countries throughout Asia, Europe and Latin America. Working in one of these camps typically involves around one to two months of teaching students that could be aged anywhere from...  [Read more]