how to teach english(2)

HOW TO TEACH ENGLISH OVERSEAS
by Matthew
© 2010 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Kepnes

Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site

LAYOUT & ILLUSTRATION by

HOP & JAUNT


Introduction

4

Chapter 1

7

TEFL Certificates and Programs
Chapter 2

Teacher Requirements
Chapter 3

Different Types of Teaching Jobs
Chapter 4

Benefits and Salaries
Chapter 5

Country Information

11
14
20
25
101

Conclusion


© 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site


© 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site


Introduction
Every year, thousands of people travel around the world teaching English. Most are young college graduates looking to fill a few
years before returning home and settling down. However, there are also people on career breaks or older retirees looking to do
something different. Many travelers, especially those in Southeast Asia, take teaching jobs as a way to fund future travels and
avoid going home. Then there are those who just love to teach.  You’ll find all walks of life teaching overseas.  Whatever category
you fall into, people choose this profession for one underlying reason: it is a great and easy way to work and live in a foreign
country while earning a good wage.
Yet the process for getting a teaching job is often confusing to many people. What requirements do you need? Should you get
a TEFL certificate? What is a TEFL? Are there other degrees? How do you find jobs? What are the visa processes? Do you need to
have an English degree?  The list of questions goes on and on. When I looked for my first ESL job in 2006 in Thailand, I had more

questions than answers and I spent a lot of time looking through job boards, Google searches, and reading forums to find out
everything I could ever know about the subject.  It was a time consuming process and I always walked away still feeling confused.
When I was thinking about moving to Korea or Japan to teach, I spent even longer looking up information. Good information,
especially on salaries, working conditions, and cost of living was scarce.  Finding the information took up time that could have
been spent on what was important: looking for an actual job.
This ebook is here to help you better use your time.  I’ve included everything you could ever want to know about the process of
becoming a teacher, TEFL degrees, picking the right TEFL course, the requirements, various jobs you can get, and salaries.

© 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site




Most importantly, this ebook has the country information that took me hours of Google searches, years of living experience, and
endless forum questions to find out.  There is in depth coverage of each major and minor destination for potential ESL teachers. 
The country information includes costs of living information, salaries, job boards, and basic country facts.
The purpose this book is to help you make sense of the whole process of becoming an English teacher as well as put all the
information in one place. I’m here to cut down your time and share my personal experience with you. I’ve taught throughout Asia
and had teacher friends throughout the world share their tips and information.  This book was written by English teachers to help
future English teachers.


© 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site


© 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site


TEFL Certificates
TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. It’s a certificate program that teaches you how to teach English as a

foreign language. The program is offered around the world, and prices vary depending on where you enroll. Moreover, the quality
of the program also depends on where you take it. Before you sign up for any program, it is important that you make sure the
degree they give out will be accepted around the world as some schools don’t recognize certain training programs.
Most TEFL courses run from a few weeks to a few months. For the more established and respected programs, you can expect
at least a hundred hours of class time as well as some practice teaching in a classroom. Courses often offered in the west, as
compared to places like Thailand, are much more intensive and more expensive. The smart approach would be to learn what kind
of course is required for the jobs you want, and get that course. You don’t want to sign up for an extensive course when you don’t
need it- you’ll simply be wasting money.  Prices for TEFL courses range between $1,000 and $2,000 USD.
Although there may be some general linguistic theory included, the focus of a TEFL course is to give you practical knowledge. Any
theory provided is there to provide a backdrop for the practical skills being learned. They aren’t trying to give you a college level
English degree. They simply teach you how to teach as well as some basic grammar rules.
The typical TEFL certificate program will focus on a variety of aspects of language teaching from very practical skills, such as
learning how to teach vocabulary, grammar, using games effectively, keeping the kids involved as well as practical teacher skills
such as classroom management.
The question most potential teachers have is whether or not they should even get a TEFL certificate. The answer to that question

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depends on a number of factors. Every different type of job requires a different set of skills. Depending on where you go, what
previous experience you have, and the type of job you want, you may or may not need a TEFL. Moreover, you need to find out if
the country you are going to work in requires a TEFL for a work visa.
There’s no right or wrong answer to this. Sometimes you should have one, sometimes it’s useless. Decide where you want to teach
first and then see what the requirements are. However, as a good rule of thumb, if you have no experience or a teaching degree, it
is probably worth getting your TEFL certification. The degree helps give you credibility when applying for jobs.
 
There are two other teacher certification programs besides TEFL, though there’s really no difference between any of them, and all
are accepted worldwide:

Cambridge ELT Certificate (CELTA)
This certificate course is often considered to be the most similar to TEFL and is widely respected internationally. The full name is
the Cambridge ELT Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). CELTA places greater emphasis on teaching practice
than classroom time. It is one of the most popular degrees to get, especially among UK residents. 
The course is quite rigorous. CELTA courses are usually 4-week full time intensive programs, although it is sometimes possible to
take the course on a part-time basis. In all CELTA courses, observed teaching practice is important, and the courses spend more
time having you in a classroom than teaching you theory.
Entry requirements for CELTA courses vary from place to place around the world. Although the course is open to native and non-

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native speakers, all candidates are interviewed and have to take a language awareness test. Some places require candidates to be
graduates, while others accept candidates with a good general education and command of English.
There are more than 200 centers offering CELTA courses around the world and like TEFL courses, getting a CELTA outside of a
western country will be a lot cheaper.

Trinity Certificate in TESOL
The third many teachers get is the Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, or TESOL
certificate. This course is the most work and all trainees are expected to experience learning a foreign language (don’t worry- you
don’t need to become fluent in one!).
The course is usually full time, following a 4-6 week intensive program with 130 tuition hours or part-time over a number of
months. The Trinity certificate is the most intensive of the teaching courses.
Entry requirements vary between a good educational background and a university degree, with a good command of English
obviously being a prime requirement. No distinction is made between native and non-native speakers.
Most Trinity Centers are in the UK, although there are now a growing number overseas.
 

No matter what degree you get, you’ll be able to teach English anywhere around the world. While different places might have a
preference for one degree or the other, if you have any one of these program certificates, you’ll meet a school’s requirement and
they won’t turn you away.

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© 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site


Teacher Requirements
The requirements for teaching English vary greatly from region to region. Depending on where you go and what type of job you
want, what you need is different. Generally speaking, you’ll need to meet the following requirements in order to teach English
overseas:

i Be from an English speaking country.
i Have a bachelor’s degree.
i Have a TEFL/CELTA certificate.
i Have some experience (optional).
See? It’s not really that much! Unless you plan to teach at an international school or do corporate training, most schools will take
you if you are a native English speaker and college graduate. Most time experience level is irrelevant. 
All countries require you be a native English speaker. This means you were born in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, South Africa or
New Zealand. While some countries might hire Filipinos (as they speak fluent English), they typically prefer Western employees as
it is viewed as a sign of authenticity. This is especially true in Asia, where being young, white, or female is often the most important
thing. They simply have a prejudice for these three attributes. (Note: There is always exceptions so if you aren’t one of those three
don’t think you can’t find a job.)
You will also need a bachelor’s degree from a 4 year accredited university. It doesn’t matter what your degree is in. Whether you

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have a degree in biochemistry, English or yoga, the schools and countries just want to see that you have a degree.  While some
places might overlook this requirement and will hire you under the table, more reputable schools and countries like Korea, U.A.E,
or Japan, you will need to have a university degree in order to get a job as well as a working visa.
While experience is not required, it certainly helps when applying for higher paying jobs at international schools and corporate
training programs. They prefer people who know what they are doing and can be effective teachers. It is also why these jobs pay
the most money – they don’t take just anyone. Moreover, since there is a lack of qualified teachers in many parts of the world
having a teaching license or experience will pretty much guarantee you a job somewhere.  My teaching license got me any job I
wanted. 
If you don’t have any experience, don’t fear. Tons of places around the world hire first year teachers. In many rural parts of the
world where it is much harder to find teachers, they are happy to take anyone.  Asian countries always take first year teachers. If
you don’t have experience, then having a TEFL certificate will dramatically increase your chances of getting hired. A TEFL degree
will negate any experience deficiencies you might have as employers view this as a training course.
Some countries will require you to have a TEFL degree in order to get a working visa. If you are planning to work in a country that
requires it, you will need to get it no matter what experience or other teaching license you might have. Be sure to check out the
visa requirements for each country. Don’t just assume that a teaching license or years of experience matter regardless of what the
school might say.
In sum, teaching English generally requires a BA and experience, while higher paying positions will also require a TEFL and a
teaching certificate. Qualifications are looser in most developing countries or rural areas. Visa rules determine what you will need
for each country, but overall, if you want to teach English in most places in the world, you simply need to have a college degree,
be a native speaker, and be competent.

© 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site

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© 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site


Types of Teacher Jobs
 

 
Potential English teachers can choose from a variety of ESL jobs.  All jobs have the same basic requirements that are listed in the
previous section, but as you move up the pay scale, the requirements also increase. The types of jobs a potential English teacher
can get usually falls into one these categories:

Government schools
These English schools are operated by the government and usually pay the worst. However, the schools are reliable. You know
the school won’t suddenly close, you will get your paycheck on time, you’ll have some professional support, they will fulfill their
contract obligations, and they won’t terminate you without cause. (Note: In Korea and Japan, government schools pay just as well
as language schools and offer a lot of vacation time.)
These schools will require you to do all the things teachers in your home country do: run classes, grade papers, make up exams,
set the curriculum, and keep office hours. Most of those extra responsibilities are unpaid. The trade off is that you have a stable
job for as long as you want it.  Teaching at the government schools is just like teaching at a school back where you live. The
expectations they have for you are the same.  Your salary is being paid for your whole job, not just classroom time. 
Moreover, in most countries, you will have a local teacher who will be there to help you with the students and deal with problems.
They serve as your language assistant to help you understand the students when English fails.

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Language schools
The next step up are the language schools, such as Berlitz, Hess, AEON, ECC, EF, InLingua, or any one of the millions of language

schools around the world. The pay is better and you’ll have more flexibility in your schedule and curriculum than you would at a
government school. You won’t have to do prep time or parent meetings. If you do, you are often paid for the extra time. Your salary
is based solely on classroom hours.  That being said I have often found that while parent meetings and other meetings get paid,
the prep time doesn’t. You’ll find yourself making copies and tests on your own time, unless you have a really great school (which
does happen!).
The down side to these schools is that your job is less secure and guarantees by these companies don’t always appear. Some go
bankrupt without any notice, or bonuses and perks aren’t what they were promised. (When a language school went bust in Japan,
thousands of teachers suddenly found themselves without pay, a job, or even a home.) You may find yourself fighting with your
company for promised return airfare, work hours, or more. You’ll have fewer problems with larger, more established companies,
but always check out the company’s reputation before you sign a contract.
Moreover, many parents also use these schools as a form of babysitting. They just drop their kids off and hope they learn
something. Since many of these schools are motivated by money, they rarely discipline the students for fear they will stop
coming. This is especially true in Asia. Overall, while the pay is better, the jobs abundant, and the hours more flexible, the work
environment can sometimes be more difficult.

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Private schools
Private schools are similar to government schools in terms of job expectations. You’ll be expected to perform all the functions of a
normal teacher, and your salary is based on total work time, not just class hours.  The difference is that private schools offer better
pay and support than government schools, and sometimes, a better student body.  Depending on the private school, English may
or may not be the main language taught. If English isn’t the school’s primary language, there is usually a special curriculum of all
English courses. 
Since parents are paying a lot of money for these schools, they kids are generally expected to produce results. Think of them like
the private schools in the West.

International Schools
International schools are the best schools to teach English. They are pinnacle and the most highly sought after jobs in the ESL

world. The kids are children of international expats, diplomats, or very rich locals.  There is usually a lot of expectations for them
and pressure for them to do well. Most are looking to go to school in American or England and thus focus hard on their studies,
though you do get a number of spoiled little rich kids. What this usually means is that you get a much more enjoyable and
relaxing teaching experience. The curriculum is usually the same as your country of origin: it’s just like teaching at home.
International schools pay the most out of any ESL job. You’ll get an equivalent salary or more to that as you would back home but
without the same prices. When you are making $3,000 USD per month in a country that costs $500 USD to live in, you can live very
well and save a lot. Moreover, the better the school, the higher the pay. I know teachers who make close to $5,000 USD per month.

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However, competition for these jobs is very stiff, and typically, applicants need a lot of experience. These schools expect you to be
a certified teacher and you are usually required to sign a one – two year contract. Only qualified teachers should consider applying
to these jobs.

Corporate Training
Corporate training jobs typically pay very high, the schedules are flexible, the students are adults who want to learn (though many
are forced to take classes by their boss, but most see the value in learning English), and the work can last a few months. These jobs
are usually before or after business hours or during lunch. The most fun I ever had was teaching corporate classes. You could joke
around with the students in a way you couldn’t with kids.
However, these jobs, like the language school jobs, are typically hard to get and usually require teaching experience. If you have
a business degree, you will almost be guaranteed a job but you don’t need one as a prerequisite. Classes will revolve around
teaching people grammar and communication skills as well as email writing and formal business practices. You won’t be teaching
any business theory- just how business is conducted in English.  However, in some low level classes, you might need to teach sales
and customer interactions.

Tutoring
No matter where you go, you’ll find people wanting private English lessons. This is a great source of extra income and tutoring

pays a lot more than regular teaching. If you can get a lot of private students, you’ll earn more money than a regular teaching job
and have much more flexibility in your schedule. You won’t be able to get a working visa as a tutor so visa situations can become a

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little difficult to manage. You’ll be working illegally if you do this as your sole job.
Keep in mind that it’s possible to just come into a country and do freelance work. Countries do not allow work visas for this. Tutor
pay varies from country to country, but private lessons start at around $25 USD per hour. The best place to find private students is
via word of mouth or through local teaching boards.  The hours are much more flexible and the work environment is usually a lot
better. Moreover, during the summer time, you can find extra work teaching at summer camps. Kids are on break and it’s a great
way for parents to kill two birds with one stone.
 

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© 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site


Benefits and Salaries
Have you heard about the perks teachers get abroad?  Have the stories of free flights enticed you to Asia or lands beyond?  There
are a lot of myths and rumors out there about teacher benefits but English teachers do get great perks, especially in the Middle
East and Asia.
Salaries for English teachers tend to be much higher than the local salary. While in some parts of the world, these salaries can still
be pretty low, you’ll always have more disposable income than most, and if you live a local lifestyle, you can manage to save quite
a bit of money and still live very well.

The benefits teachers get are often exaggerated. While it’s true that teachers usually get a good number of benefits, they aren’t
uniform around the world. You won’t get any special benefits in Europe. In fact, there is no one uniform benefits package. Some
countries offer lavish packages while some offer none. Benefits vary as much as teacher pay.

So what benefits can you expect?
In Asia, you will generally get the following package: 
·       Return airfare
·       Subsidized or free housing

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·       Paid vacation

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·       4 weeks sick leave and vacation leave
·       One year completion bonus
In the Middle East, you will generally get:
·       Roundtrip airfare
·       Full housing
·       Completion bonus
·       Tax free income
·       Health Care
In Europe, you will generally get:
Nothing (sometimes there’s an exception but in general, don’t expect anything)
 
Remember that these benefits usually happen. In some places, you might get more and, in some, less. You might not get any. You
might find a job in Europe that lavishes stuff on you and an international school in Asia that hardly gives you vacation time. The
point is you never know but overall, you can clearly see what part of the world gives you the most benefits. (As you can see, Asia

gives you a lot and that’s why it’s very popular with young college graduates).

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Signing Contracts
Signing contracts is pretty straightforward. You sign. They sign. There you go. Life is good.  But there are a few things you want to
think about before you sign the contract.
It is said that contracts are only as good as the paper they are printed on. I’ve broken contracts before. It happens. In fact, contracts
aren’t really that important. People break them all the time, especially at language schools around Asia. It’s common practice.
People get sick of a job and they decide that said country isn’t good for them and they go home. But there are good reasons to
not break a contract. In most countries, all the perks are given upon completion of your contract. If you leave, you won’t see any
of those great benefits that enticed you to teach in the first place. I’m not encouraging you to break any contracts, but you should
know that you don’t have to be tied to it if you suddenly decide that you hate living in that country and want to leave.

Before you sign any contract, remember to do the following:

Read it over-

Make sure you know exactly what is in the contract. After you finished reading it over, read it over again.
Often times, teacher contracts are simple one page statements but it’s always important to know exactly what you are getting
yourself into.

Include Everything-

If the company promised you a return flight, make sure it is in the contract. Anything not
in the contract will make easy for them to avoid giving you. It will also make any arguments go smoother because you can always
say “you put in the contract.”  If companies don’t honor that, you can complain to authorities and the local job boards. As they say,
always get it in writing.

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Do Your Research –

If you are just a traveler looking to make extra money, then where you work probably
doesn’t work. You won’t be sticking around long anyways. However, if you plan on staying awhile, you should check out the school
before you go. Talk to other teachers, ask on teacher forums, or Google the school to see what comes up.  Don’t walk into a place
blind. Knowing what the school is like will help you avoid any problems and management issues that might clash with your own
teaching style.

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© 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site