Using Current Skills to Teach English

Find your Special TEFL Skills

Most people just grab the first TEFL job that comes their way – I certainly did. No big deal.

But, the really smart people (I said I didn’t do it, remember?) analyze their previous job experience and try to find a TEFL job related to that.

This is assuming, of course, that you enjoyed something you did in the past.

What you Already Know is Powerful Stuff

Believe it or not, I have taught with, and taught (as a teacher-trainer) petroleum engineers, accountants, lawyers, nurses, ship’s pilots, factory managers, artists, designers, social workers, journalists, travel agents, and many other people from very diverse backgrounds.

All these people had very specialized skills that are needed in the TEFL world. They had in-depth knowledge of specialized vocabulary, processes and procedures that schools and businesses value. You too, probably have such skills.

The Best Way to Market Yourself in TEFL

One very nice way to upgrade where you might teach, is to go and find a college, technical school or university that teaches that special skill your work history has given you.

Wouldn’t an engineering school or tech company prefer an engineer to someone with no knowledge of their field? I know nothing of design and mathematics!

Wouldn’t a nursing school or international hospital prefer a nurse or medical assistant who knows the specialized vocabulary of the field?

Wouldn’t a large international accounting firm prefer an experienced accountant?

Wouldn’t a college or university prefer someone who knows exactly the stresses and challenges their students are facing? Of course they would.

Other Benefits of this Job Search Method

Other than the fact that teaching ESP (English for Special Purposes) almost always pays better than teaching General English, you will also find people with whom you share similar interests and knowledge.

And where better to find friends in your new country?

If you can’t find such a job at first, don’t forget to keep looking. They are out there, usually pay better – and you will enjoy yourself more.

My Good Luck

I’ve had the good fortune to teach ESP classes in every country in which I have worked. They always paid more and they were always more interesting.

Ted’s Tips™ #1: Search the Internet for colleges and universities and large corporations in your target country that specialize in what you already know. Approach them first and be sure you have highlighted your related skill in your resume/CV.

Their students are always more motivated because you are literally there to help them do a better job with their English speaking customers and sometimes even their English speaking boss(es).

Ted’s Tips™ #2: Just because a school isn’t advertising doesn’t mean they aren’t looking for a teacher and/or don’t need you.

Smart people approach schools when they aren’t advertising – and avoid the flood of applicants. It is a way to lessen the competition for that ESP job you want.

Health and Medical Issues in TEFL

Health & Medical Issues when Living Abroad

What if I get sick or hurt?

Most employers in most countries will provide you with a very basic form of health/medical insurance.

In some countries, you will become eligible for the national health care system, in others you will belong to a private plan that your employer has purchased for you (you might have to pay for a certain percentage of the coverage).

Is the provided coverage adequate/enough?

If you are young and healthy, don’t ride a motorcycle or engage in dangerous activities, and don’t travel to other countries – then it might be okay. These type coverages are fine for the occasional cold or semi-serious illness.

But they are not adequate for long-term or out-of-country coverage, or for any kind of serious or catastrophic illness or injury.

If you are thinking about teaching long-term, are middle-aged or older, and/or ride a motorcycle or engage in any “risky” activities, then consider purchasing a good quality policy that you can take with you from country to country.

Aren’t these type policies expensive?

Yes, and no.

What is really expensive is to have a serious medical problem and no, or lousy, coverage.

Yes, you will find that some policies offered by major insurance providers quite expensive. But there are some reasonable alternatives. One traditional company that offers “instant quotes” on line is MultiNational Underwriters.

You might not need as much coverage as you think and medical costs and medicines in many countries are far cheaper than they might be in the USA or UK or Australia. When in doubt, seek advice from your personal physician and/or financial adviser.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance is a good option if you want some coverage only while out of the country where you are working – as your work coverage will not cover you out of the country. And, after all, one reason for choosing TEFL as a job alternative is so you can travel.

I feel better already – knowing that you – at the very least – know something that you really need to know if you are going to live and work overseas.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Do your research and find what coverage you can get and what it costs.

TED’s Tips™ #2: If you intend to teach for more than one or two years, get an insurance policy that is “portable” that you can take from job to job and country to country.

They can save you a small fortune as I found out once when my wife needed to be hospitalized on vacation in Tanzania. I was very glad we had purchased good coverage.

Free TEFL eBooks – How to Teach English Overseas

And Secrets to Success Abroad

TEFL eBooks is offering a free download of their new publication Seven Secrets of Success Abroad - and along with it comes a bi-weekly installment and revision of their eBook called How to Teach English Overseas.

Great reviews for the Secrets of Success eBook – in spite of the hokey name – and the How to Teach English eBook is being updated and rewritten and sent out in installments as it is ready.

Here they are – click on the eBooks to get your FREE copies! Great information and the price is right, from our friends at TEFLeBooks.

Please let me know what you think of the ebooks – use the comments section below.

I confess both eBooks are written by yours truly – hoping to inspire others to head overseas and live life BIG out in the real world. I would value your feedback!

Cross Cultural Communication in TEFL

Cultural Differences: When “Yes” can mean “No”

This blog post comes from an eBook I wrote about success abroad – you can click on the book cover and go pick it up FREE.

How people behave and respond outside your native culture will often be very different from what you are familiar with and sometimes even counter-intuitive to what you thought would happen.

Western-style assertiveness is not so common in the rest of the world, nor is it helpful.

Another personal story to illustrate, if I may: In the summer of 1993, I was teaching at a university’s summer program, socking away a little extra cash while on paid vacation from the college where I was working during the regular school year.

The weather was very hot and sweaty and the classrooms had no air conditioning. And I mean HOT and SWEATY, we were soaking with sweat.

A Coffee Shop

My students suggested that we have our class across the street in an air-conditioned coffee shop, a great idea! And something I had seen done at a few other schools. There were only about eight students in the class, so we would easily fit in a big corner booth.

I asked the professor in charge of the program if it was okay – and he said, “Yes.” A few minutes later he said, “So you are not having class today?” I replied, “Of course we are, we are going to meet in the coffee shop, as the students requested. That’s okay, isn’t it?” He said, “Yes.”

A few minutes later he again said, “So you are not having class today?”

Well . . . we went through this cycle several times before I got a bit upset and told the supervisor, “If you don’t want us to meet at the coffee shop – just say ‘No’!”

Needless to say, everyone was upset. But, it didn’t need to be that way. I really should have picked up on it the first time or at least the second time the supervisor asked if I was not having class. Get it?

Many cultures are not as direct as our own.

You’ll need to pay attention and listen for underlying content – all the time!

You can make your host country coworkers and supervisors very uncomfortable if you make them confront you, or if you become confrontational. It can really stress your relationships and sour your work situation.

Be careful, listen, interpret.

If you really don’t understand a situation, ask your supervisor about it in the context of a culture question.

You can say, “I am a bit confused here, in my culture my boss would say ‘[fill in the blank]‘ – are you wanting me to ‘[do or not do something]?’ Please help me understand.”

That kind of a statement takes the heat off the situation and saves “face” for everyone involved. You can even have a good laugh about it instead of everyone being upset.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Develop a little finesse in dealing with cross-cultural communications and your life will go much smoother overseas! It’s all part of learning to be a skilled expatriate.

TED’s Tips™ #2: Be patient and let things unfold a bit when you aren’t really sure what is happening. The last thing to do is lose you cool and get all over-assertive.

Yes, you will hear people telling great stories of how they “told off” someone but you can bet they more than paid the price for it in the long run.