Who Teaches English Abroad?

What kind of people teach English overseas?

You will be quite surprised. Maybe even shocked.

Who are they?

To a large extent they are people just like you. People who saw an interesting opportunity and took it.

Recently I went out for dinner with an experienced lawyer from Chicago who had just finished his TEFL certification course.

I’ve met other former lawyers, a hotel manager, tennis instructor, construction worker, retired military people, social workers, business managers, a factory manager, journalist, psychotherapist, retail sales staff, public school teachers, retired people, a petroleum engineer, and many more. And those are only the ones I asked! After a while – you won’t even be surprised any more!

Why are they teaching EFL overseas?

Why not! You will sometimes hear people talking about “running away from it all” and “escaping America” (or other countries). But more often people are running to what they see as an interesting and exciting lifestyle opportunity. Fulfillment of a dream of actually experiencing the world, rather than just seeing it through the window of a tour bus or a television.

Why do they stay overseas?

Now that’s the hard question. Mostly because they are enjoying themselves, meeting their personal and financial goals, and just don’t feel the need to go home. I recently retired abroad. Did I start out with that goal? No. But I love it!

Most people do go home permanently at some point, but there is a small percentage of us who find the lifestyle just too enjoyable to go back “home.” For me – right now – “home” is a wonderful tropical island that I may never leave!

TED’s Tips™ #1: The most successful people overseas are those “going to” something rather than just “running away” from something in their lives. Go to a new life, new opportunities, the chance to see and experience the world. Going to creates success. Running away from creates failure.

The BEST EFL Teaching Jobs in China: Government Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools offer the most reliable and worry-free jobs in China. Click on the Link if you would like to Teach English in China

TEFL FAQ Type Questions and Answers

More GREAT questions from our readers!

If I may ask a few questions: what are the possibilities that teaching doesn’t work out?

That is always a possibility.
Culture shock can be an issue as well as just happening to land a lousy job perhaps with a lousy boss. It can happen in your home country. It can happen abroad too. See my previous post on “What’s the Downside of Teaching Abroad”

What does it matter with financial obligations (like most Americans I’ve lost my car because I was release from my college job and had to move into my parents home)?

No one is going to check your credit record. So if you don’t tell anyone, no one will know. Americans seem to have a unique notion of telling everyone their personal business (I can criticize Americans, I am one). But no one really needs to know.

And how long is the average contract? Are they always temporary?

The average contract is usually one year. But the great majority of schools will be very happy to re-hire you if all went well. I’ve spent as much as five years at one school. My wife has spent as much as eight years in one teaching position. That’s not very temporary!

Can you get tenure, for example, at a university position? If you have the proper credentials, in some countries, yes.

My choice in countries were Western Europe but I feel Asia (Tokyo and Hong Kong would be nice)and Central Europe (specifically Turkey) is in my radar. Can you provide more your knowledge about those areas if you could

I am not familiar with Turkey, but am a huge fan of Asia. Both Japan and Hong Kong can be quite competitive. You might want to get a TEFL certification to help build your resume – perhaps volunteer a bit before you leave.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Really – there is nothing stopping you. Go for it!

The BEST EFL Teaching Jobs in China: Government Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools offer the most reliable and worry-free jobs in China. Click on the Link if you would like to Teach English in China

Teaching English in Korea and Need TEFL Training

This post is based on an email from a reader and is somewhat common.  She is going to seek a teaching job in Korea and wants to get over there as soon as she can.  She wrote:

The only worry I have now, is that I have no teaching qualifications, I’m very tempted to complete a TEFL online course, but obviously won’t be able to do this before I apply.

To which I responded:  Most TEFL training courses designed for high school graduates  and that always was the case even for CELTA and the big expensive name brands. So, with a good college education and having practice taking examinations, you can probably finish an online course more quickly than the hours assigned to the course.

You can apply for jobs saying that you are in a course and will complete it by such and such a date. Most schools will give you a letter of some sort to say that, for example, you are taking the course and are expected to graduate by a specific date.

Korea does not generally require a TEFL certification, so you can certainly apply anyway. BUT you are correct to consider getting a bit of training. The unemployment situation in the USA and UK means that applying for and getting such jobs is becoming MUCH more competitive and it will help you have have an edge that many applicants won’t have.

I place people in China and jobs last year that would have gone begging on into September are already booked solid. A lot more people are looking for work.

Best bet to get an online TEFL Certification done inexpensively and at your pace:   TEFL Boot Camp.

She also asked:

Also as a more general question, do many schools tend to employ more than one ESL teacher?

Most schools have several, some have many – and some have a lot lot! Very few schools will have only one teacher. Most will have something like three to ten depending on how big they are. I once taught at a school where there were 35.

TED’s Tips™ #1: The job market for teaching English abroad is still very strong, but high unemployment levels in the USA and UK mean there is more competition for the better jobs. People with no experience should get some training – just about any kind would help a lot – to help them land their first job overseas.

The BEST EFL Teaching Jobs in China: Government Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools offer the most reliable and worry-free jobs in China. Click on the Link if you would like to Teach English in Chinae

Single Parent Teaching English Abroad

Single Parents Teaching English Abroad

This is not an uncommon situation these days – so we will make it a regular post here.
A reader wrote:

I’ve spent only 30 minutes browsing your site and it seems like a great resource – thanks!
I’ve just graduated from university and I am a single parent. I’d love to teach English overseas and I think it would be a fantastic experience for my young son as well. I am a little concerned about his education and childcare in a foreign country though. Do you have any information on how difficult it would be to enrol him in school and find reputable childcare? I don’t have a very strong preference as to which country to teach in – my priority is making this big change as easy as possible for the kiddo.

This is one of the few situations that I have not seen work out well. IF you have the qualifications to work for a real first-tier international school (certified teacher in your home country with several years experience) then this is a great option for you as the education for your child will be provided free by your employer – in the great majority of cases.

If you are not a qualified teacher for a first tier international school . . . then I can’t recommend teaching English abroad as an option. I’ve just not seen it work well for anyone. International schools often charge at least what an English teacher earns per month for tuition for EACH child and sometimes much more. Such schools are used to major corporations paying handsomely for the children of their executives to be educated in a first-class environment.

Another option many people suggest is home schooling their children. After all, their child/ren will get a great education from their exposure to a foreign culture. No? Well . . . yes, but . . . But what happens is that after a long day at school the single parent is often a bit fried and still needs to take care of things like meals, laundry, house cleaning and other parental duties. What happens usually is that “home schooling” falls by the wayside while their child/ren hang out on the internet and play video games all day. Not the best of educations for anyone.

YOU might be the one exception who makes it work, but I’ve not seen it work yet – in 20+ years of living and working overseas.

I am not one to say that your dream can’t work – maybe it can. But be aware of your responsibility to your children, please.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Single parents usually have a really difficult time making “home schooling” work. Be aware of the limitations of your energy and ability to provide everything to everybody – employer and family alike.

The BEST EFL Teaching Jobs in China: Government Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools offer the most reliable and worry-free jobs in China. Click on the Link if you would like to Teach English in China

Can you Survive Abroad?

Are you made of the right stuff to thrive teaching English abroad?

I run into people from time to time that are slowly – and sometimes not so slowly – unraveling.
People who will soon be on their way home, whether they know it or not.

I often also meet people who are having truly the time of their lives, have never been happier, some even feel they are going to live ten years longer due to the lower stress levels of living abroad.

What about you?

Will you Thrive Overseas?

This is an important question.  Research indicates that about 80% of people who are fired from their jobs are fired for social and other reasons not related to their ability to do their job.  In other words, they couldn’t get along with others and/or they had bad working habits.  My opinion would be that overseas 80% turns into about 90-95%.

It is not very often that someone just doesn’t know how to teach English, it’s not really rocket science.

What is it that will Help you Survive?

The most important skills I have seen for adapting, surviving and thriving while living overseas are the following:

1.  The ability to laugh at yourself. You are going to make mistakes.  You are even going to make a fool of yourself from time to time and nothing eases the tension like a good laugh or a big smile.   People are a little wary of foreigners pretty much in every country and if you can show that you are a foreigner they need not worry about, you will soon have allies helping you succeed in your new world.

2. The ability to say, “I’m sorry” – even if the situation you are apologizing for is not your fault.  Fault doesn’t matter, getting along does.   Making sure fault is pointed as someone, in many cultures, wins you permanent enemies.  Leave your Western-style over-assertiveness home.  Arrive with a gentle spirit.  I am not suggesting that you be a pasty for every scam in the world – only that your first reaction not be anger or assertiveness, but instead to ask why a situation is the way it is.  You may often be surprised by the answer.

3. Don’t take life too seriously. Don’t take your job too seriously.  Items #1 and #2 require that you not get overstressed by problems that pop up on a day to day basis, and when they do, that you relax and go with the flow a bit to see where that flow goes.

4. Avoid contact with “Negative Ninnys”. You will meet a few very negative people overseas who would like you to be as unhappy as they are.  Avoid them like the plague.  Look for the happiest and mellowest people where you work or in your social circle and make them your friends.  You will soon find your world too – to be mellow and happy.

5. Find a way out of the box. If you find  yourself in trouble at work, ask how to fix it.  Be aware that other cultures may have very different ways of dealing with problems.  You can always ask for help in the context of a question about culture.  You can say, “I am not sure what to do here.  In my culture someone might do this or that”.   What do you suggest that I do to solve this problem?”  By approaching the issue in a cultural context you can easily seek help and people are quite willing to provide it.   You can turn a problem in to a team problem-solving exercise.

Life really can be that easy.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Before you head overseas, make a personal decision to succeed and be very determined to do so.  Define for yourself what that success means then do everything to make that work.  Sometimes that means backing off a bit of Western habit and assertiveness.

TED’s Tips™ #2: Don’t forget to smile.  Put on a good attitude.  Help people enjoy being around you.

The BEST EFL Teaching Jobs in China: Government Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools offer the most reliable and worry-free jobs in China. Click on the Link if you would like to Teach English in China

TEFL Newbie Featured as a TRIP Base Top Blog

TEFL Newbie Highly Commended at TRIP BASE

Trip Base has an excellent page featuring blogs about Teaching English Abroad. We are happy that TEFL Newbie as been featured as a best blog. We try our best. We try to keep it balanced and real and people seem to recognize that.

Go on over and give them a visit.

On the topic of TEFL type blogs, be aware of and pay attention to the perspective of the writer. And, just as you choose foods you like, select blogs that fit your frame of mind. I am a super believer that you can literally create what you want and I know that from my own personal experience. So, be sure you read the blogs of people who have been successful overseas.

Don’t read the blogs of whiners, conspiracy theorists, expose artists, etc. I am not suggesting that you ignore potential problems, but I do believe that if you are seriously looking for scams and traps and tricks, you WILL find them. If you let your nature be positive and try to keep your orientation in that direction, you can and will succeed overseas.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Cruise the internet a bit and see what is out there for you. Take a big portion of it with a grain of salt.

The BEST EFL Teaching Jobs in China: Government Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools offer the most reliable and worry-free jobs in China. Click on the Link if you would like to Teach English in China

Cover Letters for Seeking Employment in TEFL

How to Write your Cover Letter when Seeking a Job Teaching English Abroad

People ask from time to time about the “secrets” of writing a good cover letter when seeking a job teaching English overseas.

Well, I don’t think there are any secrets, but there is some good common sense and we will try to cover some of that today.

First and most important: Keep in mind WHY you are writing this cover letter. And know why you are writing it! Why are you? Just because you are supposed to? Because someone told you that you should?

Keep to business when writing such a letter, keep it brief and make sure you do these four things:

1. Indicate your interest in a specific position.
Some employers may have many positions open. They may not know for which position you are applying. Help them know. Be as specific as possible.

2. Inform your potential employer that you are qualified for the position.
Keep it brief. Don’t put your whole CV/resume in the letter, but let them know that when they are deleting emails or trying to pare the pile of applications to a manageable size, that yours should be be saved and looked at in depth. Let them know as early in the letter as possible.

Do this in the second paragraph after you a specify the position you are applying for and keep your summary to a maximum of two or three short paragraphs.  Cover only the qualifications and experience that relate to the position for which you are applying.

3. Ask for an interview/consideration for the position. That is the whole purpose of this contact, correct? Close the body of your letter with your request.

4. Give your contact information either in the header or following your signature line. What good is contacting someone and forgetting to tell them how to contact you? Even if you made contact via email and they can easily just click on “reply” – still give them your contact information.

Keep to Business

Don’t lose the essence of those four points by adding information that can obscure the important point or even that could rule you out of the position. If you have specific requirements about a position in terms location, wages or other issues. leave them for later. You’ll have more leverage once the employer has decided they are interested in you.

Realize that international positions will often require information that is important to them, but sometimes even illegal to ask for in your home country. To obtain legal working papers as a teacher of English in some countries, you must come from a country that they deem to be English speaking. So tell them where you are from, don’t make them guess.  This issue might need to be addressed in #2 above.

At this stage of the process potential employers don’t YET need to know that you are a vegetarian, want to arrive with your “partner” in tow, have a cat that must come with you or that you have medical concerns that you want to be sure can be managed in that country/location. All those issues can come up later, either in an interview or after an offer has been made and you are negotiating the terms of your employment.

TED’s Tips™ #1: Keep to business, keep your letter as brief as possible while still making sure that you have included all the critical information as mentioned on this page.

TED’s Tips™ #2: Don’t badmouth any previous employer.  For some employers this is a fast strong sign of a bad attitude.  They just don’t need to know that you and your last employer didn’t get along.  At least, not yet!

The BEST EFL Teaching Jobs in China: Government Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools offer the most reliable and worry-free jobs in China. Click on the Link if you would like to Teach English in China

TEFL Newbie Awarded Top Teach Abroad Blog

Happy News from GoOverseas.com – We do our best and enjoy the occasional special recognition we get from others in the industry!

Hi Ted,

I’m Andrew Dunkle and I currently serve as the senior editor of GoOverseas.com. We are contacting you with regard to your blog, which the editorial staff at GO! Overseas has selected as one of the top blogs related to teaching abroad.

As recognition of your outstanding writing skills we are delighted to include your blog in a select list of websites covering the ESL industry.

We select only the most exceptional blogs that meet our exacting standards and we hope you feel a sense of pride that you have been recognized for your efforts. You may view this list on our website here:

Go Overseas: Top Teach Abroad Blogs

Thank you for all the high quality content you have contributed to the global online community. We look forward to continuing to read your stories. If you have questions about GO! Overseas please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Warm regards,
Andrew Dunkle

Do I Need a Degree to Teach English Overseas?

Is a Degree Needed to Land a Good Job Teaching English?

No, you don’t always need a degree to land a good job.

There are excellent job markets in much of Latin America. In Southeast Asia, both Cambodia and Indonesia are good markets for people without degrees.

Without a degree you’ll not be saving large amounts of money, but you can still land a good job and live well on the local economy. You can expect the very best jobs to go to people with degrees and lots of experience, but lots of opportunity still exists and there just aren’t enough teachers to meet the demand.

Focus your Job Search

If you don’t have the advantage of a degree, try to use your work history to your advantage instead. If you have work experience in a hotel or restaurant for example, seek out those kinds of settings. Large resorts overseas often hire teachers of English to help their staff deal with their guests. If you have experience in the industry, exploit it. You are needed!

The same thing applies if you have a good work history in business. Look for jobs teaching Business English where you will have an advantage. Large corporations often hire teachers and many language schools devote a good part of their business to servicing international corporations. They are looking for YOU.

For both these specialties consider getting ESP Certifications. Or at least study teaching material related to those industries, so you will have lots of good ideas when you interview and you will create an advantage over your competitors.

Great Resources: ESP Certification in Resort and Hotel English and
ESP Certification in Business English

Check these eBooks as well: Hotel and Resort English and Business English Lessons

TED’s Tips™ #1: If you don’t have a degree, grab every advantage you can. There are good jobs out there, make sure you are in the hunt!

The BEST EFL Teaching Jobs in China: Government Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools offer the most reliable and worry-free jobs in China. Click on the Link if you would like to Teach English in China

TEFL Telephone Interviews

Interviewing Over the Telephone or Skype for that Job Teaching English Overseas

TEFL interviews are like interviews for just about any other type of job, except they aren’t!

Particularly if you are a beginning teacher, don’t expect trick grammar questions – or really difficult questions of any sort.

Usually, the employer is just trying to get a feel if you are a friendly and pleasant person. Both of these issues are important to the employer, who is typically a business person, running a school where it would be nice if the customers (students) like their teachers enough to keep signing up for more classes and earning him/her a profit.

Professional Interviews

It would be unusual to have what you might consider a really professional interview. I’ve had precisely two – in fifteen years. And I have interviewed a lot as I like to “fish” for jobs – and often apply for something if it sounds interesting to me even if I don’t have any interest in taking it.

The notions, mentioned above, of friendliness and pleasantness, are generally what interviewers are looking for. If you are applying for a job that requires some experience or training, then you might expect a simple grammar question – or a question about your teaching philosophy, teaching methods – or how to deal with a discipline problem. Of course, think about these things before the interview.

The Usual Interview

A typical interview almost doesn’t exist. So really, you probably can’t do much to prepare, except to put yourself in a good mood, smile a lot, dress appropriately – and go for it.

Odd Questions

Most teachers, at one time or another, have been asked such oddities as, “Do you like kimchee?” or “How do you feel about hitting your students?” Answer honestly – you might as well hit the issues before you get there!

Speak Clearly

One thing almost all interviews are looking for, is your ability to speak clearly and understandably. Do that purposefully during the interview. Don’t try to “WoW” them with your use of the language. You are probably already light years ahead of their English language skills. That’s why they want and need a teacher. They want to know that you can communicate well with their students.

Telephone Interviews

Telephone Interviews interviews are fairly common, for obvious reasons. Try to speak clearly – some connections won’t be good. Be polite if you can’t understand what is being asked (which will sometimes be the case!).

The Role of the Teacher in Society

Know that in many cultures the teacher is considered a surrogate parent and that even experienced teachers in some countries will tell you the most important thing about any teacher is that they “Love their students.” While this would seem an odd thing in the West, it is a bit refreshing really. There is a nice old-fashioned-ness about such thinking. From times before pedophilia became such a fear. Before a teacher needed two witnesses before talking to a student about a problem.

It’s okay to tell an interviewer that you enjoy teaching, enjoy students, and have a strong interest in their success. And, I hope you do!

TED’s Tips™ #1: Relax and enjoy yourself! Consider your interview the rough equivalent of meeting a new friend.

The BEST EFL Teaching Jobs in China: Government Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools offer the most reliable and worry-free jobs in China. Click on the Link if you would like to Teach English in China