Teaching English Abroad

I recently signed up to do a TEFL course with the TEFL Academy because it was half-price and I've thought about doing it on and off for years. Figured I'd just take a nosedive and do it but what are your experiences, for those of you who have done it or thought about doing it?

It seems like a good deal overall, 120 hours combined between online and face-to-face, and costing £170. Can't really grumble too much with that, but I can't yet recommend the course to anyone on the fence because I haven't started the first module yet. I'm also avoiding any plans to say I'm definitely going at a certain time, as I think unless you really want to get away it can create unnecessary pressure and feel forced. For me, I am quite happy at home, but I do fancy seeing some beautiful places and trying a different way of life for up to a year.

I'm interested in Thailand, particularly Chiang Mai, and also quite like the sound of Taiwan. Prague I've heard is very good, and places like Italy or Spain can be appealing. I suppose what draws me the most is the idea of beautiful sunsets, gorgeous sun tipped lakes and breathtaking glimpses of mountains far away in the distance. I am a big lover of nature and anything which makes you feel insignificant with its size / presence. That said, I'm also interested in making new friends, adapting to a new culture and feeling like I can call a place home for a while.

What do you think to teaching abroad and have you also considered it? Be good to share experiences or opinions. I have no idea if I'd be a good teacher but I'd certainly try my best and do what I can to further people's abilities. Some people I know go away purely to travel and skimp on the teaching but I feel if you're getting paid for it you should do what you can. Also, I quite like that I'm studying some modules on grammar etc because hopefully it'll be able to improve my writing. While I'm away I'd like to think I have some time to spend in a condo or flat just writing my next book and enjoying the more relaxed pace of life.

 

Do it! You've nothing to lose.

Last I heard Thailand didn't really have a culture of education. If you go to either Taiwan or China you'll be teaching people who genuinely want to learn most likely. In Vietnam you'll 100% be teaching people who want to learn. The students in Vietnam flock to the park in their free time just to practice English and learn about foreign culture ... imagine that, teenagers and 20 somethings spending their freetime tyring to learn about you and your language, AND consider that they practically study every day too on top of that.

In Thailand you'd have to work in more high end establishments to get any kind of professionalism I'd guess (maybe things have changed though??) I also thought about Chiang Mai and course their. In the end I went to Vietnam to do course and got sick halfway through. Never finished it and didn't even need it anyway. If you're a native speaker and "look" western (meaning you're white) you'll find a job NO PROBLEM.

Teaching is the best way to learn

My grammar is terrible, but it doesn't matter where I work because my focus is on kids and pronunciation. Adults tend to bug me because they are too shy. Kids a great and they really teach you a lot about language development too just by watching them and understanding the differences of tonal languages to Enlgish.

I can guarantee it will be esier than you think to find a job with little to no effort involved. They are always looking for teachers. After a a few weeks you'll find your own style and pace. There is no "correct" way to teach (I don't even believe in "teaching" really, more of an art of facilitating and adjusting to each student). Plenty of opportunity for tutoring privately too, although I don't bother with that myself anymore.

The only things you really need is passion and compassion. The rest will fall into place.

note: You may not adjust to the culture. If you don't you can just go somewhere else or back home. You leave with a new experience and no debt. I take a holiday every 3 months

 

Hi Badgerjelly, thanks for replying to this!

It's interesting what you learn about people, I would never have known that you've done teaching abroad.

Vietnam is somewhere that I've looked into and it's been a bit of a dark horse in people's recommendations so it's definitely on my radar. I like the sound of most of Southeast Asia and I think that's my main area of interest. Indonesia and Cambodia also sound appealing, but it's impossible for me to pick at this stage. What you say about kids wanting to learn in Vietnam is fascinating, and potentially a real game-changer. I'd love to teach children who actually want to learn, and although I get the impression all of those countries are very big on respect I would like to go where the need is. I'm sure all the children are much better than the ones over here in the UK (you wouldn't see me dead teaching in those schools) but the difference between cultures is important. Also, I wasn't sure whether I should teach in language schools or government ones, and I think this comes back to how you feel about the place.

I totally agree that teaching is intuitive and that there's no strict formula to life generally. We all learn in different ways and much of what I learned at school I've forgotten now. I always liked Mark Twain's view on this: "I've never allowed my schooling to interfere with my education.' I think so long as I care about the children and do my best to adapt to their personalities and temperaments, I should be able to teach them something useful. The TEFL course will help with the knowledge side of things, as like you I'm not overly confident on grammar and could do with some study in that area. None of that will turn me into a good teacher but it will give me more certainty I guess over what I'm teaching.

I'm very interested in your own experiences of teaching abroad. When did you first start, and have you been doing it on and off or are you teaching English all the time? With you saying you got sick I wasn't sure if you've had chance to go somewhere else again or if it's in the pipeline? It's cool that you can go over there and find a job without too much trouble. I've read that sometimes it's hard to secure a job as they like to do face-to-face interviews, so I may have to bite the bullet and do it sometime next year. I should have a few thousand in savings so I could potentially choose a destination and live there for a week before deciding if I want to work there or hopping a plane to somewhere close by. I am hoping it's not too expensive to travel between countries such as Thailand and Vietnam as they're all relatively close -- still £100 here and there and not to be sniffed at but being able to spend time in all these places for a short time could be eye-opening and help me to make a more educated choice.

The tough thing about it is that they all have their pros and cons... Thai food is amazing, but I've heard getting around is very difficult and that it's not always the 'land of smiles.' Likewise, Vietnam is culturally appealing and a beautiful country but it depends on where you choose.

 

I did this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CELTA

it was very, very very, very very very difficult, and that was after teaching previously with no experience whatsoever, back in the day, in Slovakia.

It is the gold standard, but life changed for me, taught only one more summer season. Still haunted by classrooms, those underpaid, exhausted teachers in Brighton. It's on the cusp [?] of profession/backpacker job. Issue remains unresolved.

 

It is NOT hard to secure a job. Just make a VERY basic CV (or they won't understand it) and go in person to schools to hand it in. (wear shirt and tie because you'll likely talk to some manager) it may take working at a few different places to find hrs and schedule that fits you. If you're from US or UK and have plain accent they'll snap you up! If your a woman even more so.

I would recommend getting a job teaching prior to any course (esp. CELTA) If you go to Thailand and dont like it you can just move somewhere else.

Try teaching adults, kids and private. The first few months dont commit to anything just feel out what best suits you.

Good luck

 

The amount you'll learn about your own language and language in general is amazing. You'll also come to understand your own culture in contrast.

Dont waste time, dont make excuses. Go!

 

Do it!

Yeah that seems to be the course for the most serious students and would probably give me the opportunity to also teach in places like New Zealand where demand isn't high for casual TEFL teachers but for those formally trained it becomes a possibility. Would you not recommend it personally? I guess teaching after that can take the fun out of it once it becomes a career... I think that's the problem with most things. As a hobby it's much more enjoyable, but once it becomes a big commitment maybe it loses some of the novelty. I've always wondered how I'd be writing if I did it for a living...

I'm quite lucky in that I don't really have a distinguishable accent (or unlucky, depending how you look at it). I mean, people I don't know will probably say I have an accent the way everyone does if you're new to them, but because I speak is a low, deep, slightly monotone voice, I sound quite plain and ordinary. Much to my great shame, mostly, but here it may work in my favour!

I'm pretty much going in without any experience so will definitely learn as I go on. I've signed up to this short course which will give me the bare minimum and is supposedly a prerequisite for some places -- I get the impression it's the same requirement as a degree, not everywhere cares but some will, and it increases your options. Once this course is done I'll take your advice and find work out there if I can't guarantee a good placement...and I much prefer to look around personally to get a feel for whether I'm going to like the place.

Yup, I'm pretty set on going, so no excuses here... I made plenty of those in the past, but now I'm pretty much a free bird!

 

Many people worry about finding a job before they arrive. Absolutely the worst thing to do is get a job set up prior to arrival (unless we're talking about higher level stuff).

Enjoy. Hope it is at least an interesting experience for you

 

I'm in two minds.

...or jump on the plane. As Badger says that way spells adventure...

 

Almost everyone I know has done it at some point or another...for most it was fine, but I know of a couple horror stories. College roommate of mine tried to do it in Japan, but apparently his company got him the wrong visa so they detained him on arrival and then sent him back to the States, never to return. I know a couple other people who did it under-the-table, I think both were in Prague. That sounded like a very touch-and-go lifestyle, occasionally didn't have enough for food, and of course still the threat of getting caught and deported.

Several other people I know did it through Peace Corps (which is only an option if you're USA-ian, I guess). Didn't make much money, but it's pretty stable at least. And they have people on standby to take care of you if things go really pear-shaped, not only security- and health-wise but also just people on call to come fix your appliances if they break. Plus Peace Corps does have other benefits, like the federal gov gives you a preference in hiring later on.

Anyway. I know so many people who've done it, as usual the only lesson I can draw is YMMV. Like with everything else.

 

Scare stories are scare stories. To get work in places like Japan and South Korea is more difficult.

SE Asia and China, completely not!

Don't be in two minds, just GO! Remember, one day you'll be dead.

So many people I know said to me "If I had the money I would do what you did." It is a poor excuse considering those people were richer than I was, they just didn't want to step out of their comfort zones and learn about themselves, their home and the world in general.

If anything I would advise travelling a little first. My first experience was travelling alone and scared. After a few days I soon realized I had been worrying about absolutely nothing and felt foolish for not taking the "plunge" sooner. If it's not for you just go back home or check out another country THEN go back home.

I started the CELTA too and can tell you it is not often you'll be putting much of what you learn there into practice in Asia. They don't really teach you anything important about tonal languages and how to understand your students ear. PLUS a lot of what they teach you is linguistics and completely useless in the classroom (unless you are actually teaching linguistics!)

 

Apologies, posted twice by mistake!

 

Taught in Nepal just last year, and I can honestly say it was one of the most memorable moments of my life, which says a lot because I wasn't paid, just given a place to stay and food to eat. It also wasn't through TEFL, I just got in contact with some family members and they did the rest. Nonetheless, the experience was so humbling. Kids will adore you (at least in south asia), and the locals will be curious about your own culture. I guess the previous comment about learning about your own culture has some truth to it, just never thought about it.

Anyway, if you have the money (shouldn't be hard as asia is cheap af), and you don't have any serious responsibilities, then do it! You will not regret it, it'll be a time to remember or a lesson learned.