So you want to become an EFL teacher?

Overview

Admin

04.01.2012 (135 Days Ago)

TEFL

efl, tesol, tefl, esl, teach english abroad, how to become an efl teacher, tefl or celta?, online tefl course

Reasons to learn another language

Actions

Name:
Email:

Tonguetide Rating

2 votes

Tonguetide promo

Where can you teach English?

As luck would have it, you can teach English pretty much anywhere in the world! English teachers are in demand wherever you go. Parents want English teachers for their children. Companies want English teachers for their employees. Schools need English teachers. As do universities, language academies, etc...

So a good idea would be to choose which country you are interested in living in first (if you are planning to teach abroad, that is. There are also plenty of ESL (English as a Second Language) schools and academies in the UK, US and other countries where English is the native language). Find out what the biggest academies and language schools are in your chosen destination and look into what the requirements are to teach for them. If you have the right teaching qualification and are a native speaker, you will always find opportunities to teach, wherever you go.

What training and qualifications do you need to become an English teacher?

Pretty much anybody recruiting English teachers will require some kind of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate. There are a few different acronyms out there so it can get a bit confusing. The most widely recognised TESOL qualification is awarded by CELTA, which is approved by Cambridge ESOL, part of the University of Cambridge. But there are several other organisations that offer TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) qualifications which are just as good as the Cambridge one, and will even help you to find teaching work once you have completed the course.

TEFL qualifications are big business so you won’t have any trouble finding an organisation in your chosen country to take one (or you can take a course before you leave). Decent courses give around 100 hours of classroom time, as well as an opportunity for some hands-on teaching practice. It’s also possible to take a TEFL online, with companies like i-to-i TEFL, which offers both classroom and online TEFL courses.

How much money can you earn teaching English?

It really depends. Fortunately, the English teaching business has remained pretty stable during the recession. You may find that people are less eager to fork out for private classes, but businesses are always on the lookout for teachers to help their employees with international relations. Parents also understand the value of giving their children English classes. Even if a private class is too expensive for them, they can always get a small group of children together and share the cost of an hour’s class.

Working for a language academy can earn you anywhere from 14€ to 25€ an hour. It really depends on the size, reputation and method of the academy, as well as what they expect from the teacher. Teaching as a self-employed worker allows you to charge more (closer to the 20€ to 35€ bracket, depending on if you are giving private, group or business English classes), but there is obviously more paperwork, expense and probably higher national insurance contributions to consider.

It’s also important to bear in mind that being an English teacher requires more work than just the length of the class. You’ll need to prepare lessons, grade homework, find materials, submit paperwork to your boss, etc. However, being an EFL teacher can also give you the freedom to plan your own work schedule, so you may be able to do other jobs on the side to boost your income.

What does being an EFL teacher involve?

As previously mentioned, teaching English as a foreign language is not just about turning up to the class and reading from a textbook for an hour or two. A good English teacher needs a solid understanding of what their students’ level of English is, where their weaknesses are and a clear strategy for helping them to improve.

There are many great English textbooks on the market that can help you plan a course for a student, but going through one from cover to cover is not going to suit every student or class. It’s always a good idea to discuss what the course will cover with your students and ask what they would like to improve on to ensure they can see an improvement in their English level over time.

Will being an English teacher be good for my CV?

Absolutely, even if you are not looking for a long-term career as an English teacher. Experience as an EFL teacher demonstrates that you have a level of expertise in a subject and have dedicated yourself to being able to convey your knowledge to others. It also shows that you have people skills, are comfortable with public speaking and that you know how to organise yourself and plan a schedule.

And if you took a year or two out in order to teach abroad, an employer will probably see you as someone who has quenched a thirst for travel and more likely to be able to settle down and dedicate themselves to a job long-term.

What if I don’t speak the language of the students I’m teaching?

More often than not, this isn’t a problem. While knowing the native language of your students can have its benefits (being able to communicate with a receptionist if you’re teaching a business English class in a big office, for example), it’s far more beneficial for them if you give the class completely in English (this is debatable, as there may of course be occasions where it’s sensible to explain a little in a common language).

Many language academies offer discounted or even free language classes to teachers as a perk to help you get settled into your new country. You may even find that some of your students want extra practice outside of their class so may be prepared to do a language exchange with you to help you improve as well.

OK, I understand all that. So what now?

Great, you’re now ready to make your first steps towards becoming an EFL teacher. Speak to some friends who have taught English as a foreign language, either at home or abroad, to see if they can recommend a TEFL institute or a good place to teach. You can even find EFL teachers in the Tonguetide community who might be able to give you some advice.

Do your research, get some quotes for TEFL courses and go for it. It’ll probably be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences of your life.

Visit i-to-i TEFL for a free online TEFl course trial.

Learn languages for free online

Like this?

Comments

Order by: expand all

Per page:

	Hannah wrote 125 Days Ago (neutral)
	0 A really useful blog for people wanting to teach languages. Teaching English in Spain has been a fantastic experience for me and I definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to try something new.

1 point

	Josh wrote 134 Days Ago (neutral)
	0 Very useful. There's a lot involved in being an English teacher, so it's always best to do your research to find out where you want to go and what kind of opportunities there are in that area (heading to big cities will give you more opportunities to teach business English, for example). Taking a TEFL and becoming an English teacher abroad is definitely one of the best decisions I've ever made.

1 point