If you have a passion for languages and learning, have you ever considered a career in teaching?
With 25-hour working weeks and a decent living wage, teaching English abroad is popular with gap year travellers and people looking for a career change to go somewhere different and live and work abroad.
But how much does it cost and – more importantly – is it right for you?
Have you Got the Money Honey?
First things first: consider the cost to train as an English teacher.
The TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course varies wildly in certification price (anything from GBP 50 to GBP 2000) and acronym. The CELTA and TRINITY courses are more comprehensive – they are four weeks in length – and in CELTA’s case is accredited by Cambridge University.
Bear in mind that both the CELTA and TRINITY courses are more expensive (at around GBP 1200) than the shorter 120-hour TEFL (some of which can be done online but involve on-site observation).
RESOURCE: Check out Premier TEFL, International TEFL and TESOL Training or Book TEFL Courses for reputable courses and prices.
City Glitz or Backwoods Sticks?
If you think you’re going to live and die by TEFL in the US, Canada or Australia, think again. Only consider TEFL if you want to live and work in destinations where the demand for learning English is high.
Southeast Asia is a common choice, and China is growing in popularity (it’s easy to secure work with the more inexpensive qualifications there). In Japan and South Korea you can make pretty big bucks with university or private school teaching on the back of a CELTA or TRINITY qualification.
If South America’s your dream, consider this: the potential to save here is low, even in schools that demand CELTA or TRINITY qualifications. You’ll probably make enough to break-even but your lifestyle will be nowhere near as good as those teaching on higher salaries in Asia.
North Africa pays pretty well (think Tunisia or Morocco) but these places have certain lifestyle issues.
RESOURCE: Check companies like EF and language schools close to home during the summer.
Life as a TEFL Teacher
If you think that the TEFL is going to give you a paid vacation in a sunny climate, think again.
Teaching English abroad is a job, and you’ll be expected to be professional. That means being punctual, preparing well for your lessons and maintaining a good relationship with your fellow teachers, academic managers and students.
The level of support from schools varies too; some will cut you loose, while others will try to micromanage. Be sure to do your research on the school before screaming “yes!” to a job offer.
RESOURCE: Check out sites like Go Find Programs, One World 365 or DavesESL, which has a large community of TEFLers on hand to provide support.
Final Thoughts
It may sound cheesy, but good old-fashioned enthusiasm is the thing that’ll really help you out. If you’re energetic, organised, creative, spontaneous and a “people person”, you’ll take to teaching like Jamaicans to bobsleds. You’ll have wobbles but you’ll come out a winner!
Are you tempted by the TEFL? Maybe you’re already an English teacher working abroad on your gap year: share your thoughts below…
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