Teaching EFL Overseas - FAQ

A sampling of discussion board postings and e-mail  exchanges over several years:

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) overseas is a great career. 

Following is a sampling of exchanges and Q and A's with numerous people. 

Questions are on the top - scroll down the page for the answers.

Question: Can teaching abroad be the "real deal"?

Question: Could the people you left behind at home do this job/life?

Question: What about an on-line or distance TEFL Certification?

Question:  Benefits of getting a CELTA Certification [vs. other certifications]?

Question:  Wondering just how much weight is assigned to the AGE FACTOR by prospective employers in Thailand?

Question:   Please tell me how this scenario (a rough one with big classes in a Thai public school) compares with other Asian countries.

Question: Any advice for a teacher just arriving? Types of schools  that are good, bad? Is there a particular website that you like for  Job ads?

Question: Can teaching abroad be the "real deal"?
- question asked by someone teaching in Korea

TEFL can be a fine career.

Look at language schools only as an entry level job and get yourself an MA, M.Ed., MATESOL or something similar AS FAST AS YOU CAN,  if you can. It will make your life immeasurably better, even if it does not immediately increase your income significantly.

You will be able to  increase your time off sometimes by ten fold, possibly move your work week down to four days and twelve or fewer teaching hours - from five or six days and 25-30 hours. It will also allow you to do a little time in the Middle East and earn some serious money when you want to buy a house back home and quickly pay it off - and/or purchase investment property or make investments for your eventual retirement.

In the TEFL business you will have to look after yourself. The government isn't there holding your hand. There is and will be racism, sexism, ageism and just about every other "-ism" you can name. But, in the end - we are all responsible for ourselves and you can feel proud of what you create for yourself.

Research, plan carefully for, and get good medical insurance, plan for your own retirement (the world is your option now!), and even consider disability insurance. 

Most people don't know that, for example, if you are totally disabled overseas and haven't paid into [the USA] social security system for five years, you are NO LONGER covered by SSI).

Don't let these things be the responsibility of your employer or home country, or parents - or you WILL at some point be left out in the cold. Educate yourself in all the fine points of being responsible for yourself while living overseas.  It's not all that difficult, it's just a time to grow up and pay attention to the details of your life.

You have to be big boys and girls out there. But it's good for you.

If you don't mind the challenges - go for it.

Top of the Page

PS: Just a little edit here - as the poster asked a LOT questions . . .

Owning property overseas is always a bit of risk. Laws and protections vary from place to place and are almost non-existent some places. 

This area is what is meant above by researching the many issues that will come up. Some countries have NO title insurance - one mistake and your entire investment is lost.

And one small final edit: For God's Sake - don't limit yourself to just one country - there is a big wide world out there! Teaching in a variety of countries will greatly enhance your understanding of the world - and broaden your teaching skills.

Top of the Page

Question: Could the people you left behind at home do this job
- live this life?

The people with the real cojones are those who stay home, work the mortgage, drive the SUV, pump out the kids.
There really is something to that discipline.

I don't know how they do it.

Question: What about an on-line or distance TEFL Certification?

Distance learning is fine if you intend to teach only a year or two or if you are not sure if TEFL is for you or not. 

If you can afford the big cost and the time most any course that you attend in person will give you a better training experience. Especially in the area of supervised teaching.

Top of the Page

Question:  Benefits of Getting a CELTA Certification [vs others]
in Thailand?

CELTA is well recognized. However, my guess is that you will not end up well compensated for the improvement in your qualifications.

Few schools in Asian countries (other than Thailand - which is quite certification focused!) seem to really appreciate a certified teacher. However, qualified teachers do tend to be MUCH better teachers (in general) than those with no training at all.

For TEFL certification schools almost everywhere the content is about 70+ per cent the same. So, look for a good positive teacher who has experience teaching kids and adults (or whatever population or specialty  you'd like to teach) and with whom you find a positive chemistry.

Even the six-week courses can be very intense and if you don't like or can't get along with your primary teacher(s), it will be a miserable time.

Top of the Page

Most TEFL schools will let you, or even encourage you, to sit in for a day or two without paying. Do that, but first (as you'll probably get sold right away) talk to the different teachers that are available. Picking the right teacher(s) can double the value of your experience.

The variation between different teachers can be so great (the variation in content will only be moderate) that you might want to make your school decision based on the teachers.

CELTA is the old workhorse, but you find many people with generic (and much less expensive) TEFL certifications who have no trouble picking up even some of the very best jobs. To a large degree, it really doesn't matter.

Are there a few employers who want only CELTA certs? Yes, but you will find that most of them also SELL the CELTA certs.  Schools that sell certifications will almost always prefer their own students.  And they probably should!

There is some of that in the industry - but not enough to make a real difference. Most employers (at higher levels anyway) will make their choice based on what they perceive as your ability to handle the work. Not on your specific qualification (beyond a minimum requirement anyway).

Getting some good training (and a good teacher-trainer) can well make the difference between deciding that you will love this career (I do), and pursue it for most of your life, or just do it as a lark for a few years. Once you are out there teaching you will be able to see the difference.

One last note - CELTA is adult focused and much more expensive that most other programs.  Other schools can probably give you more experience with children. Check to see if a TEFL certification school will give you a variety of teaching experiences.

Top of the Page

Question:  Wondering just how much weight is assigned to the
 AGE FACTOR by prospective employers in Thailand?

A quality school will place more value on your life experience, patience, people skills, etc.  Thailand is probably one of the more liberal countries in terms of accepting older teachers, non-native teachers and other groups that are often discriminated against in other countries.  The problem exists in Thailand too, but to quite a lesser degree than China, Korea or Japan, for example.

Question:   Please tell me how this scenario (a rough one with
big classes in a Thai public school) compares with other Asian countries.

The real problem is that if you are teaching in public schools - pretty much the worst option in almost any country.  Most any teacher would be loath to teach a classroom of 40-50 young people.

Try the language institutes. Thais generally are great fun to teach.

Try also the quasi-international schools with smaller class sizes and usually a Thai teaching assistant to help you.

Compared to other countries in Asia, Thais are the most fun and relaxed. Of the other countries, Taiwan might be the best compromise of students, student respect for teacher, student discipline, and decent income.

Best advice - get out of the public schools (with the exception of in Korea)  - to somewhere where you will have decent size classes - that meet at a frequency where the students can actually learn something.
 

Top of the Page

Question: Any opinions for a teacher just arriving?
Types of schools that are good, bad?
Is there a particular website that you like for  job ads?

Read the forums at Ajarn.com and eslcafe.com . Also at eslcafe.com is what they call the "job information journal" [edit: it may not be there anymore] - read that section on Thailand as well.

There is a great amount of information (and just plain crap) out there - and you are right: much of it is contradictory and confusing. However, a move to a new country and a new job is worthy of a bit of research.

However, once all that is read - many common themes will be found - and a general idea of where to go and what to do will evolve. Then, perhaps, your friend can ask a more focused question.
 

Top of the Page

If you are unsure how to pick a TEFL school
and of all the things that should be considered, check out:
How to Pick a TEFL School

Which TEFL Certification Course offers you the greatest benefit?
Here's a Recommendation

Learn More about Teaching English Overseas - TEFL as a Career at:

TEFL Boot Camp: Online TEFL Training

TEFL Temp: Short-term TEFL Jobs - just right for your first job

TEFL eBooks might have just what you need to know . . .

Some of the Best Jobs Abroad are now in China! Interested? Want to Teach English in China? A BA or BS in any major can help you land some of the best jobs in China - with proper visas and working papers. Save Money? Pay off debts?  Get the Low Down on What's Up in China at TEFL Jobs China