Teaching English as a foreign language; how a TEFL/TESOL course can help you travel abroad.If you are thinking about travelling or a gap-year and need to earn as you go, then teaching English as a foreign language can be a rewarding way to supplement your travels and integrate into the local community at the same time. Firstly, if you have no teaching experience, you might think you can't teach. If so you'd be wrong. Most new EFL teachers have no teaching background at all and are all ages from different backgrounds. A desire to teach and a good standard of English could be all that you need since the demand to learn English is so great worldwide. But for better employment prospects - and to be fair to your students, it pays to take a TEFL/TESOL course before you go. I'll guide you through choosing a TEFL course and some basics on how to market yourself in a freelance capacity. 1. Which TEFL or TESOL course?As mentioned, TEFL certification will enhance your teaching prospects and give you essential teaching know-how. It is a nightmare facing a class or 1-1 with absolutely no idea where to start. There are lots of course options, so which to choose? A good TEFL/TESOL course will cover the essential methodology, lesson planning and grammar. Choose from online TEFL/TESOL training courses (costing around £200) to 4 week intensive (costing up to £1000.) Online courses are generally affordable and mean you can study around your other commitments. If choosing an online TEFL course, I suggest taking one that has been externally accredited by an independent body which awards the final certificate to certify the same. There are 2 independent bodies that do this for distance courses in the UK: If you prefer a classroom-based course, Trinity and Cambridge certificate courses are the most well-established and recognised and have centres worldwide.A degree will be beneficial and in some cases essential for a working visa to be issued so do make sure you stick to the working rules and regulations for your country of choice.2. How to market yourself while abroad:- Be contactable:
First, make sure you are contactable with a phone number and email address. This may mean you getting a local sim card so you can stay in contact inexpensively.- Leaflet your area:
Once in situ, you may get some work by word of mouth once word gets around that there is a qualified native English speaking teacher in town. However, you do not want to rely on this and so some legwork is required.Get some business cards/leaflets printed in the local language. While you may not want to get them printed before you go, there are plenty of template design services on the web so you can have a play and get an idea of potential design and print costs: freeleaflets What will you say in your promotional literature?- Consider your Unique Selling Point. If you can, offer something that few others do. There are many with a generic TEFL qualification. If you study online, there is often the chance to add on a specialism in 1-1, young learners or business which can help you stand out. Otherwise, what career did you have previously? Whatever your background, it may come in useful as foreign nurses, lawyers, business people and teachers need to keep up their English. Ensure that if you have a specialism or background in a particular area that this is stated in your promotional literature.
Also, think about adding a special offer to entice people to get in touch such as a free first class, free consultation by phone, free lesson for the first 50 that respond or 11 lessons for the price of 10.Leafleting has worked well with expat teachers I know and you can read how others have managed to teach English in France, teach English in Spain and in Italy. Choose your location carefully; don’t leaflet an area you are not prepared to travel to unless you feel there is a lot of potential – if there is a university in the area, for example.- Network: Frequent English bookstores and cafes into keep an ear out for possible vacancies, and to get an idea of the going teaching rate - and ask if they will display your leaflet. Make an effort to learn the local language and integrate with the local community; join a football team, make yourself a regular at the local café or bar. Not only will your experience abroad be much more fulfilling, you’ll be making valuable contacts. You only need a handful of students who can pass the word on to their friends and colleagues and you have a viable freelance business.
- Business English: If interested in teaching business English, there is normally an equivalent to the chamber of commerce (In France in particular there is a very strong chamber of commerce network) to join. Knock on the doors of business owners. A previous boss who later started a very successful English language school in Portugal trawled the business parks and established a few very credible contracts teaching factory employees. Find out more about teaching business English
Why not offer English language classes to business people face-to-face or via phone or Skype or a blend of both? Skype is free to download on the internet.
Calls are free to other Skype phones. A call from Skype to most landline and some cell phone destinations are very cheap (often less than 2 pence per minute.) A phone class may only be 30 minutes in duration making it ideal for the busy business person. This blend of face-to-face and phone class is rarely offered which could make your teaching proposition quite unique. Also, you can usually keep your students if you move locations as long as you maintain a broadband and Skype connection.
Ask at local primary/secondary school if they require an English language Assistant. You may offer to do a class a week for free if they allow you to send your leaflet home with each child, advertising your services to the parents. The school might even allow you to use their premises after school for an English club. One enterprising colleague visited all the pre-schools in her locale where she sang songs/played English games with the children. All the children bought a little extra money in to pay for this visit.Whether you aim to teach general English, business English, English to young learners or a combination, set your fee and cancellation charges from the beginning and have these written down to hand out in the first lesson if necessary – and stick to them.3. Don’t ignore local language schools:Some language schools want long-term full time commitments from their teachers, but many don’t and might be happy to have you for a few hours a week or on call in an emergency. Don’t just send your CV in, knock on the door and introduce yourself as an enthusiastic and qualified teacher who happens to be living locally. This is the best way to ‘jump’ the CV queue.Hand over your CV and attach a copy of your credentials and a smiley photograph. Teaching for a school does not normally pay as much as freelancing, but it can provide a few useful extra hours and income. Have a look at jobs abroad to get an idea of typical pay and conditions in language schools in your country of choice. tefl.com is an excellent jobs website.With just a bit of preparation, your ability in English can take you a long way.Take a course, be prepared to market yourself and you can have a fulfilling and varied working life abroad as an EFL teacher; a life where you decide the working hours which fit with your lifestyle and aspirations.
Be contactable:
Leaflet your area:
Consider your Unique Selling Point. If you can, offer something that few others do. There are many with a generic TEFL qualification. If you study online, there is often the chance to add on a specialism in 1-1, young learners or business which can help you stand out. Otherwise, what career did you have previously? Whatever your background, it may come in useful as foreign nurses, lawyers, business people and teachers need to keep up their English. Ensure that if you have a specialism or background in a particular area that this is stated in your promotional literature.
Network: Frequent English bookstores and cafes into keep an ear out for possible vacancies, and to get an idea of the going teaching rate - and ask if they will display your leaflet. Make an effort to learn the local language and integrate with the local community; join a football team, make yourself a regular at the local café or bar. Not only will your experience abroad be much more fulfilling, you’ll be making valuable contacts. You only need a handful of students who can pass the word on to their friends and colleagues and you have a viable freelance business.
Business English: If interested in teaching business English, there is normally an equivalent to the chamber of commerce (In France in particular there is a very strong chamber of commerce network) to join. Knock on the doors of business owners. A previous boss who later started a very successful English language school in Portugal trawled the business parks and established a few very credible contracts teaching factory employees. Find out more about teaching business English
Calls are free to other Skype phones. A call from Skype to most landline and some cell phone destinations are very cheap (often less than 2 pence per minute.) A phone class may only be 30 minutes in duration making it ideal for the busy business person. This blend of face-to-face and phone class is rarely offered which could make your teaching proposition quite unique. Also, you can usually keep your students if you move locations as long as you maintain a broadband and Skype connection.
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