Teaching English is an exciting way to see the world and get paid for it. The hours are generally low and most English Teachers are content and live comfortable lifestyles.

You could be on a plane within 6 weeks of reading this, with an overseas job guarantee.

If you are a native English speaker, and willing to undertake a certificate in Teaching English you will be able to find work teaching English.

Why Teach English?

• Learn another Language. You can spend a full year (or more) immersed in the language of your choice. You could live in a South American country and improve your Spanish.
• pay off your debts. You can save  a mint teaching in places like Korea, Japan and the Middle East. In Vietnam I earn (on an hourly rate) up to twice as much as I do back home, and my living expenses are almost halved. In some countries, however, teaching English will only pay your basic expenses (like Thailand for example) However, it is usually a matter of taking a few extra private classes to bump up your salary.
• Live Overseas My main reasons for moving to Vietnam, was to Teach English and to live overseas. The cultural experiences and adventures you have by leaving your home country are an amazing bonus and incredible life stories to tell
• Fund your travels You can spend 3months to 3 years in any one location teaching English in various locations. There are opportunities at public and private schools as well as private (one on one) lessons
• You want to fall in love, stay in love or follow your friends overseas. You’re significant other is offered a 2 year contract with an international firm in Shanghai, but you’re not offered a position? You could make a living in China (or just about any other country) teaching English.
• Retirement Teaching English is not a domain of the young. In fact, most teachers are of the mature variety. There are no age limits so if you are willing and able you could be overseas in 6 weeks, teaching English in the country of your dreams.
• Gap Year You’ve just finished High School and you’re about to go to College or University but you want to take a year off to travel. By teaching English you will be able to have assimilate with the locals in your new home and live the lifestyle that most travellers will never see.
• No Idea Still haven’t chosen your career? Teaching English can be a 1 year break or your profession for life. There is no age limit, and you can learn on the job or take professional development. There are career progression opportunities and you could eventually find yourself running your own school.

What its like

I work for a language “chain” school, on a part time basis, in Vietnam. Usually I can have as many hours as I want, and the pay is higher than my wage back home on a per hourly basis. When I first arrived I thought I would teach English primarily to adults, but, it was not to be! I now find myself teaching Young Learners, from kindy through to High School and I love it! Children are a mixed bag (if you pardon the expression) but if you can learn the herding techniques, it becomes fun! I am now teaching private classes for groups of 6-9 year olds and having a blast.

Conditions & Benefits Here in Vietnam, a full time teaching is usually offered a full time teaching week of 20 contact hours. They recieve paid leave, 2 days off per week, end of contract bonuses ,reimbursment of part of their training costs, and flights allowances.
Qualifications

In some countries no qualification is needed. However, it is always better to have a teaching certificate. The most common and most respected is the Cambridge CELTA. This course runs for one month and can be taken in most countries. It is a super intensive course so brush up on your grammar and study skills before you go!

While a degree is requested at many schools it is not always a prerequisite. If you havent finished your degree, apply for the jobs anyway. Some schools will accept you without it, but there are occasional visa hassles (Japan is one country that requires a Bachelors degree for a working visa).

How to get started

Check out i-to-i Travel for an online TEFL course! For best results do a 120 hour teaching course such as the Cambridge CELTA or Trinity TESOL.

More resources…

i-to-i Travel

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I am sitting in class, our tutor is trying to explain the nuance of “used” so that, in future, we can explain how to use “used” to our students.

The windows are slightly fogged. Our brains are slowly turning into stew. It’s not that the material is hard its that… well… I’ve never had to worry about using “used” before.

She used to be a bitch. The only sentence I can think of. Does this mean she was a bitch, and no longer continues? I don’t know. It means, in the past, she had a habit of being a bitch, but she no longer does. Oh, I see.

I stay quiet. Better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

My first 40 minute lesson was this morning. I don’t know if the students learnt anything, but they had fun. What did I learn?

Stay CALM, don’t talk so fast I thought I WAS speaking s-l-o-w-l-y. Speak naturally, not too slow. Give instructions, and then ask a checking question to make sure that the students know what to do. Don’t get angry. Whatever you do Don’t Swear (oops)

I miss riding my bike. The course is at such intensity that everything else falls aside. Today is Wednesday, my first evening to myself, but I do have homework… but not due until Friday for my next lesson.

“Zoe, are you listening”

“uhhhhh… yeah?”

“Give an example of the present perfect”

I bat my eyelashes and stick out my lower lip.

“I am pouting?”

He leaves me alone, I’m too loud, too easily excited. Find most of the work relatively easy. If only I was quieter. I sit on my hands and bite my lip so as not to answer too many questions. Being gray is not my thing.

Five pm rolls around. An early mark, no homework due tomorrow. My free night!

15 mins later I roll my motorbike out onto the street, to the bemused glances from the locals. They still seem surprised to see a foreign girl with a moto and no man in tow. Here, I am an anomaly.

My bike is red, and handles like a dream, except for one thing. The stalling. Pulling into the traffic, she stalls. Then again at the lights, I can hear the chorus of honking behind me as it takes a few seconds to get going again. I drive up the street with a thousand other bikes my confidence is growing as I manoeuvre into prime position to get around the corner fastest, whilst avoiding the buses and bicycles, and pedestrians.

Two right turns later I am at JoJo’s Bar. This is a funky, western run bar seats around 30, sells everything at Aussie prices, and has a great feel. My wine is $7 USD. Probably more than I would pay at home for house, but its a welcome respite from hectic Vietnam. Here on this couch, i could be anywhere in the world. Buble is on the stereo, there is no one around. I cosy myself into the corner bar and kick off my shoes, fold my feet underneath me and notice my skin sticking to the pleather. It could be leather. I wouldn’t know the difference anyways.

The staff have lit candles, making the whole bar seem very romantic. I know the manager, but it’s not like that. In fact, I’m not even sure he knows that I am female.

The romantic feel highlights that I am just one of many single white females in Hanoi.

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Post tags: CELTA, English Teaching, Reviews & Gadgets, TEFL, TESOL, travel

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