Teaching English Abroad

Teaching English is often seen as the gateway job into life abroad for many young people looking to work and live in a foreign country. It can be a fun and rewarding endeavor, but it is far from paid vacation time. It takes determination not only to land a teaching job abroad, but to survive a classroom full of students. Many first-time teachers who persevere find that they get as much satisfaction out of teaching and helping students as they do living in a new land.

Most return home with memories that will last a lifetime. Others find that a one-year experience develops into a full career of teaching English as a foreign language. A lot of people forget that there are two parts to teaching English abroad. The “English” part is usually already there if you’re a native speaker and have a basic understanding of grammar. It’s the “teaching” part that a lot of prospective job applicants take for granted. Teachers don’t just play games with kids. There is a lot of lesson planning, grading, dealing with student issues, troublesome parents, etc. Before you make the jump into teaching English abroad, try to get an idea of what the actual job is like. You will have time to travel and have fun, but you’re not going on vacation.

• Is it hard to teach English abroad?
• Do I need a college degree to teach abroad?
• What is it like teaching kids abroad?
• What is it like teaching adults abroad?
• Is it better to work at an English institute or a school?
• Which countries pay foreign English teachers the most?
• Which countries are best for teaching abroad?

Is it hard to teach English abroad?

It can be very hard to find a job at a good school or institute, and it can be even harder to be a teacher, especially at first. If you don’t have a lot of experience working with kids or as a teacher, consider a certified training program. This will not only help you find a job, but keep it. You may be able to get by doing the bare minimum as a teacher in some places desperate for anyone who can speak English, but eventually any teacher who doesn’t take the job seriously gets shown the door (and plane trip back home). A good teacher works very, very hard.

Do I need a college degree to teach abroad?

Not everywhere. To get hired as a regular full-time classroom teacher in a more developed country, yes, you’re almost certainly going to need a degree and some teaching experience on your resume. At a small language institute or in a rural area where there is not a lot of competition for the position, you may not need a degree.

What is it like teaching kids abroad?

Teaching children and young adults provides meaningful daily interactions, and your new school will in effect become your home away from home. You’ll have the chance to be involved with school shows and events, meet tons of interesting people, and can have a positive impact on students’ lives. It is not a walk in the park though. You may be working with very low-level speakers, classrooms with 30 young and rambunctious children, demanding parents, etc.

What is it like teaching adults abroad?

Teaching adults either in a language institute or via private tutoring can also be a good job, as the students usually have a strong desire to learn and will benefit from activities like conversation practice. The drawbacks are usually finding enough work hours, lower pay at institutes, and having to travel extensively to each student’s home or place of work.

Is it better to work at an English institute or a school?

A school will typically help you with the visa process, as well as housing and day-to-day questions. An institute can be good, but is more of a business setting. You are expected to show up, do your job, and handle the rest of your life yourself. This can be a major challenge for someone new to a country.

Which countries pay foreign English teachers the most?

Like with any job abroad, you are going to want to look at cost of living as opposed to salary, especially when converting a proposed salary back into dollars. $20,000 a year goes a lot further in Indonesia than it does in New York City. That being said, countries in the Middle East are generally recognized to provide some of the highest salaries for English teachers. Japan also compensates foreign teachers well, but may require more extensive certification.

Which countries are best for teaching abroad?

This is of course subjective, but many teachers, and especially first-time teachers, love South Korea, Spain, and Japan. They provide a good work-life balance, fair pay, opportunities to travel and explore, plus absolutely amazing food.