Submitted by International T... on Fri, 07/26/2013 - 15:18

Have you had the experience of a lifetime studying abroad?
Are you itching to get back overseas to live, travel and
perhaps learn a foreign language?
Do you want to gain international work experience for your
resume while getting paid to live in a country like Thailand, or Germany, or
Colombia?

If you want to live in a country like Italy, Argentina,
Japan or Russia – or one of 75 other nations for that matter - the field of teaching
English abroad provides hundreds of thousands of opportunities for English
speakers from all backgrounds to work and get paid to live in a foreign
country. 

With more than 500 million people enrolling in English
language classes around the world each year, the demand for English teachers
worldwide is so high that tens of thousands of recent college graduates from
the U.S. and other English-speaking countries get hired to teach English abroad
annually. 

And guess what?  You
don’t have to have a background in education, professional teaching experience
or even a college degree to get hired, though a TEFL
certification provides the training and qualifications most language
schools around the world seek when hiring English teachers.

Needless to say, if you are considering moving halfway around
the world to live and teach English in Taiwan, Germany or Mexico, you’re going
to need to research your options and address basic questions including:

  • Where
    can I teach English abroad based on my own personal background and
    qualifications?
  • What type
    of TEFL certification and training do I need?
  • Do I
    need a college degree to teach English in Mexico, China or Japan or
    anywhere else?
  • What
    are salaries and benefits for English teachers in different countries?
  • How do
    I actually find jobs and get hired – do I need to line up a job prior to
    my departure, or can I find jobs in my destination country upon arrival?

Answers will vary from country to country; getting a job to
teach English in Peru will be a very different process than getting hired to
teach English in Japan, Turkey or Dubai. 
To help you sort out your options, answer your questions, and assist you
in learning more about opportunities teaching English around the globe, here
are some great resources worth looking into.

  1. Check
    out this Country
    Chart    , which compares teaching English in more than 50 countries
    worldwide by salaries, hiring requirements, hiring seasons, interview
    procedures, visa regulations and more.
  2. Major
    ESL job boards like www.daveseslcafe.com, 
    www.eslemployment.com and www.eslbase.com feature job listings for
    teaching English in dozens of countries around the globe and feature
    forums where English teachers around 
    the globe share their experiences and insights. Other major web
    portals with extensive information include StudyAbroad.com.
  3. For
    more in-depth personal accounts and insights check out the index of more
    than 100 blogs, interviews and articles from actual people teaching
    English around the globe on www.internationalteflacademy.com. You can also find many great videos on YouTube and through Google or
    any search engine that provide informative and often colorful perspectives
    on what it is like to actually teach English abroad, such as the one below:

    [View:https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MTZT1L5FgYs]

  4. The
    International TEFL Academy website features an index of more than 150
    articles and FAQs about all aspects of teaching English abroad and TEFL
    certification, from salaries and hiring procedures to visas and housing
    arrangements.

  5. Indulge
    in an overpriced coffee or smoothie and hit up the local bookstore or your college
    library to browse the travel
    section.  Just flipping through
    travel guides can provide a great mental picture and a general idea what
    different countries offer in terms of history, culture, food, recreational
    opportunities and more.  LonelyPlanet.com also features
    great country profiles with loads of information about living and
    traveling in more than 150 nations around the globe.
  6. While
    it is written primarily for a British audience, Susan Griffith’s Teaching
    English Abroad     is a fantastic resource featuring hundreds of pages
    of country profiles, listings for schools and other potential employers
    and tips for teaching English in all regions of the world.

    Like any major endeavor in life, moving abroad to teach
    English can be incredibly rewarding, but to enjoy the most exciting and
    fulfilling adventure possible, you should research thoroughly and plan ahead.  Good luck!