Teaching English abroad....

Hello



I always have the idea that when i hit south America i could teach English somewhere, a valuable experience i am sure.

The reason i ask is because i feel that i might not have the guts to do this, i also worry my English grammar might not be up to the standards required.

I wonder, in your opinions, What characteristics do you require to teach English abroad?

Thanks Reply to this

Hiya,

I guess it really depnds on you mate. If you are looking for something formal in S. America you will probably need a qualification as Mel mentioned above. However, if you are prepared to wing it you could probably find yourself something casual - there are pluses and minuses with both.

As someone who has taught english abroad myself I can tell you that most people could care less about the grammar - you can learn that from a book. The whole point about learning from a 'native' is that you'll be learning conversational, natural english.

i guess it can be tricky when you start out but it can be a fun way to make mony - and meet the locals. as for qualities. well, just what you look for in a good teacher yourself..... Reply to this

Gotta give it to AnnaAdventuring. She's right about certifications. As a native speaker I ran through the TOEFL which took only a couple of hours. It is a computer aided test (which basically means you only use the computer!). You sit in front of the machine with a headset and either get verbal questions that you answer via microphone or you have to write something.

The usual type of questions concern daily activities. I got a few questions about school-life, had to describe a conversation between two people and had to write a letter. Furthermore I had to describe my ideas about child upbringing. Since I did not know much about the subject, I can only assume the evaluators grade fluency, confidence and faultlessness of your recording.

A few weeks later I received the TOEFL-certificate and had the option to have a certified copy sent to a university of my choice.

TOEFL is good and easy. Probably it is your best bet for an English-certificate.

G. Reply to this

I think there is a little confusion here between a TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificate and the TOEFL. The TOEFL is a test for non-native speakers to assess their English ability. It's usually used for them to get into University in the USA. The TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificates are for native speakers who want to teach English to foreigners.

Otherwise I agree with AnnaAdventuring and Mell. If you are planning to get a contracted job teaching English and do it for a long period, as a way of earning money, then do a TEFL course. It will open doors to the better jobs and provide useful lessons in methodology, lesson planning and types of lessons, as well as training in grammar. And if that is your purpose, then a 120 hour course with at least 6 hours of observed teaching practice is the best kind. It's more widely accepted all over the world than online or weekend courses. Also we found that the teaching practice was one of the best parts. You can get all the theory in the world, but there is nothing like standing in front of a class of students and putting what you have learned into practice.

However, if your aim is to spend more time living in a country, meet some local people and have a valuable experience then a certificate may not be required, just enthusiasm, friendliness and creativity.

If you don't mind not being paid then check out:

http://www.volunteersouthamerica.net/

It is a list of organisations in South America where it's free to volunteer. That way you bypass the placement/gap year companies who are taking a big cut of the money you pay.

As for grammar, you can teach it to yourself, there are plenty of websites teaching English grammar. Try googling it.

For more information on teaching in South America, here is the website of a woman who teaches in Peru. She has lots of advice on teaching in South America.

http://www.thelajoblist.blogspot.com/

Hope it helps!

K+K



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For those who are not adverse to some dishonesty, I have a couple of friends who faked their TEFL certificates with a little whiting out, photocoping one with blanks, typing in new details and photocopying again. One of my friends had a real certificate and the others faked theirs using hers. Reply to this

Hello!

I am an English teacher, living in Buenos Aires. I have skimmed through this blog a couple of times and I think it throughly answers the questions. The only detail I can think of that might help job searching is timing. During the summer months (Dec. to Feb.,) everyone goes on vacation and the demand for teachers goes down. I was hired in March and thought even that was a bit early because I didn't get many hours until April and by May or June they are practically begging for teachers.

Also, my boyfriend put he was certified on his resume and institutes didn't think twice about it. The most important interview tactic is to sell yourself and have a lot of personality. Have an enthusiastic response to, "why do you want to teach English?" The institutes want to keep their clients and aren't going to hire teachers who can't retain a class. If you are nervous about grammar questions (yes, they happen, but the native Argentines down here usually do a good job with grammar points,) you can study online. I recommend

www.daveseslcafe.com and www.esl.about.com OR

just explain that you are here to help them focus on speaking fluency and listening until you can study up for the answer. Teaching involves a great deal of acting! Most of the time, native English speakers get the advanced students who, honestly, know more English grammar than is good for them. You should definitely take advantage of the opportunity and at least give it a try. Its not for everyone, but I love the work and have learned so much in return from my students.

As far as pay, I have been in Bs As for 5 months now and am just starting to get hot on the trail to some excellent paying teacher positions. Now, that I am leaving soon, of course! Yes, the high pay exists, but it took me awhile to discover them. Some of my colleagues found salaried positions, they too, had impeccable grammar, experience with teaching and working abroad. They are serious about making a life in the city, while I took a more lenient job that allows for my monthly absences for travel. There's a trade off for everything, so your call on how serious you want to work vs. travel.

Good luck!
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Hi guys!

I am looking for an English Teaching Job in Ontario, Canada. Maybe you could help me. I've been trying for weeks now to apply on-line but the sites that I chanced upon doesn't process my application since I am outside Canada.

If you know of any schools in Ontario or nearby in Canada that accepts a foreign applicant, please notify me. Thank you very much! I live in the Philippines, by the way!

Have a great day! Reply to this