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Teaching English as a Foreign Language

E

Esoterik

Bluelighter
Joined
Jul 21, 2009
Messages
242
Hi guys, was wondering if any of you guys had any experience with teaching English abroad. Thinking on doing a TEFL/CELTA course this summer and then using it as a ticket around the world, don't worry I'm not only interested in travelling and I've had a strong desire to teach for a while now, my parents are both teachers so I guess it's in the blood.

Anyway I was wondering if anyone had any experience with getting qualifications and/or teaching abroad in general? There doesn't seem to be any independent accreditation system and it feels difficult to know the quality of the institutions I'm looking at.
 
Hey thanks for the link, some good posts. Just got a couple of concerns left.

At the moment my goal is to find a teaching position in China, Vietnam or Cambodia. I have a BA in Economics and from reading this thread and a few on other forums, it seems as if a degree carries a fair bit of weight when it comes to finding work. So I was wondering how important it is to get a classroom certification over an online certification, given that I have a degree and won't immediately be looking for work in relatively developed countries like S. Korea and Japan. Now I understand that a classroom certification is probably a worthwhile investment, especially if I end up pursuing English teaching as a career, but would initial teaching experience in China for example compensate for this if I were to seek work in say Japan later on? I'm pretty low on cash now and living with my mother, who is beginning to get exasperated by my presence.

Another worry is my maturity. I'm only 21 and have about 6 months of real work experience and I'm worried about how well I'll handle the responsibility of teaching a group of children or adults. Establishing mutual respect and a level of command over a classroom seems like a hell of a challenge, especially with people from a different culture and whose language you haven't grasped.
 
^^
Teaching in Cambodia shouldn't be too hard for you. Most schools treat certifications and college degrees as a plus, but not a requirement. I first got a job teaching English here when I was 17, right out of high school and without a single credential or real work experience. Unless you managed to get hired by a school before coming out, the easiest way to get a job in Cambodia is to just show up here and handing your resume out like confetti.
 
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