Become a Teacher Abroad

 In the end … we only regret the chances we didn’t take, and the decisions we waited too long to make. Lewis Carroll

I bet that you are not aware of how many South African teachers are seeking greener pastures teaching overseas!

The market for English-speaking teachers is growing worldwide. An increasing number of young, in some cases, well-qualified young South Africans are pursuing teaching abroad opportunities. This is, for some, caused by disillusionment at the situation, especially bad behaviour of learners, teachers feeling unappreciated and the burdensome administrative workload in their home country.

Even if you’re not well-qualified or a qualified teacher at all, you can still apply for overseas teaching jobs, if you have successfully completed a TEFL course (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). This will put you in a position to teach English to learners for whom it is a second or even third language.

Having said that, TEFL courses are not all the same or accepted in all places. The CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is an internationally recognised qualification and will put you in a very strong position, as opposed to an online TEFL qualification.

English is, of course, not the only subject you can teach overseas, but it may be easier to procure such a post as opposed to finding a post to teach Mathematics or Science to learners who speak a foreign tongue.

Today’s article is geared at guiding you through some of the administrative hoops that you’ll encounter before you start teaching overseas.

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Why Teach Abroad?

Why do so many consider teaching abroad? There are many reasons for people choosing this option, each individual having his or her own personal motivation for doing so. Still, there are a number of overlapping reasons, some of which we list below.

• Explore the world – Teaching overseas is a great way to see the world. Ask anyone who has spent some time teaching in China, Cambodia, South Korea or Dubai or in Germany, Poland or Greece. It opens up a whole new world to you. This is supported by the fact that there something like 2 billion people seeking to improve their English across the globe.
• Travel differently – You will learn so much more about a place, its culture and people. You will be immersed in the way the people live, eat, work and spend free time if you stay in a place for an extended period – an exposure that back-packing cannot provide.
• Earn while you travel – If travel is your priority, you can traverse the globe and teach as a way to keep busy, be of service and earn an income.
• Teach and meet amazing people – You will discover, as time goes by, that teaching a class of students can be a very rewarding and enriching experience. Helping others to learn can be quite inspirational and may lead to you building lifelong relationships, if not friendships.
• Looks great on your CV – Employers rate adaptability, dedication and the spirit of adventure quite highly. So, if you intend to return home to work at some point, this overseas adventure may embellish your CV more than you would think!
• Quite a challenge. – while teaching abroad may be great fun, it can be pretty challenging too. You will be working in an unknown environment, teaching children (or adults) who speak a different language and have a different culture and working with colleagues you’ve never met before. You will have to set up ‘home’ there, shop and make your way to and from your workplace. That’s quite a lot to adapt to, yet, it will all be worth it in the end!

There may be many other reasons for you wanting to take up a teaching post abroad, but let us get to the practical aspects that require consideration.

What Qualifications do you Need?

It does not matter whether you want to teach Mathematics, English or PE, you will need to gather relevant experience and proper qualifications.

The classic option for teaching overseas is to do so in a language school, which mainly teach through the medium of English.

This should make your choice of the type of school quite easy. Now, what steps need to be followed when seeking teaching abroad opportunities?

The CELTA

This is regarded as the benchmark of TEFL qualifications. The CELTA (Certificate of  English Language Teaching to Adults) is also known as Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and is held in high regard by language schools across the globe.

TEFL is now a burgeoning industry across the planet and offers many opportunities for job-seekers. At the same time, you also want to be careful that you don’t fall foul of scammers.

Online, you will encounter a plethora of advertisements. Be on the alert: simply because a post appears on Google first, doesn’t mean that it’s legitimate.

A safe option would be a post that is advertised or recognised by Cambridge English. Be cautious of any language school that is not recognised by Cambridge or the British Council. This goes for online courses as well.

Take your CELTA training in person, not online, because you will have to teach in front of a group of people, so, get the training in while you can.

To get a spot on a CELTA course, you will be required to have matriculated and be able to speak English.

What else?

Experience counts for a lot, where overseas teaching jobs are concerned. Generally, language schools would consider your application favourably if you had taken up a teaching post, immediately after completing your CELTA course.

Don’t despair if you do not all the necessary requirements; there are institutions that may accept such candidates who have the ability to speak and teach English. Some language schools even assist you to procure a visa.

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Overseas Rates and Things to Note

We have identified a few countries, which are popular destinations for teaching English in particular, to give you an idea of what the pay structure is like abroad. Obviously, rates are not the same around the world and are dictated by the cost of living in particular parts of a country or state. So, while you may be paid less in Vietnam than in France, your cost of living may be far less in the former.

Many people, after completing their CELTA course, often make their way to near- and far-eastern countries, like Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Japan. These countries have a fairly developed TEFL scene and you won’t be short of job opportunities there.

In Latin- and South America, you have to be present at the school, because they prefer to hire teachers face-to-face. Thus, if you’re ever in South America, approach a language school to find out how to go about applying for a post.

Below, is a table reflecting teaching rates in different countries.

Rates for Teaching English Abroad

Country/ Region	Salary
Hong Kong	You could earn as much as $7 500 per month.
Kazakhstan	A TEFL-trained teacher could earn up to $5 000 per month.
Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia	These oil-rich countries pay handsome salaries; up to $5 000.
Vietnam	Salaries can range between $1 000 – 2000 per month.

Teaching Overseas: The Administrative Steps

You’re about to take up a teaching post in a foreign country. You want to be prepared, so, it’s important that you follow the application procedure meticulously:

• Ensure that the application form or forms is/ are fully completed.
• Include all your relevant qualifications.
• Command a better salary by including your years of experience.
• State that you are able to read, write and speak English (provide certificates/ qualifications if you have).
• Supply certified copies of all relevant qualifications.
• Provide all other documents that may have been requested.

Beyond the standard qualifications, state whether you can teach differently-abled students or those with special educational need, as well as whether you have first aid training.

Additional Steps for Teaching Abroad

Being offered a post overseas, is great. However, there are still several other matters that you will have to attend to before you can board your ‘plane, such as:

• Procuring a visa
• Sourcing accommodation (if not provided by your employer/ sponsor)

There are also administrative steps to put in place before you commence teaching:

• If not automatically provided with your accommodation, contracting gas, electricity and water.
• Setting up a banking account and using it.
• Acquiring an international driver’s licence, if there’s a need for you to drive.
• Researchers require a very specific visa.
• In some countries, you may have to register when you first arrive.

Also, do bear in mind that you will need numerous teaching resources to do your job properly. The new situation, that you may find yourself in, may be totally different from your current one and may require you to update, replace or to develop your teaching resources.

If you’re unable to land a teaching post immediately, you could consider volunteering or working as a teacher assistant. You can gain an immense amount of insight and expertise by working alongside a qualified teacher. You will be exposed to methods that can be used to assist learners who do not have English as their mother tongue and experience what TEFL teaching involves.

Whether you decide to go to Africa, the Americas, Asia or Europe, you can travel overseas, enjoy interesting cultures and new languages, while earning a living in a foreign classroom.

Accepting a Post in a State School

If you decide to teach in a state school overseas, you may have a number of administrative hoops that you have to jump through. In the first instance, your post-graduate qualification won’t be accepted as is. It will have to be translated so that it is comparable to the qualifications of the country you have chosen to teach in.

You will be in a very advantageous position if you’re living abroad either for an extended period of time or permanently.  Certain establishments may require that their employees are residents — in some cases, citizens — of that country. Where that is the case, it may be best not to apply, if you do not fit the criterion. Rather apply where your experience and qualifications will be appreciated and used as the requirement for landing a post.

Not forgetting the administrative steps that need to take place before you can start working:

• Finding accommodation, contracting water, electricity, and gas, for example:
• Opening a bank account and using it.
• And getting an international driver's licence, if you're going to need to drive.
• For researchers, you may have a different visa to complete.
• In some cases, you will also be expected to register upon your arrival in the country.

Don't forget that you also need plenty of useful teaching resources to effectively do your job. Your new job may be completely different to what you're used to, which may mean changing, replacing, or developing the teaching resources that you usually use.

Don't forget that your new job may also be a stepping stone towards greater things.

So are you ready to develop your professional skills in a foreign country in either in primary schools, secondary schools, private schools, or universities?

If you can't get a job as an English teacher, you could always volunteer or do a placement as a teaching assistant. This is where you work in a classroom alongside a qualified teacher. This might be a good experience for teachers who are interested in working abroad or in an international school as it gives them an opportunity to see what TEFL teaching involves and the methods that an ESL teacher can use to teach English to those who don't speak it as their mother tongue.

Whether you go to Africa, Asia, Europe, or the Americas, you can earn a living in a foreign classroom and travel abroad to enjoy new languages and cultures.