The Benefits of Becoming a Foreign Teacher

The whole process of education is to turn mirrors into windows. Sydney J Harris

Turn your mirrors in windows of opportunities for yourself. Most South African teachers have at some point or the other considered teaching abroad.

The idea of teaching abroad may not only be geared towards monetary satisfaction but you may also be motivated to teach in another country due to wanting to learn more skills and improve your outlook on life. Besides living and teaching in another country may be one of the best learning experiences for you as well.

Living in another country may broaden your horizons too and help you to immerse yourself into a culture and lifestyle that is very different to your own.

If you are like many other teachers considering working abroad, you must be asking yourself, " What language do I need to learn to fit in?"

This question remains quite a tricky one and almost all of the teachers who are thinking about working abroad have had this question run through their minds more than once.

Well, again the answer would depend on the country that you are interested in moving to. If you are going to teach in a country in the Middle East, you could choose to learn Arabic. However, since English is such a universal language, you will be able to communicate with locals in almost any country if you can speak English.

If you have applied for the job of an English teacher, chances are the country is hiring you solely because they want someone who can help their students learn English.

While teaching English in another country, you can learn the language of the locals too.

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What Other Subjects Can a Foreign Teacher Teach?

Most South Africans notice the demand for English teachers in countries like Korea, Japan, and China.

However, if you are not an English specialist, you need not lose hope. Depending on the country that you would like to teach in, there are many posts open for international teachers like yourself in a variety of subjects.

In fact, a recent teaching vacancy opened up for a sports teacher in the UAE. Turns out, even sports teachers from South Africa can secure themselves a post and accommodation in a foreign country.

Some of the Subjects Foreign Teachers Can Teach

You could teach a subject like mathematics or natural science in another country, provided that these subjects are taught in English. The language of learning and teaching (Lolt) in the particular school that you choose to work at makes a world of a difference.

You may be asking, "Can I teach my main subject in a foreign country?"

The answer is yes!

If you are a mathematics teacher, you can very well get a job as a mathematics teacher, as schools across the UK use English as their language of learning and teaching. You may have to get used to the different accents of the learners in your class and they may have to ease into your unfamiliar accent, but you most certainly can teach your specialist subject in a country that teaches in English.

In some countries, like the United Kingdom, chances are you will first be employed as a Teacher's Aid (TA). In this way, you can be guided as to what will be expected of you when you become a teacher in these schools. We suggest that before you venture to a foreign country to teach, choose to do your teaching practicals at a school overseas.

During your teaching practicals, you will become familiar with the ethos and the demands of a foreign school, and you can see whether you can adapt to the needs of the school as well.

If you choose and get accepted to teach in the UK, there are a whole range of subjects that you can be employed to teach, such as:

• Foreign languages
• History
• Maths
• Sciences
• Marketing
• Economics

Again, it depends on the country you choose to teach in. Most Asian countries require you to have basic knowledge of Chinese or Mandarin. Then again, many Asian countries are in search of English teachers from abroad. This is because almost all Asian countries do not speak English as their mother tongue language, but they understand the universal status of the language and wish to learn how to speak English as well.

If you're an English teacher, you already have your foot in the door. Many English teachers teaching abroad or even online advocate that you complete a TESOL or TEFL course.

Having a widely accepted TEFL or TESOL makes a world of difference when you send through your CV. It shows your potential employer that you are able to teach the language as a foreign language and that you will be able to teach the language to second or third language English speakers.

Hyperli offers many cheap TEFL and TESOL course from international universities that you can do to dip your toes into the water and see what you can expect from these courses and whether you will enjoy these courses or not.

If you do decide to do complete an accredited TEFL or TESOL course, you will be set in terms of the number of countries that you could choose to go to teach.

Before you apply to any international school, it is mandatory to check which qualifications you'll need.

If your qualifications match the job that you want to apply for, go for it. You could start learning the home language of your chosen country when you arrive.

Teaching in a Foreign Language

Teaching overseas is all well and good, but you need to be prepared to teach in a whole new language. If you are an English-speaking South African citizen, it would be better for you to teach in Spanish as opposed to teaching in German. Yet again, you must be competent in Spanish if Spanish is the home language and the language of learning and teaching in a particular country.

It is important to build your proficiency in many other languages from a young age if your purpose is to teach abroad in the future. You could start taking beginner, intermediate and professional Spanish classes should you wish to venture to a country where Spanish is predominantly spoken.

Again, it also depends on which subject you would want to teach in a language that is not your home language. There are some subjects that are very simple to teach in a foreign language.

Subjects like history and geography can be quite easy to teach in another language as these subjects are based on fact. You need to focus on teaching the vocabulary and the main concepts, and everything else just flows in place. However, teaching the arts in a foreign language can be far more difficult.

You will be required to prove that you are competent in the language of learning and teaching of a country first.  Therefore, being appointed for an ESL job won't have very strict foreign language requirements as you're expected to teach English and therefore you will only be required to be proficient in English.

To teach in countries like the United States of America where English is the language of learning and teaching would be a breeze provided that you are familiar with the curriculum of the country.

You will find it extremely rewarding to teach in a foreign country and get to grips with the curriculum of that country.

Did you know that each state in America has its own teaching qualification?

For example, to teach in Arizona, you would need to have written an Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment first.

So, researching the country is vital before you make the bold decision to teach there.

Since there is a serious shortage of mathematics teachers in the USA, many companies have started looking to South Africa for qualified mathematics teachers. You could work for an online teaching company first as they help you acquire the necessary qualifications for the different states and once you are qualified to teach in a particular state, you can move abroad.

More About Teaching in Foreign Countries

Confidence in your own abilities is key when teaching abroad.

You need to be confident enough that you meet the linguistic requirements of another country before you venture there to teach.

You need to know what you need to know about that foreign language before you move countries to pursue your teaching dream elsewhere.

Most South African teachers venture to English-speaking countries for that very reason. In some countries, you will even be expected to take various different language tests first before you even make the cut. Your results on these language tests will allow employers to gauge your ability to speak a specific language.

Again, the UAE is quite an understanding country and schools in the UAE do often hire teachers from abroad who cannot speak of Arabic.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Also, start tutoring students from abroad before you pack your bags and move to a new country.

While tutoring learners from overseas, you get more accustomed to the culture of a particular country and the type of students that you will encounter there. The best way to become an online tutor overseas is to apply to teach English as a foreign language. Once you have tutorial experience and a good tutoring job, you could move and take your time finding a job once you get there as the tutorial job will most likely carry you through until you get a job as a teacher full time.

Do a thorough search of what are the requirements for becoming a teacher abroad. You will find that to be an English foreign language teacher, you require:

• Several years of teaching experience in teaching English
• A certain degree. TESOL or TEFL certification that is recognised as well.
• A reference from a former employer.

Again, the requirements to teach in a private school abroad may also differ from what is required from a public school. To avoid becoming homesick, know what you are in for even before you venture to another country. Speaking to teachers from South Africa who teach in another country is also an excellent way to learn more about what to expect and to get tips on what to do when you feel a bit homesick.

Are you ready to move? Do you crave the experience of imparting knowledge somewhere else in the world?

If you have answered yes to the above questions, then heading abroad is a great option. There are plenty of legit places hiring and all you now need to do is find these places.

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today. Malcolm X

Prepare today, get your passport ready, and be prepared for the new experiences that await you.