Teaching Abroad (TEFL)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nix
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I got a B in english but no degree :(

I want to teach in Japan it's my destiny. Got rejected by UCAS this year for my preferred choice so clearing it is then!
 
So, let's say for argument sake, I wanted to be doing this a year from now somewhere in Asia (Japan, China, etc.).

What do I need to do?
Who do I talk to?
How do I go about getting there?
How much is it going to cost me?
 
Nix said:
So, let's say for argument sake, I wanted to be doing this a year from now somewhere in Asia (Japan, China, etc.).

What do I need to do?
Who do I talk to?
How do I go about getting there?
How much is it going to cost me?
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Degree

uk passport

Been white and tall helps

Hit the streets with your CV and a smile :cool:
 
Okay, taking a step back again.

I have a degree, a passport, I'm tall and white.

However, it's not as simple as turning up on the doorstep of a given school and demanding a job. What if I'm unable to find anything and have to return home only to find I'm once again unemployed? I can't afford to take that risk. I need something a little more assured.

"We would like you to start in May 2011. You'll be with us for 12 months."

"Brilliant, see you then."
 
Nix said:
Okay, taking a step back again.

I have a degree, a passport, I'm tall and white.

However, it's not as simple as turning up on the doorstep of a given school and demanding a job. What if I'm unable to find anything and have to return home only to find I'm once again unemployed? I can't afford to take that risk. I need something a little more assured.

"We would like you to start in May 2011. You'll be with us for 12 months."

"Brilliant, see you then."
Click to expand...

Taiwan and Korea (best place ATM to teach) don't really do arranged things they prefer face to face stuff apparently ;)
 
Nix said:
Fear is universal. ¬_¬
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lol good answer :D

I also would be more comfortable with the employment, accomodation and red tape all being sorted before i actually got to the country i was wanting to teach in! (limo at the airport optional ;)) Also would be good if in line with the teaching i would do - i would also be taught the home language of whichever country i was in. Some kind of management company setup to arrange all this would be good.

Couldn't see myself just getting on a plane to china/japan then just walking round schools (?) offering my services! Not knowing the language would also be a big problem surely.

Still good info in this thread :D
 
Cram schools and the like prefer you not to know the native language .......Sounds stupid I know but its true. I think a good website id daves cafe or something try Google it
 
Tefal said:
Don't you really need to be able to speak their language to usefully teach them English?
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Not at all, it does depend on the level of student and they way you teach though, I'm limited to intermediate or higher students as I know very little Portuguese. If you teach with repition like most TEFL course teach you then you don't need local language at all, China and most asian country actually prefer this technique.
 
divaboy said:
Cram schools and the like prefer you not to know the native language .......Sounds stupid I know but its true. I think a good website id daves cafe or something try Google it
Click to expand...

mctiny said:
Not at all, it does depend on the level of student and they way you teach though, I'm limited to intermediate or higher students as I know very little Portuguese. If you teach with repition like most TEFL course teach you then you don't need local language at all, China and most asian country actually prefer this technique.
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Thought that one had been cleared up:p

But the job industry isn't as easy as it was , but taichung (Central Taiwan) offers the best wages to rent in Taiwan as for korea I believe all over is good. But thats just various forums saying this....
 
IceBus said:
I'm looking to move out to Sudan and teach in Khartoum in September. I got my TEFL certificate through a weekend course with iToi and I can highly recommend the standard of teaching.
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Did you do the 120 hours with the 20 hours weekend included?
 
Nix said:
Okay, taking a step back again.

I have a degree, a passport, I'm tall and white.

However, it's not as simple as turning up on the doorstep of a given school and demanding a job. What if I'm unable to find anything and have to return home only to find I'm once again unemployed? I can't afford to take that risk. I need something a little more assured.

"We would like you to start in May 2011. You'll be with us for 12 months."

"Brilliant, see you then."
Click to expand...

Check out www.eslcafe.com and try their forums for a LOT of help. Being TEFL/TESOL qualified will definitely help.

S. Korea is great in some respects, but I've also heard of people being fired with no warning - so make sure you talk to other teachers and research your school well.

Any school worth their salt will send you a contract before you leave, and anywhere decent in China/S. Korea will reimburse you for flights - but possibly not until the end of your contract.
 
Nix said:
Did you do the 120 hours with the 20 hours weekend included?
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I gave you the facebook group 'Toms Job corner' previously. This will list numerous decent jobs available in korea and he talks to interested parties over skype so you can ask him everything you need. If you cant find the group or cant get access let me know and I will invite you
 
For Japan I think a lot of people go on the JET programme so may want to google that. I know at least one guy who did it and he said he loved it
 
Tefal said:
Don't you really need to be able to speak their language to usefully teach them English?
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Absolutely not. The best way of learning English is full immersion, with no other language spoken.

mctiny said:
Not at all, it does depend on the level of student and they way you teach though, I'm limited to intermediate or higher students as I know very little Portuguese.
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Why are you limited to the higher levels?
If you've been trained properly then you should know how to teach absolute beginners.
 
Surely then they must already know quite a bit of English?


As if the teacher can't speak their language they can never ask for help/a translation of a word or phrase.

If they say "how do you say <insert phrase here> in English" the teacher won't be able to answer.
 
Tefal said:
Surely then they must already know quite a bit of English?


As if the teacher can't speak their language they can never ask for help/a translation of a word or phrase.

If they say "how do you say <insert phrase here> in English" the teacher won't be able to answer.
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You're the teacher, you decide what they're learning.
Even if it's a private lesson totally tailored to the student's needs, if they speak absolutely no English then you're going to start with standard phrases, numbers, the alphabet, etc.
Teaching absolute beginners is very much like teaching children. It's all actions and games.


I have problems all the time with more advanced students where I can't directly translate a word into English because my French isn't good enough.
This is where a dictionary comes in handy. You tell them to look it up when they get home, give them some homework. If they're serious about learning English then they'll do it.
 
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