Posts Tagged ‘TEFL’

Break Out Of The Teaching Rut And Teach English In Hong Kong

Friday, January 15th, 2010

Teaching English in Hong Kong is very exciting for anyone. There is great chances to opt in a career as a linguist in Hong kong.

Speaking English is a major priority for the people of Hong Kong. The business world is always moving quickly, and global communication is vitally important. In order to compete effectively, Hong Kong emphasizes English education for everyone from childhood on up.

Combine those factors with the fact that there’s currently a shortage of native English speaking teachers in the country, and it seems Hong Kong might be the ideal location if you’re considering teaching abroad.

Qualifications

If you’ve chosen to teach English in Hong Kong, there are a few basic requirements that you absolutely must have. In some countries, you can get away with some form of college degree and not much else. Hong Kong, however, has high expectations for their foreign teachers.

First of all, in order to teach English in Hong Kong you must apply for an employment visa. The only exceptions to this rule are Australian and New Zealand citizens, who can technically teach in Hong Kong under the “Working Holiday Scheme.” All others must have a visa in hand. Getting a visa to teach in Hong Kong may be a bit of a struggle, because there is a great deal of paperwork involved, so you’ll want to start early. The Internet can be extremely helpful if you’re at this point. Check out Hong Kong’s government websites for more information.

Before you begin applying for jobs, it’s best to have TEFL certification under your belt. While not strictly a requirement, TEFL will open the doors to the best schools and give you a much wider range of job options- as well as a higher pay rate at the job you eventually take. TEFL certification is easy. Many colleges and learning centers offer a month-long certification program that teaches you how to handle yourself in a classroom setting. Aside from the job advantages, TEFL gives you confidence that can be invaluable, especially if you’ve never taught before.

Finding a Job

Hong Kong is one of several countries that have excellent online resources when it comes to finding jobs teaching English. Many positions are available through various online job boards which list the teaching positions by country, as well as through the Hong Kong government’s website. With a little searching, you should be able to find numerous jobs for which to apply. Ask your school or TEFL certification program for job hunting assistance.

Finding a Home

One of the main drawbacks when you choose to teach English in Hong Kong is the fact that it may be difficult to find affordable housing. In many countries, the school that hires you will supply you with free teacher’s housing; however, in Hong Kong this is not necessarily the case. Luckily, most teaching jobs in Hong Kong do include a “housing allowance” along with your regular paycheck, which is designed to help cover rent.

Again, there are many online resources available to help. Check out Hong Kong housing websites for an idea of price ranges and areas available to you. If you’ve been hired, your school should be able to point you in the right direction as well.

If you’ve decided to teach English in Hong Kong, you should prepare yourself for a challenging and completely new experience. The ability to spend large amounts of time away from your home country, as well as a sense of adventure and adaptability to new surroundings, will help make the experience a pleasurable and enlightening one.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in General | No Comments »

Teach English in the foreign countries

Friday, January 15th, 2010

English is no doubt the universal communication language for all the broadcast in the world. So, instruction English in unknown countries is a fantastic opportunity for anyone.

All over the world, English is the accepted language for many forms of international communication. From business transactions to air traffic control, English has taken over as the language of choice. Choosing to teach English abroad puts you into a quick-moving, high-demand job that can take you nearly anywhere.

If you have a sense of adventure and like the thought of a job that takes you to another country, you should seriously consider this career path. It’s sure to be a unique and enriching experience.

If you Want to Teach English…

If you’re considering this as a future career, chances are you already know that you’ll be away from home for awhile. Most schools will hire you on a contract, which will be at least a year long. Keep in mind that your students will need their teacher to be here for the entire term!

If you’re instruction at a private school, or if you’re hired by a corporation to teach business English to their executives, your contract may differ. Nonetheless, to make the entire trip lucrative you should plot on staying awhile. After all, it took you a lot of work to get here in the initially place.

What to Expect

Your salary will largely depend on what country you choose to travel to. Observably, some locales place forward higher salaries than others, but that shouldn’t always be the determining factor for where you teach. For instance, Mexico—a country notorious for low salaries—offers a rich culture, low living expenses and students dedicated to learning. On the other hand, Japan—a country known for its higher salaries—has a cost of living higher than most. Remember, you won’t always get rich doing this job, but you will nearly always walk away rich in experiences!

The excellent news is, many schools and universities can and will supply you with free housing during the term of your employment. This can eliminate one of the largest hassles about instruction abroad, which is finding an affordable place to live. Particularly if you’re in a large metro area, rent can kill you (and kill your teacher’s salary, too). If you get existing a job with free housing included, snap it up. The best part is that the housing they give you will likely be within walking range of where you teach. It’s a excellent bargain.

Finding a Job

Giving general advice on finding a job instruction English is hard. The reason for that is because your efforts are going to vary widely by country. In some areas, you’ll need to be hired months in advance; other countries might need to meet you before they’ll even consider hiring you.

Our best advice here is to prepare to do some legwork. Talk to your college (and any other college in the area) regarding sister school programs and other resources they may have to get you overseas. Don’t forget about the various job boards that list available instruction positions by country—this is perhaps the best way of finding a job because each listing will provide the exact requirements of that particular employer. If you’re certified in TOEFL or ESL, you’ll find the road is paved a lot smoother for you.

Do keep in mind, regardless of where you’re looking for a job, that you do have some choice in the topic. Don’t assume that the initially school that offers you a position is the one you should take. Qualified and enthusiastic teachers are in demand, so you should be as choosey about the position you take as they are about the teacher they hire!

Choosing to teach English abroad is a huge choice. If you’re sure it’s the right choice for you, the sooner you start preparing the better off you will be. Competition can be stiff, but finding the right job- and the right country- for your future employment will make it all worthwhile. Trust us- it will be the experience of a lifetime.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in General, Work Abroad | No Comments »

Teach English: A Fulfilling Career That Will Take You To Great Places

Friday, January 15th, 2010

Taking English instruction abroad can be a wonderful option for anyone. You can always apply for a job as an English language specialist and get a fantastic career anywhere in the world.

All over the world, English is the accepted language for many forms of international communication. From business transactions to air traffic control, English has taken over as the language of choice. Choosing to teach English abroad puts you into a quick-moving, high-demand job that can take you nearly anywhere.

If you have a sense of adventure and like the thought of a job that takes you to another country, you should seriously consider this career path. It’s sure to be a unique and enriching experience.

If you Want to Teach English…

If you’re considering this as a future career, chances are you already know that you’ll be away from home for a even as. Most schools will hire you on a contract, which will be at least a year long. Keep in mind that your students will need their teacher to be here for the entire term!

If you’re instruction at a private school, or if you’re hired by a corporation to teach business English to their executives, your contract may differ. Nonetheless, to make the entire trip lucrative you should plot on staying awhile. After all, it took you a lot of work to get here in the initially place.

What to Expect

Your salary will largely depend on what country you choose to travel to. Observably, some locales place forward higher salaries than others, but that shouldn’t always be the determining factor for where you teach. For instance, Mexico, a country notorious for low salaries offers a rich culture, low living expenses and students dedicated to learning. On the other hand, Japan, a country known for its higher salaries has a cost of living higher than most. Remember, you won’t always get rich doing this job, but you will nearly always walk away rich in experiences!

The excellent news is, many schools and universities can and will supply you with free housing during the term of your employment. This can eliminate one of the largest hassles about instruction abroad, which is finding an affordable place to live. Particularly if you’re in a large metro area, rent can kill you (and kill your teacher’s salary, too). If you get existing a job with free housing included, snap it up. The best part is that the housing they give you will likely be within walking range of where you teach. It’s a excellent bargain.

Finding a Job

Giving general advice on finding a job instruction English is hard. The reason for that is because your efforts are going to vary widely by country. In some areas, you’ll need to be hired months in advance; other countries might need to meet you before they’ll even consider hiring you.

Our best advice here is to prepare to do some legwork. Talk to your college (and any other college in the area) regarding sister school programs and other resources they may have to get you overseas. Don’t forget about the various job boards that list available instruction positions by country—this is perhaps the best way of finding a job because each listing will provide the exact requirements of that particular employer. If you’re certified in TOEFL or ESL, you’ll find the road is paved a lot smoother for you.

Do keep in mind, regardless of where you’re looking for a job, that you do have some choice in the topic. Don’t assume that the initially school that offers you a position is the one you should take. Qualified and enthusiastic teachers are in demand, so you should be as choosey about the position you take as they are about the teacher they hire!

Choosing to teach English abroad is a huge choice. If you’re sure it’s the right choice for you, the sooner you start preparing the better off you will be. Competition can be stiff, but finding the right job and the right country for your future employment will make it all worthwhile. Trust us, it will be the experience of a lifetime.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in General, Work Abroad | No Comments »

Your Passport To The World – Teaching English Abroad

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Instruction English in a unknown country can be an incredible challenge… and it can also be one of the most fulfilling experiences you’ll ever have.

Living abroad, absorbing the culture of another broadcast, and using your native English knowledge to enlighten your students are all wonderful aspects of this rewarding career.

But before you take the plunge and sign up for a job overseas, here are a few things you should consider about yourself and your intended path. Keep in mind… not everyone is cut out for a job like this!

Instruction English in another country is not just a job. It’s also a lifestyle choice. Regardless of where you choose to teach (and sometimes, your choices may be limited by what areas are in need at a certain time), it can be a time-consuming and demanding project, and it will certainly test the limits of your sense of adventure. You will be immersed in a total new culture and expected to follow it as a citizen. Contrary to well loved belief, an English teacher in another country is a far weep from being a tourist.

A job instruction English won’t be like a vacation. Depending on what type of school you choose to teach at and what country you’re plotting on working in, your life will be very different from what you have experienced in the past. Even if you’ve visited your country of choice before, unless you really lived as a native you won’t have a clear feeling of what it will be like to teach English here.

This isn’t to say that instruction English is a grueling job that doesn’t allow you to delight in the native culture, but. You’ll still have time to yourself to delight in the sites, and you should certainly do so in order to gain a better appreciative of your adopted life as well as your students. The key to enjoying this experience to its full potential is to keep an open mind. This should become your mantra during the entire duration of your job.

Having an open mind will allow you to experience life in your new country initially-hand. If you don’t expect special treatment, don’t allow yourself to get caught up in feeling out of place, and don’t waste your time comparing your new life with your ancient one, chances are excellent you’ll feel at home before you know it.

You might like to travel, and that’s fantastic. But like of travel isn’t enough to make instruction English abroad the career for you. You must also possess a sense of independence and self-sufficiency that will allow you to adapt easily to the unexpected. Because your life isn’t going to be just about instruction English and returning to a hotel room to await your running away home. Chances are excellent you’ll be living in an apartment or rented home in your new country for at least a year, and you’ll be doing everything from grocery shopping to taking broadcast transit. You will become, for all intents and purposes, a working citizen of a place that could be vastly different from what you’re used to.

Still sound like fun? Congratulations! You’re one of a special group of broadcast for whom instruction English abroad may just be the perfect career.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in General, Work Abroad | No Comments »

How Long Is An ESL Working Week?

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

It seems that some schools combine long hours with revolving days off so that teachers find it hard to recharge their batteries, let alone keep up the quality of their teaching.

As so often this comes back to cultural norms. Many teachers come from a background in which it is normal for the working week to run from Monday to Friday leaving Saturday and Sunday free. It can thus be difficult to adjust to working, say, six days before a day off arrives. Also if the two-day weekend is not on offer, the teachers’ chunk of free time is diluted and they find they can’t, for example, take an extended trip.

The same cultural expectations underpin teaching hours. The western model is for maximum to be around 24 or 25 contact hours but those hours are well prepared and ensure a dynamic performance from teachers. In some situations elsewhere, teachers are asked to teach 30 or more hours and find it hard to keep up. But if long hours in the classroom are required, it is probably expected that the teaching is more passive, with students doing some quiet work in the classroom that perhaps normally they would do for homework.

As so many teachers going abroad to teach are fairly new to the profession, it is very important for employers to explain exactly how the timetable works and what sort of input is expected. For example, if a teacher has the same class for three hours in the morning with just a short break midway, then has another three-hour class in the afternoon, it is necessary to vary the pace quite considerably for the sake of both teacher and students. At least some of that time could justifiably be devoted to fairly mechanical consolidation activities while the teacher can focus on preparation.

Teachers need to think also how they can recycle their lessons. If the school does not give them adequate preparation time, then all the lessons they do prepare will have to be reusable.

Another time-related problem occurs when teachers have to work on split sites and so lose time in traveling from one place to another. I think in general that young, enthusiastic teachers are willing to work hard but schools must realize that the quality of classroom delivery will be reflected in the way they treat their staff. If teachers are overworked, and physically tired by traveling long distances between assignments, they will not be able to maintain the creative classroom presence that we associate with English language teaching.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in General | No Comments »

Mixing Spaghetti And English: Teach English In Italy

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Teaching English in Italy can be a great and exciting job for anyone who has efficiency in English and want to build the career as a teacher.

For those who dream of teaching abroad, Italy is often the first country that comes to mind.

Beautiful, historical, and surrounded by a sense of romance, Italy is a dream for most Westerners who plan on traveling for a career.

It should come as no surprise, then, that English teaching jobs in Italy are somewhat difficult to obtain. There’s a lot of competition and a lot of applicants, and if you’re hoping to secure a position you should be prepared to prove yourself.

Qualifications

In order to teach English in Italy, you’ll need to obtain TEFL certification. This will qualify you to teach in a classroom setting. TEFL certification is easy to get, and is often offered as a post-graduate class at college for those planning on teaching abroad. Those without TEFL will have an extremely difficult time getting hired.

One thing that sets Italy apart from other foreign countries is the fact that in order to get a teaching job, a personal interview is a must. You will be required to sit down with your future employers and meet them in person before you are actually hired. This means you should plan your time and your budget around making a trip to Italy for interview purposes.

If you’re adventurous, you can always move to Italy before you begin searching for jobs. But if you have any doubts about getting hired, or if you want to make sure everything is lined up before you actually move abroad, you should plan on a few trips back and forth.

You’ll also need to obtain an Italian work visa. As in most countries, this is a long and sometimes difficult process. Be prepared to provide any and all documentation of things like marriage, citizenship, and graduation from school. It’s best to start this process as early as possible so that your future plans aren’t held up by the bookkeeping.

Where to work?

Once you decide to teach English in Italy, you’ll find various types of employment available. The most common, of course, is teaching in schools. English in Italy is not as widespread as it is in other countries like Mexico or China, so it is not necessarily taught in elementary schools; however, it is extremely popular in universities and other high level educational institutions.

One huge market for English teachers in Italy is the area of private schools. If you can get hired by a private school, you’ll find yourself in an excellent position. Private schools offer the best pay by far, and provide a certain amount of job security not found elsewhere.

It is also possible to get hired by a company or language institution, where you’ll be teaching conversational English to adults. Since English is the accepted language for many forms of global communication, adults in Italy are very interested in learning it and are sometimes required to do so by their employers. Some businesses will hire English teachers to train their employees in English. You’ll also find an abundance of evening classes that are open to the public.

The overall experience

Lots of people would love a chance to teach English in Italy. As far as TEFL positions go, Italy is one of the most coveted countries and for a good reason. Italy is a beautiful country, rich in heritage and history. The experience of teaching English in Italy is completely worth the effort it may take you to secure a position. So if you’re planning to teach English in Italy, you should prepare yourself for some competition… and the possible experience of a lifetime.

If you have expertise in English and you love teaching, you can also apply for a job as an English teacher in Italy. Our experts are here to help you get into the right track for a teaching job in Italy.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in General, Work Abroad | No Comments »