Hey! If I’m trying to do an international school job search, where is a good place to start? I have some countries I’d be more interested in. Also, I’m currently a public school ESL teacher in the US, so I couldn’t start till next fall or the summer. Is it too early to start looking/applying?

The school I work at has been holding a Christmas ceremony almost every single year for years now. There are Christmas songs, competitions, presentations and students receive their English-language certificates.

My boss told me she can't afford holding one this year but she doesn't know what to tell the parents and the students. Obviously she can't tell them the real reason so we've been trying to come up with an excuse. We're still going to have our annual Christmas-movie day where students watch Christmas movies and eat snacks on their last class before Christmas but that's about it.

Could anyone please help with a compelling excuse? Thank you in advance!

I’m almost at the end of my CELTA course, and I’m starting to think about the career I want after I get my certification. I’ve taught in learning centers for a while, and I want to be a private tutor now, mostly so I can start using my own teaching methods.

I’m really into classical English literature. I find it beautiful and profound, but I also think it’s the most effective way of learning English. I got 120 on the TOEFL, and I think this is mostly due to the fact that I read high literature.

The dream then is to teach English through literature. I believe we can use the text to develop listening, speaking and writing skills, not just reading. The issue is that the ESL market is saturated with quick-and-easy courses, and I’m worried I won’t be able to find students who actually want to put in the kind of effort that Shakespeare or Byron require.

Just to be clear - I’m interested in teaching English as a language. So lessons would focus on linguistic analysis of the text, studying vocabulary and grammar, and working on the four skills, rather than on literary analysis.

My question is, do you think this could be a sustainable business model? Are there students looking to study English in such a rigorous way, or does everyone want it quick and easy? If there are students looking for this kind of training, where might I find them? Worth mentioning I’m currently based in a non-NES country (though I’m a native speaker), and I’m willing to teach online also.

For grade 3 and above, I haven’t done anything other than Hangman, throw ball at board and say vocabulary or structure (with the board having different vocabulary or structure), family feud (split class in 2 and have them guess e.g top 7 most consumed drinks in the world), and charades. I feel like anything else is either too juvenile or too complicated.

Hi everyone!

I’m a Tibetan-American with a few years of experience teaching English as a second language. I hold a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a master’s in Human Rights.

I’ve never been to Tibet (or China in general) but am very interested in finding a paid TEFL position there. Given Tibet’s restrictions on foreign access, I’m wondering what my best options are. Should I consider other locations in China, like Beijing or Shanghai, to start?

I’d appreciate any advice on where to look for positions, the best first steps, and whether Tibet is feasible for a foreign TEFL teacher—or if it’s better to aim for other regions in China instead. Thank you!

I taught at an academy in Korea for 3 years. One of my favorite aspects of the job was the schedule. 3-10pm. I'm naturally a big night owl and this was great for me.

Lately I've been considering trying to go teach at a university abroad. From what I've heard, if my MA TESOL isn't finished yet, probably the only country I could go would be China? True?

Also I'm curious about the actual work schedule. Public schools are like 8-4 ish and they tell you. The university postings I've seen tell you how many classes, but don't mention at all what the actual hours of the day you'll work.

So, I'm curious what it would be? Is it possible to have your classes start later in the day? Do you have any flexibility in choosing when they are? Alternatively, are there any other jobs I should consider where you can work later in the day? I loved working at an academy, but I'd like to have more money and vacation.

Thank you!

Any young women who moved abroad solo with TEFL certification? Any of you who have lived in quite a few countries in Asia and Europe? What was it like? Did you feel safe being there all alone? Who could you ask if you needed help for something?

Hi everyone im really struggling to understand the phonetic alphabet.

I am trying to do a task to identify words from their transcriptions

Cake: /keɪk/

Daughter /ˈdɔːtə/

Can someone explain to me how this works?

Hello! I'm hoping to enrol on a TEFL course next week. The wiki has been a great help, but I've got a few questions...

About me: I live in Scotland, I'm the wrong side of 40, I've got a bachelor's degree, and I've worked as a technical author for 20+ years, so my English is pretty good. I also have an Irish passport that allows me to work in the EU.

However, beyond delivering some IT-related training courses to adults, I've no formal teaching qualifications or experience.

Why? I'm not working at the moment, so I was thinking of doing a TEFL course for several reasons:

• Do something new, challenging, and interesting to me.
• Help my Latina friend with her English studies
• Offer my services to local charities to help refugees improve their English
• Boost my general CV
• Possibly spend time (winter!) teaching English in Spain (or even Latin America). I do speak some Spanish, but I'd like to improve. As I've no experience working with children, I'd prefer teaching adults.

As I don't plan to teach in the "Big 7" countries, I don't think I need to take the more expensive CELTA course. The TEFL.org course seems to be well-regarded (and based in Scotland!), although I'm still torn between the 140 hour course (which includes 20 hours of classroom, which I think would be useful for meeting other people in my course), and the 200 hour course (which doesn't include classroom).

With all that in mind, could anyone answer any of the following questions?

• Based on my background/experience, would you do the 140 or 200 hour course? Money isn't really an issue, but nor do I want to be bored (the course blurb says it's aimed at non-native English speakers, those without a degree, and those with no previous teaching experience - only one of which applies to me). I'm assuming that since the 200 hour course is OFQUAL regulated, the 140 hour one isn't.
• It's not clear when the 20 hours of classroom takes place. If I can choose, would I be better doing this at the end of my course?
• Re: volunteering locally to help people improve their English. Would this count as experience when applying for jobs, or does it need to be from formal teaching? (From looking at jobs boards, most jobs seem to require at least some TEFL teaching experience).
• Finally, I'm assuming I would be learning and delivering UK English (in Spain). However, if I wanted to teach English in Latin America (where US English is used), could this be a major obstacle?

Hi, I'm in the process of switching careers, I used to be a banker, now I want to persue teaching abroad as a career. To be honest I never felt that my previous job was the right one for me (even if I was good at it)

Right now I own a TEFL certificate from TEFL org and a score band of 8 in IELTS (as I'm a NNES from Morocco), I will soon start my CELTA in spain in Oxfordtefl. Additionally I got under my belt, a master's degree in banking and a 5 years experience as an international trade finance manager.

Now my main goal is to find a job in Japan, China( I've been told it's impossible due to visa requirements) or South Korea. I'm not aiming to teach in a university, just an entry level job would be fine, since I believe I have a lot more to learn and perfect my skills before applying for these kind of positions.

As a veteran, what would you recommend me to do or add to my resume? what future roads I can follow after? And would I be able to get a job in those countries (I'm not after the money but the quality of life in general).

Thanks

Hi, 3 weeks away from the Unit 1 exam. Previous people that have taken the exam, what last advice would you give to use the last few weeks in the best possible way?

Thanks!

I finished my TEFL 120hrs training last year and received my certificate… but now I am worried if it’s legit or not … I am worried because I heard a lot of those TEFL training centers are scams ? So how can I be sure ?! Any tips?

I've been reaching out to a bunch of recruiters in China, and most are asking for pretty standard documents- my degree, TEFL certificate, introduction video, etc. However, some are asking for photos of my passport, residence permit, and work permit, which is getting me a bit leery. I mean, I think the passport is one thing (it verifies my nationality/eligibility to work), but most other recruiters haven't asked for my residence/working permits before I've been offered a job. Is this likely to be a scam? Am I risking anything if I send them those photos?

Hi, I'm am finishing up a 170 hour TEFL and I have a ton of experience teaching university, but in a completely different field. Do I stand a chance? What is teaching like there, especially in Arequipa or Cusco? How are the students and what's the culture like in the classroom and outside it? I'm also interested in pay and living conditions. I would be trying to find a job there in February or March 2025. Any tips for finding a job? Thanks in advance!

I've been lurking in this sub for a while, but figure I might as well just ask for some opinions.

Because this seems to be important, I'm a US citizen and white. (I hate that this matters so much, but that's a topic for another post.)

I'll finish my CELTA in December and am open to moving anywhere to teach after that. For background (but I'm sure not relevant for hiring) I taught English conversation for a couple of years at a Volkshochschule (adult education center) in Germany in the early '90s. I also taught business English as a freelancer and had some private students. Since then I've been strictly a mom and housewife.

I realize that I'm pretty much a dinosaur compared to most people in the TEFL sphere. I've realized I'm a dinosaur when it comes to pretty much anything tbh. So much for my life choices, but again, that's a topic for another sub.

My goals are 1) to be able to support myself wherever it is I'm working, and that includes having access to health insurance, not because I'm not healthy, but accidents happen and I'm not fond of living that dangerously. I have enough in savings to supplement my income if necessary, but I'd prefer to be someplace I can earn enough to cover rent and living expenses.

Goal 2) I want to experience a new culture and learn a new language. I spent ten years living in Germany. I'd go to Europe again, but don't feel particularly drawn there. My German is near native speaker level, but aside from that and some basic French, that's all I've got when it comes to other languages.

Goal 3) I want to do something meaningful. The thing I found hardest about teaching all those years ago was that I based my feeling of satisfaction on my students' progression, and adults don't always have the time or desire to make real progress. I think I will be able to look at my work differently now, but I still want to feel like I've done something good at the end of the day. I'm good at and really enjoy connecting with people of all ages (I'm a mom, too.) I decided to try this route because the thought working in some boring admin job here in the States makes me despair.

I have a bachelor's degree in liberal arts and I completed all the coursework for an MBA in the early aughts but didn't have the degree conferred because I moved back to Germany before I could complete my thesis. Again, the choices women make for the sake of their husbands' careers.... We all have regrets in life.

So, random Internet friends, does anyone have any thoughts, opinions, advice, or experience they'd like to share? I'm grateful for any input. It all helps if only to show me where else I can look for information.

Hello, I am an English teacher who enrolled in the TEFL training program at the end of August (Level 5). Since then, I have completed all seventy-something assessments; however, my assigned instructor takes a frustratingly long time to grade my work. I raised my concern with the business partner who introduced me to this program (he lives in my country), and they told him they are working very hard, have a lot of trainee teachers enrolled, and that my instructor has a separate job that hinders his grading speed due to his responsibilities.

I don’t entirely mind the slow pace, as long as I know I will receive my certificate eventually. However, I am concerned about how long this process will take, as I plan to look for teaching positions abroad by next October. It doesn’t help that my instructor keeps ghosting me repeatedly. The first and last time we talked was through a 20-minute video call where he explained the program to me. He was very friendly and knowledgeable, which was reassuring. He also told me to send him my WhatsApp number by email for easier and faster communication, but I haven’t heard from him since. All I receive from him is feedback comments under my work.

Since I’m unfamiliar with this program, I wonder if it’s typical for TEFL students to experience this.

Looking at doing a TEFL course in Mexico. Does anyone have experience with finding a teaching job in Mexico. Is it easy to find one? Do they pay enough to cover living expenses?

Hi, I'm looking for a particular set of poster-size alphabet flashcards. I used them in Japan a couple years ago. Each card features an illustration incorporating two or more objects whose names begin with the card's letter. For example, the first one features an ant named Annie holding an axe. The final poster has a zebra with a stuck zipper. Does anyone know where I can find this set? Thanks in advance.

I have a Masters in education with a concentration in teaching English, and I have been a lead teacher for 7 years now in the US. My training, however, is for teaching other native English speakers.

I want to teach English Language Learners abroad (preferably Europe) but am not sure the best route to take with my experience. I was thinking of getting a CELTA cert, but some people say that it’s for beginner teachers. So, I would greatly appreciate advice on how to move in this direction and make the most of my time, money, and experience.

Hi everybody. Can anybody suggest resources/books/websites for teaching ESL/EFL in a computer lab to low level students? Thanks in advance.

Hi, I am currently teaching English at 2 Taiwanese middle schools and occasionally at a college.

I think that the textbooks used are... just ok. They're not super helpful because the dialogues are often pretty random, like about child marriage or just uncommon situations. Unfortunately, it seems like lotsa Taiwanese textbooks just have pretty pictures but do not really teach stuff.

Vocabulary is therefore also pretty random because it's based on the dialogue, so students might learn a word like "pretty" or "strict" but not their opposites like "ugly" or "easygoing."

When I learn different languages, I find it's been more helpful to learn lessons in terms of themes like the classroom, the office, going grocery shopping, eating at a restaurant, the bedroom, hobbies, etc.

Are there any Taiwanese EFL textbooks like this? Unfortunately, when I try looking for these kinds of textbooks, they're either all in English or use Simplified Chinese.

Thanks for reading!

hi! before i begin i would like to preface that i have been poking around this sub! have gotten a lot of opinions from 5 years ago but would like to bring forward my unique perspective :) 22F if that matters

basically thinking of getting a TEFL and trying to get a job in LATAM, I am more or less fluent in spanish and an advanced beginner in portuguese

i also have a parent from mexico (born and raised in usa), so i am thinking of finally getting my dual citizenship. if i became a mexican citizen (+ got my TEFL) ,that would bypass needing to get a visa sponsorship and make me a more desirable hire, no?

i am aware that the pay is not the best however i have family in the country that i could maybe live with and am not in any debt from college (BA from a good school).

is this kind of a best case scenario if i am not missing anything? has anyone run into any issues in mexico or LATAM that i should be aware of? how is the job market today?

i would also love to know experiences from teaching in Brazil (i have visited once and loved it!!)

tyyy

The title you guys.

Let me touch on the 'Is a CELTA always a CELTA?' I've noticed that some institutions in Brazil offer the course for slightly lower prices—not by much, just around 100 USD. I checked prices with two different institutions: one is a major language center in the country, and they even have a university. Lots of folks have taught English at their language center in Brazil—Cultura Inglesa. I found another institution offering it for a bit less, but I don't have any references for them. But isn’t a CELTA a CELTA?

Tks.

Hello everyone,

I’m a NNES with a 120-hour TEFL certification, an IELTS score of 8, a TOEIC score of 750, and two years of experience teaching children aged 4 to 14. I also hold a master’s degree in Architectural Engineering and currently work remotely, though the pay is minimal.

After three years abroad, I discovered my passion for teaching, which I pursued while completing my master’s. Since returning home, I’ve been considering teaching opportunities in Thailand and believe my qualifications could make me a strong candidate.

I’ve heard the best times to job search in Thailand are October and March. Due to health concerns, I couldn’t go in October, but I’m considering March. Could anyone with similar experience advise on job prospects in Thailand and whether March is an ideal time to apply?

Thank you!

I posted my resume on Dave's ESL a few weeks ago and on another forum a few months ago. So far, I have had three bogus job offers and 2 cheating scams contact me.

1. Canterbury English in Spain. There are other posts about them.
2. VISFFOR, contact name Jim, bogus web page address that doesn't exist. And terrible English Grammar for a professional schooled in England.
3. AL-MULK University Dubai has a bogus website and is trying to scam you into paying $3000 upfront for a work permit. The MOE in Dubai needs to list them and the other educational bodies in the UAE. Their listed address is a tennis camp. The Accreditation Board for Business in America claims to be an outstanding member but has never heard of them. - Stay clear.
4. Online remote work - Magnus Grahn HR Manager NICHIAS Corporation - a fraud. Nichias is a legitimate company in Japan, but he doesn't work for them. He Will offer you a job, send you an email about a bogus training but not how to join it, then tell you that you need to contact "Labour Standards Bureau Council," one of 3 legal sounding groups, to get your contract approved. Then the "State Department" gets back to you and wants to charge you $900, which you must pay Nichia company, and they will reimburse you in 48 hours, a big red flag.
5. Nichias pt 2 -The problem is that the council is a fabrication; less than 12 hours later, they send you a fake email from the State Department (like the Bureaucracy will move that fast). When you try to reply to that email from "The State Dept." It replies to the same council address I initially emailed, "enquiry@lsbcouncil.com" enquiry@lsbcouncil.com. In short, another fraud.

Homework selling scam, A Plus Academic Consultants of the UK, but the contact is in Kenya, they "model" papers and homework for students. The other one, I am trying to remember the name it happened 2 months ago. Their phone number on WhatsApp was Singapore; he said his location was in China, but his Facebook business profile was for phoenix ArizonaTheir phone number on WhatsApp was Singapore; he said his location was in China, but his Facebook business profile was for Phoenix, Arizona. It is the same scam of "modeling" papers and homework but would give you referrals, expect you to do all the work, collect the money, and then give him half.

I'm getting very disappointed in my job search between scams and Chinese recruiters blatantly discriminating. Does anyone have anything to add?

I don't know anyone who teaches in China so I thought I would ask here.

I've been offered a job as a primary teacher in Qingdao.

I have been offered 18,781 Yuan (post tax) per month.

I have 7 years teaching experience in the UK as a substitute and 3 years teaching experience in the UAE.

Basically I wanted to know:

Is the rate they offered me good or are they trying to take me for a ride?

Also, would that be enough to support my wife or would we be struggling?

I have no paid work from July to September and am thinking of going abroad to do the CELTA. I’m a British citizen and experienced teacher. Can anyone recommend a language school and a country that is relatively cheap and safe to live in for 4 weeks? Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

Hi was hoping people knew of schools that hire foreign teachers to work in Laos? I have extensive experience in Thailand. I haven’t found many employment opportunities online, and no jobs in Ajarn.

I am from the States and have been in Korea for 5 years, I am soon to move to a country in Europe with my husband, who is an EU citizen. My background before teaching is in science with my prior career being in biomedical research. I am looking at jobs, and there are some that I qualify for based on that background. I want to try and apply to them but I am not sure how to frame my experience here in Korea as a teacher. I am also curious how I should design the resume.

I have been using the Korean format (with the picture) for many years, but I am now wondering if I should remove the photo and go back to the one-page format with no photo. I am also wondering how I should write my contact info like address and phone number when I still am technically living here in Korea. Should I even include the teaching experience or only include my past relevant experience along with a footnote that I have been teaching abroad for so long?

How did you transition out job hunting wise?

Ive seen a few things inline and read a book from a teacher who spent some months there. Curious if before covid anyone had seen any job listings or met anyone in the field who worked there or was ever offered the position? Any advice is appreciated