In the New Year I'm hoping to take a CELTA course somewhere like Thailand or Vietnam, with the intent of going straight into a teaching job afterwards -- however, I don't technically have my Bachelor's degree in hand yet. I have completed all my coursework and will officially graduate in June, and my institution has said I can request a "Degree Completion Letter" to use as proof that I have met all my degree requirements and am pending graduation. Has anyone been able to use this in place of an official degree to get work/visa approval for teaching abroad in countries that require a degree?? I'm just beginning to research but any anecdotal info from those with similar experiences would be hugely appreciated.

I am interested in TEFL and would like to know what kind of check is used when going to teach in a foreign country - I’m thinking about Vietnam. Do they use an enhanced DBS check or is it just a basic DBS check? Thanks

Hi all,

I am making this post as I find mysef at a real crossroads in my life generally, but also with TEFL.

I'm mid 20s, British (native speaker), have a BA and MA, and also a CELTA pass B. I gained my CELTA in July 2023, and have since then proceeded to gain no teaching experience whatsoever, through a combination of personal and work circumstances, and find myself at this point totally confused as what to do next. As of right now, I can't really think about moving abroad for various reasons, most of them personal, that I won't go into, and so that really limits my options.

I want to / have previously tried to get started teaching online, however it seems that no matter what I do I get rejected/services aren't taking on applications. I have been unable to get employment to the best of my memory with Engoo, Preply and Cambly - which appear to me to be some of the more popular services for those with little to no experience.

In the city I currently live (in the UK), there are a handful of language centres, however due to the fact that I qualified over a year ago and have no experience, I believe that any chance I have of getting employed will be extremely low, due to the likelihood of way more qualified candidates. And in any instance where I get beyond the application stage, I worry that the fact that I qualified so long ago will have seriously damaged the progress I made during the CELTA and thus seriously affect my ability to teach, not to mention the effect it would have on my own confidencec. I already feel as though I have forgotton everything I learnt.

I don't really know what to do moving forward, and I am just looking for some friendly advice. I'm seriously considering if it is worth just forgetting about TEFL, at least for now, and getting a job doing something else until I can maybe think about getting abroad, but that then brings about the anxiety of waiting EVEN longer without any meaningful experience. Not to mention needing to come to terms with the fact I spent a lot of money to qualify in something I may never use.

I appreciate any advice.

Hi everyone, am looking for some opinions on a trend I've been noticing recently. I (47F) am a very experienced EFL/ESOL teacher and manager and I've been applying for jobs in the UK and online. Today, I've had yet another email telling me that my application for a teaching role won't be taken any further. My professionally-written CV shows that I have done many types of EFL teaching, so I would have thought that this would be attractive to schools/companies. I am starting to think that my age may be the issue here: has anyone here experienced problems finding jobs in TEFL due to age?

Hello, I'm 24M, and have no teaching experience. I completed a BSc degree in ecology but did not enjoy it so that is why I'm considering teaching English. I'm considering teaching in either France or Italy as I also speak Italian and French.

Does anyone know if completing the CELTA will be enough to get a job in such countries despite not having a degree in education or languages?

Edit: I have an EU passport.

Hello, this year I'm supposed to teach a b1 exam from Cambridge, the PET. Does anyone have a template for correcting the writings? Because I see the original from Cambridge and I think that it is really vague. Thank you.

Hi. Has any American used the bangkok police clearance service to get ink fingerprints for an fbi background check? Whats docs are needed for that? The us embassy only provides the proper card for free with no appointment needed. Im looking to leave thailand for South Korea but need an fbi background check which requires fingerprints

Use this thread to ask questions that don't deserve their own thread on the subreddit. Before you do that, though, use the search bar and read through our extensive wiki to see if your question has already been answered. Remember that subreddit rules still apply here.

Hey guys, I recently been looking into TEFL as a side job, and wanted to figure out a bit about the demand for private tutoring and classroom environments. It does appear like there’s services in various countries for teachers to post their tutoring services, but I wonder what the amount of demand is and if one would experience a fairly consistent demand and a moderate stream of income.

Is there a fair supply of jobs in private tutoring, or should i lower that expectation and prepare myself for classroom environments? Does it depend on region and/or online/in-person spaces?

Do they cancel the class? Make another teacher sub? Dock your pay? Require a doctor's note?

Bonus question - is it legal?

My school (Turkey) they cancel the class and tell me to make it up on my own time. If I get a doctor's note from our massively overburdened hospitals, I don't have to make up the class.

I also worked for a language school in Turkey many years ago, and it was written into the contract that teachers were not permitted to get sick. :)

Other experiences -

• In a UK summer school, my pay wasn't docked. Our contracts included an hour or two per week of subbing duty. Summer schools have a shady reputation but I've had good experiences with them.
• On a full British Council contract, I was never sick but everybody knew that subs would take your classes and you wouldn't lose pay. We had one lesson per week when we had to be at school on standby just in case somebody didn't make it in.
• On an hourly paid British Council contract, I lost the money.
• In a European state school, they just gave the kids a free lesson to "study" and paid me normally. I doubt it was legal to just turn the kids loose but nobody cared when it was just a few days each year - longer absences would be covered by subs.

Hi

I am from Zimbabwe. I have a B Tech degree and a TEFL certificate. I have heard it is hard to get a TEFL visa from Africa and Zim. Does anyone know countries where its slightly easier to get a VISA and a TEFL job for someone coming from my home country? I have teaching experience and experience as a write as well

I’m an experienced high school social studies teacher and concerned with where the U.S. is going politically. There is also a chance my partner may lose his job and then we are dealing with the ACA and (in ten years) Medicare - so we are concerned about cuts and/or reductions. Right now, we don’t have to move overseas. But I’m considering getting my CELTA in case we do. Is there a way to start educating online from the U.S. when I get my certificate? Or do I have to move to a foreign country to begin that part of my career?

Hi everyone! I’m a 22-year-old recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in IT and a TEFL certification from an online program. I’m looking to start my first teaching job abroad and could really use some advice.

Ideally, I’d like to begin in January 2025, but many school programs seem to start in February. I’m thinking of heading to a country in January to settle in and explore before starting work in February, but I’m unsure where to go.

Originally, I was set on Dubai because of the warm weather, year-round ocean access (I’m a big ocean person!), and the opportunity to travel while saving money. However, after a month of applying, I haven’t received any responses, and I understand Dubai might favor more experienced teachers.

Now, I’m getting a little anxious as January approaches and am considering other options. I’ve received some interest from recruiters in South Korea and am thinking about Busan since I’ve heard it’s by the ocean.

I’m a U.S. citizen with my passport ready, and I’ve requested my FBI background check (though I still need to apostille it). I’m not interested in teaching in China or Japan, but I’m open to other suggestions.

Do any experienced TEFL teachers have recommendations on countries where I might have better luck given my situation? I’m especially looking for places with warm weather, coastal access, and opportunities for cultural travel.

Any thoughts, tips, or advice would be greatly appreciated as I’m feeling a bit lost. Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi

I had some questions about the Cambridge CELTA. Do prospective employers care whether you do this online or in person? So many positions on TEFL.com require a CELTA and l am seriously considering doing one. Many positions in South East Asia require one as well. Initially I would like to do an English camp in the UK.

I only have an online TEFL; till now l have only been in S. Korea and for most public school jobs there a Bachelor's and a basic TEFL is all that is required. l am totally new to the Cambridge CELTA and what it entails but it does seem like many places require one.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks all

Hi everyone!

I've just graduated in the summer with a bachelor's in a science subject, and while I'm looking for jobs within my field I'm currently working at the university I attended. My university has many international students (I would say they make up most of the student population here), and since my job is mainly student-facing, I've noticed that they like engaging with me, find me quite personable, and often come to me to find help about any and everything. My strength is my written English (particularly in essays), so I was thinking that I could start teaching students academic English over the weekends, outside of my nine-to-five? I've read a bit on this subreddit about what TEFL courses might be useful, but I was just wondering if I require one to teach academic English, and which one might be best for this situation? Most of the students already have a good grasp of the language, they just need it refined to flow well in their essays. If anyone could also provide me guidance on how I would advertise myself as a private tutor (I assume I'm not allowed to do it on the University campus) then that would be helpful too :) Thank you!

TLDR: Education resources to improve teaching skills for private and small group? Lesson plans, progression, assessing levels?

Full: I'm a degree-holder (non-ed), native-speaker, already living as an expat for other reasons.

I took a cheap TEFL course before the pandemic and did some tutoring and private conversation lessons with that. I had plenty of students, but it was a struggle for me to create lessons and feel like I was really delivering, considering that I had an insufficient ESL education.

Anyway I'd really like to start these small groups and private lessons up again, but I want more confidence in what I'm doing. I don't need CELTA and it doesn't make sense to invest in it at this time, since I don't plan to work for a center and/or teach whole classrooms. I would love to do CELTA or Trinity but the investment doesn't make sense at this stage.

Has anyone taken any online courses that would be relevant to this direction of ESL instruction? Or can you recommend some helpful books and/or curriculums?

Planning to move to SA to teach English. The reason I have narrowed it down to these 3 countries is because of the strong presence of indigenous cultures in the region, which I am very interested in seeing for myself. Out of these 4, which of these countries are generally the best to live and work in terms of TEFL for expats?

Hi everyone, I'm considering teaching English abroad and would love your input on whether it might be a good fit for me before I invest the time and money in a TEFL certificate.

I am 23F, American (Chinese descent) with a bachelor's degree in psychology. I was recently laid off in early November and feel lost about my career direction. My previous job in clinical research made me realize I don’t want to continue on that path. I very much want to spend the next year or two of my life traveling. I have been focusing on finding a remote position to allow me to do so, but have also considered teaching English abroad as remote jobs are very competitive right now.

I have several years of experience tutoring one-on-one (mainly math, some reading/writing). I don't particularly enjoy teaching or spending time with large groups of children, but I don't detest it either. I know I don’t want to teach long term, but I see TEFL as a way to live abroad, travel, and figure out my next steps before applying to master’s programs back in the U.S.

I’m especially interested in Taiwan, Thailand, or South Korea because I’d love to travel in Asia. Do you think teaching English abroad could be a realistic, short-term option for someone like me? Are the jobs as easy to come by as people say? Would it provide enough flexibility to travel and figure out my future plans?

TL;DR: 23F, bachelor’s degree. Recently laid off and want to travel before applying to grad school. I have some tutoring experience but don’t love teaching. Would teaching English in Asia be a good fit?

I already subscribe to ESL Brains, curious to know if there are any other good subscription services or courseware with a Black Friday sale.

Hi everyone. I am finishing my masters degree. in speech language therapy soon, but I wanted to take time off before I went into the career. I have been entertaining the idea of teaching english abroad, but I have no idea where to start. I have looked online but it is so overwhelming.

Is it possible to teach for short periods of time (1-3 months) vs a whole semester or year? What programs are the best and most reliable?

I would love to hear stories or experiences that others have had as well! Any information if greatly appreciated!

Hi, I'm a third year uni student (also doing a TESOL course at my uni) I have been offered a job in a university in Shanghai through the head of the department (my uni has a partnership with this university) from the information I have been given so far it seems like a solid place to work, most of the staff have been there 4-5 years since the program/course started running, and I have been told salary would be between 15-20k a month plus accomodation. From what I'm aware of this is pretty good for a university job, especially as a new teacher. Just wondering if anyone had any tips for me as to what to look into/check around the job. At the moment I don't have a contract but I've been asked to send over my CV and from talking to my head of department he's told me at this point it's all but guaranteed. I'm currently doing some work for him at the uni and have known him for a couple of years so I trust him at his word with it. Thanks in advance for any replies :)

This experience affected me negatively mentally and emotionally, despite receiving calls and mails back for jobs here in my country (Southern Europe).

I was told it was my fault for coming to Thailand unprepared (like culturally, financially) and for being arrogant for believing I could do stuff easily. It was not just a way to travel, but I was had the passion for teaching, I would have not spent time taking a CELTA otherwise...none of my coworkers had one. They didn't have a TEFL.

I'm not a Native speakers and I have a Bachelor's Degree, the same year I got a CELTA, a 7.5 Ielts score and I already a C1 CAE certificate.

. My bachelor was related to the Tourism and Hospitality field but no one in the school had one related to children education, PGCE or English in general. Some even said they had fake degree or some were finishing university. They could not find qualified western (see white) teachers they wanted.

Getting hired: Unfortunately, right after the CELTA I could not find a job. I used Ajarn, Teast, and other plaforms, sent mails, videos etc and CV but aside from a few interviews I got ghosted

I found a job through an agency (bad idea) in a kindergarten position, but I was wary that it was a different culture, so I asked if it was a private school, what were the expectations, how it was like etc They told me it was public, the parents had no expectations because it was Europe and it was different. A low salary was ok for me because it was not Bangkok, but closer to Cambodia, lower cost of life etc

The only thing that made me uncomfortable was to avoid touching the kids to avoid getting them attached, the parents didn't like it..the age range was 3-4 yrs old and I didn't know how much English they spoke. They told me Thai teachers took care of behavior, they didn't need someone who spoke Thai well (I speak it very little) etc

: I met my foreign coworkers and they were all cooperative and friendly.

We were given no training, just a watch day. Throughout the two weeks I was constantly paraded around and the teacher took pics of me with the kids, naively I thought the parents just wanted to make sure the kids were safe or that they liked me in general.

One of the nannies was berating me all the time for giving the kids too much toothpaste, water, walking too fast...told me to go back to my class when I helped a random kid the first.

Everytime we did something she didn't like, she reported it to the manager of foreigners who told us directly stuff (for example the director said I could wear pants when I asked, but then I was asked to change). Or everything else, not the right shoes, not standing around to greet and wai every parent (which rushed away most of the times, we had 24-26 kids in class).

We had to take them to lunch, make them brush their teeth, give them milk, make sure they were safe etc The foreign teachers were supposed to stay all day with their class with a three hour break in between for the kids' nap, the kids who didn't want to sleep had to stay still too.

They had a general program and I admit not being the best teacher. I was having an hard time filling in the time and asked help to the coteacher a few times, the lesson planning was just adding repetitive info.

I was given to training and not much time to adjust...I always made them do activities like coloring, diy stuff everyday.

However, the kids were lovely and we bonded fast. During random play, they were happy to show me their toys, hugged me, wanted to play, chase them etc, I did eliciting with toys to make them speak English a little bit.

There were two students who seemed to get more attached. One who had an hard time coping and, I made him laugh a few times and he always wanted to hold my hand, be close to me etc

I didn't hush them away, because I remember being a child myself, I have lots of empathy for kids and I wanted to be nice to them. The thai teachers were often not too nurturing and even other teachers found them harsh. I thought it was cultural so I didn't intervene. I would not go against the older teachers.

One was the teacher's grandaughter who was very bright, curious and spoke English like a native speaker of her age. She asked me tons of questions, asked me to take her to places, one day her grandmother yelled at her and she came up to me saying her grandma didn't love her anymore. I didn't know what to say...

During a story reading while nap time I made an example regarding fake flattery and since I received a lot of random flattery during the two weeks I stayed I thought they may have taken it personally. I may have accidentally made them lose face.

The problem is that they were a lot of kids in class and I was always on alert and watched them, because the last thing I wanted was an angry parent attacking me for letting their kid getting hurt. The other teacher was blamed for dropping a kid twice and having to get stiches, he had to go to their place to apologize.

The teachers didn't even make them wash their hands after the toilet, just sprayed hand disinfectant. I made them do it to not get sick constantly, they were always sweaty due to humidity so something I washed their faces.

The other teachers barely made an effort, if I had to be honest. They didn't change the kids before and after nap, so they slept with their uniform, made them watch brain-numbing stuff like cocomelon at least 2-3 hrs a day and gave them sugary stuff all day. They had toys but they didn't plan activities either, I just didn't want to do too much or go against them, if they wanted the kids to watch videos I let them.

I felt it was not my place to criticize, I only made a comment with another teacher that cocomelon is like cocaine for kids, which one of the nannies may have overheard...it was a semi-joke, nothing personal, I always joked and had good rapport with coworkers, we were on friendly terms as we were in the same boat.

I was diagnosed with PCOS and other health stuff so I have chronic fatigue and brain fog, I didn't have a diagnosis back then ( a year ago), I had two-three days of sick days and I made the mistake of staying home twice. I should not have done that, but I was exhausted. When I came home everyday, I just wanted sleep. I should have taken a nap during break but I didn't want to isolate myself from my coworkers. I was hanging out with one and people started gossiping we were dating but we were not. We liked each other but we met there actually.

I was informed by other substitute teachers the school was not public but the parents paid 30k baht a year for the English program, how nothing extra was ever appreciated and how they talk badly in front of you in Thai, thinking you don't understand. I noticed this once but ignored it.

Other foreign teachers said 5 yrs changed 6 teachers in one year, people came to stay one month and dipped...it was very messy.

I made a mistake of telling the coworker I was close with that I didn't like the school system as it was brain numbing, very repetitive and little stimulation while we were out but I'm afraid some thai workers there may have reported what we said...

Also, as if it were not enough, the foreign teacher who lasted longer, said one eastern european saw a filipino teacher touching a kid (yes that way) in the bathroom but he denied and he was not fired. I kid you not. Idk if it is all BS but this is crazy.

Me and the coworkers I was close to were fired by mail and call because the school didn't want us anymore, the teachers complained about my teaching style and him not being conservative (?). He was moved to another isolated elementary school and I was completely dropped like a hot potato...they also wasted his time and didn't provide non b visa. He had to go back to his country!

I felt worthless and stupid and I still wonder what I did wrong. I was told I was seen as a threat and how it was 100% person by another teacher (who left before the semester finished), the kids really liked me (I am not saying this to be arrogant, it felt genuine) and I felt I was doing ok.

When I asked an explanation they said my teaching style didn't fulfill expectations, how I could not fill in lessons and other stuff like not providing materials (this was not in the contract,)

I told the manager I tried to make it up by doing the childcare stuff and babysitting I was never supposed to until I got better at managing the class. The manager claimed the parents pay money so whatever, it was my duty to do well. I was not aware it was a private program at all...

The day before I got fired the manager said they liked me, wanted me to stay but also showed me the thai contract but didn't give it to me because 'I don't understand thai' ok...

Have you heard of the “ESL Trap”? It’s when teaching English abroad starts as a fun, short-term thing but somehow turns into a long-term deal without you realizing it.

On the bright side, teaching ESL is amazing. You get to explore new places, meet great people, and live comfortably in many countries like those in Asia. But it’s also easy to lose track of time. Before you know it, a year turns into five or more, and going back home can feel super hard.

Reconnecting with jobs back home, finding work outside teaching, or just adjusting to normal life again can be tricky. Plus, it might feel weird competing with younger people in your 30s or 40s.

That said, some people thrive in the ESL world long-term. They build careers, start businesses, or settle down and make it work. Others, though, feel stuck and wish they had planned better.

What’s your take? Is the ESL Trap real, or just about how you plan your life? Have you or someone you know gone through this? As for me, I have a degree in teaching and at the same time, I can't imagine staying in Vietnam with my Lao wife, if we have a child, won't it be too confusing for everyone in terms of identity? How about the fact that you always depend on 2 years visa and then you need to apply for it again? Maybe I am overthinking, some of those questions may arise in my home country but yet, it doesn't feel the same.

Hey! I teach a class of teenage boys who are mostly disinterested in English and are made to attend by their parents bar one or two who are quite proficient but still not enthusiastic.

They’re more engaged with active activities but it can be hard to stop them from getting carried away and becoming too rowdy with them.

Does anyone have any recommendations of activities or tips for classroom management or lesson planning for this situation! Anything at all would be appreciated :)

Currently teaching in a small town in Spain, and I have a contract until June. I’d like to try a bigger city I’m not sure of what to do afterwards, I have level 3 Tefl + a degree. From what I’ve found jobs in major cities in Spain and Latam seem few and far between. Should I return to college to do a masters, or try to find a job in a bigger city? (I like Spanish speaking countries)

Im an american english teacher living and working in Thailand. Im looking to leave to go to South Korea then go back to the usa permanently. I need an fbi background check and that requires fingerprinting. Who in bangkok is u.s. authorized to do this? The us embassy doesnt do fingerprinting.

Hi everyone,

I need to decide whether to do my CELTA in 1 month or 5 months. If I go with the intensive course, I’ll have to take a full month off from my online classes.

I plan on moving to Vietnam in the second semester of 2025. If I choose the 5-month course, I’d finish it around July/August. Assuming I start applying for jobs in August, would I have any chance of getting hired to start in November/December?

I’m trying to figure out this timeline—by when should I apply to start working at the end of 2025? Or is this not even an option? Do recruiters only hire for positions that begin twice a year, in January and September, making August too late?

I was initially set on taking the 1-month course, but right now, I have a decent number of online students and make a reasonable income, which I’m saving to fund my move. If I take a break, there’s no guarantee my students will wait or resume classes in February, for instance. That’s why, financially, it seems more sensible to do the 5-month course and keep saving for my moving costs (tickets, insurance, and a savings buffer). I want to have at least $10K in savings, just in case anything goes wrong.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Recently, a large part of my adult English class is not showing up to class. I'm told it's because it's the end of the year and their work is very busy. But it's one third of the class and I never had this before. I've sent out an anonymous survey to see if it's something else and of course I'm reflecting on my teaching approach. I've never had this happen and it's really gotten me down.

CIEE Teach Abroad

I plan on applying for the 2026 Teaching Abroad program in China (with CIEE). I’m a late 20-something female and I am currently already teaching to elementary students. I chose 2026 because I really want to take this next year and prepare myself for the move over there. Part of that includes me getting myself ready for this application into the program. I’ve talked to the advisors and team members over there and every time I forget to ask this question (and part of me is afraid to honestly).

As I looked at the application, I was reading through the section where I have to submit photos of myself. I do have tattoos on my arms which, I understand I will have to keep covered during my teaching. This I am used to. I had to do the same thing in the teaching program at my university. It is what it is and I’m prepared for this. My question is about my hair….

Currently, my hair is like a two-toned blonde and black mash-up. IMO I love the messy and tousled mix. The thing is, would this be a breach of professionalism in regards to my application? Like, would this decrease my chances of getting accepted into the program or hired by potential employers?

I feel like I am overthinking this but I would really hate for everything to be denied simply because my hair is the way it is. If I have to reduce-dye it, I understand I must because this is an opportunity of a lifetime…. However, I’m absolutely in love with my hair style right now and if I could avoid the hassle of finding a base color and style to redo it can be avoided, that’d be great. If anyone can give me some insight, that would be greatly appreciated.

I've been teaching in Asia for 20+ years.

Salaries and benefits are stagnating or dropping.

NNEs are accepting poor offers, which in turn encourages employers to keep dropping salaries.

Not sure foreigner teachers were ever really wanted here, just tolerated.

I'm in my fourth country, great country to vacation in, absolutely shit to teach in.

Online teachers go for $1-10/hr.

Scams by schools/centres/agents are rampant.

I mostly love teaching, but it's getting painful.

How are you fairing, and in which country in Asia/the world?