HOW TO TEACH ENGLISH OVERSEAS by Matthew © 2010 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Kepnes Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site LAYOUT & ILLUSTRATION by HOP & JAUNT Introduction Chapter TEFL Certificates and Programs Chapter Teacher Requirements Chapter Different Types of Teaching Jobs Chapter Benefits and Salaries Chapter Country Information 11 14 20 25 101 Conclusion © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site Introduction Every year, thousands of people travel around the world teaching English Most are young college graduates looking to fill a few years before returning home and settling down However, there are also people on career breaks or older retirees looking to something different Many travelers, especially those in Southeast Asia, take teaching jobs as a way to fund future travels and avoid going home Then there are those who just love to teach. You’ll find all walks of life teaching overseas. Whatever category you fall into, people choose this profession for one underlying reason: it is a great and easy way to work and live in a foreign country while earning a good wage Yet the process for getting a teaching job is often confusing to many people What requirements you need? Should you get a TEFL certificate? What is a TEFL? Are there other degrees? How you find jobs? What are the visa processes? Do you need to have an English degree? The list of questions goes on and on When I looked for my first ESL job in 2006 in Thailand, I had more questions than answers and I spent a lot of time looking through job boards, Google searches, and reading forums to find out everything I could ever know about the subject. It was a time consuming process and I always walked away still feeling confused When I was thinking about moving to Korea or Japan to teach, I spent even longer looking up information Good information, especially on salaries, working conditions, and cost of living was scarce. Finding the information took up time that could have been spent on what was important: looking for an actual job This ebook is here to help you better use your time. I’ve included everything you could ever want to know about the process of becoming a teacher, TEFL degrees, picking the right TEFL course, the requirements, various jobs you can get, and salaries © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site Most importantly, this ebook has the country information that took me hours of Google searches, years of living experience, and endless forum questions to find out. There is in depth coverage of each major and minor destination for potential ESL teachers. The country information includes costs of living information, salaries, job boards, and basic country facts The purpose this book is to help you make sense of the whole process of becoming an English teacher as well as put all the information in one place I’m here to cut down your time and share my personal experience with you I’ve taught throughout Asia and had teacher friends throughout the world share their tips and information. This book was written by English teachers to help future English teachers © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site TEFL Certificates TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language It’s a certificate program that teaches you how to teach English as a foreign language The program is offered around the world, and prices vary depending on where you enroll Moreover, the quality of the program also depends on where you take it Before you sign up for any program, it is important that you make sure the degree they give out will be accepted around the world as some schools don’t recognize certain training programs Most TEFL courses run from a few weeks to a few months For the more established and respected programs, you can expect at least a hundred hours of class time as well as some practice teaching in a classroom Courses often offered in the west, as compared to places like Thailand, are much more intensive and more expensive The smart approach would be to learn what kind of course is required for the jobs you want, and get that course You don’t want to sign up for an extensive course when you don’t need it- you’ll simply be wasting money. Prices for TEFL courses range between $1,000 and $2,000 USD Although there may be some general linguistic theory included, the focus of a TEFL course is to give you practical knowledge Any theory provided is there to provide a backdrop for the practical skills being learned They aren’t trying to give you a college level English degree They simply teach you how to teach as well as some basic grammar rules The typical TEFL certificate program will focus on a variety of aspects of language teaching from very practical skills, such as learning how to teach vocabulary, grammar, using games effectively, keeping the kids involved as well as practical teacher skills such as classroom management The question most potential teachers have is whether or not they should even get a TEFL certificate The answer to that question © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site depends on a number of factors Every different type of job requires a different set of skills Depending on where you go, what previous experience you have, and the type of job you want, you may or may not need a TEFL Moreover, you need to find out if the country you are going to work in requires a TEFL for a work visa There’s no right or wrong answer to this Sometimes you should have one, sometimes it’s useless Decide where you want to teach first and then see what the requirements are However, as a good rule of thumb, if you have no experience or a teaching degree, it is probably worth getting your TEFL certification The degree helps give you credibility when applying for jobs There are two other teacher certification programs besides TEFL, though there’s really no difference between any of them, and all are accepted worldwide: Cambridge ELT Certificate (CELTA) This certificate course is often considered to be the most similar to TEFL and is widely respected internationally The full name is the Cambridge ELT Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) CELTA places greater emphasis on teaching practice than classroom time It is one of the most popular degrees to get, especially among UK residents. The course is quite rigorous CELTA courses are usually 4-week full time intensive programs, although it is sometimes possible to take the course on a part-time basis In all CELTA courses, observed teaching practice is important, and the courses spend more time having you in a classroom than teaching you theory Entry requirements for CELTA courses vary from place to place around the world Although the course is open to native and non- © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site native speakers, all candidates are interviewed and have to take a language awareness test Some places require candidates to be graduates, while others accept candidates with a good general education and command of English There are more than 200 centers offering CELTA courses around the world and like TEFL courses, getting a CELTA outside of a western country will be a lot cheaper Trinity Certificate in TESOL The third many teachers get is the Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, or TESOL certificate This course is the most work and all trainees are expected to experience learning a foreign language (don’t worry- you don’t need to become fluent in one!) The course is usually full time, following a 4-6 week intensive program with 130 tuition hours or part-time over a number of months The Trinity certificate is the most intensive of the teaching courses Entry requirements vary between a good educational background and a university degree, with a good command of English obviously being a prime requirement No distinction is made between native and non-native speakers Most Trinity Centers are in the UK, although there are now a growing number overseas No matter what degree you get, you’ll be able to teach English anywhere around the world While different places might have a preference for one degree or the other, if you have any one of these program certificates, you’ll meet a school’s requirement and they won’t turn you away © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site 10 Working Visa Information In order to legally search for and accept a job in Taiwan, you need to have a resident visa Therefore, it is recommended that you start looking for work before actually coming to Taiwan If you decide to come to Taiwan first before you’ve found a job, make sure you don’t come in on a landing visa. A landing visa is impossible to change over to a residence visa and you will most definitely have to make a visa run Arrange for a visitor’s visa before you come and you should have up to 60 days to find a job You should be able to change your visitor’s visa into a residence visa without having the leave the country Many people come to Taiwan first and then begin to look for work on a visitor’s visa This is technically illegal, but everyone does it If you decide to this, not give this as your reason for visiting when you arrive in Taiwan Citizens of the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand not need a special visa to visit Taiwan, but they can obtain a landing visa when they arrive at the airport which is valid for two weeks Again, you not want to come in on a landing visa It’s free, but you’ll have to leave the country to switch over to a residence visa You’re leaving out the process of obtaining a work permit Your school has to apply for you You have to wait for the work permit to come in before you can apply for your ARC Again, this section below is really out of date © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site 88 Here are the steps: 1. you arrive in Taiwan on a visitor’s visa you start looking for a job, 3. you find a job, sign a contract, get a health check and then your school sends your health check and personal information to the CLA for a work permit Your work permit arrives Now you have to get an ARC. Your ARC is your residence permit This generally takes two weeks Your employer has nothing to with your ARC once the work permit is taken care of Once you have your ARC, you’re a resident You can come and go as you please and you don’t need to inform anyone You are required to apply for an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) within 15 days of your arrival in Taiwan, and this must be validated by your employer To apply for your ARC, you must have a passport that is valid for at least six month from the date of entry, a copy of your work permit, and two passport-sized photos If you would like to travel outside of Taiwan, you also need to visit the Foreign © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site 89 Affairs police station to apply for exit and re-entry visas before leaving the country Cost of Living Guide The cost of living in Taiwan is very inexpensive You can find a fully furnished apartment for about 4,130-8,261TWD ($128-256 USD) Accommodations are cheaper in rural areas and will get more expensive the closer you get to Taipei Dining in Taiwan is delicious and affordable Food stalls are your cheapest option for eating out You can get box lunches, noodles and other Taiwanese specialties for 64-96 TWD ($2-3 USD) Local convenience stores such as 7-11, Family Mart, and Hi-Life are also great places for food You can buy complete meals there Fast food restaurants cost a little more at 96-161 TWD ($3-5 USD) When visiting a bar, local Taiwanese beers are just 64 TWD ($2 USD), while imported beers can cost 150 TWD ($???USD) Public transportation is available in Taiwan, but many teachers buy a scooter to commute to work You can find a used scooter in good condition for about 15,521-20,685 TWD ($481-641 USD) The government in Taiwan requires foreign teachers to purchase medical insurance, which costs about 806-968 TWD ($25-30 USD) per month, plus regular check-ups, which cost about 129-161 TWD ($4-5 USD) However, you can claim all of this on your tax return at the end of the year 90 © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site Job Links http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/ http://www.esljobfind.com/ http://www.tealit.com/ (The only site you really need to check out!) http://www.taiwanjoblink.com/taiwan/index.asp 91 © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site THAILAND General Information Thailand is a popular destination for backpackers and people looking for quick work As a major stop on the Southeast Asia, lots of people tend to stop in Thailand, find a job, work for a few months, and then quit to travel again. Moreover, a lot of teachers are attracted by the beautiful beaches, cheap food, cheap cost of living, and great nightlife. Thailand teaching jobs tend to attract a lot of younger people or older people looking to semi-retire Working Conditions English teachers in Thailand can expect to work about 20 hours per week at a language school or teaching test prep or corporate training If you work at a public, private, or international school, you can expect to work a full school day, even if you are not teaching At schools, you’ll be expected to hold office hours and fufill the responsibilites of a teacher as you would back home. At other language schools, you’ll be expected to create lessons, grade papers, and make exams on your own unpaid time. At test prep or corporate training companies, lessons typically follow a premade ciriculum 92 © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site Teacher Salary Information Teachers can expect to make an average salary of about THB 26,000-45,000 ($801-1,386 USD) at the language schools and public schools in the larger cities in Thailand In the smaller towns, you can earn about THB 20,000-35,000 ($616-1,078 USD) Working at a university, you can make about THB 25,000 ($770 USD), and you will have a better chance of doing private tutoring here as well Corporate training and test prep jobs generally pay 600 THB per hour International schools pay 80,000 to 120,000 THB per month. Benefits In Thailand, you don’t get very many benefits In language schools, you will have a few days off but that is it At international schools, you will get paid leave and holidays However, there is no accommodation, or airfare provided for you. If you sign a year contract at a private school, some of them will provide a completion bonus of up to months salary Working Visa Information In order to work in Thailand legally, you need to have a work permit and a non-immigrant B visa, and you must apply for this at a Thai embassy outside of the country To apply for this visa, you need to have the completed visa application, a letter confirming your job offer from your employer, and two passport-sized photos Your employer might also need to provide documents related to their company registration Many times, your visa can be processed the next day, but it can also take longer © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site 93 If you decide to come to Thailand to find work, once you do, you’ll need to a “visa run,” where you leave to go to a nearby country to get your Thai visa legally Some employers will also hire English teachers illegally, but in this case, you’d have to step out of the country every three months in order to renew your tourist visa, which can get costly and annoying Once you receive the non-immigrant B visa, you are allowed to enter the country You then need to complete more forms, provide more photos, and give your passport to your employer so they can complete the rest of the application on your behalf After that is done, you need to visit the Department of Labor in person to sign your work permit and have it laminated You will then bring your work permit and visa to the Immigration Department, where they will extend the visa in your passport for another 12 months from when you originally entered the country Lastly, you need to go to the Tax Department to get a tax card, which should always be kept on you You will also need this tax card if you decide to change jobs, so make sure you don’t lose it Cost of Living Guide Living in Thailand is very affordable, especially if you can live like a local Accommodation can be quite comfortable and inexpensive here, with cheaper apartments costing only THB 3,000-4,000 ($115-145 US) per month, plus utilities Utilities, including electricity, water, cable TV, and Internet generally cost about THB 1,500-2,000 ($44-58 US) These apartments may be a poorly maintained or well maintained, so make sure you shop around before deciding on a place Also, some come with basic furnishings, not including bed linens, but the TV or refrigerator may or may not be included If you decide to dine out in restaurants regularly, you can expect to pay about THB 5,000-7,000 ($145-200 US) on food per month Fast food will cost less, with a hamburger costing about THB 50 ($1.45 US) and a large pizza costing about THB 250 ($7.20 USD) However, if you choose to cook and eat at home more often, you can end up spending about THB 3,000-4,000 ($87-116 USD) on © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site 94 food per month Public transportation is quite inexpensive in Thailand Local buses cost THB ($0.12 USD) without air-conditioning and THB 6-16 ($0.17-0.46 USD) with air-conditioning A taxi around town usually charges TRB 35 ($1.02 USD) plus THB ($0.23 USD) per km You can also take a motorbike taxi and try to haggle for the price, but these are generally more dangerous, so be careful If you want to travel around Thailand, a roundtrip flight from Bangkok to Phuket or Chiang Mai is about THB 5,000 ($145 USD) International phone calls from a private phone can be very expensive, upwards of THB 150 ($4.35 USD) per minute, so it’s better to get a discount calling card or use Skype for overseas calls Local calls are inexpensive at THB ($0.15 USD) per call You can also get a mobile phone for THB 3,000 ($87 USD) with basic phone coverage starting at THB 500 ($14.50 USD) per month Job Links http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/ http://www.esljobfind.com/ http://www.ajarn.com (This is really the only resource you need- if there is a job to be found in Thailand, it is posted here.) 95 © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site UKRAINE General Information Ukraine is a former Soviet Republic country that lies in Eastern Europe with borders to Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Romania and Moldova. It is the second largest country in Europe, but it is a new territory for travel and tourism in that part of the world Overall the country is fairly poor, but there are plenty of people that have money in the larger cities, some sporting fancy cars, designer clothing and $2000 per month apartments. The large gap, however, between the rich and poor can easily be seen in Kiev (the capital city, also referred to as Kyiv), which is probably the result of the blatant corruption that is present in business and political life in the country In 2008, the global financial crisis hit the Ukrainian economy quite hard, resulting in a devalued currency, bankrupt businesses and a high unemployment rate. The local currency, the hryvnia, dropped 38% against the U.S Dollar at the time; the economy is still recovering. One industry, however, that was not adversely affected by the crisis was that of English as a second language since those that had lost their jobs decided to invest in becoming more competitive in the business field Ukraine is known for having harsh winters with lots of snow, and warm and humid summers. The locals adapt quite well in the winter, spending a fair bit of the time outdoors at open-air markets, ice fishing or just taking walks. Spring is beautiful in Kiev as it turns green and enters full bloom, leading the Ukrainian people to parks and outdoor gathering spaces © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site 96 The diet in Ukraine lacks spice, and consists basically of fatty meat, potatoes and dumplings. Unlike in America where a large amount of produce is imported as needed, fruits and vegetables are quite seasonal, which can be seen in the middle of winter when all that is well-stocked is cabbage, potatoes and onions. Large cities will have a number of ethnic restaurants to choose from including Indian, Korean and Chinese among others. McDonald’s restaurants, in addition to traditional Ukrainian style cafeterias, quite well in this country Working Conditions English lessons will generally take place in local schools or office buildings depending on the company you teach with. If these are business English courses, it is not uncommon to travel to the local business workplace to teach the language in a convenient time for the students. School buildings will have typical classroom arrangements with desks and a blackboard or whiteboard. If teaching during the winter, expect the building to be quite cold, and expect the opposite in the summer Depending on the school, a teacher can expect to work to hour shifts with sufficient breaks in between. Evening classes are most common in order to accommodate those that are pursuing the language outside of their normal studies or work. However, day or morning lessons are also a possibility for people teaching business or specialty English courses Local holidays are generally respected with the English lessons, and some language schools will offer breaks in between terms of a week or more, especially in winter holiday time. Ukraine celebrates Christmas on January 7, instead of December 25, so be prepared to teach on the 25th if it falls on a class day 97 © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site Teacher Salary Information English teachers at private language schools can expect to earn about 80-104 UAH ($10-13 USD) per hour in Kiev and a bit less in other large cities in the Ukraine If you work more than your contracted hours, you can earn as much as 120-160 UAH ($15-20 USD) per hour in overtime pay You can also earn more money by teaching specialized courses if you are qualified to teach them You are paid for the time you are teaching in class, and therefore are not compensated for preparation time or travel time, which can be quite long depending on the location in the city It is wise to note whether or not you will be paid in USD or UAH as the exchange rate may fluctuate. It is also imperative to get anything promised in writing/contract form before starting work Benefits Benefits vary by school, but may include student retention bonuses, longevity bonuses and set rates for apartments. Student retention bonuses may be obtained if your students end up signing on for another term. Longevity bonuses are applied to teachers that stick around for a certain period of time. Set rates for apartments means that the school will pay the difference if the rates for apartments fluctuate as they commonly Benefits in the form of medical care for teachers is probably not an option, but there will hopefully be a service at the school that helps you find a proper doctor or dentist if it becomes necessary during your time there 98 © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site Working Visa Information Citizens of the European Union, United States of America and Canada can stay in Ukraine for up to 180 days without a visa, as long as they enter the country with a valid ticket and passport. Some schools will have the teachers enter the country to start working and then draw up the supporting paperwork so that you can apply for a proper working visa. This may involve a quick trip outside of the country in order to receive. If the school is proactive about your employment, and there is sufficient time to so, they may draw up the necessary supporting paperwork beforehand so that you not have to leave the country mid-stay for the visa Cost of Living Guide Cost of living in the Ukraine is affordable, and you can find a two-room apartment (outside of the main city center) for 4,820 UAH ($600 USD) per month, plus utilities, which averages about 2,008-2,811 UAH ($250-350 USD) per month for electricity, gas, and water Please note that two-room generally means one bedroom and a living room, and it is quite common for many families to use the living room as an additional bedroom, especially since the typical Ukrainian’s income is lower than a teacher’s salary. Internet costs can be 80-160 UAH ($10-20 USD) per month, and you should expect to spend about 803 UAH ($100 USD) per week on food These costs are less expensive for smaller cities in the country In smaller cities, such as Poltava, rent is not as high as in Kiev or other big cities Rent there is from 500 UAH (1 USD – 8 UAH) 99 © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site Job Links The London School of English - http://www.lse.ua/ American English Center - http://americanenglish.ua/ American Linguistics Center - http://www.ukraine-english.com ELC-Languages Center in Dnepropetrovsk - http://www.english.in.ua/eng/index.php International House - http://www.ihdnipro.com Albion English School - http://www.albion.dn.ua British Council Ukraine - http://www.britishcouncil.org/ukraine.htm Langland Language Centre - http://www.langland.com.ua Phoenix Center - http://www.phoenix.ua 100 © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site Conclusion Teaching English somewhere in the world a really enjoyable experience and it’s something I recommend people who want to look into a foreign country look into. It’s an easy way to work in a foreign country. It was a great experience that I fondly look back on I hope this ebook helped you better understand what it takes to become an English teacher, what you can expect when becoming an English teacher, and the resources you need to become one. At the end of the day, it’s not hard to become an English teacher, it just a lot of hoops to jump through Before I close, I want to give a special thanks to Candice Walsh of Candice does the world She helped me research and update a lot of the information in this book to make sure this book was the best guide to teaching English there is Without her help, I could have written this book in a timely manner She was an invailble help and I hope you visit her website She’s a great writer, funny, and overall, just really cool If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at mattkzbt@gmail.com with the title “ESL Book Questions.” I’m happy to answer anything you feel I didn’t answer in the book or if you want to just give me feedback, I’m always happy to take it Sincerely, “Nomadic” Matt Kepnes 102 © 2010 Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site