EFL Teaching - The New Working Holiday

So you've decided that you'd like to head overseas on a working holiday, but the traditional route of heading off to the UK and getting yourself bar work, or if you have some office experience, signing up with a temp agency and getting placed in a basic administrative position doesnt appeal, then there is another option, and one that has the possibility of opening up the whole world for your exploration.

Steadily gaining popularity is TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language). It is estimated that over 1 billion people are currently learning English world wide. According to the British Council English Language Report, as of the year 2,000 there were 750 million English as a Foreign language speakers. In addition, there were 375 million English as a Second Language speakers.

If teaching overseas does appeal, then you will find that unlike the conventional UK working holiday, you can find jobs advertised for native English speakers in almost every country of the world. This gives you the opportunity to not only travel, but to discover a culture that is likely vastly different from your own. The largest market is currently in Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand), but if the Asian market doesn't appeal to you, then you will likely be able to find jobs advertised for positions in Central and South America, most parts of Europe and also in the Middle East.

Another benefit of teaching overseas as opposed to the traditional working holiday is that there are generally no age restrictions or time limits, as teachers in most countries are entitled to a special working visa. This means that as long as you are gainfully employed at a school, then this type of work visa can be continuously renewed without worrying about sponsorship after a set period of time.

A look on any of the dedicated TEFL/TESL websites will reveal hundreds of jobs on offer. And there's no need to rush off an application for the first job you see as currently there are more jobs available than teachers, so you have the luxury of looking around to find the position that you feel will be best suited to you.

You need to be careful when considering a position, as not all the jobs are legitimate. It is imperative that before accepting any position overseas, you research the school or institute that is offering you the work. There are horror stories of westerners turning up expecting to find a job and accommodation lined up for them, only to arrive and find out that they are going to be farmed out to the highest bidder, or subcontracted out to different schools everyday, giving no job stability.

There are a myriad of sites that you can use to investigate the legitimacy of the organisation proposing the contract. Many of the websites that provide job vacancy lists also have a school review area, making it easy to see how other teachers have fared at a particular establishment.

In addition to checking the internet for reviews of particular schools, it is also crucial to ask the organisation for the contact email addresses or phone numbers of previous and current foreign teachers. If they refuse, this is a definite red flag, as any legitimate institution will be more than happy to give you this information. Chances are that if you dont find any scathing reviews on the internet, and any previous teachers dont tell you to turn tail and run, then you're fairly safe in accepting the job.

Of course, moving to a country where you have no grasp of the unfamiliar customs or language has its challenges, but it also has its rewards. Teaching overseas has you interacting with the local people on a daily basis, which means you can't help but absorb new experiences.

Researching where you want to go is vastly important if you decide that teaching overseas is for you. You need to consider your financial situation, as the wage and benefits vary from country to country. What sort of living conditions can you abide by? Are you able to accept spending time in a patriarchal society, or do you require a more liberal culture? Will you be able to survive in a country where the temperature drops to below 30, or do you hate the weather when it consistently reaches above 25?

All of these questions are important to ask yourself before embarking on a teaching position overseas, as most contracts are for twelve months, so you need to be sure that the conditions aren't going to have you running for home. You also need to decide what style of teaching is going to best suit you. Do you have lots of energy and love kids? Then teaching kindergarten or primary classes is probably for you.

If your idea of job fulfillment doesn't include running, jumping and rolling around while miming actions and playing high energy games, then a position in a high school or university is probably going to be more suitable.

You also need to take into consideration what qualifications are required, as these differ from country to country, and sometimes from state to state within a country. Most countries require a minimum of a bachelor degree in any discipline, though you are often still able to find work in Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan and some parts of China and Central and South America without a degree.

Then comes the debate about whether to complete a TEFL Diploma or Degree, and if so, which one? The courses available vary from being available completely online to being required to attend classes and performing a certain number of practical teaching hours. Along with this, the length and costs of the courses differ, as does the intensity of the programs.

Many of the Asian countries dont require you to have TEFL certification, but do you really want to turn up in a foreign country without any knowledge of how to put together a lesson plan, or have trouble explaining to your students the difference between a noun and a verb? And in contrast, it is impossible to work legally in Europe without this qualification. For this reason, it is sensible to complete some form of training before stepping into the classroom to teach.

Once all the hard work is done, you've done your research and you know what sort of training you're going to undertake, it's time for the fun part. Which country are you going to choose?

In South Korea and China, standard inclusions are furnished, rent free accommodation, internet use, either in the office, or sometimes in the apartment provided, and money toward your airfare, usually given as a bonus once your contract is completed. Sometimes local phone calls and utilities will also be paid for by the school.

Japan and Taiwan as a rule pay well, but often do not include free accommodation, although assistance is usually given to help you find a suitable apartment, generally near to where you will be working.

Benefits in Indonesia vary significantly. Some institutes provide accommodation as well as a maid and a driver in addition to your monthly salary, while others offer no accommodation, and a considerably lower salary.

Thailand, Central and South America have quite low salary rates, and quite often don't include accommodation, but do offer a more relaxed lifestyle, and the salary provided is certainly enough to be able to live well due to the low cost of living in these countries.

Salary and inclusions differ notably in Europe. Higher salaries often mean that no accommodation is provided, whereas a job with lower salary usually includes accommodation, and sometimes meals as well.

The Middle East generally pays very well, includes accommodation and traveling allowance where required as well as having generous paid holidays included. For this reason though, jobs in this area are quite difficult to come by, as the positions offered are highly attractive.

Of course, if you're just in it for the money, chances are, teaching overseas isn't really for you, even in the countries that do pay well. What this sort of job offers is more about experience, and while the pay levels certainly need to factor into your decision, it certainly shouldn' t be your only influence. If it is, you're going to find little enjoyment in your work, and won't be open to the new experiences and friendships that youll find offered by taking on this sort of challenge.

So the question now is, when are you leaving and where are you going?