1. Age when you taught: 26
2. Nationality: Australia
3. Where did you teach?: Jiaxing, China
4. Time spent teaching per week
   23
5. How long did you teach for?
   10 months
6. What was your pay?
   7000RMB/month
7. What is the biggest lesson you learned from your teaching English experience?
   I'd say the biggest lesson is learning how to deal with cultural differences, which can be extremely frustrating and confusing. Learning how to work with them instead of trying to change them is an important skill. Another big lesson learned is that there's a fine line between being the students' friend and being a good teacher that everyone likes. I think that part of a true teachers job is to motivate, trying to do this while dishing out disciplin can be a hard balance to master. Even just knowing whether you\'re doing a good job can be hard for it can be difficult to know who, if anyone, is at fault if one or more students are not doing well. Being a good teacher means getting a good balance between taking charge of the classroom while still being fair. It is also very important to plan your lessons properly if you are going to teach effectively.
8. What is the most common misconception about teaching English?
   That it's easy and that you'll pretty much be playing games the whole time just getting the studens to talk. Students in Asia (or at least China) are often not very disciplined in class and can be hard to control. Also, it can be extremely difficult to get them to practice their oral english as they are often very reluctant to speak in front of the class.
9. Did you get certified?: yes
   Why or why not?
   I thought it would be a good idea to get some experience first and at least a basic idea of teaching methodologies.
10. If you were certified, what was your certification and how did you acquire it? Also, did your certification help you when trying to find a job? How?
    I did a six week intensive/full time TESOL (IV) course at an internationally well known english academy. It definately helped me get a job since i don't have a degree.
11. If you did not get certified, was it harder to find a job? Why?
    
12. When looking for a certification program, what are the things to look for?
    Make sure the course is well known with a good reputation. Also, find out if the certificate you end up with is internationally recognised, such as the Cambridge certificate. I would also steer clear of any 'over the internet' or shorter courses unless its absolutely necessary. Its better to get some practical experience, even just a few hours can make a huge difference to your confidence when standing in front of a classroom. Mainly, don't just focus on getting the piece of paper, the knowledge you can aquire from a good course can be invaluable.
13. What are some common 'traps' that teachers fall into while teaching English abroad?
    The first thing is to make sure that your contract is honoured and that you are not taken advantage of. It is also important to remember that you can't change culture. There are alot of things about other cultures that seem either immoral or illogical and it can be frustrating for teachers to deal with. It's important to recognise that often, that's just how it is and you must learn to work with it.
14. What do you wish you would have done differently?
    When i teach again i am going to make sure that i am more organised with my lessons, that is the biggest thing for me. I also think that with experience comes more confidence which allows you to control the classroom with greater ease.
15. What are the best things about teaching English abroad?
    There are so many wonderful things about this experience: The people you meet, experiencing another culture and the fact that you get to travel extensively. I've made some awsome life long friends amongst the ex-pats, it's so important to have people around you can relate to for support. Also, getting to know the students and their personalities and how funny and smart they can be is extremely rewarding, you learn just as much from them as they do from you. Just knowing that you've had a positive influence on their lives and have shown them a bit more of the world, even if it is vicariously, is very rewarding. However, i would say one of the best things about it is overcoming some of the difficulties of being in a foreign culture, in particular the language barrier. When you can finally order food on your own or catch a cab by yourself it's an amazing feeling.
16. Did you travel before or after your program? If so, where?
    I did not travel before and i am currently still in China but i will be going to Europe when i leave here.
17. What would be your advice to people thinking about teaching English abroad?
    Be prepared to feel lonely, isolated and frustrated at times but just know that it's all part of culture shock and the rewards are definately worth it.

1. Age when you taught: 59
2. Nationality: Australia
3. Where did you teach?: Shenzhen, China
4. Time spent teaching per week
   20
5. How long did you teach for?
   3yrs
6. What was your pay?
   10.000 RMB
7. What is the biggest lesson you learned from your teaching English experience?
   My english improved....I learnt a lot about my country....I learnt a lot about China....Kids R kids no matter where they live
8. What is the most common misconception about teaching English?
   Too Hard ??? about pay....I have recieved different pay in diffeent places....depends on your location.The least...3 500 RMB.
9. Did you get certified?: no
10. If you did not get certified, was it harder to find a job? Why?
    I had no trouble getting a job....I have had several....but it is becomming a little harder now.It helps to have a good agent.
11. What are the best things about teaching English abroad?
    A chance to travel & work too......it gives me time to really get to know the local community...get to places tourists never see...get invitations to families homes.
12. Did you travel before or after your program? If so, where?
    I have been to the Phillipines & into Vietnam as far as Hanoi.
13. What would be your advice to people thinking about teaching English abroad?
    Just do it......

1. Age when you taught: 23
2. Nationality: Canada
3. Where did you teach?: Kitakyushu, Japan
4. Time spent teaching per week
   30
5. How long did you teach for?
   1 year, 6 months
6. What was your pay?
   250,000 yen/month
7. What is the biggest lesson you learned from your teaching English experience?
   Patience. Patience for dealing with students who don't understand immediately, patience for students who never understand. Patience for working in a company in a different country with different a different work ethic. Patience for working with people who don't speak English. And that's just from at work! Living in a country that doesn't speak your language provides many more examples of where patience is gained.
8. What is the most common misconception about teaching English?
   Easy money for little work. You can save money, but the work isn't easy. It's tiring and involves a lot more paperwork and energy than you might expect, especially working with kids.
9. Did you get certified?: yes
   Why or why not?
   I had no idea how to teach, so thought a course that showed me how to do it was a good idea.
10. If you were certified, what was your certification and how did you acquire it? Also, did your certification help you when trying to find a job? How?
    I was certified through Oxford Seminars, in Canada. It was a 60 hour TESL course, requiring three weekends, both Saturday and Sundays, 10-6. My certification did help me find a job, but its not necessary. Bigger companies will take the time to train you.
11. If you did not get certified, was it harder to find a job? Why?
    
12. When looking for a certification program, what are the things to look for?
    Look for a balance of teaching informatin and living abroad information. As important as learning how to teach is, its also important to be prepared for living away from your country, and all the technicalities that involves. It helps when you look at contracts to know who is scamming you, and what is legitimate.
13. What are some common 'traps' that teachers fall into while teaching English abroad?
    To start volunteering your time outside of work occasionally, and then finding out that it turned into part of your schedule for no extra pay.
14. What do you wish you would have done differently?
    No regrets here!
15. What are the best things about teaching English abroad?
    The best things are meeting new people from all over the world. Living in a place long enough to be able to really explore it.
16. Did you travel before or after your program? If so, where?
    I traveled a lot during my program, to China and Korea, and immediately after my program I did a one and half month tour around Japan, exploring the places I hadn't been to and working through WWOOF
17. What would be your advice to people thinking about teaching English abroad?
    How much patience do you have? Do you have the patience to deal with people not understanding you, both in and out of the classroom? If you have the patience then you will have an amazing time.

1. Age when you taught: 23
2. Nationality: Australia
3. Where did you teach?: Tokyo, Japan
4. Time spent teaching per week
   18 - 24 hrs contact
5. How long did you teach for?
   1 yr
6. What was your pay?
   270,000 per month.
7. What is the biggest lesson you learned from your teaching English experience?
   Focus on your students not your boss.
8. What is the most common misconception about teaching English?
   That its easy and fun (it can be, but not all the time).
9. Did you get certified?: yes
   Why or why not?
   It was a requirement for the job and my company paid for it.
10. If you were certified, what was your certification and how did you acquire it? Also, did your certification help you when trying to find a job? How?
    SIT - TESOL, administered through the ICTE University of Queesland (Brisbane, Australia). It's becoming increasingly difficult to get a decent job without one, but its still possible.
11. If you did not get certified, was it harder to find a job? Why?
    n/a
12. When looking for a certification program, what are the things to look for?
    Is there a practical teaching component? The quality and experience of the teacher trainers. Post-course job support.
13. What are some common 'traps' that teachers fall into while teaching English abroad?
    Overwork, long hours and not enough prep time, ensure this is all stipulated clearly in your contract. Not learning the local langauge. Treating the job like a extended student holiday instead of a profession.
14. What do you wish you would have done differently?
    Gotten rid of my debts at home first, so I could travel before starting my contract, and tried a little harder to learn some of the language.
15. What are the best things about teaching English abroad?
    You can travel, truly experience another culture, save and develope your career all at the same time. Teaching, when you get it right, is also really rewarding
16. Did you travel before or after your program? If so, where?
    Before -no, but if you have the money and the time, do it!
    After - Yes I plan too, within Japan, but also to central and south east asia - flights are real cheap from here compared to Australia!
17. What would be your advice to people thinking about teaching English abroad?
    Do your research, check the quality of your school/company, and the reality of teaching via forums etc. Be careful with your contract in regard to teaching hours etc. (anymore than 20-25 contact hrs a week is too much). Before forking out the cold hard dosh for your certificate do some research and see if you can find a company who will cover the cost of the course for you!

Our course in Prague is a jewel in Europe. Located right in the centre of the Old Town, between the romantic town hall and the picturesque Charles Bridge, you couldn’t be closer to the heart of this exciting city. Surrounded by winding, cobblestone roads, beautiful, colorful architecture and backstreet pubs, a walk around the block is like a walk through a magical fairytale.

Prague is not only one of the most beautiful cities in all Europe, but it’s low cost of living and friendly locals make it truly an incredible experience to become a globally recognized TEFL International and ITC teacher. Prague is a great location to see the rest of the Czech Republic, but also a close vicinity to neighboring countries like Germany, Slovakia / Hungary, Poland and Austria.

Take in an Opera, try some of the best beer and food in the world, shop for Bohemian glass, see a hockey game or meet the friendly Czechs.

TEFL International and ITC in Prague assists graduates in both finding a job once they have completed their course.

Our certificate is well known throughout the world, and our local ITC experts have been training and placing thousands of teachers in Czech schools for the last 10 years.

Where

• The heart of the city in the centre of the Old Town


• Two minute walk to the famous Old Town Square or the Charles Bridge and the Danube River.

Why

• Our course has the combined expertise of training teachers both locally and globally by some of the best trainers in the world.


• Accredited by the Czech Ministry of Education.


• We have trained over 3,000 teachers in Prague in the past 10 years.


• Great food, great people, great sights, sounds and great beer.


• “Survival Czech” classes.


• Skiing, snowboarding in winter, camping and hiking in summer. Opera, hockey and much more.

Who

• Your fellow students come from many countries on many continents.


• Your teacher trainers are some of the most experienced and well-trained in the industry.


• Your support staff is extremely helpful, courteous and will assist you with whatever you need.


• The locals are peaceful, friendly people who generally like spending time with foreigners.

How

• Fill out an application form and take that next step towards learning amidst the enchantment and wonder of Prague

When

• Check out the Course Schedules to see the available course dates

How Much - Fees for TESOL Certificate Course

• $1,390 (excluding accommodation).

Accommodation is not provided onsite at the ITC TEFL Center in Prague, however fully-furnished apartments can be arranged nearby by our support staff. The accommodation is clean, near local attractions and amenities, for 2-4 people and reasonably priced at 400 Euros for 28 days. Home stays with a Czech family (private bedroom) can also be arranged for 300 euros.

Join our TEFL Course Prague and start Teaching English in the Czech Republic. Our TESOL Course Prague will enable you to Teach English not only in the Czech Republic, but throughout the world with your internationally recognized TESOL Certificate.

1. Age when you taught: 22-24
2. Nationality: Australia
3. Where did you teach?: Bunchaplaces,
4. Time spent teaching per week
   varied
5. How long did you teach for?
   still at it
6. What was your pay?
   $10-$45 AUD per hour
7. What is the biggest lesson you learned from your teaching English experience?
   1)Know your material 2)People learn more when they are smiling
8. What is the most common misconception about teaching English?
   I'm not sure about everyone else but I thought it'd be a hell of a lot easier.
9. Did you get certified?: yes
   Why or why not?
   Because I am interested in languages and linguistics (my degree is in Spanish language studies) and wanted specifically to teach in Latin America, where it is more difficult to get a job without certification. I also had a view to teaching in Australia for a while where salaries are quite reasonable and where there are opportunities for further study in this field.
10. If you were certified, what was your certification and how did you acquire it? Also, did your certification help you when trying to find a job? How?
    Cambridge RSA-CELTA. This course is administered at least twice a year at the Intstitue of Continuing and TESOL Education,(ICTE-UQ). It was necessary in getting all of my jobs - especially in Australia where I have worked in several institutions, all of which require certified instructors in order to retain their accreditation with NEAS, the regulatory organisation for the industry in Australia.
11. If you did not get certified, was it harder to find a job? Why?
    
12. When looking for a certification program, what are the things to look for?
    Find out what are the usual requirements in the country you'll teach in by researching on ESL forums or looking on job listings. Supposedly in Europe and the Americas it's more useful to have a well recognized certificate such as CELTA, while working in Asia it's less so. Also look for a course which offers some kind of practical component - this was the part where I learned the most during my course.
13. What are some common 'traps' that teachers fall into while teaching English abroad?
    
14. What do you wish you would have done differently?
    I wish I'd listened when they told me it rains a lot here. They meant it really rains A LOT. I wish I'd brought my hiking boots instead of my nice dress shoes. Why didn't I bring my hiking boots?
15. What are the best things about teaching English abroad?
    Its a marriage of the best parts of teaching at home and travelling: the connection with your students on the one hand and the eye-opener of living in another culture on the other.
16. Did you travel before or after your program? If so, where?
    I've been travelling on and off since I was seventeen. But when I came to Chile in for this job, I arrived a month early to see the north of the country, since my job is in the southern part. When my contract finishes I hope to travel further south to trek in Patagonia, and then through Argentina and finally to Colombia.
17. What would be your advice to people thinking about teaching English abroad?
    Do your homework, talk to some people about where you're going. And also, take a swatch of magazines, newspapers, funny articles, funny pictures and photos of home wherever you go. When all else fails, bring out a couple of copies of National Geographic, tell them to find as many verbs as they can in 5 minutes and call it a 'vocabulary exercize'. Be prepared to improvise a little.

1. Age when you taught: 23
2. Nationality: England
3. Where did you teach?: Baku, Azerbaijan
4. Time spent teaching per week
   40
5. How long did you teach for?
   6 months
6. What was your pay?
   $1000
7. What is the biggest lesson you learned from your teaching English experience?
   That teaching English is a business enterprise, but the people teachers and students involved are not interested in economics
8. What is the most common misconception about teaching English?
   That it's easy- its not, but all the more rewarding for it.
9. Did you get certified?: yes
   Why or why not?
   Of course I got certified- its virtually impossible to get a job without it. It also gives you a taster of things to come, and a chance to see if you will enjoy it or not before taking a position. The teachniques learnt also give you soem much needed confidence when attacking your first week of teaching.
10. If you were certified, what was your certification and how did you acquire it? Also, did your certification help you when trying to find a job? How?
    It was a Trinity CELTA, taken at St Giles College, Highgate, London. A 4 week intensive course, learning teaching methods in the morning, then putting them into practise on free students in the afternoon. They also gave me some guidance on CV styles, where to look for a job, which was very useful.
11. If you did not get certified, was it harder to find a job? Why?
    N/A
12. When looking for a certification program, what are the things to look for?
    How much actual teaching practise you get, what the resources are like, the credentials of the trainers, the general linguistic perspective of the school. Which course book they use is important.
13. What are some common 'traps' that teachers fall into while teaching English abroad?
    I don't know, because I haven't met that many English teachers. I can imagine its easy to just hang out with other people that speak English, in ex-pat bars etc, which just eat up your money and make you homesick. Not making an effort to learn the local language is a mistake inmy opinion. Having knowledge of 2 differnet grammatical systems helps greatly for your comprehension, and ability to teach. Also, expecting too much. You have to create your own entertainment and friends, and not think of it as one big student holiday.
14. What do you wish you would have done differently?
    I returned to England after 6 months to finish my degree, and regretted having to leave. If you do teach English, stay somewhere for at least a year and make sure you have options to stay longer if you like it.
15. What are the best things about teaching English abroad?
    Well, living abraod is really great in itself- the cultural differences, language barriers, are all very exciting. being a techer has many advantages- you have a group of local people ready to tell you about their life (ie your students) and their country, so you learn the culture more quickly. Also, teaching jobs usually provide a relatively very good salary, so you can afford to live like an upper middle class person- your own flat, buy clothes you want, eat in restaurants etc. In my experience you are treated as a proffessional, alongside lawyers, doctors etc, you so you have interesting, intelligent people to hang out with. The financial freedom is great, compared to England, where most people have to economise.
16. Did you travel before or after your program? If so, where?
    I travelled after I taught, for one month around Azerbaijan, georgia and Iran.
17. What would be your advice to people thinking about teaching English abroad?
    Look very carefully at the contract- teaching hours, and what AGE you'll be taeching. I didn';t, and when I arrived, found I had to teach some children, which I hated. Make very careful research into the value of your wage in this country, and depending on what you want, the facilities for it. For example, if you want to hang out with other english teachers, find out if there are many, and if they socialise together. Also, if you are a woman, think carefully about the gender relations in the country you are going to. Many of the Western 60s feminist ideas never spread to the Soviet places,(and muslim countries are very differnt from the Uk and US) and this can affect your everyday living in a large way. Not in a bad way, but you might find it hard to adjust.

1. Age when you taught: 24-27
2. Nationality: USA
3. Where did you teach?: Prague, Czech Republic
4. Time spent teaching per week
   30
5. How long did you teach for?
   9 months in Santiago, Chile, 1 1/2 years in Prague, Czech Republic and 1 year in Paris, France
6. What was your pay?
   varied by country, Chile and the Czech Republic it was about $8/per hour
7. What is the biggest lesson you learned from your teaching English experience?
   Learning a foreign language takes a lot of dedication and heart, but if they can do it, so can I!
8. What is the most common misconception about teaching English?
   For me, the most common misconception is that it's not a serious job (or a job to be taken seriously.) Once you begin teaching, you realize how much what you are doing matters. Most of my students are not learning English as a hobby, they are doing it out of necessity. English is the global language that they need for their career and their livelihood.
9. Did you get certified?: yes
   Why or why not?
   I started teaching in Santiago, Chile without certification. This gave me the opportunity to "try out" the job; I discovered that I had a lot of natural teaching qualities, but I didn't have all of the answers.
10. If you were certified, what was your certification and how did you acquire it? Also, did your certification help you when trying to find a job? How?
    When I moved to Prague, I did my TEFL certification. I learned a lot of useful teaching techniques, particularly about classroom management, evaluating students and planning. In Europe, a certification is necessary to get a job with a respectable school. When I applied for a teaching position in Prague, I had my previous teaching experience in Chile plus my practical teaching experience in my TEFL course to present to my future employer. A good school wants to see proof of your experience!
11. If you did not get certified, was it harder to find a job? Why?
    
12. When looking for a certification program, what are the things to look for?
    I chose my program through a personal recommendation. It's important to verify that a certification program is legit, as I have read about a few situations where people were scammed. It's easy to find out this information on TEFL websites.
13. What are some common 'traps' that teachers fall into while teaching English abroad?
    One trap is money. In South America and Eastern Europe you earn a respectable local salary, so it's easy to live where you are teaching, but it's hard to save for a future in your home country. The other is about getting too involved with the expatriate community and not getting involved enough with the local community. It's easy to do this when there are language and cultural barriers, but you also miss out on a lot of the "living abroad" experience.
14. What do you wish you would have done differently?
    There are not many things I would change about my teaching experience.
15. What are the best things about teaching English abroad?
    For me, I learn as much from students as they learn from me. Inevitably, every English lesson turns into a cultural lesson either about where I come from or where they come from.
16. Did you travel before or after your program? If so, where?
    yes, I traveled for 3 months in Argentina and Chile before I started teaching. I continuously traveled while I was living in the Czech Republic, on weekends and during holidays. I spent a lot of time in Germany. I also traveled to Austria, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria my first summer there. I have been in Paris for a year, and I travel quite a lot in France. I am actually planning an around the world trip with my boyfriend to begin in September of 2005.
17. What would be your advice to people thinking about teaching English abroad?
    Pay all of your bills at home, sell all of the stuff that isn't sentimental and go! and don't forget to be humble, take the attitude that it's a privelege for you to be there and not a privelege for them to have you

1. Age when you taught: 32
2. Nationality: USA
3. Where did you teach?: Ilsan, Korea
4. Time spent teaching per week
   30-40
5. How long did you teach for?
   3 months
6. What was your pay?
   w2,000,000/month
7. What is the biggest lesson you learned from your teaching English experience?
   It really doesn't matter if you think you can teach or not. Once you get to the school and they throw you to the lions, or in my case the five year olds, the natural desire to communicate with others comes out and you find yourself coming up with ways to get through to your students.
8. What is the most common misconception about teaching English?
   I think the most common misconception about teaching English is that you will go over and teach one or two hours a day and then party until dawn. It will be hard work and there may be times when you can't go out for weeks at a time because of your commitment. Sure, you do get to enjoy yourself and some may choose to drink themselves into the ground, but your primary concern has to be your job or your experience will be a short one.
9. Did you get certified?: no
   Why or why not?
   In Korea you only need a college degree in anything for most schools. Some of the bigger name schools or more exclusive schools will want their teachers either teacher-certified through college or TESL-TEFL, etc., certified. But they also want blonde-haired, blue-eyed supermodels all around 25 years old, without a trace of fat or wrinkles. I's a business and there are going to be businesses that don't care about anything more than a pulse and a non-Asian look.
10. If you were certified, what was your certification and how did you acquire it? Also, did your certification help you when trying to find a job? How?
    
11. If you did not get certified, was it harder to find a job? Why?
    There are thousands of hagwons (language schools) in Korea and there are hundreds of recruiters in contact with them. Finding a job is easy, but finding a job in the exact location or with the exact amenities provided may be harder.
12. When looking for a certification program, what are the things to look for?
    
13. What are some common 'traps' that teachers fall into while teaching English abroad?
    If it's your first time out, don't go with ANY expectations other than to get paid. Don't expect your employer to honor your contract 100%, because it's his country and you're just a guest, frankly, and there are more where you came from. Don't expect the natives of that country to act like Americans or Canadians or whatever. They are going to have some quirks that may amuse you and some that may annoy you. Get over it.
14. What do you wish you would have done differently?
    I wish I had completed my contract. I didn't take my own advice and found the anti-enviromental habits of the South Koreans too much to accept and impossible to change.
15. What are the best things about teaching English abroad?
    The best things about teaching abroad really are the students. After you have been there awhile and can see the difference, the progress in them you can feel proud about the job you've done.
16. Did you travel before or after your program? If so, where?
    I had been abroad before teaching and I think that may be what sparked my interest to leave again. Although I taught in Korea, Spain in 1997 was an inspiring place for me. After teaching I headed to Thailand and sailed to Malaysia, Indonesia, and finally Darwin, Australia aboard a private yacht as a crew member.
17. What would be your advice to people thinking about teaching English abroad?
    If you\'re even entertaining the idea, there must be something in you driving you to get away, to get out of your comfort zone. First, think of the reason you might want to go. If the answer is money, you will want to go to either Korea or Japan. If the answer is boredom, you may try Europe. And if the answer is to explore a culture vastly different than your own, I would suggest anywhere else in Asia, where the money isn't great, but the people really are. When it all comes down to it, think about your life in 20,30, or 40 years and ask yourself: Do I want my dying words to be, "if only..."?

1. Age when you taught: 24
2. Nationality: USA
3. Where did you teach?: Mariscal Sucre, Ecuador
4. Time spent teaching per week
   4
5. How long did you teach for?
   1 month
6. What was your pay?
   voluntary
7. What is the biggest lesson you learned from your teaching English experience?
   That it takes more than knowledge of the language you are teaching. You need to work well with people on a one on one basis
8. What is the most common misconception about teaching English?
   that it is easy
9. Did you get certified?: no
   Why or why not?
   not necessary for my job
10. If you were certified, what was your certification and how did you acquire it? Also, did your certification help you when trying to find a job? How?
    
11. If you did not get certified, was it harder to find a job? Why?
    I was not working for money. It was a volunteer program. So, no it was not hard without qualification
12. When looking for a certification program, what are the things to look for?
    na
13. What are some common 'traps' that teachers fall into while teaching English abroad?
    
14. What do you wish you would have done differently?
    I wish I would have stayed and done it for a longer period of time.
15. What are the best things about teaching English abroad?
    Learning about another culture and not going broke in the process.
16. Did you travel before or after your program? If so, where?
    Yes, both before and after throughout south america.
17. What would be your advice to people thinking about teaching English abroad?
    Many non-western countries allow for teachers without qualifications. This is great for you, but remember a little knowledge of how to get started will be very useful to you the first few weeks of class. Teaching is not working behind a bar.

1. Age when you taught: 24
2. Nationality: Canada
3. Where did you teach?: Shanghai, China
4. Time spent teaching per week
   22
5. How long did you teach for?
   2 years
6. What was your pay?
   $1000 CAD per month
7. What is the biggest lesson you learned from your teaching English experience?
   1. Doublecheck your contract agreements down to the last detail.
   2. Regarding number 1, specify exactly how many hours are spent in the classroom.
   3. Also regarding number 1, ask specifically how many schools you will be teaching at and their proximity to each other.
8. What is the most common misconception about teaching English?
   That it's easy and always tons of fun. It can be fun, but it's also damn hard work, especially if you lack access to supplies, materials etc.
9. Did you get certified?: yes
   Why or why not?
   I was told you needed it. This was before I learned TESOL certification is optional in China.
10. If you were certified, what was your certification and how did you acquire it? Also, did your certification help you when trying to find a job? How?
    TESOL certificate, through teachandtravel.com
    Most schools ask that you be TESOL certified as part of THEIR requirements, not necessarily the government. But if you're willing to settle for less pay, there are plenty of school who will snap up a foreigner on a holiday visa to teach.
11. If you did not get certified, was it harder to find a job? Why?
    
12. When looking for a certification program, what are the things to look for?
    I wouldn't know. I went with the first - and cheapest - one I could find.
13. What are some common 'traps' that teachers fall into while teaching English abroad?
    1. Relying too much on a translator with grade 1's. An ESL teacher can communicate anything with enough pictures and body language. 2. Agreeing to do more then what they're paid to do. Adhere to your contract and don't let administrators or officials overwork you while making it seem like a fun and extra thing to do.
14. What do you wish you would have done differently?
    Brought more materials and supplies. Had I known I was going to be this ill-equipped, I would have brought an extra trunk filled with children's books, maps, atlas's, posters etc, etc.
15. What are the best things about teaching English abroad?
    Seeing the world from a new perspective. You're not just visiting the country - you get to live there, experience daily life and become part of the community.
16. Did you travel before or after your program? If so, where?
    A little but just throughout North America - road trips through the US and Canada mainly.
17. What would be your advice to people thinking about teaching English abroad?
    Be prepared. Nitpick over your contract down to the last detail before signing. When you think you've asked enough questions and are ready to sign, ask more. I have never seen so many loopholes in all my life. My first year of teaching was pure torture with a 13 hour a day schedule and 3 schools (with an hour commute between the three). My seonc year went a lot smoother as a result of knowing what details to haggle over. If a school official or police officer asks to see your passport for a security check regarding your residence permit, show it - but do not let them take it for whatever reason.
    Last bit of advice? Email someone who is in the country you are thinking of going to. www.daveseslcafe.com is a great way to meet people. Also ask for emails from people who have worked for your potential employer to get the dirt.

Did you know being born into an English-speaking culture enables you to launch yourself into an upwardly mobile career that involves travelling the world, meeting an abundance of interesting people, achieving a feeling of purpose as well as a pretty good pay-packet at the end of it all? It may sound like an ad in the recruitment pages - but it's true!

Being a native English speaker is one of the most valuable assets a young man or woman of the world can possess these days.

For some time, English has been the dominant language on this little planet of ours. Due to the fact that the world just keeps getting smaller with every new piece of communications technology and cheaper airline ticket, people from opposite ends of the earth are wanting to talk to each other (for all sorts of reasons).

This leads to a lot of people wanting to learn English, and a thriving industry has sprung up to meet this need.

TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is by no means a new thing; in fact, it is an established profession. The great thing about it is that there are no specific requirements you need in order to gain a qualification in the field apart from (yes, it's that simple) speaking English.

Graduation from secondary or high school is usually a must, but a university degree is not necessary. You do not have to have come from a linguistics, communications or education background, and you don't have to speak another language.

I recently completed a TEFL course; my 12 class mates all came from diverse backgrounds such as nursing, social work, accountancy, secretarial and hospitality. Top it all off, we even had a professional ballet dancer! The rest of us fitted into a class I'll just call "transient." The things we all had in common were an ability to speak English (coherently), a vague interest in language use, and a handy grammar book and dictionary to consult in case of emergencies.

First of all, you don't absolutely need to gain a TEFL qualification to teach English to foreigners. There is many a story about intrepid travellers turning up in foreign lands and becoming English teachers without any forethought whatsoever. However, I would advise against this if you prefer to have some credo, which will earn you more money and limit your chances of being completely exploited (and you'll know a little bit about how you might go about teaching people who will just stare at you blankly when you say, "And what's your name?").

The following information is relevant for the UK but hopefully will give an idea of the processes involved in undertaking a TEFL course in most English-speaking countries.

1. Decide what sort of qualification you want.
In the UK there are various boards governing TEFL courses, the two most prominent being Trinity and the Cambridge RSA CELTA. The CELTA is the most widely recognised and hailed to be the superior qualification at the moment. A TEFL course will generally take you about four weeks full-time to complete. Different schools will teach different courses, so check it out before you enroll.

2. Find a school.
Make sure your school is a member of a recognised association (e.g., in the UK - ARELS or the British Council) and that they offer a legitimate qualification. In Britain, newspaper the Guardian has an education supplement on Tuesdays, which advertises courses on offer. Apart from that, the Yellow Pages are a good place to start. By the way, try to find a school that includes practical teaching sessions in its syllabus (some don't). If you've never taught before, you'll be glad of the experience.

3. Be prepared to work your butt off!
A full-time TEFL course is intense to say the least. After a full day's lectures and teaching practice the prospect of spending your evenings preparing lessons and writing assignments doesn't always thrill. However, you must remember that just because you've parted with a lot of money to do the course, doesn't mean you're guaranteed to pass. So study hard!

4. Find work.
There are endless options for work as an EFL teacher. Most likely your school will have a job placement service or a full-fledged recruitment agency attached to it. This would be the obvious place to start the search. You can also go out on your own and offer one-to-one private tutoring; at about £15 an hour for a new graduate, it's not a bad option. Also, the Guardian advertises teaching jobs in its Tuesday issue. In the UK, lots of language schools offer summer schools for teenagers, which is a great provider of work for the summer months, particularly for first-jobbers. For those of you with an altruistic streak, working with refugees is also an area that holds many opportunities.

5. Explore special fields.
There are various branches within TEFL that you could enter, such as Business English, Medical English, Academic English, etc., and if you are already experienced in any of these fields, you're off to a head start. There are extra courses you can take for these special fields, or maybe you could draw on your personal background and create your own little niche, e.g., music, art, history, science, popular culture... the list goes on.

6. Gain further qualifications.
After a couple of years experience, preferably in a foreign country, you might want to do a post-grad diploma in TEFL or even a Masters degree - yes, such as thing exists! You could become a Director of Studies or go into teacher training with these sorts of qualifications.

The thing that attracted me to TEFL was that, being a traveller, it could allow for heaps of freedom, plus open doors to countries and cultures that would otherwise not be open to me.

I know there are lots people out there who love to be on the go and don't really want to settle down (just yet) but at the same time feel like they want to do a job that's got some challenge to it. TEFL seems to slide right into that groove, and the beautiful thing about it is that at the end of your adventure you can take the qualification home with you and get a "proper job"!

Other Resources:
Teaching English Abroad: Talk Your Way Around the World! (4th Ed), by Susan Griffith (UK)

The British Council: Getting Qualified - Lots of info on all aspects of TEFL, including a link to this site for CILTS, which has schools all over the world.

TEFL.com Course Search - Find TEFL courses anywhere in the world or, for all other things TEFL-related, check out their home page.

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