Tips for Teaching and Living Abroad

Good Morning!                                    
As promised in my last post, here are some tips that I hope you'll find valuable on teaching and living abroad:

 Before you go

 -Take your time finding a job and weigh all of your options carefully - There are literally hundreds of new ESL jobs posted every week all over the world.

 -Do your Research - Try to find out as much info as possible about the country and city, that you are thinking of going to before making your decision. Here are some things you may want to consider:

  •      Size of the city / Population
  •      Average Salary / Cost of Living
  •      The Weather
  •      What kind of visa do you need to work there
  •      The religion or culture of that country
  •      Environmental conditions
-You should also look into the school that you are thinking of going to. One of the best ways to do this is by trying to contact previous teachers at that school, or find school reviews online. Things to research about potential schools:
  • Teaching Requirements (university degree, TEFL/TESL certificate)
  • Salary / Benefits
  • Contract Length
  • Are flights and accommodations included?
  • Working hours / days (Some of schools will ask you to work Saturdays)
  • Training?
  • Who will you be teaching? 
  • Sick policy

GET A TEFL/TESOL CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA - Not sure why, check my previous blog posting

 Living Abroad

-Keep in open mind - Depending on where you go to teach, pretty much everything could be foreign to you when you arrive.

 -Don't be afraid to try new things (especially food). I hated Korean food when I first got there, but I just kept trying it, and it has become one of my favorite cuisines now.

 -Try to learn as much as possible about the culture and language of country. Go to local festivals and take classes to learn the language. Learn from your students.

 -Stay patient - Things like the language barrier or cultural expectations can be frustrating, but you'll get used to these things.

 -Make Friends...but be aware that they will leave. Being able to share your experiences with people who understand your situation will be invaluable.

 -Stay in touch with people from home. Becoming homesick is inevitable in your first year. Email, skype, phone, etc friends and family as much as possible

 -Travel is you have the chance. See as much of that area of the world as you can. You'll never regret it!

   Teaching Abroad

 - On your first day, make the classrooms rules clear to all students and make sure everyone follows them. This is especially true when teaching children. Don't try to be their friends. You are the teacher. Its much easier to be less strict as time goes by, than be friendly and become stricter. (You may also want to consider having an English Only classroom)

 -Be prepared for every class. If you are prepared things will go so much smoother...Also make sure you know your stuff (like grammar). Nothing worse than being unsure of yourself in front a class

 -Dress Appropriately and always be on-time for class. In some countries punctuality is extremely important and it is rude to be late

 -Don't just teach from a textbook. Be creative and find ways to engage your students. The internet is full of great resources for ESL teachers. 

 -If you teach in a school with other ESL teachers, try to collaborate as much as possible. If you are a new teacher look for help from people that have been teaching in the school for a while.

 -Have fun and relax. Yes, you want to be professional and perhaps strict, but if you are not having fun and always stressed, you'll hate your job. Keep in mind that every teacher has their good days and bad days of teaching. If your lesson goes poorly, don't worry. Instead learn from your mistakes.

 So, those are a few of my tips. Let me know what you think and is you have any questions let me. I'd be happy to respond.

https://www.facebook.com/uvictefl/

 https://continuingstudies.uvic.ca/education-learning-and-development/topics/teaching-english-as-a-foreign-language


Comments

  1. Meilin Lian4 March 2020 at 05:28

    The Chinese government has placed great emphasis on encouraging its citizens to learn English as a way to increase social and economic power. Some days before when was searching for a job as English teacher in China , then I got to know about a company Hebei New Times International (Teach In China). They had really helped me a lot to get a suitable job in China.

    ReplyDelete
  2. micheal pan7 May 2021 at 07:17

    BE SMART AND BECOME RICH IN LESS THAN 3DAYS....It all depends on how fast 
    you can be to get the new PROGRAMMED blank ATM card that is capable of
    hacking into any ATM machine,anywhere in the world. I got to know about 
    this BLANK ATM CARD when I was searching for job online about a month 
    ago..It has really changed my life for good and now I can say I'm rich and 
    I can never be poor again. The least money I get in a day with it is about 
    $50,000.(fifty thousand USD) Every now and then I keeping pumping money 
    into my account. Though is illegal,there is no risk of being caught 
    ,because it has been programmed in such a way that it is not traceable,it 
    also has a technique that makes it impossible for the CCTVs to detect 
    you..For details on how to get yours today, email the hackers on : (
    atmmachinehackers1@gmail.com ). Tell your 
    loved once too, and start to live large. That's the simple testimony of how 
    my life changed for good...Love you all ...the email address again is ;
    atmmachinehackers1@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jennifer Davison9 January 2022 at 09:14

    I can't believe that this man is so real, how can I thank you enough, I can't fail to testify about the good things you have been doing for me and now you still went ahead and do same for my friend, please everyone if you have anything disturbing you please your solution is hear with Dr.osupalagba the great spiritualist who can solve any problem in a twinkle of an eye. No matter the problems, whether spiritual problem, you want to get your ex back, promotion in your workplace, spiritual cleansing, fruit of the womb, mental illnesses, protection for gun, protection for cutlass, protection for bottle, protection for snake and scorpion bites and cure. Are you a victim of any of the above listed setbacks, you can contact Dr.osupalagbavia Email: osupalagba.temple@gmail.com


    Call/WhatsApp +2347051667586

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

English Only Classrooms: Beneficial or Detrimental to English Language Learners?

Image
One of the first rules/polices that new TEFL teachers will have to establish in their classrooms, is whether students can only speak English in class or if they can speak their languages as well. I think it's natural to assume that if students are immersed in an English only environment that this will be beneficial to not only the students' acquisition of the new language, but also for the teacher. But is this really the case? Do students learn better in an English only setting? Is it easier for teachers to teach, when English is the only language spoken in their classrooms? In this blog entry, I'm going to talk about the advantages and disadvantages to an English only classroom, as well as give you some of my own personal opinions on this topic. In the past I had the opportunity to teach in schools that strongly enforced an English only policy and in other schools that were much more relaxed about what languages are spoken in their school. Advantages - An English
Read more

These Acronyms are Making Me CRAZY: ESL, EFL, EAL, ELL, TEFL, TESL, TESOL, CELTA....

Image
As someone who promotes English teaching-training programs at a university for a career, I'm constantly being asked by potential students, institutions, and even experienced teachers what all these acronyms stand for and what's the difference between them. I get questions like "Should I take a TEFL class or a TESL class?" or "What's the difference between ESL and ELL?" all the time, so I wanted to write a quick blog entry to address the confusion. Before I start to break down some of these acronyms, it's important to note that so many acronyms exist simply because the field of English language education is constantly evolving and becoming more specialized; especially over the last couple decades. Some of these terms may sound similar and may lead you to wonder, why do they all exist, however these slight differences can impact significant decisions like: Which type of course is best suited to my career goals? What are my students greatest needs
Read more

Teaching English in Thailand - What you need to know

Image
I love Thailand. Although I haven't had the chance to teach English there yet, I was lucky enough to visit this beautiful country a couple times when I lived in Korea. With it's rich culture, friendly people, amazing food and breathtaking scenery, it's no wonder why this country is such an attractive place to live and teach. In this blog, I'll want to discuss somethings you need to know if you want to teach there. Much of this info comes from my friends who taught there and passed on their experiences with me, and my own research, as a couple years ago I had seriously considering going there to teach. Requirements To teach in Thailand, you must have completed a university degree, and although not necessary for all jobs, a TEFL or TESL certificate or diploma is highly recommended (For reasons why you should take a TEFL program read this entry ). Past teaching experience is not necessary as well, but very beneficial if you have it. If you want to teach at a univer
Read more

Teaching Children Vs. Teaching Adults

Image
Teaching Children Vs. Teaching Adults One of the biggest questions that someone has to ask themselves when choosing to go teach English in a foreign country is: Do I want to teach children or adults? As someone who has experience teaching children and adults abroad, and in Canada, I'll do my best to weigh these two choices for potential TEFL teachers. Before I start weighing these options, one thing I wanted to quickly address is this notion that children learn languages quicker and easier than adults. While in the past this was thought to be a fact, in recent years many studies have come out that suggest otherwise. Younger students do have better memory retention than their older counterparts, but factors like an individual's motivation, patience, perseverance  and their instructor's abilities and expertise also play a huge role in language development. Many researchers now believe that these variants may have a larger influence on second language acquisition
Read more

Teaching English in the Czech Republic

Image
Situated in the middle of Europe, the Czech Republic  is home to beautiful art and music, grand architecture, picturesque red roofs, and a never-ending supply of beer. While most tourists only visit the capital of Prague, there are so many other facets to this landlocked country that are fairly unexplored by most travelers. Rural areas are surrounded by rolling hills, hidden lakes, and old growth forests in which residents can enjoy the traditional country lifestyle of times forgotten in other parts of Europe. As the country’s economy continues to strengthen, so, too, has residents’ need for speaking English. Although the Czech Republic is constantly full of English speaking tourists, public schools, universities, and private language academies are still in need of native speakers to give their students the boost they need in order to compete in the global workplace. In this blog entry I will provide an overview of what its like to live and teach English in the Czech Republic an
Read more

Tips for Teaching Korean Students

Image
It's no secret that Koreans are some of the most dedicated and prolific English Language Learners (ELLs) in the world. If you travel to South Korea to teach, you'll notice that it seems like the entire country is studying English. If you decide to teach English in an English speaking country you'll undoubtedly find yourself teaching Korean students at some point. As a result, I thought I'd write a blog entry with some tips on how to best meet the needs of Korean ELLs. This advice will be based on my own experience teaching Koreans (about 5 years) and some popular tips found from doing a bit of research. 1. Know your Role According to Confucian ideals, teachers are supposed to be supposed to be highly respected in society. This respect your receive from your students can be something that you can definitely use to your advantage (especially with classroom management), but it also comes with certain expectations. As a teacher in Korea, you are supposed to be pr
Read more

Teaching English to Absolute Beginners

Image
Undoubtedly, one of the biggest challenges that English teachers will face in their careers is being asked to teach students who have zero English knowledge or ability. In an ideal world, these students would be placed into classes with teachers who are bilingual and can use the students 1st language to help in acquiring the 2nd language...the problem though, is this isn't an ideal world, and many teachers, who can only speak English, are regularly asked to teach students who cannot speak a word of English. So where should you begin? What are the best approaches to teaching absolute beginners? What part of the language should you focus on first? How do you overcome the huge language barrier that separates your from your students? In this blog entry, I want to provide some popular strategies that English teachers will use in these situations, and also give you some of my own personal insight into teaching beginner English language learners. Change your mindset First and for
Read more

My Top 5 ESL games

Image
It's been a little while since my last post, so I wanted to come back with something fun and practical for teachers to use in their English classrooms. Below are 5 of my favorite games that I use in my own classes that can be used with a variety of learners. Two Truths and A Lie    Two Truths and a lie is a great game which is perfect for the beginning of a new class as it is a 'getting to know you' kind of game. This game is also wonderful for practicing speaking and listening skills. Why use it? Ice-breaker; Speaking / Listening skills Who it's best for: Appropriate for all levels and ages How to play: Have students write 3 statements about themselves on a piece of paper, two of which should be lies and one which should be true. Pair the students up and have them ask each other questions about each statement and then guess which one is the truth. If you want to really extend the game and give students even more time to practice their sp
Read more