Getting Started: 10 Steps to Teaching English Abroad

Since 1992, Oxford Seminars has been offering the TESOL/TESL Certification Course for students interested in teaching English abroad. Our highly skilled instructors and our Teacher Placement Service have a wealth of knowledge and experience to assist you in the process of preparing to teach overseas.

Step 1. Complete a Self Inventory

Teaching English abroad is a great way to experience a new culture while gaining a new unique perspective on life. Reasons for teaching English overseas vary depending on the person. Completing a self inventory and determining the reasons behind your decision to teach abroad will help with determining your ideal ESL job. This process may also identify potential obstacles to overcome. Begin the process of teaching English abroad by identifying your strengths and weaknesses.

• Do you enjoy teaching?
• Are you eager to learn and experience new cultures?
• Do you wish to learn a new language?
• Do you want to share the culture and language of your native country with others?
• Do you want to expand and enhance your current teaching resume?
• Are you excited by the notion of meeting new people?
• Do you want to travel and explore?
• Are you open to embracing new perspectives and cultures?
• Do you wish to save money and pay student debts?

Determining your individual competencies and goals with an honest self inventory will allow you to discover an ESL job that fits.

Step 2. Research, Research, Research

Our graduates teach English around the world; you must decide where in the world you want to teach. You should do some research to narrow down your choices to a few select countries. Teachers who are open-minded tend to have more options to choose from.

Why Research?
Researching will allow you to develop a good understanding of potential ESL markets around the world and the skills, experience, and education needed to find teaching jobs in these choice regions. Each country has its own minimum requirements, demands, and other considerations. Investing the time early in the process will allow you to gain a better understanding of how to present yourself to prospective employers.

Questions to Ask During Your Research

• Do I meet the minimum requirements to teach in this country?
• Does this country require a visa and if so, how difficult is it to get one?
• Do I meet the inoculation and health requirements of this country?
• Does this country have a strong ESL market?
• Does the average teaching salary of this country work with my lifestyle?
• What is social, political, and economic picture of this country, and how will this affect me?
• Does this country interest me; can I envision myself living there for an extended period of time?

Time spent looking for the relevant information will help you gain valuable perspective on your upcoming ESL job search. You will have goals rooted with realistic expectations.

Use the Internet
The Internet will offer a good understanding of a desired country and its ESL market. Communicate with ESL teachers already working overseas via blogs, forums, Facebook, and other online social media tools. Speak with one of our Course Advisors or attend one of our free information sessions.

Recommended Online Resources

• Oxford Seminars’ Website
  Oxford Seminars’ Country Profiles
  Our Country Profiles offer a general overview of countries around the world, regardless of the size of their ESL job market. The profiles cover areas of interest such as typical contract lengths, peak hiring seasons, additional benefits included in teaching contracts, and other information relevant to a specific region. Country Profiles provide a brief introduction to ESL markets around the world.
  http://www.oxfordseminars.ca/teaching-esl-jobs/esl-country-profiles.php
  
  Oxford Seminars’ ESL Country Reports
  Our Country Reports are comprehensive essays discussing what it is like to live in a specific country. The reports offer valuable information such as the typical ESL teaching salary, tips on finding a job, information on how to travel in the country, tips on obtaining a visa, and other practical information. Country Reports offer a realistic picture of teaching English abroad.
  http://www.oxfordseminars.ca/teach-english-job-opportunities/esl-teaching-jobs-overseas.php#ESLCountryReport
  
  Oxford Seminars’ Graduate Opportunities
  Our Job Search Advisors have gathered information from our graduates concerning their experiences teaching English abroad. The countries featured in our Graduate Opportunities section are just a sample of the many teaching opportunities exclusive to Oxford Seminars' graduates. These and many other great teaching positions are available through our Teacher Placement Service. Our Graduate Opportunities section allows you to learn about teaching English overseas through the experiences of our TESOL/TESL graduates.
  http://www.oxfordseminars.ca/teach-english-job-opportunities/esl-teaching-jobs-overseas.php
• Dave’s ESL Café
  Dave’s ESL Café is one of the Internet’s more well-known resources for those interested in teaching English abroad. The site features lessons, forums, ESL job boards, and plenty of other resources.
  http://www.eslcafe.com/
• Lonely Planet
  The Lonely Planet website provides information about living in countries around the world. The content provided by Lonely Planet mostly focuses on the living conditions within a specific country.
  http://www.lonelyplanet.com/
  

Step 3. Get Qualified to Teach Abroad

It is common to find that most schools require their ESL teachers to have some form of certification. You need to find a course that offers a certification which is known to English language schools around the world and will equip you with the skills you need to teach English overseas.

Picking the Right Certification Course
Not all TESOL/TESL courses advertised are of the same quality. For example, online and correspondence courses that do not include a teaching practicum will not properly prepare you for teaching abroad. Moreover, many courses don’t meet the standards or the required in-class hours for international recognition.

In-Class Exposure
TESOL/TESL certification courses vary in content and time spent in the classroom, with some (mostly online courses) having no “in-class” exposure. Our course covers the components that legitimate ESL schools require, such as second language acquisition, lesson planning, teaching English grammar, vocabulary techniques, Multiple Intelligence Theory, testing and evaluating, and other elements which will make you an effective ESL teacher.

Our 60-hour Course Includes:

• Convenience
  Our course is held on weekends, and is offered on university campuses across Canada.
  View upcoming course locations and dates
• Instructors
  Our certified TESOL/TESL instructors are dynamic, experienced, and bring a wide range of international teaching experience to the classroom.
  View our instructor profiles
• Affordable
  Our course is priced competitively at $995 plus tax. Various discounts are available, including $100 off if you register and pay in full 28 days prior to the start of a course, $50 off if you register with a friend, and $50 off if you register and pay in full at an Information session.
• Interactive Teaching Practicum
  Students are responsible for designing and presenting an interactive ESL teaching practicum. This practicum provides students with the ideal opportunity to practice many of their newly acquired ESL teaching skills.
  View our detailed course outline

Learn more about how we provide our graduates with internationally recognized TESOL/TESL certification by attending one of our upcoming free information sessions, or by contacting one of our knowledgeable Course Advisors at 1-800-269-6719 .

Step 4. Representing Yourself

You have now finished your certification course, and are ready to begin your ESL job search by developing an ESL-centred resume and cover letter. These documents offer a crucial first impression of you to prospective employers.

Sell Yourself
It is important to write a resume that sells you to employers. Keep your documents simple, and highlight your education and certifications. Do not overload your resume with irrelevant information; only include information relevant to the position. Our course reviews strategies for creating effective resumes tailored to ESL teaching positions, and tips for presenting yourself well in interviews for ESL positions.

Components of an ESL-Centered Resume

• Elements Related to Teaching ESL
  ESL teachers need to provide information about their country/year of birth, citizenship, and first language. ESL-specific resumes typically include a headshot.
• Education
  All resumes should include a breakdown of your education.
• Certification
  Your TESOL/TESL certification will be an important element of your resume. Our graduates have found success by highlighting the important elements of their certification course.
• Work Experience
  Outline your previous work experience, and place a priority on jobs related to ESL and leadership.

Upon completion of our course, a Job Search Advisor will review your resume and cover letter, and make any necessary suggestions. Once your final draft is completed, your Advisor will send your resume and cover letter to the contacts we have in your countries of choice.

Step 5. Prepare for the Interview Process

Your resume/cover letter have been sent to schools and recruiters, and you are beginning to hear back from them. The school’s director will now ask you for a telephone interview, which we will cover in the Oxford Seminars TESOL/TESL Certification Course. The phone interview is where you have the opportunity to prove that you are a native English speaker or possess the skills of a native English speaker.

Interview Tips

• Speak clearly and avoid pausing.
• Answer questions within a few sentences without overloading the response with unnecessary details.
• Be grammatically correct with your answers.
• Keep a positive tone of voice throughout the interview.
• When discussing previous experiences and/or education, use real-life examples.
• Make it clear through the interview that you are excited about the prospect of teaching English abroad.
• Be aware that you may be speaking with an ESL speaker and as such, choose simple, clear vocabulary.

Your Job Search Advisor would be happy to give you additional interview tips and answer any questions you may have about the process.

Step 6. Negotiate and Sign a Contract

Once resumes have been sent and interviews have been conducted, ESL teachers will begin to receive employment offers along with proposed contracts. As exciting as it is to receive a job offer, it is still important to take time to investigate the offer.

Invest the Time
Proper time and effort must be spent reviewing a contract before it’s signed. If you have prior teaching experience or are an accredited teacher, don’t be afraid to negotiate your salary and hours - you deserve to be compensated for your credentials. If this is your first teaching experience, make sure you know what the standard of pay is for that particular country and that your contract adheres to it.

Ask Questions
Read over your contract thoroughly. Ask questions to ensure that you are clear on every aspect of the contract. Get a second opinion. Ask to speak to current teachers at the school and get their opinion before signing.

Be Realistic
It is important to keep in mind that you should only negotiate those things on which you are not willing to compromise. Should you appear to be demanding, your application could be set aside in favour of another candidate.

Things to Watch For

• Split shifts
• Unpaid holidays
• Sick days
• Reimbursement for airfare
• Overtime
• Accommodations
• Key money (mainly in Japan)
• Transportation
• Unpaid preparation
• Unpaid extracurricular activities
• Healthcare
• Holidays
• Transportation from airport

Contract negotiations can be tricky, and now is the time to begin your six months of free teacher placement service. Send your full name, exactly as it appears on your certificate, where and when you completed the certification course, and your top three countries of choice to initiate@oxfordseminars.com.

Step 7. Prepare to Teach and Travel Abroad

You have now been offered a teaching position overseas and have signed your contract. This is usually a very busy and exciting time for ESL teachers. Many find that spending time doing research about the country gives some insight on how to prepare and can alleviate future stresses such as culture shock.

Thing to Do

• If needed, shop around and purchase an airplane ticket.
• Visit a local health clinic and have the appropriate vaccinations done.
• You will be required to file taxes when you return home. It is important to contact Revenue Canada before leaving. ESL teachers are often required to pay taxes in both countries. You have several tax options that should be explored before you leave. Find someone you trust to help manage your finances.
• Learn common phrases in your new country’s native language.
• Study the transit system of the area you are moving.
• Decide what to pack and pack light.

Our ESL Country Reports offer detailed information about teaching in popular ESL destinations such as Japan , Korea, Spain, France, China, Italy, Mexico, Germany, Russia, and India.

Step 8. Dealing with Culture Shock

Many ESL teachers go through some degree of culture shock upon arriving in another country. Culture shock is a natural and temporary feeling. This can create a sense of nervousness and general uneasiness for someone arriving in an unfamiliar environment. Learning and understanding a country’s culture and etiquettes in advance can help prepare you and alleviate some of these stresses.

Everyone will go through some degree of culture shock as it is a natural process.

Stages of Culture Shock

• The Honeymoon Stage
  Everything is new and exciting and one feels as though he/she is on vacation.
• The Hostility Stage
  One starts to have problems in the host country and therefore starts to criticize the culture. This happens when a person is trying to adapt to a new culture. Things are no longer new and exciting.
• The Depression Stage
  Your negative feelings reach a climax and one feels lonely and negative. Boredom sets in and working full-time becomes very difficult; one doesn't want to be involved in the community. The transitions between old methods and new ones can take time.
• The Acceptance Stage
  One realizes the good and the bad about the culture and starts to become more comfortable, making friends as the understanding of the new environment grows. Depending on the person, this stage usually occurs four or five months after living in a new culture.

Spending time researching your country of interest is an excellent way to lessen the effect of culture shock. Many ESL teachers find that it is part of the experience of teaching English abroad. We discuss culture shock and how to deal with it during our certification course.

Step 9. Starting Your Time Abroad

Finally, you have arrived overseas to begin teaching. This is both an exciting and overwhelming time for many.

First Day Overseas

• Familiarize yourself with the local transit and/or apply for a local driving license. You may also want to consider getting an international driver’s license before leaving your home country.
• Learn the area and locate hospitals, markets, and/or grocery stores.
• Ensure that you have access to banking services.
• Set up telephone and/or Internet service; this will allow for communication to loved ones back home.
• Inform friends and family of your new mailing address.
• Relax and enjoy yourself!

Our Job Search Advisors have assisted in placing thousands of graduates in ESL jobs around the world and have background knowledge of what you can expect upon arriving overseas.

Step 10: Teaching Your First Day of Class

This is the moment you have worked so hard for; your first day teaching in an ESL classroom. A teacher’s first day in the classroom can be both an exciting and nerve-wracking experience. Many ESL teachers find that they learn a lot by simply observing how students and teachers interact with one another. It is best to spend some time learning about the school’s procedures and begin to understand your responsibilities. Be sure to spend the time needed to properly prepare for upcoming lessons and ensure your lesson plans fit the needs of your students.

Our course provides our students with a realistic picture of what to expect during their first week in an ESL classroom and how to make the first week overseas a less stressful experience.

Have fun!