A Day in The Life of a TEFL Teacher

Many graduates from the class of 2010 may opt to spend a year teaching English abroad as competition in the graduate jobs market becomes increasingly fierce As competition in the graduate jobs market heats up, thousands of students are turning to TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) to escape the looming spectre of graduate unemployment. According to a report by The Times, the biggest graduate recruiters are expecting a bumper year of applications, as...

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Finding work abroad can seem like a minefield – all those different countries, options and contracts. And that’s before you even get started on visas! Here’s how to make a success of it. So, you’re thinking about doing a TEFL course, and it won’t be too long before you’ve got your crisp new TEFL certificate in hand – but what are you going to do with it?! Get a teaching job abroad and jet off...

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How one 23-year-old’s decision to teach English in Indonesia led him to an unexpectedly life-changing love affair When 23-year-old Robert Clarke left his dead-end office job in London behind to teach English in Indonesia last March, he never thought it would be the start of a life-changing adventure that would see him falling desperately in love. But, just three weeks into his new life abroad, Robert found himself nervously waiting for Astrid Citralokam, a course...

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Thinking of teaching English abroad, but feel like you've got a gazillion questions swimming through your head? You're not the only one! So we asked our Academic Director James Jenkin, who has over 15 years' experience, to answer people's most common TEFL questions. Q) Which TEFL course should I do? A) There is such demand for English teachers that you’ll be able to find a job in many countries with no qualification at all. However,...

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Thousands of bright British graduates are set to move abroad in a bid to find work, according to research by a student-employer matchmaker Over 30 per cent of British graduates are considering working abroad in a bid to escape fierce competition for graduate jobs, according to research by studentgems.com. Faced with a lack of opportunities in the UK, a massive 34 per cent of graduates and final-year students surveyed said they were looking at options...

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The short answer is no All you really need is a little wanderlust, a plane ticket, a passport and a TEFL certificate. So there’s really no excuse for not getting out there and doing it. A slightly longer answer The slightly longer and more accurate answer is that, as with all careers, if you have experience and qualifications you’ll be able to get a better job and better pay. But everyone has to start somewhere,...

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The first lesson you have with your students is important as it sets the tone for the rest of the course.  It is also an opportunity for the teacher to assess what the students’ level is and to decide what to focus on.  Here are a few tips for that all-important first lesson:   Smile Most students want a teacher who is approachable, friendly and fun….and yet…. Be firm Students need to know the ground...

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Stray onto any travel-related forum online and you’ll find all kinds of crazy opinions about teaching abroad – which course to do, how to find work, how to teach your students… hell, even how to tie your shoelaces while in xxxx! So, let’s clear up a little bit of confusion:   Myth 1: You need to speak another language to teach abroad While you might want to learn how to say ‘hello’, ‘please’, ‘thank-you’ and...

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As public holidays go, Japan’s Golden Week is a bit of a peach! This year’s Golden Week includes a day off tomorrow, followed by a five-day weekend from May 1st until May 5th. My kind of living! But there’s more to Golden Week than a few days off work – think history, culture, all that kinda thing. Across Japan they’ll be celebrating the following auspicious occasions… • April 29th Showa Day (Showa no hi): April...

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Teaching English as a Foreign Language after graduation can improve your job prospects and give you loads of transferable skills that are in demand in the domestic jobs market. So, even if you’re not thinking of teaching as a long-term career, spending time teaching abroad can be really beneficial to your future career.     Improve your communication skills When you teach abroad you’ll spend much of your time standing in front of a class...

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