movingonup

If anyone out there has experience teaching english as a second language abroad, please let me know which areas I should definitely check into, definitely stay away from, etc. I'm open to (almost) any country. Any advice is helpful. Thanks!

amwosu

Make sure to post the same question on the Europe board.

Bokhara

What other languages do you speak?

movingonup

I speak limited Spanish but have been advised that being fluent in another language is not a pre-requisite for teaching english abroad. Only english is used in the classroom. I understand the difficulties with not knowing the host country's language, but others have accepted teaching positions without being fluent.

Bokhara

I understand that. I just thought that if you spoke, for instance, one of the "Romantic" languages,as you do, that might be a pointer for your areas of interest. My niece did Japanese and picked up some Korean at school and subsequently taught English in Japan. She then did a 3 month voluntary stint at an orphanage in Korea and is now working for an inbound tour operator specialising in Asian business travel.

Whilst fluency in the "host" language is not essential for you to teach English; the more you know of it, the easier, better and more enjoyable it will be for you, not only in teaching but in your own enjoyment of the people & country.

My point is really about finding your geographic & cultural areas of interest so you can narrow down your choices. The other thing to consider is how much you want/need to earn. If, for example, you decided you'd like to teach in Bali (or elsewhere in Indo.) you would need to know that the wages are very,very low. On the other hand, the more affluent countries, and especially those seeking to increase their exposure to the West for trade, will pay very well indeed for good teachers.

FainaAgain

Kalifornia is just the right place for you!

Bokhara

FainaAgain - or perhaps PhaicTan?

julies

What kind of training o you have? the days of being able to teach just because you speak English are over. At the minimum you will need a TEFL certificate. It is basically impossible for an American to teach in Western Europe. Eastern Europe and Asia are another story.

chris2x

The most recent guest on my podcast had taught English in Japan. One thing he said was that many of the people who were his students were taking English classes just as entertainment.

http://AmateurTraveler.com/2007/01/2...lish-in-japan/

birder

I know people teaching English as a second language in Japan, China, and Argentina. None of them had a TESL certificate (although I agree that would be helpful). You need to be careful because some places can rip you off pretty badly (promise you one thing and then change the terms when you get to the location). You need to do a lot of research - for example, the person I know in China said that he had found a bunch of websites where people who were teaching English in China posted, so you could figure out which programs were scams. Sorry I don't have more direct info but thought this might be helpful.