Teaching English in China with English 1: Essential Checklist for Aspiring Teachers

As the world opens up, there is an increasing demand for international work experience and foreign language skills. Native English speakers can gain that experience by becoming English teachers.

How do you become an English teacher?

There are countless jobs in numerous countries. There is no universal standard for applicants, so let’s focus on the typical requirements.

You should be a citizen of an English-speaking country. After all, why would a school go through the trouble of obtaining a work visa and paying relocation expenses to hire a foreign English teacher who learned English at school, instead of a local English teacher who also learned English at school? They hire foreign teachers so students are exposed to natural accents and native speech patterns. Citizens of the following countries will find their English skills in high demand:

• The United States

• Canada

• United Kingdom

• Ireland

• Australia

• New Zealand

• South Africa

You should have a university degree. Your major isn’t too important, although teaching degrees may earn you a higher salary. Recruiters were also impressed when I told them I had an English degree, but any degree from an accredited, reputable university is accepted.

You should obtain a Teaching English as a Foreign Language ( TEFL) certificate before applying for jobs. A typical TEFL course runs for 120 hours, so you could complete a full-time course in a month. TEFL courses are offered all over the world. Consider studying in the country where you want to teach—you could experience it for a month before committing to stay for a year, which is the typical length of a TEFL contract. If you can’t afford to give up your day job while obtaining a TEFL certificate, there are also widely (though not universally) accepted online TEFL courses. Because these only cover theory and don’t offer practical teaching experience, in-person certificates are preferred. However, many schools will hire graduates of online courses.

This career tends to attract younger applicants, but middle-aged candidates can also find teaching positions. It leans young because recent graduates find it easier to move abroad—they don’t yet own homes, have families, or established careers. However, that’s a trend, not a requirement. While I can’t promise that age discrimination doesn’t exist, many employers will hire at any age, especially outside major cities. Some countries, on the other hand, only approve foreign work visas for applicants under retirement age, so those in, near, or past their 60s may not be able to obtain a visa.

If you meet those four requirements, you can teach English abroad—but should you?

This is not a career for everyone, largely because living in a foreign country can feel… well… foreign. At some point, your assumptions about how the world works will be challenged.

While living in China, I have been surprised numerous times. Tofu is not considered vegetarian food here; it’s simply food and can absolutely be added to meat dishes. Optometrists in China don’t fit you with new glasses—medical eye exams and glasses fittings are done by different professionals. Taxi drivers have asked me about my salary, a topic rarely discussed in the US. I don’t even know my own family members’ salaries. Your `normal' is not everyone’s `normal'. If you want to teach abroad, be prepared to adapt—and be prepared to teach.

It may seem obvious that future teachers should be ready to teach, but the `teaching' part of `teaching abroad' can sometimes be overlooked.

The truth is, travelling and experiencing another culture have always been huge selling points for English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, and that’s fine. Travel is a big perk. By all means, enjoy your time off. Use your holidays to explore your host country. Spend time with local friends on your days off. Just be ready when school starts again.

If you don’t have teaching experience, get some before committing to teach for an entire year. You don’t want to sign a year-long contract and move halfway across the world only to find you don’t like your new job.

For anyone interested in both teaching and living abroad, take the plunge. It’s a job unlike any other.