Have you dreamed of traveling around the world? It may sound impossible but if you want to teach English overseas, you’ll have the opportunity to do what you love (teaching) while exploring different places across the globe. It’s hitting two bird with one stone! This is your ticket to discovering the culture of the country while meeting different people and of course bringing the English Language to people in remote areas.
English is considered the most spoken language in the entire world with approximately 1,100,000,000 speakers according to the 2017 edition of Ethnologue. If you find that teaching international students is the career for you, then knowing the best places to teach abroad is paramount.
Five Countries in Need of English Teachers
- China
According to the Telegraph, there are 10 million English speakers in China in its 1.3 billion population. It’s even fewer than 1 in 100 people. This fact makes China the biggest market for English teaching jobs. The salary is good, and the cost of living is low. Thus, helping English teachers save some money. In addition to this, benefits like free housing and airfare are sometimes being given as well. If you wish to give China a try, a TEFL certification is needed.
- South Korea
With a modern economy, popular culture and home of the best barbecues, South Korea is one of the best countries to teach English abroad. It offers some of the best salaries along with the chance to live in one of the most famous cities -Seoul, paid vacation, airfare reimbursement, and health insurance. Teaching to South Korea will require you to take a TEFL course like MYTEFL or Premier TEFL.
- Japan
Japan has been one of the top markets for English Teachers not to mention its 127 million population as of 2018. You can expect a good salary, but the cost of living is high especially if you are situated in Tokyo. Japan offers scenic places, delicious food and a very unique culture. Make sure you have a TEFL certificate if you prefer to teach English in Japan. If not you can take courses like i to i TEFL or ITTT TEFL to get certified.
- Spain
Spain remains the best market in Europe for English teachers. If you are going to find a teaching job in this country, you can start hunting from September to October in places like Madrid and Barcelona. Many jobs may not require a bachelor’s degree. Thus, it’s a perfect ground for beginners to hone skills and gain experience in TEFL.
- Russia
There are different placements for English teachers in Russia such as in private schools, businessmen instructor, language schools, and freelancing. Due to the lengthy process of getting a work visa, planning earlier would be a big help.
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Qualifications for applying as an international English teacher
Major requirements include TEFL certificate and Bachelor’s Degree. If you don’t have a teaching qualification yet, you can apply for ESL jobs. But if you have a degree and a TEFL certificate, you are qualified to teach in most countries. Teaching jobs abroad can vary from language schools for adults to after school hours for children.
Now that you are familiar with the countries where English teachers are in demand, you can start preparing your qualifications and sending your applications.