EFL myths to set you straight before you become an EFL teacher online or in the classroom

Many of my readers will know that I’ve been a TEFL teacher for a few years now with a few breaks from the industry here and there. It was the best decision I've ever made, but I am worried that the TEFL industry is being sold as a traveler's dream, rather than the actual difficult career that it is. So if you’re thinking of teaching English in a foreign country, or have friends that are, read this before you jump on the TEFL bandwagon.

1. Teaching English is easy

If you’re sitting there thinking, “I want to become an English teacher, it sounds fun, meet different people all the time, travel whenever I want, earn good money…” Let me stop you there. May I encourage you to take a step back and really think about why you want to teach English. To do this, you may want to do your research into what TEFL is really like.

Teaching English is no walk in the park. It’s time consuming, emotionally draining, taxing hard work . I know kids seem cute and it sounds like I live a life of children's party games being energetic in the classroom all day, but that’s only the half of it. When I was teaching in a classroom, I was in a classroom with 9 teenagers (in reality this is a small class size), I absolutely love it- so there must be some perks to it too, right?!

2. I'll be fine with a TEFL certificate

In order to teach English abroad, you are required to have a TEFL qualification, on top of your bachelor’s degree in any subject. The TEFL can take as little as three months to complete and can be completed online or in class. A TEFL certification is the minimum qualification normally required for a teaching job with language schools around the world and it’s a great way to gain an understanding of what will be required of you when you do land a teaching role in a foreign country.

Although a TEFL certificate or equivalent is not to be laughed at or forgotten about, it is not a comprehensive BIBLE to teaching English. There are skills highly required that you cannot get from a short course or online certificate such as class management or interactions with parents, individuals with extra needs and of course the ability to balance work and social life in a new and foreign country.

I highly recommend getting a TEFL before you start teaching, even if it isn't mandatory for the position you’re applying for because you will learn so much about the English language, how to plan lessons, how to engage students and how to be the best teacher you can be. But I also recommend looking back on your life and previous work experiences and analyzing what skills you have got that can be applied to teaching and or working with non-English speaking individuals including children. Since no EFL teaching portion is the same, have a think about what it was about those experiences that you really enjoyed and look for a position that ticks those boxes - they'll be the jobs you’re best at!

If you can’t think of any major past experiences that you can link to EFL, it’s never too late! Get out there and get some transferable experience! Whether it's as an au pair one a week for a family in your area, or assisting a local teacher in a primary school, going abroad and immersing yourself in an area where English is not the native language, or getting set up on Cambly online to gain confidence talking to English learners.

3. Teaching means non stop party

If it’s partying you want, you don't want to become an EFL teacher, especially not in a classroom where you have to prepare your own materials and mark lots of homework etc. Teaching English can be highly time consuming and if you want to be on top of your game you’ll need to bring high levels of energy to your classes. This means getting a good night's sleep each night and a healthy lifestyle outside of work hours. You’re not a lawyer or emergency room nurse but it's not the perfect job for those wanting to get on the booze every night.

However, teaching can be a party. EFL schools are usually casual, relaxed, fun places where all members of staff socialize outside of work together. I remember popping next door on my lunch break when I was working in Spain and never sitting by myself, and hopping to the gym after work with my gym buddies to sweat away our stresses from the naughty kids that day. If you already have experience working in the education industry you’ll have an idea of what it can be like. Teaching English is slightly less pressured and usually requires slightly less home-work from teachers allowing you to enjoy tapas, hr gym and other fun activities when you finish work.

4. TEFL Teachers get to travel the world

One of the reasons I decided to first start teaching English in Spain was the opportunity to travel. Travel has always been one of my main passions in life and since I already loved learning languages myself, Teaching English seemed like a good way to marry my skills to my goals. If you want to travel more, the idea of teaching English abroad may be something you should look into. However, if it is only the travelling you’re interested in, then perhaps look again. It’s not fair on the people you work with or the students you teach if you don’t enjoy your job.

Teachers don’t get unlimited holidays, in fact it’s quite the opposite. You will have to negotiate when you get to take leave with your company just like any other job and it will be at the discretion of your employer.

Teaching English abroad is a job, you work for a school where in the majority of canvases, the students sign up to multi-wek courses, sometimes even longer. Therefore you are committed to staying in one place for longer periods of time. So if mini-breaks to different coastal towns or exploring local cities within one country is your thujing, then embrace the culture and go for it. But if you’re looking to travel to 12 different countries in 12 months, TEFL jobs abroad may not be the best fit for you. You may be better suited to an online TEFL position (link this to my other article).

In the 10 months that I taught English in Spain, I managed to fit in 5 major city breaks as well as 3 trips to the pyrenees to ski of course, and a fair few trips to coastal villages in the summer during my weekend days off and national holidays. Since it is so convenient and easy to travel around europe, yes I could have visited more countries but I feel that my time was much better spent learning more about the country I lived in. I travelled to experience more of the culture and open my mind as well as to contribute to sustainable, ethical tourism. Yes you can travel, No it shouldn't be your only priority.

5. TEFL teacher jobs pay well.

Before I get into the ins and outs of pay in the ESL industry it's important for you to get your priorities straight first.

Teaching is all about having a passion for working with people and helping them to achieve their language goals. It is about having the freedom to live anywhere in the world. To learn a new or several new languages yourself. The rewards that we get as EFL teachers 100% outweigh the paycheck received at the end of the month.

Money is still important though right? A gal gotta live.

ESL teacher salaries greatly vary depending on where you’re teaching. A teacher’s salary can be as little as $600 USD per month to as much as $4,000 USD! Each country not only has different salaries, but also different teaching requirements, expectations, and contract lengths to think about. Additionally, location isn’t the only factor when determining salary.

Where do teachers make the most? The short answer is that countries like Saudi Arabia, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates are among the highest paying places to teach English in the world (scroll down this article for highest-paid countries in each region). In these countries, salaries can range from $2,000 to $4,000 USD per month, with perks like housing and insurance often included.

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I hope this article has helped. Feel free to post any comments below or click contact me at the bottom of the page if you have any questions.

The Ski Nomad