So, you’ve thought about teaching English to students overseas. You love to travel, work well with groups and have a knack for public speaking. But you have some concerns. Great! You’re wise to plan carefully. What information do you need to get started? How can you become qualified? What resources and materials will you need?

Let’s get started.

First things first: for any international travel, US citizens must have a passport.

Acquire your passport.

To obtain a passport, you must first apply in person, with all required identification materials. Visit the USA Department of State Website for comprehensive instructions.http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

Always keep your passport on your person. Also make color photocopies to keep in your luggage and your hotel. Your friends and family members should also retain copies back home, in case you lose your original. This way, the copies can be faxed or emailed to your locale when the need arises to prove your citizenship.

Respect each culture.

International travel is the premier way to experience the many respective cultural arts, languages and philosophies. Cherish your acquisition of this knowledge, and optimize the experience by remaining courteous and professional at all times to your global friends and neighbors.

Remember that you won’t be given immunity by virtue of being ignorant of the country’s law system. Learn the laws and respect them. If you feel can’t do this, teach in a community more akin to your socio-political ideologies.

Am I Qualified?

The answer might be yes. Learning the substance of this article alone will not prepare you, but it will point you in the right direction.

To begin, most employers in this trade require a minimum age of 21. This varies, but generally those teachers 21 and older find employment much easier, especially because they are more likely to hold a Bachelor’s Degree. Having a BA/BS Degree coupled with the proper teacher credentials is ideal.

Nearly all employers prefer native English speakers, so if English is your first language, you’re already partially qualified.

Preparation:

Making yourself employable to the greatest number of nations should always be your goal— it’s good job security. The easiest way to ensure that your skills are widely marketable (and more valuable than your untrained competitors) is to earn the Cambridge CELTA certification. For most teaching positions, this type of certificate establishes your credentials. Just as a bartender needs a liquor license, so too should you earn your CELTA certification. The Cambridge CELTA program offers an internationally-respected professional certificate that can be acquired through the program centers hosted by Cambridge in England, as well as 12 other approved locations in the USA and Canada.

Although you may encounter a handful of TEFL/ ESL instructors who will admit that they have taught illegally in certain underdeveloped nations you’d do well to avoid this practice. Teaching illegally means that you have no prefessional credentials, or that you do not hold a current work visa. It is not advisable to work illegally. Many countries (e.g., Japan) will not hire you without proper credentials and certification, but other nations might let you teach a small group at a community center even if your skills are less than perfect or your work papers are out of order.

It’s your call, but recognize that the best way to avoid trouble is to comply with the laws. If you intentionally break the laws, not matter how inconspicuous you assume you are, you must be prepared to deal with any ramifications.

Another legal rule of thumb for travel: most nations do not honor any inherent form of freedom of speech, so if you feel critical of the local government, it’s prudent to keep your opinions unspoken.

Back to the Basics:

You’ll find it’s well worth the effort to invest time in polishing your English grammar and syntax skills. And honing your penmanship for easy readability is a nice gesture to your students.

Some students of select countries are very serious about learning new languages and will expect you to have near-encyclopedic knowledge. Beware that a poor review by a student to your employer could jeopardize your future job placement elsewhere. Students from unpaid classes usually expect less, but again, if you teach students who pay good money to have a certified instructor, it’s only fair that they receive your best services.

It’s also in your best interest to invest in some TEFL guidebooks and English grammar reference books (some of which are listed later in the article). Don’t assume that the school at which you teach will have enough teaching manuals and reference texts to go around.

But don’t worry about glancing at a reference book from time to time. Your students recognize that it’s impossible to have mastered every obscure rule of the English language. Having the proper guidebook handy can be a lifesaver.

Brushing Up on the Local Culture:

Use travelogues and online newspapers to read up on the local history and political climate of the nation in which you plan to teach. One excellent site is Travel Pod, where you can read travelogues about your host country, written by people of your own native country.

If you have special needs, be sure to inquire ahead of time about where you can find your supplies or dietary preferences. Medical needs are obvious: prescriptions, insulin, etc. Dietary concerns such as lactose intolerance and food allergies are important to consider as well. If you experience an allergic reaction to a local food, be sure to have quick access to medical attention. This includes checking the availability of public transportation and the average time it takes for ambulances to arrive. Additionally, some nations are not ideal for the diets of vegetarians and vegans, because they may not have access to expensive products like soymilk and certain vegetables. Don’t expect all foreign cultures to have every accommodation or luxury you’re used to at home.

If you teach in a nation that offers public transportation, familiarize yourself with it. Being privy to the discounted resources can save good money.

Additional Ways to Prepare:

Volunteer to teach at local literacy programs. Doing so familiarizes you with the public contact and prepares you for teaching reading, listening and writing skills. Enthusiasm and confidence are equally as important as pedagogical skill— they make learning more exciting for your pupils and illustrate your dedication to your work.

Familiarize yourself with the abbreviations and acronyms and other industry jargon. A select few are explained below, but you will encounter many more, which you will remember easily enough. Increasing your vocabulary to include the lexicon of international teaching will both benefit you and impress your prospective employer(s).

[Sometimes a few of these terms are interchangeable. An international language teacher might refer to himself/herself as either an ELT or a TEFL teacher or an ESL teacher.]

This list is not exhaustive, but it will get you on your way to being familiar with the lingo:

CELTA: Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Okay, so it’s not a perfect acronym, but neither is Unicef (United Nations Children’s Fund).

Direct Approach: Describes the “total immersion” method of teaching. Students are directly introduced to the language and prohibited from using their lingua franca.

ELT: English Language Teaching

Expatriate: This term formerly referred to those who emigrated from their native countries for political reasons, but “expatriate” is now increasingly used as a colloquial term applied to international travelers and ESL teachers.

Global Citizen: An individual captivated by international travel; he or she is charismatic, well-acculturated and highly adaptable to new, exciting environments.

Lingua Franca: The nation’s vernacular, native language, mother tongue, or common dialect.

Oral vs. Aural: Though they are homophones (words that sound the same but mean different things) the former refers to spoken communication while the latter refers to listening comprehension.

Pedagogy: the profession, art or science of teaching. (Referring to yourself as a “pedagogue” might impress your friends, but it’s still just a fancy word for teacher.)

TEFL: Teaching English as a Foreign Language. This involves teaching people (usually while in their own countries) who wish to acquire English skills for business purposes, travel or other personal interest.

TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

So, now you’ve memorized a few of the industry terms. But you say you’ve got a few more questions? Then by all means, let’s continue.

So, Must I be multi-lingual?

The short answer is “no”. Certainly, having a mastery over multiple languages will assist your interaction with the natives when you are outside of the classroom. However, the good news is that most TEFL programs require only that you are a CELTA certified instructor and a native speaker of English. (Note that some students prefer to learn the American brand of English, while others are satisfied with British-dialect English.)

How is it possible to teach in, say, Japan or Mexico if I only speak English?

Good question. Here’s the answer: experts and veteran foreign language teachers have developed different teaching methods. One widely-used approach is called the Direct Approach, aptly named because it stipulates that students may not use their lingua franca (mother tongue) while in class. This creates a very challenging but effective learning environment. Of late, the Direct Approach has been combined with other methods, but it still holds true that teachers can find many jobs for which they need no foreign languages skills.

You might be interested to know that US government language camps, which specialize in foreign language instruction for ambassadors and military personnel, regularly employ this approach. Total immersion in a new language environment forces students to rely on their aural comprehension skills to adapt to the vastly different learning environment.

How can I teach a foreign language if I’ve never been a foreign-language pupil?

My, you’ve thought of everything, haven't you? But, consider that the best way to prepare for teaching is to understand how your students will learn the language, even if you’ve never dealt with similar circumstances. (That said, you actually will come to understand the difficulty of learning new languages when you arrive in your new city, because unlike your students, the other citizens with whom you interact will probably not be speaking English.)

As a native English speaker, you take so many things for granted because the grammar, verb conjugations, parallel structure and pronunciation come naturally. But, the ability to put yourself in the shoes of your students will allow you to sympathize with their struggle. Work from the inside outward.

Language is a fascinating tool, but you must realize that initially, for students staring at an English sentence, it may seem as cryptic as it would be for you to scan hieroglyphics on a cave wall.

Recommended Reading:

Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language: Third Edition By Marianne Celce-Murcia, editor.

An indispensable reference tool. This comprehensive book will guide you through the fundamentals of language acquisition, pedagogy, drafting lesson plans and teaching proper pronunciation. The contributing authors also explore the difference between teaching adults and younger students.

Teaching English Overseas: A Job Guide for Americans and Canadians By Jeff Mohammed

A priceless reference book, to be read before you make the decision to teach overseas. In fact, you should read Jeff’s book immediately after you finish this article (if I haven’t frightened you away from the profession, of course!).

How to Teach English By Jeremy Harmer

Helps teachers to understand the basics of describing language to students, which is no easy task. But, Harmer makes it look pretty darn easy.

The Elements of Style By William Strunk and E.B. White

Put simply, every teacher, avid reader or professional writer should own a copy of this concise guide to English grammar and style. Pocket-sized, easy to understand and authoritative.

Recommended Websites:

Ah, the glorious Internet: our magical information superhighway.

Cambridge CELTA Certification Website:http://www.cambridgeesol.org/teaching/celta.htm

This site tells you where to earn accreditation and answers frequently asked questions about the program, including costs and location centers that offer the certificate.

TEFL Website:http://www.tefl.com/

This is an excellent online career portal. Once you’ve perfected your skills, your next task is finding that first job!

Dave’s ESL Café:http://www.eslcafe.com/

Most ESL teachers go absolutely bonkers over this site. Have a look. It’s a very helpful, user-friendly site.

English International (Jeff Mohammed’s Website):http://www.english-international.com/

Jeff has answers to many more frequently asked questions. He is a very talented teacher and you will greatly benefit from visiting his site and reading his book.

Travel Pod (Travelogue forums website):www.travelpod.com

This site is free to use and offers a unique and easy way to learn about other countries, simply by reading the articles written by travelers who post on the site. Many of the travel-blogs offer beautiful photographs and unique insights not found in store-bought travel books. You can glean some national background knowledge on your chosen jobsite by benefiting from the wisdom and mistakes of other travelers.

World Newspapers Online:http://www.actualidad.com

Although not specifically geared toward teaching, it is valuable as a cultural resource. Reading a local newspaper from the respective nations you plan to visit will prepare you for changing political climate and help bring other relevant data to the forefront.

Some final thoughts:

Remember that you are a representative of your nation, so behave like a rational adult. This seems like obvious advice, but many prospective teachers show up to interviews and classrooms having forgotten their manners, which can result in a wide variety of reactions. Just try to recall the golden rule of treating others with benevolence and respect, as you expect others to do for you.

Becoming a global citizen through teaching is one of the most challenging, exhilarating and rewarding aspects of being an EFL teacher. The industry allows for a great deal of travel, as you are essentially a freelance teacher. Make the most of your skills by visiting several different countries.

Be confident, courteous, polite, alert, streetwise and agreeable while traveling, especially when going through the motions of entering customs checkpoints. Above all else, be patient and compassionate with your students.

Good luck to you in your pursuits!

* Bear in mind: this article makes no claim to have provided professional legal advice about any item, including citizenship or work visa requirements. Each teacher must research such legal knowledge before embarking on international business.