INTESOL TEFL Careers
With over 270 countries in the world the TEFL positions available are as varied as the countries that offer them.
Job RolesThe English teaching industry has changed significantly over the past ten years. Long gone are the days when you could just walk off the street with a backpack and teach for fun. The demand for trained and qualified teachers is increasing, and the best jobs are going to those who have the commitment and training to do the job well. Additionally, working in TEFL can lead to careers in school administration, curriculum development, training, publishing, translation and interpreting, business and aid organizations. INTESOL graduates are currently teaching in a wide range of teaching positions and high calibre teaching institutions including language schools, elementary and high schools, colleges, universities and corporations. There is a vast array of job titles within the TEFL world. These are perhaps best broken down into 9 main types of position and the INTESOL training programme(s) required to teach them. Conversational English Teacher
Freelance/Private Tutor
State/Public Schoolteacher
Humanitarian Teacher
Summer School/Camp
Business English Teacher
Teacher of ESP
University Lecturer
Assistant Director of Studies/Director of Studies/Head Teacher
Teacher (TEFL) trainer
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A conversational English teacher usually works in a private language school. These are the most abundant jobs throughout the world and are usually the most sought after by recently qualified teachers. Students can be children or adults. Typical lessons with children involve a lot of games and activities and are up beat and fun. Lessons often involve the use of story telling, art based projects, video and singing. The more mature the audience the more mature the study material and delivery.
Whether supplementing an income through private lessons or generating a portfolio of clients as a freelance tutor, the hourly wage can be high; some teachers can double their salaries by teaching students privately in the evening (usually in the students home). A freelance teacher is able to create a good income in an area that might not support a full working week at one individual school. I.e. The teacher may work at a different school each day or build up a portfolio of private lessons in their ideal location. Many travellers pick up a few hours of teaching here and there whilst travelling for the cash and to add meaning to their travelling experience.
The governments of many countries are now making English an essential part of the academic curriculum. This has created a massive requirement for native English speakers within state run schools. These positions don’t always pay the highest salaries because state run schools have smaller salary budgets than private schools, but you can guarantee that state run schools are located in all corners of the globe, and if you are keen to give something back you will tend to be exposed to the poorest students.
Orphanages, centres for destitute women and children, and poor nations throughout the world have a huge humanitarian need for volunteer teachers. If you are able to offer your services in exchange for no more than a bed and a few meals then the emotional rewards and experience you will gain are immense.
Operated both in Native English speaking countries and overseas, private organisations invite students to attend English schools and camps during the state run school summer holiday periods. These short-term positions create ideal opportunities to gain experience or to earn extra money during the summer period. Teaching is typically conversational English and often includes participation in extra curricular activities like field trips.
A business English teacher will teach either on a business premises or at a language school. The students will typically be company employees who need or want to learn English to help them advance and further their own careers. Business English positions are very common and widespread. They require a mature attitude and smarter dress. Business knowledge is useful.
An ESP (English for Specific Purposes) teacher will typically teach business English to company employees in a specific industry (aviation, medical, pharmaceutical). These positions can be very lucrative and involve creating an English language needs analysis for the given business industry. For example those in the engineering industry will need to be taught different language to those in the petrochemical industry.
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