Is TEFL Right for You? Key Factors to Consider Before Teaching Abroad

Here are some things to consider about teaching English abroad before you decide if TEFL is right for you:

Do you enjoy helping people learn? TEFL requires a lot of interaction and patience, especially if you are teaching English to beginners. Although previous teaching experience is not required to get started in TEFL, most people who have a positive experience come with previous teaching experience in some field, whether it is yoga instructor, music teacher, French, or licensed K-12 teacher.  

TEFL often involves teaching in different cultures and environments. You need to be open-minded and able to adjust quickly to culture shock.  If you are looking to explore a new culture, learn a new language, and travel to unchartered territories, then TEFL may be a great fit for you.

TEFL jobs offer the opportunity to live in another country for extended periods of time, giving you more time and flexibility than a 2-week vacation to travel to hot destinations.

TEFL schedules can be irregular, with evening and weekend classes common. Make sure this fits your lifestyle. It’s hard not to! Most people who get into TEFL report taking language classes, playing sports, and having fun touring around the city.

Entry-level TEFL salaries vary widely by location. Do your research to ensure your TEFL job pays for the lifestyle you want.

Some countries are great for saving $5,000 to $10,000 in a year. The average entry-level ESL teacher in East Asia earns $2,000/month plus accommodation, airfare, health insurance, and other benefits. However, the average entry-level ESL teacher in Europe or Latin America earns $1,500/month without benefits, which is just enough to cover living expenses. Check if the work visa allows you to earn extra money teaching online or to private students. Most ESL teachers in Europe and Latin America teach extra hours online to travel more or save money.  However, the work visa in some countries will prohibit you from earning extra income.

If you like your first teaching experience and want to pursuit a career in TEFL, there are jobs that pay more than $60,000/year in North America and internationally. The most popular career advancement opportunities for experienced ESL teachers are IELTS preparation courses, Business English, online freelancing, coordinator, Director of Studies, and entrepreneurship. According to Glassdoor, the average IELTS teacher in Canada earns $69,000 and the highest salary for an IELTS teacher is $102,000 per year.

Relevant qualifications

Many TEFL jobs require a bachelor’s degree and a TEFL/TESOL certification. However, there is a big difference between foundational and professional-level courses.

The Importance of Professional-Level Training

If TEFL is a right fit for you, consider getting professional-level training and certification from the beginning.  Learning how to use communicative and task-based lesson planning frameworks is the most important skill you need to learn to teach English effectively.

Why Foundational Courses May Fall Short

Many people get started with a foundational-level course but struggle on the job if the class textbook is outdated or the class doesn’t have a textbook at all, which is common in many developing countries and rural areas.

Not being well-prepared is one of the main reasons ESL teachers feel unfulfilled and quit their TEFL career early. They got the TEFL certificate quickly to get that entry-level job, but didn’t learn anything about methodology or lesson planning skills so they can’t qualify for better jobs.

Get Accredited Training with OnTESOL

OnTESOL is accredited in Canada and the USA. Take a professional-level TESOL / TEFL course to learn advanced lesson planning skills. Study TESOL / TEFL online at your own pace and attend live classes with other peers via Zoom. Complete an optional and separate 20-hour Practicum module anywhere in the world to gain supervised teaching practice and upgrade your OnTESOL certification with TESL Canada (Academically equivalent to CELTA).