ESL (English as a Second Language) / TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) means teaching English to those whose first language is not English.

To be an ESL / TEFL teacher you need to have a solid grasp of the English language and be able to express and explain your knowledge to other people. Having the following attributes will also be of benefit to you: clear speech and pronunciation; a friendly and confident manner; good time management and planning skills.

The main job responsibilities of an ESL / TEFL teacher include: preparing and delivering English lessons; assessing students ability and potential; giving students feedback on their work. Teaching roles are focused on conversation, rather than grammar, and it is widely accepted that ESL / TEFL teachers speak only in English for the duration of their classes; the ability to speak a foreign language not being a requirement when teaching English abroad.

The vast majority of ESL / TEFL positions require you to be a native English speaker}; this means that either the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland or the UK is your home country. No age restrictions are in place but it can be more difficult for teachers under 21 and over 50 to find employment.

Virtually all ESL / TEFL jobs require you to have a university degree, however, it is not necessary for that degree to be a teaching or English language related degree. You can find ESL / TEFL jobs without having a degree but you: will be limited in the countries you can work in; will likely be offered lesser paid jobs; may have to work illegally (i.e. without a work permit).

ESL / TEFL specific qualifications are not needed in order to teach English abroad, but you will be able to choose from more jobs, and will be paid more, if you have them. A quality ESL / TEFL course program should consist of: a minimum of 100 hours of study; at least 6 hours teaching real students under the supervision of an experienced teacher; accreditation from an overseeing body (a university or examining board).

Continue : Teaching English Abroad

Technorati Tags: employment, english teacher, esl, esl teacher, jobs, teach english, teach english abroad, teacher, tefl, tefl teacher