Everyone has different ways of making money on the road. My secret for 5 years before becoming a full-time travel blogger was to teach English abroad!
I’ve taught in lots of different countries, made excellent money and you can do it too!
I have however made some mistakes too and want to help you get the best experience and salary you can. Read on to find out how I funded my travels through the power of vocabulary and grammar!
Teach English Abroad To Fund Your Travels
Where and for whom I’ve taught English
I’ve taught kindergarten (nursery), primary (elementary) and secondary (middle) school, University and adults in Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Austria / Poland / Germany and China. Please click on each country below for detailed information on what I did, where, how I got that job and how good it was! Make sure to finish reading this article too though! You need to know the essentials first to teach English abroad!
Kreao
Thailand
Vietnam
Austria / Poland / Germany
China
Here’s my top advice for you to teach English abroad successfully…
Have a teaching certificate or some experience before you start
If you want to teach, it’s good to know whether you actually like it, can do it and are prepared with a toolbox of tricks up your sleeve.
Many jobs need you to have a TEFL certificate with at least 100 hours put into it these days. With the job market becoming increasingly competitive, what’s the easiest and cheapest way you can start?
Get your TEFL certificate
I personally loveMyTEFL.They’re professional, supportive and experienced. They provide a convenient and comprehensive 120 hour online course and they have been kind enough to give all of you35% off their TEFL certification.
Get 35% off your TEFL course here with code TEA35
No degree? No problem!
If you do not have a degree, the good news is that you can still teach English abroad.
Find out HOW to teach English abroad without a degree
Click here to learn WHERE to teach without a degree
No TEFL and little experience? Do an internship!
If you want to get a TEFL certificate and teaching experience at the same time, why not excel in your English teaching and take part in an internship?
Doing an internship (some with a full paid salary) will give you everything you need to get your dream job straight away!
Click to learn more about doing an internship here
Find the right job for you!
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know
90% of the time, the way I have got a better teaching job has been through word of mouth. Friends have recommended me and forwarded my CV and it’s totally paid off. Most of the best jobs are never even advertised.
Go to the country you want to work in and hunt down your dream job
Nine times out of ten, being already in the country you want to teach in will get you miles ahead of applicants hunting online. Employers like to hire quick and if you’re literally there for the taking and they can see you face-to-face, they’ll be super happy. Sure, this means paying for your own flight and needing to have some courage to head there but it’s worth it.
Look online
If you’re not connected with other teachers, cannot afford to fly into the country yourself or want a guaranteed job before you land somewhere, looking online is a great option. There’s lots of different job websites out there.
MyTEFLhave excellent paid internships with a guaranteed job inChina,Thailandand Africa where you’llreceive an introduction to the country, the school system, the culture, the language, survival tips and much more.
Good, wholesome places I have also used are:
Do You Actually Want To Teach English Online?
There are plenty of opportunities for you.
I recommend youread my How to Teach English Online article.
It has lots of information in it about how much money you can earn, what qualifications and materials you need to get started and who to work for. There are many different companies out there and there is one for you. Even if you do not have a degree, there are teaching English opportunities available!
For specific job websites in each country, click on the country links above at the top of this post!
From experience, I recommend not working for big companies. The care, salary and benefits are just not the same as independent schools but still, I wouldn’t knock them completely. Do what you feel is right for you.
Read that contract once, twice and thrice
Once you get offered a job, make sure you read the contract very carefully. In fact, make sure you actually get that contract in your hands! (you can read about my terrible mistake with a contract in myVietnam teachingpost). You need to be clear on a number of things before you start including:
a) Your pay: is it hourly, weekly or monthly?
b) Do you get paid for overtime?
c) What days you’re working: is working Saturday, Sunday and evenings OK for you or are you a Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 person?
d) Your notice period: is it 3 days, 3 weeks of even 3 months? I’ve been trapped before and had trouble getting out of a job that wasn’t for me
e) The expenses you have to pay if you decide to leave your job early
f) Your duties and responsibilities
g) Preparation time: are the materials you need to teach ready for you or do you have to plan and prepare everything yourself?
h) Your benefits! Housing / travel / holidays / health insurance – these are all bonuses that are definitely helpful to have
Do a bit on the side: private tutoring
If your main job allows it, teaching and tutoring privately can really increase your monthly salary. One-on-one lessons are in high demand by students. I will post about how to conduct private tutoring soon. Stay tuned for this!
What are the best countries to teach English Abroad in at the moment?
ChinaandSouth Koreaare definitely in the top 10 as well as countries in the Middle East! It’s not all about the money though. You can teach and earn enough to live, eat and be merry in many places. Go where your interests lie and where you think you can integrate into the culture. Teacake did consider Saudi Arabia once (for 10 seconds) then quickly changed her mind. I wouldn’t last 10 minutes there.
Here’s some great up-to-date articles on where it’s hot to teach at the moment:
Are you looking for a TEFL course on-site rather than online?
Getting a TEFL certificate is definitely the way to start and I highly recommendMyTEFLfor their amazing online course. However, there are also some excellent on-site courses too which you may prefer to jump right in and do. I’ll be updating this article with different locations. Watch this space!
North America / South America
If you have your heart set on Costa Rica, Guatemala or Peru, I have heard very good things aboutMaximo Nivel’s150 hour on-site TEFL certification prgramme.
Wishing you the best with your future TEFL career and teaching English abroad adventure!
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