Teaching English Abroad in International Schools

There are many opportunities for teaching English abroad that are open to anybody who is able to speak English fluently. Whether you have a teaching degree or a certificate in English language teaching you can find work almost anywhere in the world.

International schools are elementary, middle and high schools for expatriate children whose families live abroad. There are international schools that offer an American curriculum, those that offer a British curriculum and many more. The language of instruction in most international schools is English but many of the students have English as a second or third language, and so most international schools have teachers who support these students by teaching them English language.

Teaching English abroad in international schools can be done with the same qualifications that are required for teaching in a private language school however you will be competing with people who have teaching diplomas. With over 4000 international schools worldwide, there are many positions vacant every year.

Teaching in an international school often offers better pay and more benefits than teaching in a private language school. Some benefits you are likely to receive teaching in an international school are annual flights, accommodation allowance, medical insurance and, free tuition for your children in the school.

International schools follow the regular school year, so you will only be teaching for around 200 days, and you will be paid for your vacation time, unlike private language school where you will receive 3-4 weeks holiday in a 12 month contract.

Teaching English Abroad in Private Language Schools

Teaching positions in private language schools are easy to secure. English language tuition is a growth business in many areas of the world, in particular in Eastern Europe and throughout Asia.

In order to teach English in a private language school you need to be able to speak English fluently and have a certificate from either Trinity or RSA CELTA. These courses are around 4 weeks long and can even be completed online.

For some countries you will need to have a Bachelor’s degree in order to be eligible for a work permit. You need to check this out if you do not have one because you could end up working abroad illegally.

Working at a private language school can be rewarding as you learn about the local culture from your students and see the progress they make. You are likely to have a combination of classes with 12-20 students and private lessons where you teach only one or two students.

In Asia you can land an English teaching contract at any time, but in Europe most teaching contracts are from the beginning of autumn in September through to the beginning of summer in June or July.

Halfway through the recruiting season...

It has been a very successful international school recruiting season for both myself and my readers, and it's only half over.

I have received about a dozen emails from people telling me that they've found teaching jobs abroad in exciting places.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your emails and congratulate you on your success!

Teaching Overseas - Preparing for the move

Teaching Overseas involves moving your entire family to another country and this can be very stressful.

The first step is to get the shipping companies (get at least two quotes) in to do a survey of your shipping requirements.

This making an appointment with a representative of the shipping company to come to your house. You then take them around your house and show them what you're taking with you. They'll want to look inside all your cupboards and drawers to help them estimate the volume of your shipment.

The agent should then talk to you about how your belongings will be packed, what items are prohibited, how long it will take to get your shipment after it's been packed (this is an estimate only) and what documentation they need you to complete.

Remember the shipping companies know that they are bidding for your business. Don't hide the fact that you're contacting a couple of different companies. They'll tell you why they are the best and you can factor this into your decision.

It is a good idea to get the shipping quotes done early so that you have lots of time to make a decision and negotiate with the shipper over the volume of your shipment if you turn out to be over your allowance.

Also, if you want them to come in and pack up on a day to suit you, then book the shipping company early to avoid disappointment because someone else got in first!

Packing up and shipping out to an overseas teaching job can be a stressful time, but remember how exciting it is too!

Teaching Overseas - What to take...

Securing your teaching job overseas is the first step in your journey. Next comes the packing and moving part. The logistics of moving abroad are particular to where you are moving from and where you are moving to but there are some things you need to decide regardless of these specifics.

One of the things you need to do is check the climate where you are going and make decisions about what clothing you are going to take and what you are going to leave behind.

People laughed at me when I brought all my winter clothing to Bangkok, but I can tell you they aren't laughing now. I've been lending out items of my winter wardrobe fairly consistently to people who left all of their stuff in storage.

You don't need to take a bunch of 'out of climate' clothes with you, but it's a good idea to take a selection because you will be travelling for both pleasure and for professional development and you may well end up in countries where the climate is different to the area you're moving to.