6 Reasons to Teach English Abroad*

6 Reasons to Teach English Abroad*

If you want to be a teacher but want to see more of the world and explore other cultures, the idea of teaching abroad has probably crossed your mind. There are several teaching opportunities that you can go for all over the world, whether you are looking for something temporary to fill your time in between college terms, want to earn money whilst traveling for a few years, or even if you’re looking for something permanent. And, teaching English as a foreign language is something that almost anyone can do as long as you have a good grasp of the English language, even if you’re not a native speaker for. We’ve put together some of the best reasons to consider a career teaching English as a foreign language. 

1. Pursue Your Passions:

If you are passionate about both languages and traveling, teaching English as a foreign language is a great way to pursue both of these passions and earn money whilst you’re doing it. If you’re one of the many people who would love to travel the world but are put off by the need to save money in order to get there, signing up to teach English as a foreign language is a great way to see more of the world without the big price tag. The fact that you’ll be working and earning money whilst traveling can make the whole experience even more worthwhile. 

2. It’s Easy to Qualify:

When it comes to qualifying as an English teacher abroad, there are different levels available for everybody. In fact, if you are a fluent, native English speaker, then you may be able to earn money from teaching English as a foreign language abroad without any formal qualifications, although you can expect to earn more if you put some time into getting a widely recognized qualification such as a TEFL certificate, which you can do exclusively online and in a timeframe that best suits you. If you want to go further with your career, you might even want to opt for an MA in TESOL online, which will allow you to apply for higher-paid jobs with more authority and responsibility in your profession. Since it’s an exclusively online degree, you may even be able to study for it as you travel and work as an English teacher. This way, there’s no need to wait until you graduate before you go. 

3. You’ll Experience Different Cultures:

Another amazing reason to consider teaching English as a foreign language for your career is that it’s a great way to experience a wide range of different cultures. When you’re experienced as an English teacher there’s no need to stay in one place – work available in several different countries around the world that you can take advantage of. You could be working teaching children in schools, teaching adult classes, or even living with families and helping them with other everyday tasks and chores whilst teaching English; the choice is yours. As you travel and teach in different places, you’ll be able to fully immerse yourself in the different cultures, which will be an amazing experience that you’ll never forget. 

4. Improve Your Resume:

If teaching English as a foreign language is something that you want to use as a stepping stone into your chosen career, then you can rest assured that the experience will certainly be something that you can use to enhance and improve your resume. Or, if you don’t have any future plans, you can be sure that teaching English abroad will provide you with a wide range of valuable life and workplace skills that you can use to make yourself more attractive to employers if you decide to return home. Teachers of English as a second language need to be patient, adaptable, and great at communicating – all skills that will transfer well into almost any job or career that you want to try your hand at in the future. 

5. Gain New Language Skills:

In addition to using your own skills and expertise to teach others more about speaking and using the English language, you can also use the experience to gain new language skills of your own. Since you’ll likely be teaching English to people who are native speakers of a language that you don’t know, chances are that, whilst you teach your students English, they’ll also be teaching you more about their languages. Many countries offer languages classes that you could even attend outside of your working hours to brush up your own language skills and expand your skill-set. Not only will this make traveling a more exciting and immersive experience for you, but it will also provide you with additional, valuable skills that you can add to your resume for the future. 

6. Have a Memorable Adventure:

Last but not least, traveling abroad to teach English as a foreign language certainly is the adventure of a lifetime. If you want to spend the next few years immersing yourself in experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life, then it’s a perfect choice. It’s an adventure that you can embark on alone, or with your partner, friends, or family – making memories and creating stories that you can tell everybody back home for years to come. And, if you decide to travel to teach English alone, then you can be sure that you’ll meet plenty of new people during your adventure. Whether you’re mingling with fellow teachers, tourists, or the locals, it’s a great thing to do if you want to expand your social circle and meet people from all walks of life, including those who you would never cross paths with back at home. 

If you’re looking for an unforgettable experience that will allow you to make a difference to others, create lasting memories, earn money, and see more of the world, teaching English as a foreign language is hard to beat.  

 
* This is a contributed post and may contain affiliate links