Ever wondered how people end up teaching English all over the globe? Maybe you’re itching for a career change or just want a job that lets you travel and work at the same time. That’s why I first became a TEFL teacher. It’s not why I’ve stayed a TEFL teacher for over 20 years, but it’s what got me started.
If teaching or traveling sounds appealing, learning what TEFL is could be your first step on the road to finding out a whole new part of yourself that you didn’t know existed. Take me, for instance; I never expected that I’d love teaching. I originally started teaching English because I wanted to travel. I found after some time that I loved doing it and I’ve been doing it ever since.
In short, TEFL is the practice of teaching English to people who don’t speak it as their first language. That might happen in classrooms, homes, or halfway across the world. Let’s take a deeper look at it, shall we?
Defining TEFL
TEFL is about teaching English to people who don’t speak it as their first language, usually outside English-speaking countries. If you’re thinking about working abroad as an English teacher, it helps to really understand what TEFL means and how it stacks up against similar terms.
What Does TEFL Stand For?
TEFL stands for “Teaching English as a Foreign Language.” In short, it means teaching English in countries where English isn’t the main language. So, if you’re teaching English in Spain or South Korea, you’re doing TEFL.
What’s in a Name?
TEFL is the term I use here on this website, but there are several other terms you may see floating around that are used broadly synonymously. You might see the phrases TESL, TESOL, or ELT all used online. TESL stands for “Teaching English as a Second Language”, TESOL stands for “Teaching English as a Second or Other Language”, and ELT stands for “English Language Teaching”. There are some differences if you want to get into the weeds of it – and I will touch on them in other articles – but basically they all mean the same thing to most people.
History and Evolution of TEFL
The idea of teaching English as a foreign language really took off after World War II. With the advent of global telecommunications and the rise of the US as one of the dominant global powers, English became the dominant global language for science, business, and trade. More people wanted to learn English for work, travel, and school.
By the 1960s and 1970s, language schools started offering TEFL training. As the need for English teachers grew, more programs popped up. Technology and online learning have changed the way you can teach—and where you can do it.
Nowadays, you can take TEFL programs online or in person, and they’re recognized in lots of countries. That’s made teaching English abroad a lot more doable.
Where Can You Teach as a TEFL teacher?
Given the definition of TEFL above, anywhere that English is not the native language is a place where you can teach as a TEFL teacher, so that’s most of the planet.
Actually, technically, since you can now find a job as a TEFL teacher working online from home, I suppose even that’s not totally accurate. Hah hah!
Popular Countries for TEFL Teachers
A lot of TEFL teachers head to Asia, where demand is high and benefits are solid. South Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, and Thailand are favorites.
These countries offer steady work, decent pay, and a chance to experience something new. Europe is popular too—think Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
Visa requirements can vary, but most schools want teachers with a recognized TEFL certificate. The Middle East—like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt—is known for high salaries and good benefits.
Some of these countries usually want teachers with a university degree. Some want a university degree and TEFL certification. Some want those and teaching experience.
Just for the sake of completion, I will also note that there are countries that don’t necessarily require either a degree or a certification. But you still need a working visa, or not getting a working visa and working around that requires some dodgy stuff that I can’t in good conscience recommend; it may get your where you want to go quickly, but it tends to leave you without any sort of safety net.
Common Venues
Whatever country you’re aiming for, you’ll usually see 4 kinds of places where teaching takes place.
The easiest to get into, usually, is a private language school because they often have the fewest requirements. They may not require a TEFL certificate or even a degree, unless it’s a visa requirement. English education is a big business in some countries, and in many cases it has few or no legal requirements. In these countries, people who have stayed for a long time will often open their own schools as well.
An adjunct to this is that you may find “English” themed businesses, like cafes and bars. However, they’re generally not looking for teachers, exactly. Instead, if they’re hiring, it’s usually looking for staff. These cafes and bars, if they take off, will often draw locals who want to use English, giving them an opportunity to chat in English with the owner or staff and try food from other countries.
Bars can often become foreigner hangouts as well, as local expats often want to unwind after work or on the weekend. However, if they’re hiring it’s usually part time, which won’t satisfy work visa requirements. But it can be a fun way to earn a little side money while doing something else.
Another common place to find a teaching job is in public or private schools; these tend to have stricter requirements than a private language school, and will often require at least a degree, with some schools requiring teaching certification and / or TEFL certification.
The most difficult venue to get into is universities, as they will require advanced degrees and certifications. However, they tend to be hotly contested as they are also usually the most secure and well paid jobs.
Teaching TEFL Online
You can also teach English online from home. Many platforms hire teachers to work with students worldwide.
Some companies want teachers with a degree, but plenty are open to anyone with a TEFL certificate. I should note that most reputable TEFL certificates require that you have a degree as well, but some companies don’t look too hard at where your certification came from.
In either case, online teaching gives you a flexible schedule and lets you connect with students from all over without having to leave the country. You may have seen websites advertising being able to teach English while wearing your pajamas or something like that.
All I’ll say is about that I wouldn’t want to work for a company that let me work in my sleepware. Though that might just be because I sleep in my underwear and I don’t want to inflict that on anyone.
Anyway, you can set your own hours and sometimes your rates. Most lessons are one-on-one or with small groups over video chat. You’ll need a good internet connection, a quiet space, and basic computer skills. Some companies provide materials, while others let / make you create your own.
Let’s Sum Up
I’ve given you a basic overview of what TEFL is and where you do it.
TEFL is, simply put, Teaching English as a Foreign Language. If you think you might be interested in teaching, but not sure if you want to go for a teaching degree, it can be a great way to get a feel for what you’re doing.
You could teach online, but it can also be a great way to travel and see the world, especially if you have a degree or TEFL certification. You don’t necessarily need those things, but they will certainly make your getting a good job easier.
Having done this for over 20 years, being a TEFL teacher is something I’ve come to really enjoy. I mean, of course I have, otherwise I wouldn’t have done it all this time. But all those years ago it was a means to an end for me. I became a teacher to travel, and I figured I’d do it for a couple of years and then move on to whatever was going to be next. Not in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine I’d still be doing it all this time later.
So, if you’re curious, think about giving it a shot. You might find yourself in the same situation.