how to teach english(2)

The typical TEFL certificate program will focus on a variety of aspects of language teaching from very practical skills, such as learning how to teach vocabulary, grammar, using games ef

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HOW TO TEACH ENGLISH OVERSEAS

LAYOUT & ILLUSTRATION by HOP & JAUNT

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Introduction

Every year, thousands of people travel around the world teaching English Most are young college graduates looking to fill a few

years before returning home and settling down However, there are also people on career breaks or older retirees looking to do

something different Many travelers, especially those in Southeast Asia, take teaching jobs as a way to fund future travels and

avoid going home Then there are those who just love to teach You’ll find all walks of life teaching overseas Whatever category

you fall into, people choose this profession for one underlying reason: it is a great and easy way to work and live in a foreign

country while earning a good wage

Yet the process for getting a teaching job is often confusing to many people What requirements do you need? Should you get

a TEFL certificate? What is a TEFL? Are there other degrees? How do you find jobs? What are the visa processes? Do you need to

have an English degree? The list of questions goes on and on When I looked for my first ESL job in 2006 in Thailand, I had more

questions than answers and I spent a lot of time looking through job boards, Google searches, and reading forums to find out

everything I could ever know about the subject It was a time consuming process and I always walked away still feeling confused

When I was thinking about moving to Korea or Japan to teach, I spent even longer looking up information Good information,

especially on salaries, working conditions, and cost of living was scarce Finding the information took up time that could have

been spent on what was important: looking for an actual job

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Most importantly, this ebook has the country information that took me hours of Google searches, years of living experience, and

endless forum questions to find out There is in depth coverage of each major and minor destination for potential ESL teachers

The country information includes costs of living information, salaries, job boards, and basic country facts

The purpose this book is to help you make sense of the whole process of becoming an English teacher as well as put all the

information in one place I’m here to cut down your time and share my personal experience with you I’ve taught throughout Asia

and had teacher friends throughout the world share their tips and information This book was written by English teachers to help

future English teachers

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TEFL Certificates

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language It’s a certificate program that teaches you how to teach English as a

foreign language The program is offered around the world, and prices vary depending on where you enroll Moreover, the quality

of the program also depends on where you take it Before you sign up for any program, it is important that you make sure the

degree they give out will be accepted around the world as some schools don’t recognize certain training programs

Most TEFL courses run from a few weeks to a few months For the more established and respected programs, you can expect

at least a hundred hours of class time as well as some practice teaching in a classroom Courses often offered in the west, as

compared to places like Thailand, are much more intensive and more expensive The smart approach would be to learn what kind

of course is required for the jobs you want, and get that course You don’t want to sign up for an extensive course when you don’t

need it- you’ll simply be wasting money Prices for TEFL courses range between $1,000 and $2,000 USD

Although there may be some general linguistic theory included, the focus of a TEFL course is to give you practical knowledge Any

theory provided is there to provide a backdrop for the practical skills being learned They aren’t trying to give you a college level

English degree They simply teach you how to teach as well as some basic grammar rules

The typical TEFL certificate program will focus on a variety of aspects of language teaching from very practical skills, such as

learning how to teach vocabulary, grammar, using games effectively, keeping the kids involved as well as practical teacher skills

such as classroom management

The question most potential teachers have is whether or not they should even get a TEFL certificate The answer to that question

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depends on a number of factors Every different type of job requires a different set of skills Depending on where you go, what

previous experience you have, and the type of job you want, you may or may not need a TEFL Moreover, you need to find out if

the country you are going to work in requires a TEFL for a work visa

There’s no right or wrong answer to this Sometimes you should have one, sometimes it’s useless Decide where you want to teach

first and then see what the requirements are However, as a good rule of thumb, if you have no experience or a teaching degree, it

is probably worth getting your TEFL certification The degree helps give you credibility when applying for jobs

There are two other teacher certification programs besides TEFL, though there’s really no difference between any of them, and all

are accepted worldwide:

Cambridge ELT Certificate (CELTA)

This certificate course is often considered to be the most similar to TEFL and is widely respected internationally The full name is

the Cambridge ELT Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) CELTA places greater emphasis on teaching practice

than classroom time It is one of the most popular degrees to get, especially among UK residents

The course is quite rigorous CELTA courses are usually 4-week full time intensive programs, although it is sometimes possible to

take the course on a part-time basis In all CELTA courses, observed teaching practice is important, and the courses spend more

time having you in a classroom than teaching you theory

Entry requirements for CELTA courses vary from place to place around the world Although the course is open to native and

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native speakers, all candidates are interviewed and have to take a language awareness test Some places require candidates to be

graduates, while others accept candidates with a good general education and command of English

There are more than 200 centers offering CELTA courses around the world and like TEFL courses, getting a CELTA outside of a

western country will be a lot cheaper

Trinity Certificate in TESOL

The third many teachers get is the Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, or TESOL

certificate This course is the most work and all trainees are expected to experience learning a foreign language (don’t worry- you

don’t need to become fluent in one!)

The course is usually full time, following a 4-6 week intensive program with 130 tuition hours or part-time over a number of

months The Trinity certificate is the most intensive of the teaching courses

Entry requirements vary between a good educational background and a university degree, with a good command of English

obviously being a prime requirement No distinction is made between native and non-native speakers

Most Trinity Centers are in the UK, although there are now a growing number overseas

No matter what degree you get, you’ll be able to teach English anywhere around the world While different places might have a

preference for one degree or the other, if you have any one of these program certificates, you’ll meet a school’s requirement and

they won’t turn you away

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Teacher Requirements

The requirements for teaching English vary greatly from region to region Depending on where you go and what type of job you

want, what you need is different Generally speaking, you’ll need to meet the following requirements in order to teach English

overseas:

Be from an English speaking country

Have a bachelor’s degree

Have a TEFL/CELTA certificate

Have some experience (optional)

See? It’s not really that much! Unless you plan to teach at an international school or do corporate training, most schools will take

you if you are a native English speaker and college graduate Most time experience level is irrelevant

All countries require you be a native English speaker This means you were born in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, South Africa or

New Zealand While some countries might hire Filipinos (as they speak fluent English), they typically prefer Western employees as

it is viewed as a sign of authenticity This is especially true in Asia, where being young, white, or female is often the most important

thing They simply have a prejudice for these three attributes (Note: There is always exceptions so if you aren’t one of those three

don’t think you can’t find a job.)

You will also need a bachelor’s degree from a 4 year accredited university It doesn’t matter what your degree is in Whether you

i

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have a degree in biochemistry, English or yoga, the schools and countries just want to see that you have a degree While some

places might overlook this requirement and will hire you under the table, more reputable schools and countries like Korea, U.A.E,

or Japan, you will need to have a university degree in order to get a job as well as a working visa

While experience is not required, it certainly helps when applying for higher paying jobs at international schools and corporate

training programs They prefer people who know what they are doing and can be effective teachers It is also why these jobs pay

the most money – they don’t take just anyone Moreover, since there is a lack of qualified teachers in many parts of the world

having a teaching license or experience will pretty much guarantee you a job somewhere My teaching license got me any job I

wanted

If you don’t have any experience, don’t fear Tons of places around the world hire first year teachers In many rural parts of the

world where it is much harder to find teachers, they are happy to take anyone Asian countries always take first year teachers If

you don’t have experience, then having a TEFL certificate will dramatically increase your chances of getting hired A TEFL degree

will negate any experience deficiencies you might have as employers view this as a training course

Some countries will require you to have a TEFL degree in order to get a working visa If you are planning to work in a country that

requires it, you will need to get it no matter what experience or other teaching license you might have Be sure to check out the

visa requirements for each country Don’t just assume that a teaching license or years of experience matter regardless of what the

school might say

In sum, teaching English generally requires a BA and experience, while higher paying positions will also require a TEFL and a

teaching certificate Qualifications are looser in most developing countries or rural areas Visa rules determine what you will need

for each country, but overall, if you want to teach English in most places in the world, you simply need to have a college degree,

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Types of Teacher Jobs

Potential English teachers can choose from a variety of ESL jobs All jobs have the same basic requirements that are listed in the

previous section, but as you move up the pay scale, the requirements also increase The types of jobs a potential English teacher

can get usually falls into one these categories:

Government schools

These English schools are operated by the government and usually pay the worst However, the schools are reliable You know

the school won’t suddenly close, you will get your paycheck on time, you’ll have some professional support, they will fulfill their

contract obligations, and they won’t terminate you without cause (Note: In Korea and Japan, government schools pay just as well

as language schools and offer a lot of vacation time.)

These schools will require you to do all the things teachers in your home country do: run classes, grade papers, make up exams,

set the curriculum, and keep office hours Most of those extra responsibilities are unpaid The trade off is that you have a stable

job for as long as you want it Teaching at the government schools is just like teaching at a school back where you live The

expectations they have for you are the same Your salary is being paid for your whole job, not just classroom time

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Language schools

The next step up are the language schools, such as Berlitz, Hess, AEON, ECC, EF, InLingua, or any one of the millions of language

schools around the world The pay is better and you’ll have more flexibility in your schedule and curriculum than you would at a

government school You won’t have to do prep time or parent meetings If you do, you are often paid for the extra time Your salary

is based solely on classroom hours That being said I have often found that while parent meetings and other meetings get paid,

the prep time doesn’t You’ll find yourself making copies and tests on your own time, unless you have a really great school (which

does happen!)

The down side to these schools is that your job is less secure and guarantees by these companies don’t always appear Some go

bankrupt without any notice, or bonuses and perks aren’t what they were promised (When a language school went bust in Japan,

thousands of teachers suddenly found themselves without pay, a job, or even a home.) You may find yourself fighting with your

company for promised return airfare, work hours, or more You’ll have fewer problems with larger, more established companies,

but always check out the company’s reputation before you sign a contract

Moreover, many parents also use these schools as a form of babysitting They just drop their kids off and hope they learn

something Since many of these schools are motivated by money, they rarely discipline the students for fear they will stop

coming This is especially true in Asia Overall, while the pay is better, the jobs abundant, and the hours more flexible, the work

environment can sometimes be more difficult

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Private schools

Private schools are similar to government schools in terms of job expectations You’ll be expected to perform all the functions of a

normal teacher, and your salary is based on total work time, not just class hours The difference is that private schools offer better

pay and support than government schools, and sometimes, a better student body Depending on the private school, English may

or may not be the main language taught If English isn’t the school’s primary language, there is usually a special curriculum of all

English courses

Since parents are paying a lot of money for these schools, they kids are generally expected to produce results Think of them like

the private schools in the West

International Schools

International schools are the best schools to teach English They are pinnacle and the most highly sought after jobs in the ESL

world The kids are children of international expats, diplomats, or very rich locals There is usually a lot of expectations for them

and pressure for them to do well Most are looking to go to school in American or England and thus focus hard on their studies,

though you do get a number of spoiled little rich kids What this usually means is that you get a much more enjoyable and

relaxing teaching experience The curriculum is usually the same as your country of origin: it’s just like teaching at home

International schools pay the most out of any ESL job You’ll get an equivalent salary or more to that as you would back home but

without the same prices When you are making $3,000 USD per month in a country that costs $500 USD to live in, you can live very

well and save a lot Moreover, the better the school, the higher the pay I know teachers who make close to $5,000 USD per month

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However, competition for these jobs is very stiff, and typically, applicants need a lot of experience These schools expect you to be

a certified teacher and you are usually required to sign a one – two year contract Only qualified teachers should consider applying

to these jobs

Corporate Training

Corporate training jobs typically pay very high, the schedules are flexible, the students are adults who want to learn (though many

are forced to take classes by their boss, but most see the value in learning English), and the work can last a few months These jobs

are usually before or after business hours or during lunch The most fun I ever had was teaching corporate classes You could joke

around with the students in a way you couldn’t with kids

However, these jobs, like the language school jobs, are typically hard to get and usually require teaching experience If you have

a business degree, you will almost be guaranteed a job but you don’t need one as a prerequisite Classes will revolve around

teaching people grammar and communication skills as well as email writing and formal business practices You won’t be teaching

any business theory- just how business is conducted in English However, in some low level classes, you might need to teach sales

and customer interactions

Tutoring

No matter where you go, you’ll find people wanting private English lessons This is a great source of extra income and tutoring

pays a lot more than regular teaching If you can get a lot of private students, you’ll earn more money than a regular teaching job

and have much more flexibility in your schedule You won’t be able to get a working visa as a tutor so visa situations can become a

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little difficult to manage You’ll be working illegally if you do this as your sole job

Keep in mind that it’s possible to just come into a country and do freelance work Countries do not allow work visas for this Tutor

pay varies from country to country, but private lessons start at around $25 USD per hour The best place to find private students is

via word of mouth or through local teaching boards The hours are much more flexible and the work environment is usually a lot

better Moreover, during the summer time, you can find extra work teaching at summer camps Kids are on break and it’s a great

way for parents to kill two birds with one stone

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Benefits and Salaries

Have you heard about the perks teachers get abroad? Have the stories of free flights enticed you to Asia or lands beyond? There

are a lot of myths and rumors out there about teacher benefits but English teachers do get great perks, especially in the Middle

East and Asia

Salaries for English teachers tend to be much higher than the local salary While in some parts of the world, these salaries can still

be pretty low, you’ll always have more disposable income than most, and if you live a local lifestyle, you can manage to save quite

a bit of money and still live very well

The benefits teachers get are often exaggerated While it’s true that teachers usually get a good number of benefits, they aren’t

uniform around the world You won’t get any special benefits in Europe In fact, there is no one uniform benefits package Some

countries offer lavish packages while some offer none Benefits vary as much as teacher pay

So what benefits can you expect?

In Asia, you will generally get the following package:

· Return airfare

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· 4 weeks sick leave and vacation leave

· One year completion bonus

In the Middle East, you will generally get:

In Europe, you will generally get:

Nothing (sometimes there’s an exception but in general, don’t expect anything)

Remember that these benefits usually happen In some places, you might get more and, in some, less You might not get any You

might find a job in Europe that lavishes stuff on you and an international school in Asia that hardly gives you vacation time The

point is you never know but overall, you can clearly see what part of the world gives you the most benefits (As you can see, Asia

gives you a lot and that’s why it’s very popular with young college graduates)

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Signing Contracts

Signing contracts is pretty straightforward You sign They sign There you go Life is good But there are a few things you want to

think about before you sign the contract

It is said that contracts are only as good as the paper they are printed on I’ve broken contracts before It happens In fact, contracts

aren’t really that important People break them all the time, especially at language schools around Asia It’s common practice

People get sick of a job and they decide that said country isn’t good for them and they go home But there are good reasons to

not break a contract In most countries, all the perks are given upon completion of your contract If you leave, you won’t see any

of those great benefits that enticed you to teach in the first place I’m not encouraging you to break any contracts, but you should

know that you don’t have to be tied to it if you suddenly decide that you hate living in that country and want to leave

Before you sign any contract, remember to do the following:

Read it over- Make sure you know exactly what is in the contract After you finished reading it over, read it over again

Often times, teacher contracts are simple one page statements but it’s always important to know exactly what you are getting

yourself into

Include Everything- If the company promised you a return flight, make sure it is in the contract Anything not

in the contract will make easy for them to avoid giving you It will also make any arguments go smoother because you can always

say “you put in the contract.” If companies don’t honor that, you can complain to authorities and the local job boards As they say,

always get it in writing

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Do Your Research – If you are just a traveler looking to make extra money, then where you work probably

doesn’t work You won’t be sticking around long anyways However, if you plan on staying awhile, you should check out the school

before you go Talk to other teachers, ask on teacher forums, or Google the school to see what comes up Don’t walk into a place

blind Knowing what the school is like will help you avoid any problems and management issues that might clash with your own

teaching style

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Country Information

The following section contains information about the most frequented and some non-frequented countries where people teach

English It is arranged alphabetically

A RGENTINA

While there are not a ton of ESL jobs outside of Buenos Aires, those who want to teach in Argentine will find ESL jobs somewhat

plentiful in Buenos Aires Native English speakers are a prized commodity in this stretch of the world and, with just a little legwork,

can find placement in classrooms in a matter of weeks or even days Moreover, there is a high demand for private tutors and

though the start up time can be quite slow, once you get going, jobs can be quite plentiful Argentina is a perfect place for

someone who wants a fashionable South American city, great nightlife, good wine, great steak, and easy living

Working Conditions

Once employed in Argentina, you may find that a school offers just a few hours a week initially You may be required to cover

for sick colleagues or take on small classes This is quite normal in Argentina Schools like to check new teacher’s reliability and

classroom performance before giving them a full time schedule

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Teacher Salary Information

Most teachers are generally paid by the hour Though the pay is hourly, salaries are paid on a monthly basis and are not always

paid on time (Sometimes they can be a few days late.) A teacher in Argentina is usually paid about 16-27 ARS ($4.30-7 USD) per

hour Teachers may only receive 10-15 hours of classes each week and once you are determined to be reliable and can do well with

their classes, your hours will increase

ESL classes can require a lot of travel time because classes are often held at a student’s home or workplace Employers generally

do not compensate you for travel time and expenses To add to their income, a lot of teachers offer private lessons by tutoring

students in international companies, department stores, hotels, or private schools For private lessons, you can be paid between

39-66 ARS ($10-17 USD) per hour, depending on how qualified you are, how much experience you have, and how good your

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Working Visa Information

Many times, you can find a teaching job before you even get to Argentina If you prefer to go there first, experience the country,

and find a job once you get there, citizens of the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia can visit for up to 90 days without a tourist visa

and are allowed to work for pay during this time Citizens of New Zealand, South Africa, and 28 other countries can go without a

tourist visa for up to 30 days Anything longer than those time periods requires you to apply for a work permit

In order to receive a work permit, you must first get an entry permit from the Argentine Immigration Authority Usually, your

expected employer will act on your behalf and submit all the necessary paperwork for you If you are already in Argentina, it

should take around one month to receive your entry permit However, if you are still in your home country and submitting

through a consulate in your own country, it can take up to four months to receive your entry permit While this is being processed,

you should receive your employment contract, which should offer all the details of your employment as well as a statement

confirming that the contract is in compliance with the Labor Laws of Argentina This contract is only binding once you have been

fully authorized to work by the Argentine Immigration Authority Your employer’s signature on this contract must be certified

by a public notary in Argentina as well as authenticated by the “Colegio de Escribanos.” Your signature on the contract must be

witnessed by either the Argentine Immigration Authority or a Consul in your own country

After you’ve received your entry permit, you can then apply for a work visa For this, you will need the following documents:

• A completed visa application form

• Entry Permit (Permiso de Ingreso)

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• Contract Of Employment

• Passport: valid for a minimum of 1 year

• 6 recent passport-sized photos

• Birth certificate

• Marriage certificate (if applicable)

• No national/international criminal records affidavit

• Fees (paid in money orders)

The work visa is valid for nine months and is renewable It should be noted that your work visa is only valid with the employer for

which the visa was issued If you decide to change jobs, you will need to apply for an entirely new work visa

Cost of Living

Rental fees generally start around 390 ARS ($100 USD) per month for a room in a shared apartment You can sometimes find

a suitable apartment for about 1,225 ARS ($314 USD), but they often cost more like 1,561 ARS ($400 USD) These costs may

seem a bit expensive, but apartments in Buenos Aires come fully furnished, have their own kitchen and bathroom, and offer air

conditioning and a pre-existing Internet connection Electricity while using the heat and air modestly will cost you anywhere from

117-312 ARS ($30-80 USD) per month, internet with high speed cable will cost 253 ARS ($65 USD), a phone with a phone line will

cost 234 ARS ($60 USD) although an internet café will charge 5.85 ARS (1.50 USD) per hour

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Meals are very reasonably priced in Argentina and will probably cost you 400-600 ARS a month ($102-153 USD) Even someone

on a tight budget can afford to eat in a high-end restaurant from time to time, where a three-course dinner with wine only costs

around 89 ARS ($23 USD) A simple steak dinner can cost about 17 ARS ($4.30 USD), a large pizza costs about 5.66 ARS ($1.45 USD),

and a regular bottle of beer in a bar costs about 3.31 ARS ($0.85 USD) Your monthly grocery expenses will usually be about half of

what they are in the US

You won’t want to miss going out and celebrating all Argentina has to offer Going to the movie theater will cost 14 ARS ($3.58

USD) and a cocktail will cost 5 ARS ($1.28 USD)

Public transportation is very inexpensive in Argentina, with a subway ride costing only 78 ARS ($0.20-0.26 USD), and a bus ride

costing 3.31-5.54 ARS ($0.85-1.42 USD) to the suburbs Public transportation to other parts of the country costs about 234-585 ARS

($60-150 USD) A taxi ride within the city limits will cost about 24-33 ARS ($5-8.50 USD), but you can sometimes haggle to get a

lower rate

Job Links

http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/

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B ELGIUM

General Information

To find a teaching position in Belgium, there are a few ways you can go about it There is no teaching center in the country, but

you can put yourself on a list that’s available to people interested in finding English teachers There are other networks as well,

including the Belgian English Teachers and Trainers Association (BETTA) that can help you find leads and offer contact information

Language schools, such as CLL and Foundation 9, continually search for English teachers throughout the year Also, word of mouth

is always a good way to find work

Working conditions in Belgium are very good You’ll receive a good salary, and decent benefits You’ll find employers friendly,

you get sick leave, and paid vacations There’s nothing overwhelming good or bad about working in Belgium It’s like working

anywhere else in the world

As an English teacher, you can expect to earn about 20-40 EUR ($25-50 USD) per hour, with the higher pay going to those with

more qualifications and experience Having your own clients will pay the best, but occasionally you can find a steady position

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Most salaried teachers usually have a master’s degree, as a DELTA or CELTA doesn’t mean much in this country, and you may also

have to speak Dutch and/or French as well

Be prepared to pay 20-25% of your income in taxes

Benefits

While you get health care and vacation time, like most jobs in Europe, you won’t get any other benefits

All residents EU and non-EU citizens will need to obtain a residence card from the local town hall in Belgium in order to live in the

country Citizens of the EU, Norway, and Iceland are allowed to work in Belgium without attaining a work permit Non-EU citizens

must apply for a work permit in order to legally work in the country, which your prospective employer should help you with Keep

in mind EU visa rules give preference to people within the union first, so if you aren’t not an EU resident, it will be harder to get a

job

Cost of Living

It all depends on where you live in Belgium Brussels has a higher cost of living than if you lived on the outskirts It costs about

1,140-2,000 EUR ($1,400 – 2,000 USD) to live in Belgium, which is usually most of a teacher’s salary Living in the outskirts of the

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city will cost you around 400 EUR ($500 USD) Electric costs 65-82 EUR ($80-100 USD), water and gas cost 17-34 EUR ($20-40 USD),

and Internet costs 25-35 EUR ($30-40 USD) per month Cooking all your food usually costs about 244 EUR ($300 USD) per month,

an apartment is usually around 651 EUR ($800 USD) per month, and utilities usually cost another 4,824 BEF ($150 USD) per month

For an average priced meal in a nice restaurant with a good reputation, expect to spend 16-20 EUR ($20-25 USD) Fast food will

cost you between 4 -8 EUR ($5-10 USD) a meal, although some street food vendors will only cost 1.5 – 3 EUR ($2-4 USD)

You’ll have to make sure to budget when you consider your transportation costs Although it isn’t expensive to travel in Belgium, it

does add up when you’re taking the bus on a daily basis A one way ticket is 1 EUR ($1.30 USD) and a one month pass is roughly 30

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China is a burgeoning market for ESL teachers much like Japan was in the 1980s China is becoming a more popular destination

for teachers, especially its major cities like Hong Kong, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing You can expect a lot more competition for a

job While some private institutions are just looking for native English speakers to teach conversational English, most universities

will only hire teachers who have a bachelor’s degree While it is not required for short-term positions, a teaching certificate or

teaching experience is obviously preferred

Private English language schools employ the most teachers but they are known for having the highest rate of exploitation so be

careful Teachers are often required to work 20 hours per week on split shifts and are often expected to hold office hours during

their free time Also, many schools do not allow their teachers to work part-time outside of the school If you do decide to work for

one of these schools, do some investigating to ensure that the one you choose is in good standing with other teachers who have

worked there

The better option is to teach at a university as they have standardized working conditions, but you need a bachelor’s degree to

teach here Though the pay may be slightly lower than a private language school, universities and public schools offer more free

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time and paid vacation time, and they allow their teachers to work part-time work outside of the school

That’s not to say all language schools are bad Schools can be hit or miss but overall, the experience in China is a good one You

just need to be a bit more vigilant about not being exploited

A beginner teacher with a bachelor’s degree can expect to make about 5,461-11,606 CNY ($800-1,700 USD) per month in an urban

area and 4,097-6,146 CNY ($600-900 USD) per month in a more rural area A more experienced teacher or one with a master’s

degree can make up to 14,429 CNY ($2,113 USD) per month, depending on if they are teaching in a rural or urban area You are

sometimes able to negotiate your salary or terms of employment, such as living conditions and medical insurance Moreover, you

may be able to earn overtime pay, particularly in larger cities

One thing to remember is that working conditions and salaries vary greatly in China Pay in the cities is much, much higher than it

is in the countryside There is even a big difference between top cities like Beijing and middle cities like Nanjing Rural ESL jobs in

China pay the least amount of money but the upside is that there’s virtually nothing to do there and cost of living is cheap so you’ll

save a lot of money

Benefits

Most employers offer their teachers reimbursement for roundtrip airfare to China along with free accommodation Additionally,

you also get paid vacation time and health insurance In many public schools and universities, you even get free lunch

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Sometimes there are even completion bonuses for completing your contract, though schools often try to get around paying that

Teaching in China is very strictly regulated and everyone is required to have a work visa, or “Z visa” from the Chinese embassy

before arriving in the country

To apply for the Z visa, you or someone you trust (a personal contact, travel agency, visa handling agency, etc.) must submit the

appropriate paperwork to the Chinese embassy in accordance with the rules of that particular embassy You must submit the

following:

Passport that is valid for at least six months after the date your submit your visa application and that has blank pages for the visa

Visa Application Form (Q1) with one passport photo (black & white or colored photo are both accepted)

Copy of your visa notification letters and an original and copy of the Work Permit for Aliens or Foreign Expert’s License, which is

issued by authorities in China

If you are bringing family members with you, each family member must also have the above paperwork except for the

employment documents

Cost of Living

The cost of living in China is generally very low, especially if you live like a local Local food and products will always be cheaper

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than imports Eating in local food stalls or restaurants can cost about 34 CNY ($5 USD) for three Chinese dishes plus rice for two

people However, they do have western restaurants, which are more expensive at about 102 CNY ($15 USD) for a meal

Most of China’s cities have a good public transportation system, with trips usually costing about 1.70 CNY ($0.25 USD) per trip

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C ZECH R EPUBLIC

Considered the corporate hub of the old “Eastern Block,” tourism is up in Czech Republic, and with it the need for English teachers

has grown Instructors flock to the largest cities (Prague, Plzen, Brno) because jobs are abundant and there is a laid-back culture

of young people Czech Republic is one of more popular teaching destinations because teachers are paid a good wage teaching

business professionals Younger learners must complete a required English proficiency exam in school

A native English speaker with a bachelor’s degree and a few months of tutoring experience still stands a chance even in Prague

Competition among teachers and schools in Prague is fierce, with literally thousands of teachers offering courses at the same time

Teachers have to prove their experience to private students and may have to wait several months to get a full class load

In East or North Bohemia and in Northern Moravia, the students will knock down your door, even if you haven’t graduated from

college Most teachers live in Prague and with so few teachers, you’ll find that you have a better market and better working

conditions outside the city as they try to retain teachers there

The easiest places to look for jobs are the numerous private language schools, some of which will even pay health insurance and

get foreigners a “green card,” the little green book that awards foreigners the right to live and work in the Czech Republic A few

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established schools are the Caledonian School, Languages at Work, and Elvis

The other way is to teach private lessons The best way to get private students is to post advertisements in business newspapers,

on the bulletin board outside the local British Council, or at upscale hangouts Czech language skills will be a major asset in

dealing with beginning students

A teacher in the Czech Republic will make around 27,350 CZK ($1,331 USD) for the usual work week of 25-hours, on average

However, if you are better qualified or perform better, some schools may pay more In the city of Prague, salaries can sometimes

be double what they pay in smaller towns Also, depending on your total earnings, you should anticipate paying 15-25% of your

income in taxes

Benefits

Teachers here get paid holidays, sick days, and health insurance

You need both a work permit and a residency visa to legally teach English in the Czech Republic It is a long process, so it’s best to

give yourself about six months for the application process You need to first find an employer who will issue you a work permit,

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and then apply for a residency visa This must be done outside of the Czech Republic, usually in the embassy closest to your home

country However if you are already in the Czech Republic, you can do several visa runs to complete the paperwork to nearby

countries like Austria or Slovakia

Applying for your residency visa is not easy, and your application may be delayed or rejected a number of times before being

issued, which is why you should allow yourself time for this to be completed In order to apply for the residency visa, you will need

both a notarized work permit from your employer in the Czech Republic and a signed lease document for where you will be living

Everything must be translated into Czech and notarized Once your residency visa has been approved, you can pick it up at the

embassy

The residency visa is only valid for the employer for which your work permit was issued Once it has been issued, you cannot

change jobs If you quit or lose your job, your residency visa will become invalid and you must leave the Czech Republic within

one month

Cost of Living Guide

Accommodations can cost around 6,161-8,214 CZK ($300-400 USD) per month for a room in a shared house You can also get a

fully furnished room for around 6,056-9,033 CZK ($295-440 USD), which includes utilities and an Internet connection

You can budget yourself in the Czech Republic for a month for about 4,102 CZK ($200 USD) A week’s worth of groceries should

cost about 697 CZK ($34 USD) Food and entertainment is also inexpensive, with a full meal and a beer at a restaurant costing

about 205 CZK ($10 USD), a movie costing about 123 CZK ($6 USD), drinks at a bar costing about 82 CZK ($4 USD) shots costing 51

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