Teaching Abroad: What position is right for you?

What do you think of when you think of teaching English abroad? Probably something along the lines of singing the ABC’s and acting out animals sounds with little kids, right? While elementary school and kindergarten positions are common when it comes to teaching abroad, they aren’t the only option. You might be surprised to know that there are actually a lot of different options when it comes teaching overseas.

Once you’ve decided where you want to teach, then the next question is what age group and skill level do you want to teach? Teaching abroad doesn’t mean you have to sing the Itsy-Bitsy Spider for days on end. If that’s what you’re into, then that’s great. But, if little kids aren’t your thing, then you can also work with adult language learners or even advanced bilingual students. It all depends on what position you pursue.

Different Overseas Teaching Positions

Government Primary/Secondary school

In most countries, primary and secondary school positions are the most common. They are available at most government schools. Due to high turnover, they are usually easy to secure and can be found in most major cities. The pay is usually lower than other private options, but you are respected as a government teacher, given a stable paycheck, and offered significant time off (i.e. summer break, usually paid).
In these schools, you will be doing traditional EFL teaching which involves teaching phonics, basic conversation, vocabulary, and simple sentence structure. The classes will incorporate a lot of videos and engaging activities to get the students involved and speaking. Therefore, these classes tend to be less traditionally academic in nature.

Government Kindergarten

Kindergarten roles are also very common. These roles are very similar in make-up to government primary and secondary school teachers in their respect, moderate pay, and ample time off. Where they vary is the daily hours. Typically, kindergarten roles will only teach for 4-5 hours a day. After that, you may still be required to stay on campus until the day is over but will have more time to prepare. The hours of teaching are busier as you work with 3-4 year old students non-stop, but then you usually get a break.
These classes are the least academic in nature. You will largely be singing, dancing, and taking students to the toilet. The preparation time for class is low, but the level of energy required each day is very high.

International Schools

International schools are usually the most premier level of education for kindergarten through secondary school. These roles usually offer tremendous benefits like tons of paid time off, assistance with transition to the country, and high pay. The facilities will be high class and most students will be nearly fluent.
The only problem is these schools usually require a teaching degree and teaching license from your home country. If you are trained as a teacher and have a license, then these schools will be a great fit. Although, it’s also important to note the expectations and requirements at these schools will also be much higher than traditional EFL roles.

Happy school kids and teacher standing classroom

Bilingual Schools

Bilingual schools, sometimes referred to as international schools, are private schools offering both a full local language and English language program. The students at these schools will mostly have a basic understanding of English. These roles are a hybrid between a government and international school position. The pay and work expectations will be higher, but you usually only need experience working in an EFL context and do not need to have an education degree.
If you are looking to teach abroad for a longer amount of time but don’t have education training, these positions are a great fit. The compensation is better and working with students who you can communicate with more clearly is very rewarding. The time off is often less due to additional responsibilities, so you may receive slightly less vacation time than a government school.

University/College

University/college positions are less common. For most positions you will be required to have advanced training and credentials. If you have these, then these positions are great. You will be well compensated and have lots of time off.
Although for some positions at universities/colleges. You don’t necessarily need to have more education because some still accept a BA from a native English-speaking country. In these roles, you will be working with older students and adult language learners. Often the salaries of these roles are similar to other government teaching jobs (i.e primary, secondary) but you usually get even more time off.
The classes will consist of working with conversational and business-related English. There will be far less singing and dancing, and much more discussion. You will also typically work less hours per day than a primary or secondary position.

Language Centers

Finally, there are language centers. These centers offer additional language learning classes to children and adults. Working at a language center will expose you to a wide variety of students. You may or may not need a degree to work at an English language center making them the most accessible, but also the least respected.
The classes usually consist after school and on the weekends, which gives you less time off. The pay is usually hourly and varies widely. Sometimes these schools are sales based, offering incentives and bonuses for securing new clients. These positions do not guarantee a full salary and are less stable as a result.

Who do you want to teach?

As you prepare to teach overseas, you need to ask yourself the question “who do I want to teach?’ While you may be planning on spending most of your time traveling and experiencing the culture, remember you will also spend a lot of time in the classroom. Finding the right fit is important and can make or break your teaching experience. s