studentsineurope

Teaching English: A job that is easier to find and do well at than you think

By Francis Nicholls-Wunder

Francis with his class of 15-year-olds in Slovakia

Travelling in Europe can be expensive and it never hurts to earn a little extra money while you are travelling around. But what if you can’t speak any European languages?! For the job of teaching, the monolingual problem is seen as a positive and valuable resource in many parts of Europe. Teaching English as a native speaker is a job that is easier to find than you think and a job that can earn you some decent money.

As the international language, the variation in students and schools for English classes is endless. You can be teaching the specifics of business terms to executives, basic grammar to eight year olds or simply practicing conversations with college students. Depending on the school and the clientele you can need anything form a simple working visa to a short teaching course to teach in the schools. Some don’t require any experience or qualifications above a secondary school degree–having English as a first language is more than enough for them.

So how much can you earn? Of course, as there are so many different types of teaching and schools that you can be involved in, pay rates can vary extensively as well. The easiest and most reliable way to get involved in English teaching is to join an established school or company that will organise all your classes and students for you. This way you will have a set payment plan and know exactly how much money you are receiving and when you are receiving it. Furthermore, you will have locals who speak the native language to organise all your work and accommodation for you and look after you.

I have met many travellers who not only make enough to support themselves but also enough to save for the next leg of their trip. Often schools will offer you free or subsidised accommodation along with your teaching duties, sometimes even with a meal or two and travel costs included. All this being said do not expect to make as much as you would working back home. On the upside, especially if working in Eastern and Central parts of Europe, it is a lot cheaper to live.

Thank you card from my class.

But money isn’t everything. If nothing else, teaching in another country is a great experience. It is a fantastic way to meet locals and to immerse yourself in the culture of the country by really getting to know its people, its customs and some of its cities. In fact, one of the greatest topics for study and conversation while teaching English is discussing the differences between your own county and culture and those of the place where you are teaching. Remember that, especially in smaller towns, simply the fact that you are from an English speaking country can make you a minor celebrity and many of your students will be excited to learn more about you and your homeland.

Always ask your employer and fellow teachers for ideas as you teach. You will get better and better the more that you teach as you can reuse methods that you find work best. For early ideas there are thousands of games, worksheets, printouts and lesson plans that can be found on the internet. The best way is to filter through Google searches for ESL (English as a second language) and EFL (English as a foreign language) games and lesson plans. If you check with the school and employers, you may be able to get some eBooks with a whole lot of content. If you have a rough lesson plan you will stumble through your first week or two and be a reasonably established teacher before you finish your first month.

An outside exercise.

To start looking for jobs teaching English there are many methods to try. Some Google searches for people looking for EFL and ESL teachers in the area are always helpful. Sometimes literally walking into language schools and asking if they need any extra teachers can pay off. A good idea is to have a CV prepared that demonstrates any education that you have and certainly mentions that you are from an English speaking country.

If you decide to get serious and teach for a longer period of time with a more permanent job then having extra qualifications like a CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) can go a long way. The courses are (depending on where you choose to study) usually quite cheap, offered in many different countries and are quite easy to find. If you choose to complete one of these courses while in Europe then be sure to look around–there are many countries that are very geographically close together that can charge drastically different prices for the same certificate.

And when you have finished teaching you’ll be able to add the experience to your CV demonstrating to prospective long-term employers that you are responsible enough, a good enough communicator and ambitious enough to teach English in a different country.

So whether it is for a bit of extra cash, to further a career, for a unique experience or for the feeling that you are helping people with something that is increasing important in this day and age, teaching English in Europe can be a lot easier and a lot more rewarding than you think.

For more on Francis’ experiences teaching in Slovakia, read his blog “The Backpacking Experience.” Teaching posts begin on June 13.