For native English speakers who want to travel abroad and have relatively few obligations back home, a great way to learn a new culture, a new language, and have a memorable experience overseas that will last a lifetime is to speak abroad. Considering that English has become the world’s lingua franca, and that speaking English as a second language is nearly a necessity in some parts of the world, an English speaker who wishes to teach abroad can pick virtually any spot on the globe.
Perhaps because of its rapid development, the majority of the most common nations English speakers travel to in order to teach English are located in Asia. Many institutions provide hosted exchange programs for those interested. Some of the countries with the highest demand are China, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Teaching English in China
Unfortunately, China is earning a reputation for its corruption and its scams. Therefore, when considering whether or not to teach English in China, be extremely careful when choosing an organization for which to work. Get the original, stamped contract from the school, not a copy. Ask more questions than you think you need to. Talk to other English speakers teaching in China to see if the salary being offered is reasonable – don’t necessarily take the potential employer at his or her word.
China is a huge and extremely diverse nation. While most westerners naturally think of Beijing and Shanghai when thinking of China, there’s much more to the country. Eastern China has beautiful beaches; Southern China has milder winters. Northwestern China is the least developed part of the country, so if accepting an English teaching assignment there, be prepared to have fewer amenities than what you might be used to.
Teaching English in South Korea
Salaries for English speakers in South Korea tend to be a good deal higher than their Chinese counterparts. For example, a salary for teaching English in China might fall into the $700 - $900 per month range, sometimes with a bit extra to cover housing. By comparison, teachers in South Korea make closer to $2,400. American? Even better: In Korea the American accent is preferred to other English-speaking accents, so American teachers abroad can usually earn even more than their British or Aussie friends.
When choosing what kind of school to teach at, consider that public schools generally offer more vacation time, but private schools don’t require teachers to work quite as long hours. Some schools will also have weekend responsibilities.
Teaching English in Taiwan
Chinese culture meets first-world economy in Taiwan, where there’s a high demand for English language teachers. A compromise between China’s lower salary but rich cultural attractions, and South Korea’s smaller nation but higher pay, teachers of English in Taiwan can generally expect to make around $2,000 per month. And apartments in big cities like Taipei are relatively cheap: a two or three bedroom apartment rents for $300 to $400 per month.
The teaching style in Taiwan, compared to the teaching style most westerners are accustomed to, emphasizes memorization and following a strict curriculum – teachers do not have much freedom to be creative in the classroom. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing: for a newer teacher without much prior teaching experience, teaching expectations are very straightforward, making it clear what is to be taught and when.
Of course, these three countries are two of the many nations where native English speakers can find work teaching English. A little research online will yield a surprising number of opportunities, and can take the intrepid English teacher to virtually any remote part of the globe.
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