Teaching English as a Foreign Language

TEFL or Teaching English as a foreign language refers to teaching English to students for whom it is not their mother tongue for use in a non-English-speaking region (see English language learning and teaching, which explains the distinctions between different kinds of teaching of English to non-native speakers). TEFL can take place in English-speaking regions, for example in language schools or summer camps or before the start of a university degree, but usually occurs in the student's own country. There, TEFL can be either within the state school system, or private, either in an after-hours language school or with a one-on-one tutor. The teachers may be native or non-native speakers of English.

The rest of this article discusses a particular subset of TEFL, namely the teaching of English by an educated ex-patriate community of qualified native speakers. It is important to remember that this does not reflect the totality of TEFL.

For a wider view, relating to both EFL and ESL contexts, and a full explanation of abbreviations (e.g. the difference between ESL and EFL, or TESOL as a subject and an organisation), see English language learning and teaching. For information about foreign language teaching in general, see language education.

Qualifications for TEFL teachers

The basic qualification for teaching English is an undergraduate degree in any subject, plus a TESL or TEFL certificate.

There are numerous organisations that issue certificates which vary widely in acceptance. There is no international independent accrediting organisation overseeing the issuing of qualifications in general, although there are national ones, e.g. in Britain.

In the parts of the world influenced by Britain (the Commonwealth and the European Union), the two most commonly recognized certificates are the UCLES CELTA and the Trinity CertTESOL. Another major player is TEFL International. Also some universities issue TEFL certificates as part of their undergraduate programs.

The typical U.S. qualification is pre-service MA TESOL, although many shorter certificates exist.

In some countries it is possible to obtain work with much less than this. Schools willing to take untrained staff typically run short courses and may provide their own training. Other institutions such as Berlitz do not accept the CELTA and require all their teachers be trained in their particular methods.

Rates of Pay Worldwide

Rates of pay depend upon seniority, experience, employer, economic development, terrorism threat and recruitment method. In some countries a low wage may equate to a cozy middle class life style.

Issues in Europe

The expansion of the European Union and of English as a commercial language have gone hand in hand, and consequently there is great demand for instruction, both in the education sector and in the private sector. With care job seekers can find high living standards, relatively secure employment and even EFL careers in Europe.

Issues in Northeast Asia

South Korea

South Korea has a great demand for native English speakers willing to teach, to the degree that it is standard for institutions to pay for the round-trip airfare and housing costs of a teacher with any university degree. However, as with all occupations, when working in a foreign country there is a danger of exploitation by employers. It is common for an employer to ignore contract provisions, especially as regards to working hours, working days, and end-of-contract payments. Falsification of bills, false criminal charges, and demands for "compromise" are the major delaying tactics used by private employers.

There have also been reports of teachers all too commonly being assaulted physically by managers. The US State Department has issued a warning to those wishing to teach in South Korea regarding this.

Japan

In Japan the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) program employs assistant language teachers to work in Japanese high schools and elementary schools. Other teachers in Japan work in private language schools (Eikaiwa) and universities. Large language school chains like GEOS and Nova are some of the major employers.

Taiwan

In Taiwan most teachers work in buxibans (cram schools). Some buxibans are part of chains like Hess and Kojen. Others are independently operated.

Monthly pay in such schools is around the USD $2,000 mark, with an extra month's bonus if the teacher fulfills his or her contract. Some teachers who cannot adapt to living and working in a foreign country leave after receiving their first few salary cheques.

Issues in Southeast Asia

Thailand

Thailand has a huge demand for native speakers, and has a huge ready-made workforce in the form of travellers and expatriates for whom the lifestyle in Thailand is very attractive. As Thailand prohibits foreigners from most non-skilled occupations this means that the majority of foreign teachers are working, as they can do nothing else to make a living there.

Officially, schools require a degree to work as a teacher, and in some areas to be eligible for a work permit, however in practise many teachers find that a CELTA or other TEFL certificate suffices on its own.

Fake degrees and TEFL certificates are openly available to buy on the Khao San Road in Bangkok, which has led to schools in Thailand employing a large number of fraudulent teachers, though in many cases this is encouraged by the schools wishing to facilitate work permits for its teachers. The quality of the fakes however, are poor and easily spotted. Common mistakes are spelling errors, wrong formatting ie the certificate in landscape not portrait, wrong fonts etc.

Even those who do not want to follow this path often find themselves working illegally, though again labour laws are rarely enforced and many teachers can work illegally for years, by either working on an easily available non-immigrant visa, and in many cases on a 1-month tourist visa, which can be renewed simply by border-hopping every month. Many schools do not themselves know how to process an application for a Teachers Licence and Work Permit. There are occasional crackdowns however, and those caught can find themselves at best, looking for a new job and at worst, locked up in Thai jails until they can come up with the money to be deported, although this is very rare.

Schools generally do not pay for round-trip airfares or receive many other benefits aside from the given salaries. Local teachers wages are very low, at around 250 dollars per month, with native speaker salaries averaging between USD 500–1000 per month. While this can afford a fairly comfortable lifestyle in Thailand, it is amongst the lowest TEFL salaries internationally, and many long-term expatriates find they can no longer afford to return to the West.

The relatively high salaries in comparison to the local salary can lead to a certain resentment among local staff who feel that they are being usurped by less-qualified, and better-paid people, while the foreign teachers lack long-term motivation to remain in Thailand, therefore staff turnover can be very high in many schools.

The culture of education in Thai schools can often come as a shock to foreign teachers, with class sizes of 50-plus, unmotivated students who are forced to learn English due to Thai government policy, a shyness to question teachers, a culture of plagiarism, and an unwillingness to study anything that is not fun. Even at the better schools with dedicated English Programs, many teachers also find that they are forced to pass students who fail tests, and in some cases do not even attend class.

Problems

Whether teaching to travel or travelling to teach, an ELT life style is not without its difficulties. Teachers tend to complain about the following things.

Culture

The biggest concern of new English language teachers are issues related to cultural integration. Foreigners often express themselves in widely different ways and have very different expectations than the native population. Even with prior mental preparation, culture shock can be prevalent.

The School

Teachers may be sharing living accommodation with colleagues. Enthusiastic teachers often become disillusioned by private institutions' lack of regard for quality or teacher development.

Teaching techniques

See also: Language education

Reading

The technique of using literature aimed at children and teenagers for TEFL is rising in popularity. Both types of literature offer simpler material ("simplified readers" are produced by all the major publishers), and are often written in a more conversational style than literature aimed at adults. Children's literature in particular sometimes provides subtle cues to pronunciation, through rhyming and other wordplay. One technique for using these books is called the "multiple-pass technique". The instructor reads the book, pausing often to explain words and concepts. On the second pass, the instructor reads the book completely through without stopping.

Blended learning

The concept of Blended learning has been much discussed recently among teachers of English as a foreign language. Recent studies have shown that ELT benefit greatly from a combination of face-to-face teaching and interactive (and therefore frequently electronic) practice activity. This can be achieved through the adoption of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

VLEs have been a major growth point in the ELT industry over the last five years. They are developed either as an externally-hosted platforms onto which content can be exported by a school or institution (examples being 'Worldwide Web Course Tools, WebCT' or the 'Blackboard' VLE) or as content-supplied, course-managed learning platforms (an example being the 'Macmillan English Campus').

The key difference is that the latter is able to support course-building by the language school. This means that teachers can blend their existing courses with games, activities, listening exercises and grammar reference units that are contained online. This has applications in the classroom and as self-study or remote practice (for example in an internet café).

External links

More Information on the TEFL Profession

Wikigogy.org - a wiki for teachers of English as a second or foreign language
British Council
Teachers in Asia professional development
Dave's ESL Cafe
TeflWatch Greylist
ESLBase Site for Teachers
Ajarn - Largest TEFL site in Thailand

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