How to Teach ESL Overseas Without a Degree

English as a Second Language (ESL) has alwaysthe requirements of many schools (and local
been an attraction as a good way for people toimmigration departments) is a course that is 100-120
explore other countries, learn about new cultures andhours. This is about one-term. Some courses can be
have their travel expenses paid for. Many factorscompleted in as little as a week. An extra benefit is a
have contributed recently to the huge global need forcourse that offers transferable credits that you can
English teachers. The popularity of the Internet hasthen apply to a degree if you wish. Once you start
created a desire in millions of non-English speakers toteaching, you may like to consider completing that
learn to communicate in English. The speed in whichmissing degree by distance learning. Many colleges and
we can travel around the world has truly made theuniversities offer degree-completion programs.
world a global village. Multinational companies operateDepending on your experience, you could complete a
globally and need English language training for theirBA in as little as a year. This is worth considering
international management and staff who need tobecause if you do have a degree, you will find more
communicate by phone, fax and e-mail with headopportunities open up to you.
office, suppliers and customers. The demise of theBy the way, you will see many acronyms for ESL
Soviet Bloc and opening up of Eastern Europe isteacher-training courses: TESOL, TESL, TEFL, CELTA,
another contributor. All around the world, people wantTEAL, TEYL and TEFLA are some. I recommend
to learn to communicate in English. The need forTESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other
English language training far outstrips the availableLanguages). It is recognized around the world and
teaching workforce.gives you a good basic training in ESL teaching
You mean I don't have to have a degree to teach in amethodologies. CELTA is a British program (Certificate
foreign country? In some countries, that is true. Ofin English Language Teaching to Adults). My
course, schools would prefer their teachers to havepreference is TESOL because it trains you in methods
degrees, ideally in education and naturally the betterthat work for all ages whereas CELTA focuses on
your education, the more doors that will open to youadults. New teachers will usually find themselves
for teaching jobs. However, the reality of the situationteaching in a regular school and so should have a good
is that if you have a TESOL certificate, but not agrounding in methods, techniques and strategies for
degree, that will be sufficient in many places. As I saidteaching young and school-aged children.
above, the need is huge. Literally thousands of ESLIf you are serious about teaching overseas, even if
teachers are needed in China alone and thousandsyou don't have a degree, start by earning a TESOL
more in South Korea, to name only two countries.certificate, learning about countries in which you have
So, if I want to teach overseas but I don't have aan interest and then place your resume on as many
degree, what should I do?ESL teacher recruiting sites as you can find. Before
First, decide what part of the world you would like toyou know it, job offers should soon start to appear in
go to. I'll tell you that Asia has the largest need for ESLyour e-mail.
teachers and thus is often less demanding of teachingI did this and, though I did have a degree, in one night
qualifications. Second, find a good TESOL course toreceived a phone call from Indonesia followed later by
take. There are many available and they range in costone from Thailand. I accepted the job in Thailand.
from $250 to $1500. What is the difference? TheTeaching overseas can easily change your life and
higher priced courses are usually offered in universitiesyou don't need a degree to do it!
and take longer to complete. What you need to satisfy