| Everyone knows how there has been a steep | | | | conditions. |
| demand for teachers to teach English abroad. But | | | | Candidates teaching English overseas may find the |
| despite the overwhelming demand, a native | | | | Chinese market very lucrative. In the last two decades, |
| speaker’s knowledge of English is not in any way | | | | China has been opening up to the English language. |
| an automatic passport to great job opportunities | | | | However, in the last few years, there has been an |
| abroad. However, a certification from TESOL can be | | | | overwhelming demand for good English teachers. The |
| of great use in many countries abroad, particularly in | | | | emerging middle class is willing to spend money on |
| Europe, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China where there | | | | expensive private tuitions, so that the language barrier |
| is a sudden spurt in the number of people who want | | | | fades away and their children can aspire for global job |
| to learn English. | | | | opportunities. |
| There are a number of things one has to consider | | | | Japan is another gold mine for people willing to teach |
| when going to teach English abroad. The first is the | | | | English abroad. This is a place that has a venerable |
| types of position available. Though in theory, English | | | | respect for the language. Job hunting in Japan is a |
| teachers have a wide number of options, in practice, | | | | drain on your resources because of the high cost of |
| teachers of English language generally teach in private | | | | living in these cities. Therefore, it is recommended that |
| institutes. Most of these institutes cater to a large | | | | you find an opening placement before landing in Japan. |
| number of students and the main aim of these | | | | Once you find a job, the remuneration is quite good. |
| institutes is to maximize profits. So, they may not really | | | | The people in Japan are an eager lot and most of the |
| maintain very high standards. It is much more lucrative | | | | students who join up are adults who want to learn the |
| to be self-employed. Self satisfaction is also more | | | | language. One of the best features of teaching English |
| when you can teach students according to your own | | | | in Japan is the quaint ‘conversation lounge’ you |
| codes. However, this normally requires quite a bit of | | | | find in this country. These are places where the |
| experience and a substantial investment. Something | | | | Japanese come just so they can speak and interact |
| which may not be available to newcomers in a foreign | | | | with a native speaker. They have a great informal |
| country. | | | | atmosphere and add to the delight of teaching. |
| Teachers who come to a foreign country for teaching | | | | Anyone who dreams of teaching English overseas |
| English must be prepared to deal with a range of | | | | must be prepared for a ‘period of initiation’ |
| problems. Most of these problems are cultural in nature. | | | | when they get used to the foreign language and |
| This is particularly true in case of Asian countries. Most | | | | culture. Once these barriers of culture and language |
| students in these countries tend to be very shy and | | | | have been broken down, the experience of teaching |
| find it difficult to come out of their shells. But a teacher | | | | English in a foreign country becomes an exhilarating |
| who can make classroom learning fun and challenging | | | | one. |
| should find it reasonably easy to work in such | | | | |