| Look before you leap - Know yourself, and what you | | | | the skills you employed and those that you learned. It |
| want in a job teaching English as a second language, | | | | doesn't matter how easy, or how unrelated the skill |
| before jumping into a position abroad. Enlist the help of | | | | may seem to you, write it down. If possible, interview |
| your friends, family, or anyone you trust, who will help | | | | your past supervisors and co-workers and ask them |
| you answer the questions below as completely and | | | | to tell you what they think you brought to the table, and |
| candidly as possible. There are no right answers here; | | | | how your work improved over time. |
| the only correct answers are honest ones. | | | | 5. Almost done! Enumerate your preferences and |
| 1. First, take an inventory of who you are. This is not | | | | needs for cultural surroundings and daily environment. |
| who you want to be. This is who you are, today. | | | | - Do you need all the comforts of the average |
| - How would you describe yourself: physically, | | | | American city at all times, are you ready to completely |
| emotionally, intellectually, spiritually? | | | | rough it, or ok with something in between? |
| - How would your best friend describe you? | | | | - What type of living space do you require? An |
| - Your parents? Siblings? | | | | apartment with electricity and running water? Or can |
| - Your enemies? | | | | you do without appliances, and indoor plumbing? Can |
| 2. Next, gauge your knowledge of English. Are you | | | | you live in a temporary structure such as a tent? |
| qualified to teach ESL? Begin by listing all the English | | | | - Have you ever been camping before? If yes, for |
| classes you have ever taken. Specify whether these | | | | how long and how did you enjoy the experience? |
| were literature, grammar, or writing courses. Also list | | | | - Is having roommates ok? Do you want a private |
| any foreign language classes - these classes are | | | | space? Need couples housing? |
| helpful, since they are where most Americans learn | | | | - Do you enjoy exploring cultures different from your |
| English grammar. | | | | own? Are you willing to research, respect, and comply |
| - List the classes. | | | | with the cultural norms of another culture? Does your |
| - How well did you do in these classes? | | | | willingness extend to only certain cultures? Which |
| - Did you enjoy these subjects? | | | | ones? |
| - In general, do you enjoy expanding your vocabulary, | | | | - How much weight can you carry? |
| learning languages, exploring speech and | | | | - Are you in good health? Will a doctor approve your |
| communications concepts, analyzing literature, reading, | | | | travel abroad? |
| writing, or any related activities? | | | | - Are you on a special diet? |
| - Have you taken at least one grammar or linguistics | | | | - Do you need any medications? |
| class? (Very helpful.) | | | | - Are you able to commit to a contract teaching job |
| - What English language skill do you enjoy using most? | | | | (usually 10 to 12 months, but occasionally there are |
| (i.e., listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, or | | | | shorter assignments)? |
| vocabulary) | | | | - Do you have enough savings, personal contacts, |
| - What English language skill(s) do you think you can | | | | access to resources, and guts to try freelance |
| teach? Which do you think you can enjoy teaching? | | | | teaching/tutoring? |
| 3. Third, analyze your preferences around working with | | | | At this point, you should have a more complete picture |
| people and teaching ESL: | | | | of who you are, a general degree of interest in English |
| - Do you like working with people? | | | | and language learning, what some of your personal |
| - What type of people energizes you the most? | | | | tendencies are, and whether you need a more |
| Children? Adults? Teenagers? Students? | | | | Westernized, urban location, are looking for an |
| Professionals? Other groups? | | | | experience with a very specific group of people, or ok |
| - Which ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds | | | | with most any situation. At the very least, you should |
| are you drawn to work with? Why? What experience | | | | know by now whether you know enough English, or |
| have you had working with people with these | | | | like English enough to learn what you need to know to |
| backgrounds? | | | | teach it; whether you are a natural public speaker, |
| - Do you do well, or are you willing to try, facilitating | | | | have enough guts to try being one, or want to stick to |
| large groups of people (e.g., 19+)? Mid-sized (10-18) or | | | | tutoring; and the extent of your inclination to explore |
| small groups (3 to 9)? | | | | and be a part of another culture. |
| - Do you prefer working with individuals, one-on-one? | | | | 6. As a final exercise, rewrite the above responses |
| - Have you had experience teaching or tutoring? What | | | | into an essay that more succinctly addresses the |
| did you enjoy about these experiences? What did you | | | | following: |
| dislike? | | | | - Who are you? |
| - Are you an extrovert or an introvert? | | | | - What do you have to offer in your ESL job? |
| - Are you a perfectionist? | | | | - What attracts you to teaching English abroad? |
| - As a teacher, would you view yourself as the | | | | - What do you think you will gain from the experience |
| imparter of knowledge or a facilitator of learning? | | | | - the pros, the cons, and the degree of unknown? Do I |
| - Have you ever been in a situation where a person | | | | believe the pros outweigh the cons and unknowns? |
| was angry? How did you interact with that person? | | | | Whew! You made it to the end. Where you go from |
| - How about someone who was depressed? | | | | here, is up to you. The world holds unlimited possibilities |
| - Do you have clear boundaries? | | | | for employment, and teaching ESL abroad is one of |
| - Are you ready to step outside your comfort zone? | | | | myriad niche. I guess the ultimate question is then, is this |
| 4. Now, list your past job titles. Next to each job title, list | | | | the best niche for you? |