What Types of Opportunities to Teach English Exist?

Young Learners Who Need English Teachers

Parents throughout the world want the best for their kids – and that means learning English to participate in the global marketplace.  Young learners include children between the ages of six and twelve.

All of the major TESOL teaching destinations include hundreds of opportunities to teach English to young learners. Many of our graduates report back that it is also one of the most rewarding types of TEFL jobs. i-to-i’s specialist TEFL certificate in Teaching Young Learners should come in handy for any classroom environment that includes teaching English to children.

Business English Teaching Opportunities

Many leading employers require English as a primary skill when recruiting. Millions of professionals and business people worldwide understand the need to speak English fluently in order to succeed. This results in huge demand for TESOL teachers, especially those with a TEFL certificate and some training in Teaching Business English.

Business English is taught in business and industrial centers so that’s where you’ll find the vast majority of  teaching positions available. Top dollar is paid for experienced English teachers in China, South Korea, the Middle East and the European Union.

Private Tutoring

One opportunity to build on your teaching credentials and supplement your income is to teach English privately. Set your own hours and to a certain extent, your own rates. Private tutoring can also expand your range of contacts and create future job opportunities. Some people even manage to make private TEFL tutoring their main source of income.

Teaching one-to-one requires a special sort of skill as you need to hone your materials to best meet the needs of each individual student. In order to help you develop the necessary skills to deliver quality private lessons a specialist certificate in Teaching English One-to-One is available here.

English Teaching in Schools

There are two main types of schools you can teach in:

Public Schools

Government-run schools offer reliable and respected teaching opportunities, as well as generally well-organized teaching structures. Public school English teaching opportunities include teaching English to kids aged anywhere from four to 18. The wages are generally competitive and there is little chance of being scammed.

Private Language Schools and Institutes

Most major cities throughout the world have a number of private language schools to help adults and young learners get up to speed in English. Make sure you do a little research before applying to private institutes to find a reputable school. Top private schools offer great benefits: a regular income, a standard working week, a long-term contract and in many cases, a slightly higher salary than state schools.

English Teaching in Universities

TESOL jobs in universities are generally the top prize in the profession and are understandably competitive. Working conditions and salaries are both good and the challenge of teaching students who can communicate at a higher level of English proficiency can be very satisfying.

University positions generally demand higher degrees (MA/MSc), higher-level TESOL certificates or DELTAs, as well as teaching experience. However, qualifications required vary with in-country demand, so it’s worth checking local job sites and newspapers once you’ve arrived in-country.

Teaching ESP - English for Specific Purposes

Teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) comprises EAP (English for Academic Purposes) and EOP (English for Occupational Purposes). ESP is also referred to as On-the-Job English and includes business English, professional English (e.g. teaching English to doctors and lawyers) and vocational English (e.g. teaching English for tourism, nursing and specific industries).

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) usually revolves around teaching students to use English in order to study. Here at home, local community colleges often offer these courses and may refer to this type of learning as ELL (English Language Learners). As the number of immigrants seeking entry into professional fields rises in North America, the importance of these types of TESOL courses has grown. A Teaching Business English certificate can help access these types of jobs.

Conversational English

Many students around the world are proficient in English, but would like to improve their conversational abilities. This is especially true in the business English field. Teaching conversational English is a great option if you want to start teaching English, but are nervous about coming to grips with grammar.

Volunteer Teaching

If you are looking for a way to make a difference in the world and aren’t so concerned about making a salary, volunteer English teaching is a great choice.  Volunteer teachers are needed in NGOs, charities and locally run teaching projects in developing countries worldwide. Volunteer teaching is also a good way to build up your resume and improve your future TESOL employment prospects. Check out our internship possibilities in China and Thailand!