TEFL

Some people spend just a few months teaching English (eg on a Summer Internship Programme with Oxford internship Office) or use it as a 'gap year' experience to fund travel plans and build skills. Others have longer-term careers teaching English in the UK, aim to run their own language schools or go into English Language Teaching (ELT) publishing.

How you teach English will vary depending on the type of clients you have and what they are trying to achieve:

• Are they aiming to pass examinations?
• Are they trying to improve their business language skills?
• Are they trying to function in a country that doesn’t use their first language? In some schools you may be a ‘language assistant’, working alongside the classroom teacher to enhance spoken English lessons.

It is worth finding clips of TEFL classroom teaching on YouTube to give you a better idea of what it’s like teaching different audiences. There's a common misconception that TEFL work is easy but being a native English speaker doesn't automatically qualify you to teach English. You will still need training in order to deliver effective lessons. 

Skills needed

The key skills include:

• A thorough understanding of the English language, particularly grammatical conventions.
• Excellent spoken English (you will often see a requirement for ‘native speakers’, although that doesn’t necessarily exclude those for whom English isn’t their first language).
• Clear verbal expression and the ability to explain linguistic concepts.
• Enthusiasm for languages/language learning.
• Creativity and lots of energy.
• An understanding of (British or Western) cultural issues and current affairs.
• An interest in people and different cultures.
• The ability to relate well to children or your client group.
• Willingness to take part in extra-curricular activities.
• A background in formal language learning is a distinct advantage.

If you are concerned about your knowledge of English grammar, a useful reference book is Practical English Usage by Michael Swan.

Getting experience

Different ways to pick up TEFL experience include: 

• Pair up with another language learner at Oxford and exchange language lessons for free
• Tutoring through organisations such as Jacari 
• Temporary jobs in Oxford Summer Schools. There is a strong demand for temporary teaching staff for holiday and short-term language courses in the UK. You can approach schools individually, but you will find that many of them advertise for staff, either locally on the website Daily Info or our website CareerConnect or in the press, typically in the Times Educational Supplement (TES).
• You can use your initiative to track down vacancies in a variety of locations, typically in south coast resorts or in Cambridge, London, Oxford, York, or other educational centres.
• Teaching refugees, eg in Greece or with Oxford's Asylum Welcome, for instance
• Teaching English at language camps, eg to children in Germany
• On a languages degree? Gain experience on your year abroad
• Secure a short-term voluntary placement in Hong Kong, China or some areas of Eastern Europe, such as Romania. Check our website for these kinds of opportunities – generally you will be required to pay travel costs.
• Summer teaching opportunities are on offer through the Career Service's Summer Internship Programme which are advertised in January each year. Some internship providers, such as Gotoco, provide a full TEFL course as part of their training. In the past SIPs have been offered in China, India, Bangladesh and Japan. 

Do I need an English degree? 

It is not essential to have a degree in English or a modern language.

Do I need to complete a formal training course?  

There are various options to get started in this field; which option you choose will depend on what your longer-term plans are. If you wish to travel and would like to teach for a while before returning to the UK to undertake a job in a different sector, then you may decide not to invest in in-depth formal training. Try looking at the range of year-long job opportunities in places such as Hong Kong or China, some of which do not require teaching qualifications. If you would feel more comfortable with some formal training, or would value such a training opportunity, then perhaps a short (typically a month) language-teaching course is for you. If you see TEFL as potentially a long-term career, then consider undertaking a longer language-teaching course such as the CELTA or TESOL (see below).

Training in TEFL is available at different levels, with full-time courses lasting anything from a few days to five weeks. Some courses are offered over the internet, but do consider whether they will offer real value for money if it’s classroom experience you lack. Courses are generally offered by language training schools and other such centres in the UK and abroad. The Cactus TEFL website has a comprehensive overview of different qualifications. Typically the more reputable employers will look for relevant qualifications.

Looking further ahead, if you know this is for you and have plans to run your own language school in the future, you may wish to consider a Masters course, DELTA or even longer language-teaching course. This will help you to develop the right skills and qualifications to eventually apply for the limited number of permanent, full-time opportunities available. If you’re looking for permanent TEFL work in the UK it is almost impossible without a formal teaching qualification and experience – check requirements by browsing advertisements for these roles.

I've heard about the TESOL and CELTA. What are they? 

They are the Cambridge Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) qualification and the Trinity College Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Trinity Cert TESOL). Both qualifications are designed for those with little prior experience and each has recognition from the British Council as an initial international qualification for teaching English to adults. Both courses are available at over 200 centres across the UK (and elsewhere) with fees varying, with an average around £1,700.

Some providers offer ‘taster’ courses, which may be useful if you are not sure if TEFL is for you. International House in London is now offering a blended CELTA course of online training combined with face-to-face teaching practice.

Part-time courses can be cheaper than full-time courses. A list of CELTA course providers is available from the Cambridge English website (see the 'External Resources' section below).

If you plan to teach abroad and already have a destination country in mind, consider looking for a CELTA or TESOL course in that country. This would give you a head start in making contacts and finding out about local opportunities. The Cambridge English website’s list of CELTA courses includes international providers.

Use reference books and TEFL websites (see the Resources section) to look at specific countries and get suggestions of how to find work in them. Teaching English Abroad by Susan Griffith is one of the best general books on the topic, and has suggestions for most parts of the world. A whole series of books is available, entitled Live and Work in…, usually with a chapter on English teaching and a list of language schools.

The Times Educational Supplement (TES) website advertises TEFL openings, and you will also find opportunities advertised on Oxford Career Service's Career Connect. The Guardian and EL Gazette also post TEFL jobs. See the External Resources section below for further vacancies sites. 

Working conditions

It may be difficult to establish the precise conditions of employment in the language schools you are applying to. If you follow up one of the published advertisements, do make sure that you check the details of the employment conditions, such as guaranteed hours of work, how remuneration is calculated, travel expenses, insurance and help with accommodation. Those wanting to be sure of reasonable working conditions may wish to use one of the more established groups such as Inlingua, Berlitz, the British Council or Linguarama. If you can, ask a potential employer if you can speak to people who have previously worked for them or find Oxford alumni on LinkedIn who have worked there and ask for a chat or 'information interview'. You can also read what is being said about organisations online via the TEFL websites listed at the end of the briefing.

How to apply

You will almost always need to apply by cover letter with an accompanying CV. Many international employers expect to see documentary evidence of your degree and, if required, your professional teaching certificate. If you are contacting employers speculatively then try to find out the name of the Director of Studies, to whom you should address your application. Being in the country may be an advantage when looking for work; if you are looking for work in Europe it’s best to approach possible employers at Easter for an autumn start.

The JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Programme is a well-known scheme run by the Japanese Government, and several hundred graduates from the UK participate each year. Application is via an online form with an early Michaelmas Term application deadline for departure the following summer. The emphasis is on spoken English and cultural exchange. 

Sector Summary

To explore an overview of the sector, including entry points, possible roles, and insights from Oxford alumni, download our Guide to Education (PDF).

Books

The following books are useful guides if you are exploring English language teaching as your next step:

• Teaching English Abroad, Susan Griffith
• TEFL Uncovered: How to Teach your Way Abroad with TEFL, James Jenkin
• Live and Work in … France, Spain, etc. 
• The Smart Guide to Teaching English in Japan, Charlie Moritz and Martin Bragalone
• The Complete Guide to Teaching English Abroad, Andrew William 
• Succeed in TEFL, David Riddell

General information on the sector/working abroad

• Prospects, including the Working Abroad page.
• Venture's Teaching in China (PDF) - an objective guide for the China-curious teacher.

Sector vacancies

• TEFL - The world’s largest real time database of ELT jobs
• The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET)
• The EL Gazette - news, courses and jobs
• TEFL Jobs
• www.lovetefljobs.com - jobs board and information hub
• www.seriousteachers.com
• Career Opportunities at Berlitz
• English First: vacancies

ELT associations

• English UK: the national association of accredited English language centres
• International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL)
• The British Council

Courses and training

• Bridge TEFL  Offers TEFL training and jobs in South America
• Cambridge English  List of CELTA courses and webinar on CELTA.
• DoTEFL  Global directory of TEFL courses online and worldwide
• International House  Teacher training with regular open afternoons in London.
• Inlingua Teacher Training and Recruitment (ITTR)  Advertises TESOL courses.
• i-to-i TEFL Lists TEFL courses, internships and jobs.
• Trinity College London  TESOL courses, provides a useful guide to choosing a course.
• TEFL.org.uk  International projects, voluntary opportunities, TEFL jobs and training.
• TEFL Course Review

• Ethical TEFL  A social enterprise offering training, scholarships and careers advice content.

• Premier TEFL TEFL courses.

Forums and other useful sites

• Dave's ESL Cafe  Well-known TEFL site; place to check out what’s been said about some employers and TEFL related issues.
• ESL Base  Good information about avoiding scams.
• English in Britain Has a database of language schools offering EFL classes across the UK.
• British Council Teaching English  Information about training courses plus useful classroom resources.
• TEFL.net  Information and jobs.