Are you tired of doing the same thing every day? Do you have a Bachelor of
Arts or Sciences degree and yet have found yourself doing the same jobs as those
of your peers who are unlettered? Tired of worrying every day about applying
the right amount of water treatment chemicals in the company lagoon? Well, the
world is a big place, and your choices are not nearly as limited as you might
believe. In this series of articles, we are going to explore the exciting opportunities
offered for those who are interested in teaching English as a Second Language.
Usually when we hear the term ESL it's in reference to being taught.
As such, many people have a lot of misconceptions about what teaching ESL actually
entails. They think that in order to teach English, you need to be able to speak
at least one other language fluently. However, this is not the case at all,
and it is something we will explore throughout the series. Let's take
a look at what other types of information you will find in these articles.
Getting Started
While it is easier than most people think, there are some preparatory steps
people need to take before they can begin teaching ESL. It's not so expensive
that you will have to get money for gold jewelry that you put in hock, but you
will have to shell out some money for training. We will talk about how much
money and time you will need to invest as well as the different schooling options
out there.
Selecting a Location
Once you finish up the proper courses, it's time to select a location
for your ESL teaching career. While the certificate will open the door to opportunities
in many countries, these opportunities are widely different in terms of pay,
quality of life, and job positions. In addition, some countries have higher
requirements than others of their ESL teachers. For example, teachers must have
more experience to teach in the oil rich Middle East than they need in China,
home of production of everything from women's T shirts to children's
toys. We'll give you some criteria that should aid in your decisions.
Teaching ESL does not necessarily mean you have to take advantage of the fact
that you have an international SIM card for your portable communications devices.
There are opportunities for ESL teachers in North America, and we will look
at those as well.
In fact, over time you may wish to start up an ESL school of your own. It's
been done before, and if you are the type who likes to make your own business
cards and run your own school, it might be a great economic opportunity for
you.
Teaching ESL means breaking away from the mundane and opening the door to a
world of opportunity, quite literally. The information in these articles will
help you decide if teaching ESL is the right choice for you!
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