Tag Archives: teaching english

TEFL Job Tips For Success

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Finding EFL work abroad can seem overwhelming with so many different countries, visas, contracts and cultural differences.  Below are a few ideas to increase your chances for success.

Customize your resume for the TEFL job you are applying for

Employers are only interested in your education and experience that directly relates to teaching.   Make sure your resume is concise and precise.  Only cover what the job advertisement asks for in simple, direct language. Focus on skills that schools will value, like leadership, organizational and communication skills and how you have demonstrated that you have them.

Take your TEFL course with a school that provides guaranteed job assistance
Get your TEFL course provider to do the leg work for you! The best TEFL schools have job placement services which will match you with relevant suitable contracts on completion of your course.  If the TEFL school you are researching doesn’t have guaranteed job assistance, then look somewhere else.

Always correspond with a real person by name – not a Sir or Madam
Want to know where most of those applications addressed to ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ end up? That’s right, the trash can! One of the best routes to job success is to build up personal relationships with recruiters to make sure your application ends up in the right person’s hands, rather than the trash can.

Use the internet
The internet’s a marvelous thing so make sure you use it– where before you might have had to traipse around a city handing out your resume, you can now get access to tens of thousands of TEFL jobs by just a click of your mouse. TEFL internet sites list positions from all over the world, which are just waiting for enthusiastic EFL teachers to fill them!

Keep your language simple
Very often the person who will be reading your job application won’t have English as their first language. They won’t want to tackle an application full of academic or arcane language – they will want one that’s simple to read and direct. If they can’t immediately see that you have the skills for the job your application will probably end up in the trash can.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our beach-front outdoor training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a job placement program in Peru and guaranteed lifetime job assistance waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!

How To Find The Right TEFL Job For You!

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Everyone who wants to teach EFL, wants the “perfect” or “dream” TEFL job, so exactly how is the best way to accomplish this goal.  Below are four key factors to ensure you get a great teaching job.

Adaptability:

One of the most common core skills tested in a TEFL interview is the ability to adapt when faced with something unexpected!  Employers want to know that their new teacher won’t go running for the hills within a week. Any travel experience is a great way to show adaptability, but if you don’t have this, then how about succeeding in any new environment, like work or university.

Work Experience:

As most entry-level TEFL jobs will include working with children, include any and all examples of this on your application. Do you have any childcare experience or perhaps you helped out at a school summer camp? If you’ve mentored young people, this will also help to put you at the top of the resume pile. The rule of thumb here is no matter how little experience you have – flaunt it.

Cultural Sensitivity:

One of the best things about living overseas is the opportunity it gives you to experience a country’s culture first hand. Employers want to know that you’ll be sensitive to their ways; whether that’s unusual food or afternoon siesta (we’re sure you could get used to that)! A great way to set yourself apart from other applicants is to talk about how much you want to live in that country. Do a little research about the country and sound extra excited by asking lots of questions about your role, the school and the students.

Accredited TEFL Course:

Not all TEFL courses are the same.  Make sure the course you take is accredited by an international organization and that your certificate is accepted worldwide.  It is critical that you have at least ten hours of observed teaching practice, so that you will know how to actually teach when you find your new job.  Look for a TEFL program that not only provides you training, but also continuing support after you have obtained your certification.

If you completed your TEFL course with TEFL Zorritos, you will be prepared to start your teaching career and will have a job placement program in Peru waiting for you when you have completed our course.

What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our beach-front outdoor training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  Not to mention our guaranteed lifetime job assistance.

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!

Is Teaching EFL Right For Me?

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So you have been seriously thinking about starting a new life abroad as an EFL teacher – one filled with exciting new experiences, new friends and weekends relaxing on the beach. Before you make the leap here is the type of person who is most successful at teaching EFL:

Willing to try new things

The people who have the best time when teaching abroad are those who never turn down an invitation. You’re there to experience a new culture, so embrace the unexpected and the unusual!

Patient & Calm

Teaching English abroad, especially if you’re teaching kids, can be pretty frustrating at times. Wherever in the world you are, kids are kids, and can lose interest and start playing very quickly. The good news is that a calm and orderly teacher usually makes for calm and orderly students. So as long as you can keep calm and carry on you’ll be fine!

Open-minded

When you start teaching English, you won’t just be starting a new job, you’ll probably have just arrived in a totally new, alien country too. It’s important to keep an open mind about any cultural differences you encounter, including crazy new foods, initially strange-seeming etiquette and nonsensical bureaucracy.

Willing to make mistakes

Good teaching is all about trial and error – no one gets it right the first time! So, even if you’ve done loads of TEFL study, when you first start teaching lots of your classes will feel like total disasters. Don’t be disheartened – you’ll soon find that for every couple of activities or lessons that flop, you’ll hit on one that’s a rip-roaring success. And once you’ve got a good idea of what flops and what flies, you’ll be set.

Enthusiastic

You do need to be enthusiastic about the idea of teaching and ready to get stuck in and start helping your students, otherwise you’ll soon find your time abroad feels very long indeed.

A good listener

Being a good listener separates a mediocre teacher from a fantastic one – a good teacher will keep an ear out for the mistakes his/her students make and work out how they can correct them in subsequent classes. A bad one will just ignore their students’ efforts to talk – which do you want to be?

Flexible

No matter where you’re teaching, things in the TEFL world have a pesky habit of changing at the last minute: working hours changing and timetables being overhauled are just some of the most common issues, while schools dropping contracts at the last minute are at the more irritating end of the spectrum. As a teacher there’s not much you can do to avoid these last-minute changes, so it’s important to be flexible and embrace the unpredictability of things!

Friendly and approachable

No one wants a grumpy teacher – while it’s important to maintain a degree of professional distance between yourself and your students, you’ll find them much more willing to cooperate in class if you’re fair, friendly and approachable.

So, you’re cut out for the world of teaching EFL – if you haven’t started one already, your next step is an accredited TEFL course.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our beach-front outdoor training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a job placement program in Peru & guaranteed lifetime job assistance waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!

Improve Your Life and See The World

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Teaching English as a Foreign Language can improve your life and give you many transferable skills that are in demand in the domestic jobs market. So, even if you’re not thinking of teaching as a long-term career, spending time teaching abroad can be really beneficial to your future career.

Improve your communication skills

When you teach abroad you’ll spend much of your time standing in front of a class or preparing lessons. This will improve your communication skills and your confidence in presenting to a group, both of which are really useful in all forms of business. And because you’ll probably be teaching in a non-English speaking country, you’ll also learn to communicate effectively with people who don’t speak your language.

A challenge you want forget

From the second you step off your outbound flight until the moment you say a tearful goodbye to your students, you’ll be challenged almost constantly. You’ll need to learn how to function in a foreign country, how to navigate your way around a new city, how to build new working relationships and how to function outside of your comfort zone. If you write your resume properly, future employers can’t help but be impressed.

International networking

While you’re overseas you’ll cross paths with people from all walks of life: from foreign tourists and backpackers to local businessmen and university professors to government officials. If you make the effort to stay in touch, there’s every possibility that something may come of it. Life throws up all sorts of opportunities, it’s just a question of recognizing them and using them to your advantage.

Open new doors and broaden your horizons

Many people head off to teach for six months or a year and never come back: they find new opportunities and follow a new path in life. You never know where TEFL may take you until you take that all important first step!

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our beach-front outdoor training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a job placement program in Peru & guaranteed lifetime job assistance waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!

Finding a Good TEFL Job In Country

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Finding teaching work in country, when you are already living abroad is becoming more and more popular, and with more than 1 billion English learners worldwide it’s certainly a viable option.

The Resume. Put together a professional resume before leaving and make lots of copies. You don’t want to be printing out your resume on low grade paper in a new country’s internet cafe if you can help it. In case you do run out, save a copy in your email folder for easy access. You’ll also want your degree certificate (if you have one) and a print-out of professional references with contact details. If you don’t have any teaching experience former employers and University professors make the best references.  Finally, don’t forget to make copies of your accredited TEFL Certificate.  Most employers require a minimum level of 120 hours, that includes some classroom practice too.  Also remember the more hours of training you have, the better chance you have of finding a quality job.  Consider a course that offer 120 hours and some advanced certifications as well as the basic TEFL certificate.

Dress to Impress! Just because your interview is in Peru, that doesn’t mean that you should turn up in your joggers and a t-shirt that says ‘Beer Chang’.  If you’re short on backpack space then a pair of black trousers and a smart long sleeved shirt should cover all bases.

Get Connected. Let’s say you come across a school that’s hiring. You make a great impression and leave your resume for them to get back in touch with you. The next thing you’re going to need is a contact number. Save yourself some effort by picking up a ‘cheap pay as you go’ model back home and buying a local SIM in country.

Keep Smiling.  Always be cheerful and show enthusiasm. Particularly in smaller cities it’s surprising how often TEFL teachers are offered a position on the spot, in someone’s Auntie’s friends’ English school.

Consider Private Tuition. In countries without an established TEFL scene you can often find opportunities teaching private students. This type of teaching can be really rewarding as you get to choose how much you work and what sort of students you want to teach. Generally the highest paying tuition gigs tend to be skills based; ‘Ski Lessons in English anyone?’ or Business English.

Job Offer Time. Just because you’re accepting a job in country, you should still review your contract carefully. Things to think about include:

  • How many hours you are willing to teach – make sure you factor in time for lesson planning.
  • Whether your employer will sponsor your working visa.
  • Your accommodation – can your school help out with this?

And….once you’ve got the job…Congratulations! Got any more questions? Give us a shout!

If you completed your TEFL course with TEFL Zorritos, you will be prepared to start your teaching career and will have a job placement program in Peru waiting for you when you have completed our course.

What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our beach-front outdoor training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!

Love to Travel – Get a TEFL Certificate

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Want to really experience another culture? Now’s the time to say goodbye to that backpack and hello to the amazing experiences offered by teaching EFL.

Here’s why:

Spending time with people like you isn’t experiencing a new culture

Is spending all your time with other travelers who are just like you really making the most of your time abroad? You could have just stayed home!

Instead teach abroad and your working life will be spent surrounded with locals – both students and other staff. Great for getting understanding a country’s culture.

Get paid to be there

Unless you’ve got a big bank balance, spending any length of time in a country is out of the reach of most travelers. That means quick hops here and there, only seeing the ‘don’t miss’ sights that guide books rave about. With TEFL, you’ll be getting paid to be in a country for anywhere from six to 12 months, which means you can experience everything a country has to offer and not feel like you have to cram it into too short a time.

You’ll get to know the locals

While it’s easy to pass through a country and have nothing more than a few brief exchanges with waiters and taxi drivers, teaching abroad forces you to get to know the people you’re teaching, working with, and living with. Sometimes cultural differences can be a bit of a challenge, but you didn’t fly half way around the world to have everything run like it does back home!

You’re already qualified!

If you’re a native English speaker, you’re already qualified to teach English abroad. Yes, you need to do a TEFL course in order to get your hands on the best jobs and not make a total mess of your time in the classroom, but you don’t need any previous teaching experience or the ability to speak another language.

Be in the picture yourself

Go to any major tourist attraction and you’ll see tourist snapping away, trying to peer into a totally alien culture. Want to know the best way to get to know the place you’re visiting? Stop hiding behind your camera and dive in feet first – get to know people and you’ll soon find that you’re not on the outside looking in, you’re in the picture yourself.

You’ll get to really know the town

You’ll make friends with so many locals and long-term expats, you’ll know exactly where’s good to go at the weekend and how to find the really cool stuff.

So, what do you say? If you’re ready to ditch your backpack and grab your TEFL certificate, make sure to contact TEFL Zorritos today and get started on your travel adventures.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our beach-front outdoor training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a job placement program in Peru & guaranteed lifetime job assistance waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!

Don’t Live A Boring Life

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Life doesn’t have to be boring! If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut with everything in your life: work, home life and anything else, there is a way out! Due to the massive worldwide demand for native English speakers, it’s really easy to find paid work as an English teacher with just a TEFL certificate. You can get a TEFL certificate  in just a four weeks, after which you can start your exciting new life wherever you want.  Want to know why it’ll be more exciting than life back home? Simply read on:

1) New surroundings

A change is as good as a rest, right? Well if that’s the case, a change to the other side of the globe will do you a world of good. Wake up wherever in the world you choose, you can be sure that it’ll be different and so much more exciting!

2) New challenges

Teaching English abroad isn’t a stroll in the park: even if you do loads of TEFL training, you’ll find you can spend months planning your first lesson but it may or may not actually go to plan. But if everything was easy, getting the hang of it wouldn’t be half as satisfying, right? Once you start understanding life in the classroom, teaching is incredibly rewarding and, because you’ll probably be a conversation teacher tasked with games rather than grammar, pretty fun too.
3) New people

When you head overseas to teach English, one of the mains worries will be whether you’ll meet any friends. Relax. Unless you’re heading to a remote village in outer Mongolia, you’ll most likely end up in a town/city with lots of other foreigners, who usually end up as a close-knit community. Plus, with your new-found English skills will come new-found popularity with local teachers at the school, who will certainly be eager to make you feel welcome so they can improve their English.

4) New experiences

When you think of having lots of money, it’s not the money that counts, it’s the experiences it buys – so what if you could start having those once-in-a-lifetime experiences without shelling out lots of money? That’s what living abroad enables you to do – teaching overseas gives you a shortcut to thousands of incredible experiences. And you’re getting paid to live there.

Want to find out more? To learn more about teaching abroad and whether it’s the escape route for you, please contact TEFL Zorritos and we will give you all the information you need to have a great career teaching EFL abroad.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our beach-front outdoor training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a job placement program in Peru and guaranteed lifetime job assistance waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!

Teaching EFL & Speaking The Local Language

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Do I need to speak the language of the country where I will be an EFL teacher? The short answer is no. You really don’t need to have a full grasp of the local language to be an EFL teacher. In fact one of the guiding principles of TEFL is that English teachers never use the local language when they’re in the classroom. Since you’ll probably be working in a language school or institute, there will be lots of people around who speak English. However, your experience will be greatly enhanced by being able to order a meal or booking a train ticket in the local language and will make your time overseas a lot easier and a lot more rewarding.

So while you don’t need to know the language to be a teacher, you’ll get more out of the experience if you can master a few basics. There will be loads of language schools in the country you go to, so it might be an idea get there a few days early and book yourself in for a beginner’s course.

It’s at least a good idea to know a few basic words, so that you can communicate and of course request help in an emergency situation.  Basically the more of the local language you learn the better your experience will be while working abroad.

So pick up a small phrase book and learn a few basics before arriving.  You will be glad you did and have a much happier lifestyle in your home away from home.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our beach-front outdoor training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a job placement program in Peru & guaranteed lifetime job assistance waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!

Culture Shock When Teaching EFL

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Teaching EFL abroad is a great opportunity to see the world and expand your horizons. But being away from home, family, living in a different culture and always being surrounded by the unfamiliar – well that can take its toll. You might be suffering from culture shock.

It starts with euphoria

The first thing you’ll feel when you get off the plane is euphoria. You’re in a new country, surrounded by new things and it’s simply amazing. But this natural high has its drawbacks – after all, what goes up, must come down.


The full force of culture shock

Everyone’s different and some lucky people don’t even suffer from culture shock. But those who do have reported feelings of unease, negativity and a strong desire to shy away from anything new.

How to deal with it

Dealing with culture shock isn’t as difficult as you’d think. There are just a few simple steps you can take, which can make a big difference:

  • Be prepared
    Knowing what to expect goes a long way to helping you deal with new cultures and experiences. So research the countryyou’re going to be heading to before you go.
  • Be yourself
    It sounds obvious doesn’t it? But you’d be surprised how many people travel to a new countryand try to become a completely different person at the same time. There’s no denying the fact that taking on a totally new career in a totally new country will change you. Just let it happen naturally, because if you don’t, you’ll feel even more lost.
  • Take one day at a time
    If you’re teaching abroad, you’re probably going to be away for a long time. But imagining a whole yearin this new, scary place can be overwhelming. So stay focused on the now and take one day at a time.
  • Make friends
    One of the things you’ll miss the most when you’re working abroadis your friends, so make new ones. So if you’re feeling down, tell someone about it – they’ll probably be feeling the same way.
  • Explore
    Getting to know your destinationwill help make it more familiar. And that’s the ultimate cure for culture shock. Start by looking for similarities between this new culture and your own.
  • Stay in touch
    When you’re feeling homesick, there’s nothing better than talking to someone from home. So make sure you keep in close contact with everyone you’ve left behind to go on your travels.
  • Learn the language
    The language barrier can put a real strain on you while you’re abroad. So you might find it useful to take a course before you go or while you’re there. Alternatively, ask the schoolyou’re working for to set up some language lessons for you.

Just remember, your trip will be whole lot better if you embrace new cultures, instead of clashing with them. So if all else fails, just go with the flow.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our beach-front outdoor training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a job placement program in Peru and guaranteed lifetime job assistance waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!

TEFL – A Recession Proof Job

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Despite the current economic crisis sweeping much of the world, there is still one job where the demand continues to increase, with no foreseeable end.  That job is TEFL – Teaching English as a Foreign Language.  In fact there are so many opportunities, that once you have completed an accredited TEFL certification course you can pretty much have your choice of where in the world you want to live and work as an EFL teacher.

If you choose the right TEFL provider, they can even do the legwork for you in regards to finding a teaching job for you when you complete your training.  In fact, the better schools can probably guarantee you employment upon graduation from their course.

In addition to your TEFL certification you will need a resume appropriate for the job you are seeking.  Again, the best TEFL schools will assist you with preparing your resume so it matches the country specific requirements where you want to teach.

Interviewing can be as simple as a brief discussion on Skype or could involve several meetings with different school management over a period of weeks, depending on where you want to work and the type of school where you will be interviewing.  Again, the best TEFL schools will help you prepare for your interview based on the school location where you are applying for a job.

Visa and work permit information about the country where you want to work is also important and can be tedious and complicated if you don’t know the procedures.  Again, if you have chosen the right TEFL school they will be able to assist you with all aspects of visa, work permit and other documents to legally work in your chosen country.

Finally, but perhaps most important will be negotiating your contract with your new employer.  If you are not aware of the different cultural aspects of how this process you could end up on the short end of the salary/benefits stick, so to speak.  Again, if you have chosen your TEFL school wisely, they can review your contracts and help you negotiate a deal that is favorable for you.

So, if you are ready for a change, now is the time – get ENROLLed in a great TEFL school and start your new career as an EFL Teacher.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our beach-front outdoor training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a job placement program in Peru and guaranteed lifetime job assistance waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!