Whatever your age or life experience, teaching English overseas offers an excellent opportunity to see the world and gain professional experience. According to The English Effect report, currently 1 in 4 people speak English at a useful level worldwide. It’s estimated that by 2020, some two billion people will be using the language, a statistic that means English teachers are always in demand across several countries. In China alone, there are more than 300 million people learning English.
Thousands of people come to the UK to study English, generating approximately £2 billion a year for local and regional economies. But for those looking to take their English language skills abroad and become a teacher themselves, which skills, qualities and qualifications do you need to follow your dream? Read on to discover if you have what it takes to teach English abroad – the Lingoo way.
Qualifications
Teaching English overseas in the traditional sense at a local or language school requires having some form of qualification such as a TESOL, TEFL or CELTA. Becoming a language teacher or au pair with Lingoo means you can teach without a degree. In fact, you don’t need any formal teaching qualifications at all. By teaching English overseas via Lingoo, you become a conversational coach, living with the host family and teaching them English for just a few hours per day. Using everyday experiences as a learning tool, our language au pairs teach in exchange for accommodation and meals, utilising their spare time to explore the culture of their host family’s country.
Of course, having a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or similar is a bonus, but here at Lingoo, it’s not a necessity. Checking the visa requirements of the country you want to teach English in however is recommended. Certain countries, like Japan and Korea, require applicants to have an undergraduate degree. This degree doesn’t have to be in a language or education field.
Skills
Having excellent verbal and written communication skills is of course part and parcel of being an English teacher overseas. Effective listening skills are another requirement as explained here by the British Council:
“It should not be difficult to realise the importance of listening when we consider that it occupies about 45 per cent of the time adults spend in communication. This is significantly more than speaking, which accounts for 30 per cent, and reading and writing, which make up 16 per cent and nine per cent respectively. Yet, for all its importance, students (and even teachers) often fail to give listening the attention it needs. This is all the more remarkable as learners often say that listening is the most challenging of all the skills in English.”
As a Lingoo language au pair you’ll have to organise the content you will be teaching your host family. Being a great planner and having the creative ideas that will help you execute practical, engaging and interesting lessons is therefore important.
Qualities
There are some things that you can’t teach and many of the qualities required to be an English teacher abroad should come naturally to candidates. Being friendly, confident, culturally sensitive, tolerant, patient and able to work under pressure are all musts for those looking to teach overseas as a language au pair. Being interested in people and passionate about helping them enhance their English skills is of course a requirement.
Other requirements
At Lingoo, we do ask that our language au pairs are aged between 18 and 30, and unmarried without dependents.
Think teaching English abroad as a language au pair is for you? Find out more about becoming an English language au pair and sign up to Lingoo today.
