Why You Should Consider Teaching English as a Foreign Language

By Lucy Dilland, additional reporting by Thandile Nkoyi

TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification is a surefire way for you to head overseas for a teaching job and get paid for it.

If you prefer staying in sunny South Africa for now, TEFL also allows you to work from the comfort of your own home, you only need to have a stable internet connection and a laptop.

What is TEFL?
Getting certified in TEFL equips one with the skills and expertise to teach non-English native speakers how to speak, learn, and understand English.

It is also commonly known as Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), English Language Teaching (ELT), and teaching ESL (English as a Second Language).

Obviously, you won’t just start throwing chalk on the board because you woke up in a teaching mood. Certification is required to teach English abroad. A qualification within the same discipline (ie. a teaching degree) is not a requirement but would be a significant advantage.

Get a TEFL certification
According to the International TEFL Academy, a world leader in TEFL certification for teaching English abroad and online, “an accredited TEFL certification school will provide training from a highly qualified instructor covering the skills and tools you will need to work as a professional English teacher”.

After completing a TEFL certification programme, you can use it to secure employment teaching English to non-native speakers worldwide.

The following standards typically apply to TEFL courses:

• A minimum of 100 hours of coursework;
• At least 6-20 hours of practicum (live practice teaching and observation with actual non-native English speakers and NOT role-playing with fellow TEFL classmates);
• Instruction provided by a qualified instructor (who has an equivalent to a Master’s Degree in TESOL or a related field); and
• An accredited curriculum from a recognised, independent organisation within the field.

Valid certification can be obtained online as well, but the International TEFL Academy recommends getting certified by a school whose courses meet all the relevant standards, including the ones listed above.

The TEFL Institute founded in 2017 offers certification as well as jobs in countries from all over the world. It is headquartered in the UK and has a campus in Cape Town. More information can be found on their website: https://teflinstitute.com/.

Don’t take our word for it
22 year-old Shanna Smith gained her TEFL qualification through the International TEFL Training Institute in 2021.

Shanna then got hired by Estonia-based Enlego, an online English school that connects students and native English teachers globally, through which she taught English to Chinese adults from the comfort of her bedroom.

Nelson Mandela University graduate Cassidy Pautz currently resides in Shanghai, China, where she teaches English to a class of ten-year olds at Shanghai High School International Division.

She obtained her TEFL through the TFA in 2018 and has Bachelor of Arts in Media, Communication & Culture from Mandela University. She also holds a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Essex.

“Having a degree will get you entry-level teaching positions, specifically training centres and public schools. Having a post-grad definitely widens your net, and you’ll be able to look into international schools or international departments of schools”, said Cassidy.

She also added that a degree is required in get a visa to go teach in China.

The journey was not without its own struggles.

“Leaving your family behind, having to make new friends, apartment hunting, language barriers, acclimatising to a new job” were some of the challenges Cassidy faced. But it gets easier; “it takes a lot of getting used to, and you need to be flexible and understanding”, said Cassidy.

How big is the bag?
Teaching in South Africa, you can look to earn between R10,000 – R25,000 a month on everage, according to The TEFL Academy.

The International TEFL Academy lists various Asian countries and how much one can look to earn teaching there. These include China, Cambodia, Thailand, Japan and South Korea.

According to this list, one can look to earn between R3 600 – R5 400 per month from teaching in Thailand, and around R8 900 – R18 000 per month teaching in Japan.

In her experience teaching in China, Cassidy adds that TEFL pay “really depends on what city you’re living in, and what type of school (you’re teaching in)”.

“I started at a public school, earning an amount that is considered fairly low for a foreign teacher in China, but is a lot when converted and compared to ZAR”, said Cassidy.

She then “moved to a private school, earning about twice as much” and now teaches at “an international school, earning about x3 what I did at the public school.

Worth a shot?
Pursuing TEFL overseas is an exciting opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and open yourself up to new experiences.

For Cassidy, “it’s the perfect way to experience a different culture, travel affordably around Asia or elsewhere, and earn good money”.

It is also a great opportunity to learn about yourself and your abilities, while helping others learn too, and also gain invaluable experience while at it.

If the idea of fleeing the nest and teaching English overseas is too daunting for you right now, you can consider teaching online from home.

You could do it full-time, or balance it with your current job and commitments. A professional teaching background, especially with a qualification, would be an advantage.

Besides the job itself, it is an amazing opportunity to expose oneself to different kinds of cultures and people.

This article was originally published by Khulani!, a youth media project by the Department of Media and Communication of Nelson Mandela University, based in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.