Do I need to speak the language?
Posted by Erin MacKenzie - 16:29 on 15 July 2010
We’re commonly asked the following question:
Do I need to speak another language to teach English abroad?
The answer: no. You don’t need to be a master linguist or even speak a word of the language of the country you’re jetting out to!
In fact, most schools prefer you not to speak the language – the reason schools want you is because you’re a native English speaker, if you’re going to speak the language of your students in the classroom then the school may as well have hired a local English teacher.
Now, when we say you don’t need to speak a word of another language that’s true concerning your job but if you want to make your life a whole lot easier we’d recommend that you pick up a phrasebook! Just learning simple things like how to ask for directions and order a meal will make everyday business run a lot more smoothly.
So remember to pack that phrasebook but don’t worry about your language skills too much!
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