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TEFL Myths Busted

Posted by Kiva Richard - 15:37 on 14 March 2012

Here at TEFL Scotland we have heard a lot of myths about TEFL.  Here's a few common ones, and the truth behind them.

Myth 1: You need to speak another language to teach English abroad

This is definitely not the case. In the classroom you will be teaching English and this means you will only be speaking English. Many employers will actually prefer to hire TEFL teachers who speak only English so that you are not tempted to converse with the pupils in anything but English in the classroom. Of course, we would recommend learning some of the basics before you leave such as ‘hello’, ‘please/thank-you’, and ‘can I get a beer’. You will be surprised at how easy it is to pick up phrases once you are teaching English in a foreign country so don’t let not knowing the language hold you back from starting your career teaching English abroad.

Myth 2: You need to be a certain age to teach English abroad

There is no age limit for teaching English aboard. Anyone from the age of 16 can take one of our TEFL courses and we have graduates from all ages and backgrounds teaching English all over the world. Some employers may specify age requirements but the majority of TEFL jobs don’t so you shouldn’t have much of a problem.

Myth 3: You need a degree to teach English abroad

Some countries such as Japan, Greece and South Korea do require you to have a degree in order to get the correct working visa. If you don’t have a degree don’t panic - there are plenty opportunities to teach all over the world, including Ecuador, Spain and the Czech Republic to name but a few.

Myth 4: You need teaching experience to find a TEFL job abroad

Although this may improve your prospects of finding a TEFL job it is no way a requirement. With one of TEFL Scotland’s accredited TEFL courses you will be fully qualified to find work teaching English all over the world. Our TEFL courses will give you the skills and confidence needed to stand up in front of a class and teach English anywhere in the world. A minimum of 100 hours is generally the requirement from many TEFL employers so we would recommend taking the 100 hour or 120 hour TEFL course. This will give you the best chance at finding your dream job teaching English abroad.

Myth 5: There are hardly any TEFL jobs out there

This couldn’t be further from the truth! There are literally millions of people all around the world looking to learn English. This means there is a huge demand for native speaking TEFL teachers. English is fast becoming the language of business and commerce and learning English can improve the job prospects for many people. As more countries are opening up their doors to the west there are increasing job opportunities in tourism for those in less developed countries who can speak English. Check out our TEFL Jobs to see where in the world you could teach English as a foreign language. After taking a course with TEFL Scotland you will also have access to our Schools Contacts Directory which contains contacts for thousands of employers all round the world looking for TEFL teachers.

Start your career teaching English with TEFL Scotland

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