How to land your dream job teaching abroad from an International teacher
By: Katie O'Donoghue
Tags: International Teaching, Work Abroad, Teaching Abroad, Teaching, Teaching English

A typical classroom

There I was, 4 years ago, at London Heathrow. Excited to see what the next few years of teaching abroad would bring. Little did I know how challenging life in China would become and how I would do everything in my power to land a dream job in Thailand before my contract was over.

I have always loved teaching but unfortunately, teaching in the UK is not fun. Teachers are under appreciated, underpaid and overworked. I wanted to teach but I didn’t want to lose myself in the process of being the best teacher I could be.

Which is why I decided to become an international teacher and is exactly why I am sharing these tips and guidelines (as well as a few expectations), to help you fulfil your dreams of teaching abroad.

What type of teacher are you?

This isn’t a philosophical question but a practical one. Are you a qualified teacher who has studied at university to become a teacher or are you an English speaking travel lover who wants to experience teaching English abroad? Either answer is fine but it doesn’t impact the next few steps…

Requirements

English/TEFL teacher:

It can be challenging to find long-term and well-paid positions but there are lots of opportunities all over the world to choose from. You do need to speak a good level of English and some companies will require you to be a native speaker. You will need a criminal record check before applying for visas and, in some cases, you may need a degree (to get those higher paid jobs) or a TEFL qualification.

Qualified teacher:

For qualified teachers (no matter where in the world you are from), you will have more success with landing a well-paid job however there is more competition in desirable locations. You will need a degree and teaching qualification as well as a criminal record check before any visas are accepted.

Finding a job

English/TEFL teacher:

Once you have decided on an area in the world to teach, you can browse various websites for jobs. TEFL.org has a great course that prepares you to apply for the many jobs they have advised whilst Dave’s ESL Cafe specialises in English jobs in China and Korea. Teachaway includes a mixture of teaching online, teaching English and International teaching opportunities and GoOverseas has a variety of blogs to help you decide where to go and how to prepare for the job.

Need to know:

Jobs advertised all year

Start dates throughout the year

3, 6 or 12 month contracts

Qualified teacher:

As I mentioned before, there are a lot less international schools in the world than there are English teaching schools and companies. However, international schools can be find around the world, with certain cities and countries have a lot more than others. Places like China, the UAE and Vietnam have a lot of schools that you can apply for whilst other destinations will have one or two international schools.

To find a job as a qualified teacher, there are a few websites you can use:

TES: A website which lists jobs in the UK, Ireland and International schools worldwide. This site also has some great resources available to use in the classroom.

Teaching Abroad Direct: Advertising jobs for countries across the world with many Asia and Africa positions.

Teacher Horizons: Search for jobs by region using this website.

COBIS: British teachers can rely on high quality international schools by using the COBIS website. Not all jobs maybe listed on here but an up-to-date list of accredited schools so you can find the right school for you.

Need to know:

2 year contracts with possibility of extending

Positions tend to be advertised from November through to March

Contracts tend to start in August depending on school year

Writing your CV/Cover Letter

Most jobs will ask for a CV; editing this to the job you are applying for is important, particuarly if this is your first teaching position. However, as long as you have the right qualifications, most schools will focus on your cover letter.

Cover Letters tell the employer who you are. You want your letter to be a page long and paragraph it carefully; highlighting your successes as a teacher. BUT you also want to look at how you fit with the school or company you are applying for.

For example, a school may have a large number of EAL and SEN students, they may be focusing on improving Math in school and they may have an extensive sports extra curricular programme. Your cover letter needs to explain not only how amazing you are as a teacher but how you can contribute to these aspects of the school.

Here are some common examples of what schools promote and ideas of how you address their needs:

Inclusive school - Working with a variety of students with various needs. Differentiating lessons to suit learners.

Inquiry based learning - Using a topic in all subjects or project based learning.

Whole-child approach - Developing the whole child through social, emotional and extra curricular activities.

Positive Praise - Manage behaviour through praising students who demonstrate expected behaviour.

Committed teachers - Demonstrate how you have reflected upon and improved your teaching.

Preparing for interviews

When applying for any teaching position, the interviewer is going to want to find out 2 things; that you know what you are doing and that you are happy with your decision to move to a new country.

International schools are looking for staff that will stay for at least two years, if not longer whilst TEFL companies lose a lot of money with young teachers deciding to leave mid-contract.

You need to:

Research the job, company and/or school thoroughly. Focus on what your employer is looking for and what they promote; e.g. a school that encourages the arts will appreciate you sharing your enthusiasm for developing the whole child. Choose 3 or 4 topics or achievements you want to mention in your interview. For example, if you have experience teaching EAL children, you will want to highlight this in your interview. Practise answering interview questions in a concise, clear but personal way.

Example Interview questions

Why this school/company/location?

What can you offer our school/company?

What does safeguarding mean in school?

Tell us about how you would teach a lesson

What does your classroom look like?

What are your strengths as a teacher?

What are your weaknesses?

How would you prepare your classroom to be ready on the first day of term?

How to do you assess your students?

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

What would be your biggest challenge moving to this destination?

Describe your worst lesson and what did you learn from it.

How would you teach a student online?

How do you plan to teach children with very little English?

Good luck with your international teaching experience and follow me for more teaching abroad advise, tips and expectations!