If you’ve been thinking about teaching English as a Foreign Language, usually we would say there’s no time like the present. But let’s get real: it’s 2020 and we’ve all been thrown for a loop this year. While it might not be the ideal time to be looking for a job teaching English abroad right now, we can say that it’s always a good time to get TEFL-certified. Even though it might be tricky to find a job in another country right now, there’s a good chance you can teach English wherever you are – or you can always teach online. Then, when 2021 comes, you’ll be all sorted for a TEFL adventure abroad. Need more convincing? Here’s why you should teach English abroad in 2021.
Travel, travel, travel
Probably the number one reason people want to teach English as a Foreign Language is to travel. As a TEFL teacher, the world really is your oyster. Besides the fact that you can look for a teaching job in practically any country in the world, living in a country gives you ample opportunity to travel to nearby destinations on weekends or during holidays. Especially after 2020, when most of us had to stay at home for the longest time, 2021 will finally bring us the chance to travel again.
Read more: 5 Movies That Will Make You Want to Travel
Money, money, money
Probably the second most popular reason to teach English abroad! Depending on where you teach, as a TEFL teacher you can either earn big bucks to send home to pay off your student loan or you can earn enough to live the best life wherever you are living. You might earn an hourly rate or a set salary, you can earn extra doing private lessons or after-school activities, and accommodation might be included in your salary too. Plus, how many jobs do you know that basically pay you to travel the world?
Read more: Top 5 Countries to Make the Most Money Teaching Abroad in 2020
Broaden your horizons
All this travelling and living in a foreign environment is good for you in so many ways. Whether you are travelling solo or with family or friends, living in a foreign city is bound to boost your confidence and give you freedom and responsibility like you’ve never experienced while living at home. Living in a foreign city will expose you to different cultures, beliefs and ideas, which will make you more open-minded and well-rounded. And you’ll be an asset on any General Knowledge quiz team!
Read more: 7 Destinations for Soo Travellers
Expand your network
Life these days is all about the connections you make. It’s not what you know it’s who you know, right? Well, being a TEFL teacher will expand your networks both in terms of friends and also professionally. While you are travelling the world and living your best life, you’ll be making friends and connections with people from all over the globe, and you never know when that may come in handy.
Read more: Top 3 Ways to Make Friends While Abroad
Upskill yourself
Teaching English will upskill you in many ways, some totally unrelated to teaching. Being a teacher will teach you time management skills, communication and public speaking skills, professionalism, diplomacy and people management skills. You will most certainly brush up on your PowerPoint and Microsoft Word skills, while getting practice using interactive technologies. This will all serve you well as you continue your TEFL career, but it could just as easily be useful if you decide to move on to another field.
Learn a language
One very real way you can upskill yourself is by learning the language of the country you are living in. Besides the fact that being able to speak the local language will help you settle down, fit in, make friends and experience the true culture of wherever you are, being multilingual has many benefits for the individual. Being multilingual helps you think differently and actually helps you with problem-solving, logical thinking and reasoning. Plus, more and more employers are looking for employees who can speak more than one language so it’ll look great on your CV too.
Challenge yourself
Make no mistake, even though it is loads of fun, teaching is also challenging. Being a TEFL teacher means you will learn how to plan lessons, develop materials, manage classrooms and think on your feet. But besides any professional development you will undergo, living and working in a foreign country will teach you flexibility and adaptability. There are very few experiences which will require you to be so independent and open to change as being a TEFL teacher in a foreign country. As this year has proven to us, we need to be flexible to adapt to our circumstances because we never know what might be thrown at us.
Make a difference
Teaching English is a sure way to make a difference in not just one but hundreds of lives. Being able to speak English is a skill that is very necessary in today’s world; being able to speak English opens doors to opportunities and possibilities that might not be possible otherwise. Giving that skill to your students means that you can be sure your job is a meaningful one. What’s more, you will see the improvement in your students every lesson, so you will be able to actually see the difference you are making to their lives.
If you are at a crossroads in your professional life or are about to start your career, then you might be thinking of doing something different with your life. If this sounds like you, then you should seriously consider doing a TEFL course and teaching English as a Foreign Language abroad. There are not many job opportunities that offer you the benefits teaching abroad does – all while you’re getting paid! So don’t waste any more time procrastinating: check out our TEFL courses and start taking steps towards your future teaching English abroad.
The post Why You Should Teach English Abroad in 2021 appeared first on The TEFL Academy Blog.
