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If you are looking for a destination to teach English abroad that is slightly off the beaten track, but still offers endless opportunity for culture and travel, then Russia could be a great choice. With a population close to 150 million and an increasing focus on cross border business, Russia has a very strong demand for English language teachers, particularly in cities such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg. As demand for teachers is so high in some parts of the country language schools tend to hire year-round, unlike many other countries across Europe that often have set hiring seasons. Russia also differs from most other destinations in Europe as schools routinely hire teachers in advance from within their home countries. This means the application process and interviews are conducted...  [Read more]

The ITTT TEFL course in Russia gives you the opportunity to learn how to live and work teaching English in one of the most interesting countries in the world. Following successful completion of the course, you will find yourself in a great position to secure a job teaching EFL in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok and elsewhere in Russia. Russia is generally considered to be one of the most diverse countries in the world. Its incredible features include historical sites, world famous ballet performances and theatrical productions, beautiful nature, and of course the hospitable local people. By joining our course in Russia you will not only undertake a TEFL course with a world leader in the industry, but also enjoy some of the best cultural experiences in the world. Attending our...  [Read more]

Although most Russians study English during their senior school years the level of instruction is often poor. Because of this many people look to improve their language skills once they join the workforce as a way of moving up the employment ladder. An increasing number of parents also recognize the importance of English language skills in modern day Russia. As a result there is a huge demand for English language teachers across all age ranges in many parts of the country. Moscow and St. Petersburg offer the most numerous positions but there are also plenty of other towns and cities to consider if you want to stay off the beaten track. The monthly income of foreign teachers in Russia varies hugely depending on many different factors such as location, qualifications, experience, and...  [Read more]

Europe attracts large numbers of people who are looking to teach English abroad, particularly from North America. However, it can be a daunting prospect for many as most employers expect to recruit their teachers locally rather than in advance from within their own countries. Unlike Asia and the Middle East, most foreign teachers working across Europe have to head to their country of choice and then start the job hunting process by visiting potential employers in person. If this approach doesn’t appeal to you, there are a few exceptions that you can explore. In recent times, Russia has rapidly grown in popularity as a destination for teaching English abroad as demand has boomed and salaries have increased. Another popular reason for teaching in Russia is the fact that employers routinely...  [Read more]

I went to France when I was fourteen and I didn?t speak any French. I lived in Toulon where barely anyone spoke English; I was therefore forced to speak French everyday at home and at school. Being surrounded by French resulted in me being able to speak it fluently with no knowledge of French grammar. After ten months, I returned to Australia speaking French as my second language. I continued to study French at school, but in a completely different approach. The lessons were carried out in English and we studied the French news and French current affairs. I learnt a lot more complicated vocabulary and was able to form more complex sentences. I also studied beginner Spanish at school. From the first class, we were only allowed to speak Spanish. This approach...  [Read more]

When researching your options for teaching English abroad, you may come across articles stating that it is difficult or even impossible for Americans to find work in Europe. However, the good news is this is simply not true, as there are plenty of great opportunities for American teachers in many countries throughout Europe. Due to the huge numbers of people learning English in Europe, there simply aren't enough teachers from within the EU to fill all the available positions. To meet this demand, language schools across the continent look towards native English speaking Americans who possess a TEFL qualification. Every year thousands of US citizens find teaching jobs in major cities such as Rome, Madrid, Berlin, Moscow, and Prague. In Western Europe there is a strong preference for...  [Read more]

Yes, most countries require foreign visitors to possess some form of visa in order to enter for tourism, business, education, or employment purposes. The requirements vary greatly from one country to the next, so we recommend that you contact the relevant embassy or visit their website to ensure you have the most up-to-date information. Here we break down the most common forms of visa that you are likely to come across. These are generally issued to short term visitors who do not plan to work or study during their stay. There are several categories of tourist visa depending on the destination and your own country of origin. The most common is the 'upon entry' tourist visa that is issued in the form of a passport stamp on arrival at the immigration desk. For example, US citizens heading...  [Read more]

Due to a rapid increase in job numbers and fewer restrictions on who can legally work as a teacher, the Eastern European region is now beginning to catch Western Europe in terms of popularity. Typically, the balance between income and cost of living means that many teachers find they are better off financially in a country such as the Czech Republic than they are working in a traditional teaching hotspot such as Italy. The monthly income of foreign teachers in Russia varies hugely depending on many different factors such as location, qualifications, experience, and number of contracted hours. Private language schools generally pay an hourly rate which averages around $650 per month for a first-time teacher. This figure can rise substantially with relevant experience. Many positions...  [Read more]

The majority of people who complete a TEFL certification course will head overseas to live and work in schools and language centers across the world. However, the job hunting process and securing work permits etc can require a range of different documents that varies from one job to the next. To ensure the whole process runs smoothly, you should make sure you have everything you might need as far in advance as possible. Typically, anyone traveling to a foreign country requires a passport that is valid for at least six months. In some situations your passport must be valid for a full year, so the best advice is to ensure your passport has two years or more remaining to allow for an extended teaching contract or further travel once your initial contract is complete. In many cases you...  [Read more]

When looking for English teaching jobs overseas you will find plenty of options at any time of the year. However, to give yourself the widest choice of opportunities it is important to be aware of any times of the year that are considered peak hiring seasons in the country that you are interested in. Wherever you dream of living and working it is best to start applying for jobs at least three months before your intended start date to give enough time to make all the necessary arrangements, such as sending in applications, interviewing, applying for entry visas and work permits, etc. Hiring seasons are when a large number of teaching jobs become available at one particular time, due to the start of a new school year or semester. The exact timing of hiring seasons can vary from region to...  [Read more]

  Olga form Russia took the 120-hour online course with ITTT and is now teaching English in China. In this TEFL review video Olga gives us brief look at one of her classes. The students are studying animal vocabulary and are obviously enjoying themselves. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. This unit covered seven different areas in the future tense of the English language. The first four were in a similar breakdown and the past and present...  [Read more]

  Maksim from Russia is living and working in Shanghai, China. He took the 120-hour online TEFL course with ITTT and in his TEFL review video he tells us how he found the course to be well organized, interesting and not complicated. Maksim thinks that having the TEFL certificate played an important role in helping him to find a job teaching English in China. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. Coursebooks certainly has its advantages and...  [Read more]

When considering the importance of the role of a teacher, what then is the importance of how they teach when faced with different and diverse cultures? First, we must look to the definition of culture itself: ?A culture may be conceived as a network of beliefs and purposes in which any string in the net pulls and is pulled by the others, thus perpetually changing the configuration of the whole.? (Jacques Barzun, quoted on site: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/cultural- services/articles/culturel) So if culture is indeed a highly upheld structure that supports each individual, then we must carefully take into consideration how we incorporate the culture in the classroom to create a sense of unity. In teaching to a different culture, one must first reflect on their ...  [Read more]

Before you head to the airport to start your TEFL journey it is important that you are aware of the paperwork required by the country you are planning to work in. The specific type of visa you need to gain entry to your destination country and how you gain the right to work legally there can vary enormously from one place to the next. To ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible, you should visit the relevant embassy website and do a bit of online research well before you plan to leave. Typically, anyone traveling to a foreign country requires a passport that is valid for at least six months. In some situations your passport must be valid for a full year, so the best advice is to ensure your passport has two years or more remaining to allow for an extended teaching contract or...  [Read more]

  This video is part of our video series on "Evaluation and Testing of Students". In this video, we look at the diagnostic and progress test. A diagnostic test gives the teacher information about the students' current strengths and weaknesses, while a progress test is usually held multiple times during a course covering all the material taught up until that point to check understanding. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. If you are a teacher, you...  [Read more]

In some countries there is a clear process for foreigners to obtain a work visa that provides full legal status to live and work. In others, the process can be expensive and time consuming or simply nonexistent. However, as the demand for English language teachers is so high in many parts of the world, the necessity of a work visa is sometimes ignored. The fact is many thousands of people work as English language teachers in countries all over the world without a work visa. In countries such as Spain and Italy, both extremely popular destinations, it is common for Americans and other nationalities to enter the country on a tourist visa and immediately start working as an English language teacher. A tourist visa in these countries is typically valid for 90 days and cannot be renewed so...  [Read more]

As demand for ESL teachers is continually high in many parts of the world, there are several countries where you can realistically expect to find employment at any time of the year. However, some regions and individual countries have specific seasons when the majority of hiring is done. If you have particular areas where you want to work as an EFL teacher, it is important that you are aware of these seasons so you can plan your job hunting strategy effectively. Language school season: year-round: Across much of Asia there is such high demand for English language instruction that private language schools often hire throughout the year. This is generally the case with all the most popular destinations in the region for teaching English abroad such as China, South Korea, Thailand,...  [Read more]

Teaching grammar can be one of the most frustrating aspects of an English teacher?s job description. Teaching grammar can be divided into two categories, declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge. Declarative knowledge can be summed up as knowledge about a thing such as the rules of grammar whereas procedural knowledge is being able to apply the knowledge to communicate effectively. To illustrate the difference declarative knowledge would be being able to understand the instruction manual on how to assemble a bicycle where as procedural knowledge would be what you demonstrate when you actually put the bicycle together. Being good at one does not necessarily make one good at the other. Many of us native English speakers can use our native tongue correctly but...  [Read more]

English has become the global language of choice in this world. What other language can you easily find in any corner of the globe that you choose to travel' From Chile to Japan to Egypt to Russia and beyond English is the one language you can count on finding in your travels.So how did English become the language of choice for the world' Are there more native English speakers than that of other languages' Is English the easiest language for non-native speakers to learn, or are other speakers in love with the language for its eloquence and grace'The answer to the globalization of English is none of the above. A more astute answer would be to say that English, much like Microsoft Windows, was in the right place at the right time when standardization was badly needed due to...  [Read more]

If you are thinking about teaching English abroad, you may well have wondered whether you should take a TEFL certification course at home or wait until you head overseas. There are pros and cons relating to either choice, but here we look at the main arguments in favour of completing your TEFL training before leaving your home country. Yes, in many of the most popular countries for teaching English abroad jobs are routinely organized from within your own country. In this scenario you will have an interview via phone or webcam from home. If you are then offered the job you will often have to send off a range of documents that are required for the employer to organise your visa, or you may organise this on arrival in some cases. This method of recruitment is most popular in Asia, where it is...  [Read more]

Teaching grammar can be one of the most frustrating aspects of an English teacher’s job description. Teaching grammar can be divided into two categories, declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge. Declarative knowledge can be summed up as knowledge about a thing such as the rules of grammar whereas procedural knowledge is being able to apply the knowledge to communicate effectively. To illustrate the difference declarative knowledge would be being able to understand the instruction manual on how to assemble a bicycle where as procedural knowledge would be what you demonstrate when you actually put the bicycle together. Being good at one does not necessarily make one good at the other. Many of us native English speakers can use our native tongue correctly but...  [Read more]

As there is a strong demand for TEFL qualified teachers in many countries worldwide, most course graduates should have little trouble finding a suitable position. However, to maximise your chances of securing the best jobs there are a few things you should be aware of. Where you should look for work, how to apply for jobs, and how to prepare for that all important interview are all covered below. Among the many attractions of teaching English abroad is the fact that you are free to choose not only the region where you would like to work, but also the specific country or even city. For some teachers the history and culture of Europe appeals most, while others are drawn to exotic destinations across Asia or Latin America. However, before you book your plane tickets you need to be aware...  [Read more]

Throughout the world a significant percentage of ESL teaching positions are filled locally via face-to-face interviews. However, there are many countries where recruitment is typically undertaken in advance from within the teacher's home country. This method of securing a position is particularly convenient for newly qualified teachers and those with little or no experience of international travel. The application process is usually conducted via email, while interviews take place via Skype or phone. Securing a job in advance usually means you will receive assistance with obtaining the necessary visas and work permits. Employers may also provide financial assistance with airfares, health insurance and accommodation on arrival. One drawback is the time needed to complete the recruitment...  [Read more]

TEFL related teaching jobs are available in almost every country worldwide and due to a huge demand for qualified teachers, jobs are all but guaranteed in some areas. To ensure you have the widest range of positions to choose from and the best chance of landing that dream job, there are several things you can do to put yourself at the head of the queue. If you are looking for a job outside the country you are currently in, then using online searches is a common option. There are many job boards online that post available positions from countries worldwide. The majority of these jobs will be in regions where the demand for teachers is so high that employers are happy to hire teachers without the need for a face-to-face interview. These are most likely to be found in Asia, the Middle...  [Read more]

This marks my thirteenth week as a new teacher of sixth and seventh grade students, ages eleven to thirteen. I teach history and my class sizes range from twenty-three to twenty-seven, with a total of one hundred and fifty students throughout the day. As one can imagine, classroom management and discipline are extremely important with groups this size and with children in general. In an effort to improve the effectiveness of my current teaching position and to set the tone for my future ESL/EFL classrooms, I consulted the Phi Delta Kappan, an excellent resource for teachers both beginning their careers and those who are seasoned veterans in the field. Metzger, Margaret (2002). Classroom Management: Learning to Discipline. Phi Delta Kappan 84, 77-84. Metzger is a life-long...  [Read more]

Located in the east of the country, Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, is its largest city and the most populated city in the region of Central Asia with around two and a half million people calling it home. The city became the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan when the country became independent in 1991. Tashkent has a long and interesting history which is evidenced in its delightful architecture. The exhibition halls and metro stations are particularly good examples to look out for. One of the best ways of experiencing local life in Tashkent is to drop by one of the numerous local markets, which are thriving social centers for the local inhabitants. The nightlife in Tashkent is exciting and varied and you will find the best clubs, restaurants and teahouses in Uzbekistan in the city....  [Read more]

TaLK stands for Teach and Learn in Korea which is a government sponsored program that places foreign nationals into elementary schools across South Korea. TaLK is a similar program to the much larger EPIK; however, the TaLK Program differs by focusing on placements in underprivileged areas that might otherwise struggle to attract foreign teachers. Participants on the program will gain valuable teaching experience throughout their time in South Korea. There is also plenty of free time for exploring the local culture and for travel across the country and wider region. The TaLK Program is open to college graduates or current undergraduate students who have completed at least two years of a degree course. You must also hold a passport from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada,...  [Read more]

Due to government restrictions or work visa requirements, there are several countries where English language teachers without a 4-year university degree might find it difficult to secure employment. However, the good news is there are still plenty of great opportunities for those without a degree if you are flexible and willing to go where the demand for your services is high. To increase your chances of landing a position in the country of your choice, it is highly recommended that you first complete an internationally accredited TEFL/TESOL certification course. Those who are TEFL qualified will find they have a big advantage over non-qualified teachers in most countries worldwide. Although China has the largest market for TEFL qualified teachers in the world, the regulations for...  [Read more]

Your initial application should be completed on ITTT's own Internet application form. As part of our pre-screening process, applicants are requested to submit an account of their personal history and background and of their motives for joining the course, as well as their future aspirations. If for any reason you wish to subsequently cancel your place on the course after your deposit or full fees (i.e. deposit plus balance) have been paid, ITTT/TEFL International cannot provide any refund except for exceptional circumstances. The course organiser's decision is final. In any case, the deposit is non-refundable. The main reason for this is that the staffing for the course and accommodation have fixed costs which have to be paid for in advance and based on a specific number of course members...  [Read more]

At ITTT we have developed a wide range of TEFL certification courses to suit a variety of situations. Whether you are a complete beginner who is looking to kick start a new teaching career or an experienced teacher looking to increase their level of qualifications and knowledge, we have a good option for you. As each course varies in content they are all priced individually. Simply click on the course page that you are interested in for full details on cost and payment options. There are several ways for you to complete your course payment. The quickest and easiest method is via a credit or debit card. Card transactions are completed via our online payment page which is both secure and hassle-free. We are also happy to accept course payments via Western Union, PayPal, and bank...  [Read more]