Graduate Careers Australia
Teaching & TESOL
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Introduction
Teaching English to people with a non-English speaking background can take you in many different directions. You could find yourself teaching English to oil company workers in Saudi Arabia or to primary school children in Korea. You could also remain in Australia and teach young adults who are migrants, overseas students whose main interest is to learn basic English, or non- English speaking students in primary and secondary schools. The international demand for teachers of English has increased dramatically in recent years. In this profession, the travel opportunities are endless.
Educational Qualifications
Qualifications needed for TESOL teaching depend on where you plan to teach English. In some cases it is not essential to have official qualifications, or even a degree, to enter the TESOL field. However, if you plan to travel and teach internationally, it is a good idea to check educational requirements before you go, as these vary significantly between countries. For example, in Thailand, it has become necessary in recent years to have a bachelor degree to work, and a TESOL certificate will help you to get a reasonably paid, full-time position. This is also the case in Japan, Korea and the Gulf states. Due to the competitive nature of this growing industry, official qualifications are becoming increasingly important.
For domestic teaching work in the ELICOS system you need to hold a recognised degree or diploma, a TESOL certificate and have English language teaching experience.
For domestic teaching work in primary and secondary schools, you must have a recognised teaching qualification, in addition to TESOL qualifications.
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