New to TEFL? Here Are 15 Things You Should Definitely Know.

There’s no doubt that travelling as a EFL teacher is a great way to see the world, learn about other cultures and customs and maybe even immersing yourself in a language that you’ve always wanted to learn. It has unparalleled opportunities to work and travel worldwide. If travel is your aim then teaching is a far better job than bar work to keep you funded. And obviously, the more money you have, the more things you can do and experience. Sounds idyllic, right? And it absolutely can be. But there are also the basics to familiarise yourself with and if you don’t do it now, they can’t be done from abroad. So once you have your TEFL certification, have a flick through the 15 things that a teacher new to TEFL should know and get planning!

1. Make sure you sort out you’re your entitlement to drive while you’re over there. Having this is essential to your happiness abroad, basically! Being able to drive allows you to easily get away from where you’re staying and explore the surrounding areas, it allows you to meet new friends, it allows you to get away from the possibility of bumping into your students in town. Self-sufficiency is a very valuable thing.
2. When you’re choosing a location, make sure that you can do your hobby/ies there. You will definitely need ways of relaxation and a chance to get into an entirely different headspace to focus on different things. You’re also more likely to make new friends and don’t forget that variety is the spice of life – doing your hobbies might be the ultimate way for you to stay stimulated in what could be otherwise quite a closed environment.
3. You will need your own laptop. Most of us have them as a matter of course these days, but if you’re sharing with your partner, or children, then it’s time to invest in one that you can take with you. Why? There’s all kinds of reasons. Lesson research and planning, gathering together more resources, creating your own timetable, etc. Plus it’s there for your own personal use too, streaming Netflix in the evening, for example, when you need some downtime. It also stops you being reliant on school computers and ensuring you can do what you need to from the comfort of your own sofa. In terms of investment, a decent laptop is a good one.
4. Scrutinise your finances and bring enough money for a month, minimum. If you don’t have access to these type of funds then borrow, off family if you can, it would just be a temporary loan. Having this money behind you will give you peace of mind and stop you panicking about running. It will also remove the temptation to take out one of those payday loans where you borrow £5,000 and end up repaying £20,000. It’s definitely best to be prepared.
5. When you’re packing, include some board games and puzzles, maybe even some photos of your home country. Using resources like these is an excellent way to break the ice with new students and get them engaged and interested. You could even buy some cheap reading books designed for those learning to read for your students to practice with.
6. Don’t even board the plane without your work visa because if you’d don’t have it you will be turned straight back when you get to the border and that is not a good way to impress your new employer. Do your research, find out what you need to do to allow you to be in the country and earning money for the time that you plan to be there, and make sure that you have it sorted well before you travel.
7. Try and learn at least a little bit of the language of the country that you’re going to. It will be useful and shows that you’re making the effort to become acclimatised.
8. Once you’ve arrived, don’t leave the airport without buying a Sim card, a map and a maybe a basic phrase book if you don’t have one – always be prepared where you can be and cut out potential problems as much as you can. If you have a map then you have the key to getting yourself around, and with a Sim card you know that you’ll have mobile access for when you need it.
9. Once you’ve started at your new school, don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially about school policies and schedule. You’ll need to be clear on certain things so that you retain an authoritative air in front of your pupils.
10. Don’t get into the habit of rewarding your students with little gifts or sweets. It’s a nice idea – and a kind one at that – but it’s not the way to get your best out of your classes and before you know it they won’t do anything without a bag of Skittles as a result. Another important thing – if you’re planning a little downtime in your lesson, make sure that you have the scheduled learning out of the way first. Don’t do games or fun activities at the start of the lesson because you’ll find it impossible to get them all quiet and concentrating properly after that.
11. Don’t use their own language to communicate with the students where at all possible. You’ve been employed to teach them English – so do your job.
12. Have an absolute ban on mobile phone use in the classroom – and that includes you. It creates a very bad impression for you to be checking your Insta while they’re working. If you’re having trouble getting them to leave their phones alone, then bring in a cunning rule where they have to leave their phones in a box at the front of the classroom at the beginning of the lesson and they can only have them back at the end.
13. If you finish your scheduled content ahead of time, don’t let your students go early. Instead, encourage free talk amongst each other (in English!) and maybe a game or two.
14. It’s a useful idea to keep an observation journal. Not just for the day to day (although that too), but also to record your professional development and the progress of your students. If you’re having a down day it’s nice to look back and reflect on how far you’ve come since the start.
15. Finally, don’t sit in your room! Get out there, explore the area, eat in cafes, shop where the locals shop – anything to engage with the world around you and improve your language skills as you go along. And get some exercise – swim, run, play a group sport, anything that gets your heart rate up and your face flushed.