Countries That Don't Speak English

Teaching English in countries where you do not speak the local language is indeed possible with a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate. While having knowledge of the local language can be beneficial, it is not always a requirement for teaching English as a foreign language. Many English language schools and institutions around the world hire English teachers based on their fluency in English and their TESOL certification, rather than their proficiency in the local language. A TESOL certification is highly valued in the field of English language teaching as it provides teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively teach English to non-native speakers. TESOL courses cover a wide range of topics such as language acquisition, lesson planning,...  [Read more]

  There is often much confusion surrounding these acronyms but essentially they mean the same thing. TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language TESOL = Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages The above are generally used interchangeably, however, TEFL is most commonly used within the UK and TESOL is usually preferred in Australia and the USA. Although some countries may favor one acronym over the other, it is important to remember that a TEFL certification and a TESOL certification are exactly the same thing as the training involved is identical. Although TEFL and TESOL training courses are identical and the acronyms are generally used interchangeably, there is a technical difference between the two. The general perception is that speakers of English as a foreign...  [Read more]

  There is often much confusion surrounding these acronyms but essentially they mean the same thing. TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language TESOL = Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages The above are generally used interchangeably, however, TEFL is most commonly used within the UK and TESOL is usually preferred in Australia and the USA. Although some countries may favor one acronym over the other, it is important to remember that a TEFL certification and a TESOL certification are exactly the same thing as the training involved is identical. Although TEFL and TESOL training courses are identical and the acronyms are generally used interchangeably, there is a technical difference between the two. The general perception is that speakers of English as a foreign...  [Read more]

Foreign Language Experience I come from a country, which is with high cultural values and great diversity. There are different languages spoken and different customs and traditions followed all over India. When I was in school, which was English medium school, we had Marathi and Hindi as our second language, Hindi was introduced from grade 3 and Marathi from grade 4, both these languages have almost similar script but there is a difference in the way we speak the language thus the difference in these two languages. It was easy for me to learn to read and write Hindi. It was very difficult for me to learn Marathi, my struggle worsened as my mother too was not able to help me as being from south of India she had never heard or spoke Marathi .It was compulsory in school to score same amount...  [Read more]

South Asia contains a contrasting array of different countries and different cultures. The incredibly wealthy state of Brunei stands in stark contrast to the poverty of Bangladesh and Pakistan. India, Sri Lanka and Nepal offer stunning natural beauty unsurpassed in the region. In all of these countries English is the de facto second language, and in countries like India it is the medium of instruction in many schools. Again contrast is the keynote here. Brunei requires that prospective teachers wishing to teach in state or private schools have a TESOL certificate, a PGCE and an undergraduate degree, and two years’ teaching experience. With all of the other countries a TESOL certificate alone will do fine. With language institutes you can, in the main, expect to find yourself teaching...  [Read more]

English as a Global Language In the last few months that I have been traveling, it has become even more apparent to me how important it is to be able to speak English to interact in the world today. Many of the people that I have been talking with over the last few months have not been native English speakers. And it became very clear to me that if they had not learned English, I would not be able to communicate with them, they have to learn a second language to be able to broaden their opportunities for travel, work, and general communication with people from other countries. As a native English speaker, you take this for granted. And as a result, many native English speakers only speak the one language. As a result of the Industrial Revolution, the British economic predominance in the...  [Read more]

  Choosing a TEFL certification course can be a difficult decision as there is no standardized duration of training or a fixed syllabus for providers to adhere to. This seemingly free-for-all situation means there are a multitude of companies offering a wide range of courses of varying quality. The good news is there are several long established TEFL course providers out there who do offer high quality courses that provide all the skills and knowledge you need to start a new career as an EFL teacher. So what should you look for when choosing the right course for you? The overall length of the course is a good place to start. There are many providers who offer short format online courses of 40 hours or even less, as well as in-class courses that can be completed in one weekend...  [Read more]

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Problems for learners in a Country of your choice: Italy In this paper I will address the issues I face as a teacher from the context of living and working in Italy, as well as the common problems my students encounter while learning and speaking English. I also want to draw attention to the input culture and society has on language, and look at how these factors influence dynamics within the classroom. Of course, it is nearly impossible to view ones self outside your own given cultural perspective, so as a result of this I will also be discussing my own assumptions on how I "imagined" people might act, compared to the reality of the situation. Often I neglect to take into account these differences, simply because I was raised in America, where I am used to a different set of cultural...  [Read more]

Cultural Sensitivity in the Classroom The topic we have decided to address is cultural sensitivity in the classroom. Living in Toronto is extremely different from living anywhere else on this earth. One reason why, is the cultural diversity of Toronto. Even in today’s workforce there is a massive amount of cultural diversity that is why having cultural sensitivity in today’s classrooms should be a huge asset. Canada is a country that is now relying on immigrants coming to our country to help run the economy. It is an extremely good thing that people from different cultures are trained to speak English before they come to Canada or having them take an English learning course once they arrive in the country. By doing this, they are given an equal opportunity in Canada. Luckily we were...  [Read more]

With a landmass of Germany, France and Italy combined this country, on the highest plateau in the world has exercised a fascination in travellers for centuries. It is only since 1986 that the country has been officially ‘open’, and indeed Beijing still holds sway over what, in China, is officially known as the Xizang province. Buddhism is the major religion practiced in the region. The population is a little over two millions, making this one of the most sparsely populated regions on earth - about one person for every 2.3 kilometres. Teaching here is more for those seeking a life experience than great financial reward. It is very difficult to get a work permit for Tibet, and notoriously difficult to get visa extensions. Hence many people go in on the look to voluntary organisation to...  [Read more]

Peculiarities of the English Language The English language was created in England. Throughout history, this language has spread to many parts of the world. It is used as a link language for International business and diplomacy. According to Madhukar N. Gate, it has taken thousands of words from other languages such as French, Latin, German, Greek and so on. We can even find Sanskrit words in English. For example: Guru and Pundit are two Sanskrit words used in English. English grammar is quite simple, in many languages nouns have grammatical gender which makes some verbs and adjectives change. This doesn’t happen in English. The adjective “big” is used with all nouns such as man, woman, child, book etc, as well as applying to both singular and plural nouns. Counting large numbers in...  [Read more]

Taiwan is a modern, industrialised megalopolis of big cities that benefit from booming trade with the US and other countries. Its thriving cities skirt glorious mountain ranges, and despite the hi-tech, developed aspect of the country there are still grass-skirted, indigenous tribes slightly at odds with this image. The official language is Mandarin, and twenty-three millions squeeze into an area of fourteen thousand square miles. Religions practiced include Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity. There is such a wealth of opportunity for TESOL teachers in Taiwan that it is hard to describe. For example English kindergartens are highly fashionable, and the trend for English goes from there up in the education system. In addition to this there are many corporations that need...  [Read more]

China is not so much a country as a huge world in its own right. The ambition of the nation is to be the world’s largest economy, and most educated observers expect that it is only a matter of time before this aspiration is met. But it is not simply the economic dynamism and the strange contrast of cultures that draws the traveler. Thousands of years of history, philosophy and culture are clearly evident, and in a sense all of the political events of the 20th century, are merely a grain of sand on the beach of Chinese history. Cantonese and Mandarin are the official languages; however, in a country of around one point three billion spread over nearly four million square miles, there is a cornucopia of different dialects and idioms. The reality is that Cantonese will serve you well in...  [Read more]

Stepping off the plane in Malta you are stepping into what has been described as the largest open-air museum in the world. Indeed, Malta boasts the oldest man-made structures in Europe - 7000 years, to be precise. But if monoliths, Roman ruins and crusader castles don’t grab you, the fact that you are in the heart of the Mediterranean world will. There’s plenty in the way of beach life, clear skies and a nice hot climate. The growth in resorts over the last twenty years furnishes the party animal with plenty to feast upon. Hence, history and culture, beach life and nightlife are the keynotes that make Malta an attractive place to stay a while. The official language is Malti - a Semitic language that derives from Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic; however, English is also the official...  [Read more]

Japan can present the traveller with a bewildering combination of culture, manners, beauty, architecture and personalities. Whether one goes to Fuji San - mount Fuji, to admire it’s serene beauty, or one parties all night long in Roppongi - the nightclub district of Tokyo, one is constantly taken aback and presented with the unexpected. At times a shade frustrating, such as when you are on a train so crowded that you go three stops past the one you wanted because you cannot move. Hence, the ‘gaijin’, or foreigner learns to laugh about these things and accepts them as a part of life. A population of one-hundred and twenty seven millions is jammed into a landmass of one-hundred and forty five square miles. Indeed, the population density in the big cities is amazing. The official...  [Read more]

This region, encompassing Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam offers a wealth of different experiences. Highly developed Malaysia and Singapore, stand in stark contrast to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, whom only relatively recently normalised their relationships with the US. You can expect Islam and Buddhism, communism and capitalism. It really is a fascinating region where you have to learn to expect the unexpected! The market for teachers is both phenomenal and varied in nature. Malays seek to send their children to university in English-speaking countries; in Singapore, English is the lingua franca of commerce, and dexterity is seen as a must. In Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam there is huge demand for TESOL teachers due to the inrush of western development capital, and the...  [Read more]

Volunteer Teaching As I began my TESOL course in Phuket, I met all types of people wanting to be teachers. Some students needed to work immediately after graduation and others were going on to a college or university to further their academic careers. I was in the position of having to return home and finish other work commitments before I could embark on a teaching career. I soon realized that if I was going to be confident in my new found teaching skills and to have the opportunity to build on what I had learned, I was going to have to do something proactive in the area of teaching English as a second language even though I was not in the position to take a full time teaching position. In pondering my predicament, I realized that I did have an option that would serve me and people...  [Read more]

Bulgaria is a country striving to adapt to the new economic order that prevails in the country. Much has changed for many people, and what were formally regarded as ‘peasants’ now have satellite television, if not a great deal else! Bulgaria has remained remarkably immune to the political turmoil of the recent decades. This has brought with it stability rather than the boom and bust that has characterised some countries in the region. Hence, the currency is fairly stable, and working conditions are predictable. The population is about seven and a half millions and this fits into a landmass of forty-three thousand square miles. Languages spoken include Bulgarian and French, and the religious orientation is eighty five percent Bulgarian Orthodox, with thirteen percent Muslim. Since 1989...  [Read more]

Australia and New Zealand constitute a large geographic area encompassing a huge variety of climates, topography and environments. The most immediately striking thing to the visitor is that the seasons are the reverse of those experienced by the northern hemisphere. The other curiosity is that water goes down the plughole the other way around. That not the only thing that’s unusual ‘down under’. Indeed, one is dealing with an entirely new world, only recently populated by non-indigenous peoples. There is an enterprising air about the new world, as well as a ‘can do’ attitude. With this said, people never hesitate to set aside their work worries in favour of ripping the scab off a few tubes, and getting the barbeque going on the beach; and a jolly fine time can be had by all....  [Read more]