Things You'll Need:
- A real desire to teach English to speakers of other languages.
- Internet connection.
- Money.
- Freedom to move abroad.
- To be independent and at least a little adventurous.
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Step 1
Take a course. There are countless Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) courses available, both in major US cities and in big cities abroad, such as Prague, Barcelona, or Madrid. A quick Google search is enough to find a course. A TEFL course should prepare you to explain English grammar, some vocabulary and might include some teaching tips. The costs can vary, especially depending on which city you choose and the length of the course. Most basic courses are a month long, but some more highly recommended and in depth ones can last six months. It may be expensive and time consuming, but a TEFL certificate is absolutely necessary to work as an English teacher.
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Step 2
Volunteer. Most US cities have some type of education center which offers English classes for immigrants. Find out if you can volunteer as a teacher's assistant for a few hours a week. Be forewarned, teaching adult immigrants has nothing to do with teaching a classroom full of Spanish children in Spain, but at least you can start becoming familiar with the grammar difficulties and how to approach subjects.
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Step 3
Move abroad with a job. There's no better training than experience. It might be possible for you to find a program which offers you a job, help with your legal papers, and provides some kind of help with living arrangements. These programs may, or may not, ask for a TEFL certificate and will probably charge you to apply for them. However, if you are desperate to begin teaching or to live abroad, it might be an easy start. Although your lack of experience and training might make for a difficult year, you will learn more than any theoretical course could teach you.
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Step 4
Move abroad without a job. This step is definitely possible. Try to research your city choice well, maybe by contacting other people who live in the city and are working as English teachers. Make sure there is a big market for English and it is far from saturation. If you find one of these cities, odds are you will have more job offers than you can take and might be able to work without qualification (although I do not recommend it). As far as living and working legally, you might work illegally or you might be lucky enough to find a job that will sponsor you for a work permit (be prepared for the costs that this will incur, however).
