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TESOL LATIN AMERICA
Regional Overview
Teaching English in Latin America
Expect the warmest of welcomes from the native populations. Although many countries in South America are quite poor, the various cultures are rich and exciting.
In Central and Southern America, opportunities are generally better for EFL teachers than they have been for some time. This is largely due to greater political and economic stability. But note that these countries do have a bias towards American English. For this reason and for reasons of cost, few positions will be advertised in the UK national press. The Internet is the best option if you are determined to secure a position from the UK before travel. Travelling to the country and trying to secure work on the spot represents the best chance of gaining employment. For Europeans this is not the best way to go about gaining work visas. Trying to work legitimately in Southern/Central American countries can be a bureaucratic nightmare. Therefore, many choose to work unofficially on their tourist visas instead.
In places such as Haiti, Nicaragua, Guyana and the Dominican Republic, most of the teaching opportunities will exist through voluntary organisations. For more information on working in these countries, try World Service Enquiry for names and addresses of organisations for placements. Better conditions can generally be found in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and Chile. In Central America, think about heading for Costa Rica, which has a good EFL industry. It is in these countries that casual or freelance teaching picked up on arrival can soon become a full timetable. Many institutes rely on a staff of well-qualified, non-native English speaking local teachers. In Brazil, particularly, hiring a foreigner can be seen as costly, unnecessary and unwelcome. However, such is the demand for English that opportunities for language school teaching and freelance work should be numerous. Expect to be paid in local currency and to live fairly well by local standards, although it is unlikely that any money you save will go far outside the country. Also ensure your wages are keeping up with inflation.
If you have not got an American/Canadian accent then use any business or commercial experience you have to your advantage. In the bigger cities, much of the well-paid work will be found teaching businessmen. A working knowledge of Spanish is also helpful, except in Brazil, where Portuguese is spoken. Wherever you go in your search for work, ensure you dress smartly for interview as first impressions count enormously.
UNITED STATES
The USA is one place where you will want to adhere to the strict working regulations. Penalties are stiff if you are found breaking the law in this respect. If you are not American or on a government exchange programme, you must have a green card, a work permit and be well qualified (up to diploma level and beyond to teach adults).
The student population in the USA is perhaps the most cosmopolitan. Technology has improved so much recently that many US language institutes now boast computer based language laboratories. The advent of CD-ROM and EFL/ESL software is gaining pace in the US and Internet bulletin boards are being used to place CVs and receive offers for interviews via e-mail. The rate of pay tends to be better than in the UK, but be careful with the number of hours you must work. Remember that in many American states, the quality of life is very good, but it can be expensive too. For non-US residents working permits can be difficult to obtain, but there still is some demand for ‘British English’, so if the USA is your destination of choice, and you can find an employer willing to hire you, go for it!
DISCLAIMER
These pages are for general information only and whilst every effort has been made to ensure information is correct, it is up to the individual to thoroughly investigate the conditions of entry to countries and the legal working regulations. If offered a job, please carefully vet all terms and conditions. Inclusion of potential employment opportunities does not in any way represent a guarantee of employment.
When travelling overseas, please refer to your government’s own advice on current conditions in each country. The British Foreign Office website is a good resource for travel advice. Please follow the link: http://www.fco.gov.uk/
If you find a broken link or if you have an experience you would like to share with others about working in a particular country, please email us.
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