TEFL EUROPE/TESOL Europe

Teaching English in
Austria	Croatia	Cyprus
Finland	France	Germany
Greece	Hungary	Italy
Netherlands	Poland	Portugal
Russia	Spain	Sweden
UK	Ukraine	Yugoslavia

Regional Overview

TEACHING ENGLISH IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
As an industry, TEFL is the third largest earner of invisible income into the UK (generated through money paid to schools and spent by tourists each year). Thousands of teachers are employed on short-term contracts. Foreign teenage students flock to summer schools and so it is from late June to early September that you are most likely to be employed. The sheer number of foreign students is such that demand can often outweigh supply of good teaching staff. Therefore, positions are available and if you have a degree, together with some knowledge of a foreign language your chances will be enhanced.

However, for an inexperienced teacher year round work is difficult to find in the UK For continued employment you may well need to set your sights overseas.

Typical timetables range from around 15 to 22 hours per week. Pay per hour ranges from around £10.00 to £20.00. However, as a new teacher you should expect to spend 1 hour planning for each hour taught. Many schools organise activity programmes for their students and in these you may be paid an all inclusive package, anywhere from £150 to £300 per week (depending on amount of teaching and any accommodation or food allowance). Always make sure you have a contract that states how much work you will be expected to do and how long you will be employed for. Click here for more detail on teaching in the UK.


TEACHING ENGLISH IN WESTERN EUROPE
This is a wide area to cover in general terms. If coming from the UK, it is obviously easier to secure entry to work in EU member countries. Terms and conditions vary widely. As a general rule of thumb, the better conditions exist where the standard of living is higher although it can be more difficult to secure work here as a novice teacher. In Northern Europe (Germany and Scandinavia), a degree, EFL Certificate, business experience and a driving licence are often required. Although not technically Northern European, France also has this bias towards business English and it is one of the most popular destinations for our UK based students. Teaching business can be lucrative, so make use of any relevant commercial experience to set you ahead of everyone else. You may need to be even more highly qualified to secure work in Holland.

UK nationals are also more likely to settle in Europe than anywhere else in the world, which can make for more competition for jobs. This is especially true of Finland, Norway and Holland, which seem to rely on the expat community who are already in situ for their English language teaching. However, social legislation means pay and working conditions are generally good.

The Southern European climate is often enough in itself to attract EFL teachers. It is also close enough geographically, yet culturally different enough to be a very attractive option. Teaching positions abound in private schools as students seek to supplement their sometimes less than adequate state school teaching. A wealth of jobs for Spain, Greece, Italy and France appear on the Internet. Indeed, Greece is often a first stop for the new teacher, although it is wise to check your contract carefully. Italy is probably one of the most difficult Southern European countries in which to obtain long term teaching work, as it is a very popular destination, but we have had several GE grads find work there successfully. As Portugal gets wealthier, teaching opportunities increase as well, more often seen in the commercial or industrialised areas in the centre and north, rather than the Algarve.

With a typical 9-10 month contract from a reputable school, you can expect some paid holidays, a low tax rate and a good standard of living. In Southern Europe you can expect a more varied timetable in terms of student groups and hours. You may find yourself teaching 6 year olds, teenagers as well as businessmen. Twenty-two hours is a roughly a full timetable but these hours are likely to be staggered over the day so that you are teaching evenings and mornings. Many schools will require you to have a degree and possibly some teaching practice, but it is still possible to find consistent and reliable work without either, although your choice may be more limited.


EASTERN EUROPE
It is often where conditions are challenging that the most rewarding teaching experiences can be found. This is the case with Eastern Europe. The commitment of the students in the most rundown economies is unparalleled, and many teachers return fulfilled. The best living conditions and a flourishing EFL industry can be found in the Czech Republic and Hungary, but the greatest opportunities seem to be in Poland. Many advertisements for teachers appear of the Internet and as these areas become more popular, so will competition for teaching posts. Quality accommodation is already in short supply in the bigger cities and you may have to make up a full teaching week from a variety of part time contracts, particularly in the Czech Republic. However, salaries should be good enough to live on and there is ample opportunity to teach privately in these countries where the population is more affluent than elsewhere in the region.

Elsewhere in Eastern Europe, the fall of communism has meant the demand for English learning is very high, as people see the value in learning English as their second language. Many of the governments are warming to the West, ultimately seeking EU membership. Unfortunately, the unstable economic situation has meant there are few EFL positions in Romania or Albania. At the moment it is difficult to secure a teaching position from the UK unless it is with a voluntary organisation. The more adventurous who are prepared to travel to these countries are likely to find many willing students. You may be able to exchange lessons for rent or food, but accommodation is basic by Western standards and you should be prepared for the Eastern European winters. Nevertheless, large multinationals are gradually moving in to the region and their effect on the EFL industry will be seen over time.

In Russia, demand for teaching is very high. However, the unstable economy has left the EFL industry unregulated and ad hoc. Difficult teaching and living standards coupled with a high crime rate in the major towns and cities means there are too few teachers to meet the demand. Positions are often available through voluntary organisations, many of which are advertised in the Guardian. The best opportunities can be found in the oil cities around the Volga or even Siberia. If arriving on spec to the Republics, native speakers should be able to find work most easily in Latvia, Estonia or even Georgia.


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.