Teach English in Maping Zhen - Shangluo Shi

Many people may think that the worst part of being an Uber driver are the belligerent midnight trips from downtown to the suburbs or the aggressive pre-coffee commuters or the fact that a five-minute drive can take thirty minutes because of gridlock. However, as an Uber drive of one year, I believe that the worst part about being the job are the trips to the airport. When I interact with passengers going to the airport, I often think of all the new things they’ll try, different cultures they’ll learn about or even the stories they’ll share about my city; I’m usually excited for these passengers. The worst part of these trips are the constant reminders that the world is just waiting for us to explore it, but I’m stuck leading a conventional and mundane life. Adventure and exploration are things which are unique to all, to some, trying out a new restaurant or getting a new hairstyle would be a daunting venture, but for most, adventure is being in an unfamiliar situation, trying new things and learning about a new culture. Making the leap from home to a foreign country can be difficult and costly; completing a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course is an excellent first step in starting a new life abroad. Exploration is a human compulsion and an obsession, which helps define human identity and unfortunately, most people aren’t financially stable enough to explore and experience foreign cultures first hand. For many people, foreign culture is only limited to small cultural exchanges such as interacting with tourists or exchange students, seeing a foreign film or even trying a new restaurant. Most people have the ambition to travel but are deterred by financial commitments and limitations; this gap can be bridged with a TEFL certification. The number of English users worldwide is about 1.75 billion of the global population and according to the British Council, it’s expected to increase to about 2 billion by the year 2020. A career in English education can grant you the privilege of seeing the world and be a part of a growing field. A TEFL certification can be an excellent introduction for people looking to transition into English education and work abroad. When you do a TEFL certification, you are taught professional development skills such as CV and resume construction, important questions to ask in an interview and different cultural characteristics of regions around the world. A TEFL certification can also offer you many resources for job seeking. A TEFL certification is more than just training for teaching English as a foreign language, it also professionally develops you to work in international settings. Most positions in English teaching require certificates in TEFL, TESOL, DELTA or CELTA. However, some employers such as the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET Program) don’t require any teaching certificates. In 2018, the JET Program alone hired around 2,000 assistant language teachers (ALTs) to assist Japanese teachers of English (JTEs). As an ALT with JET, I didn’t need any teaching background or training to work in the Japanese public education system. It wasn’t easy in the beginning, but I was able to adapt to the Japanese work environment. I worked with a JTE and often took a back seat approach to lesson planning; the job felt like a human tape recorder and the job was unfulfilling. In 2018, I started an online TEFL certification course, which benefited me in many ways. A TEFL course prepares you for more than just teaching grammar, parts of speech and vocabulary, it also trains you in proper classroom etiquette, building healthy rapport with students and co-workers, effective lesson planning, cultural sensitivities, classroom organization, teaching pronunciation and even professional development. After completing my first 120 hours of TEFL training, I quickly acknowledged my faults in teaching as an ALT and I corrected it immediately. I also began to participate in lesson planning; eventually, I got my own class and a raise with a contract extension for showing initiative. Although some positions don’t need any certification, it’s always better to be prepared. A person’s pride can be their downfall and we should always strive for more education to better ourselves, if not for us, for our students. With globalization, the interest in English is increasing and there is a huge demand for English teachers around the world; there are also many people who have the desire to travel and experience different cultures. Some may get a job without training, but a teacher’s lack of training is a disservice to their students. Acquiring a TEFL certification can not only help you perform better in the classroom, but it can also be the first step to a different life in a foreign country. Whenever I’m in an Uber, I always reminded of my life before English teaching, I was so eager to see the world. My TEFL certification has opened doors for me to work and live in many places around the world. A TEFL certification can be the first step to an international and rewarding career in English education. British Council (2013). The English Affect. Retrieved from: https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/english-effect-report-v2.pdf JET Programme (1 July 2018). JET Programme Participant Numbers. Retrieved from: http://jetprogramme.org/en/countries/