Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teach English to people whose first or main language is not English. Students learn English for diferrent work or leisure purposes, such as:

• to help with their work or business
• to improve their conversational English
• to get into college or university in an English speaking country
• to prepare for an exam.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language is widely known as TEFL. The teaching takes place in different settings, such as:

• commercial language schools
• further education colleges
• language centres throughout the UK and overseas.

It usually involves teaching small groups of students.

The work involves:

• preparing language lessons and activities 
• producing resources as well as using those that are already available
• setting and marking tests and exercises for students
• being involved in social and cultural activities, such as sports and social events, trips to other towns, cities, local shops or museums.

Some teachers concentrate on teaching English for business and other specialist areas - known as TESP (Teaching English for Specific Purposes).

Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) involves teaching people living long-term or permanently in the UK whose first language is not English. They are taught a level of English which will enable them to fit into everyday life.

Both TEFL and TESL are covered by the term Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

Hours and Environment

Hours can vary depending on the organisation or type of job. Some jobs involve evening and weekend work. As well as classroom teaching, teachers spend many hours preparing lessons and materials. In some jobs, particularly in summer schools, teachers spend a lot of time supervising sporting and social activities. Some jobs involve living-in.

Most of the work is indoors in classrooms, but some time may be spent outdoors, for example on outings.

Skills and Interests

To be a teacher of English to speakers of other languages you should:

• have a good knowledge of English, particularly grammar
• have strong verbal and written communication skills
• be a good listener
• have lots of confidence and a lively personality
• have energy, patience and a good sense of humour
• get on well with people of all ages and from different backgrounds and cultures
• be able to adapt your teaching style to suit your students
• have the creativity to devise lessons that are practical and enjoyable.

Entry

To find work as an EFL teacher you will need a good educational background and an excellent standard of English. Some employers will expect you to have a degree. This does not need to be in any particular subject, but the following might be useful:

• English
• linguistics
• modern foreign languages 
• education.

To get on to a degree course you usually need:

• two A levels/three H grades; and
• five GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) .

Other qualifications may be accepted in place of A levels and H grades. An Access to Higher Education qualification may also be accepted for entry to certain courses. Please check with colleges or universities for their exact entry requirements.

You may be able to find work teaching EFL without a TEFL qualification, but qualifications are advisable for the following reasons:

• they will give you the skills you need to teach effectively
• they can make a difference in finding work and in your pay  
• they are essential for some jobs.

Please see the Training section for information on qualifications.

You could consider gaining experience as a language assistant. Please see the British Council website for details. There is a link to the site in the Further Information section. 

Training

Many universities, colleges and private language schools offer courses for teaching EFL. The following qualifications are widely accepted:

• CELTA (Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) - you need at least two A levels/three H grades (or the equivalent) and must be at least 18 years old (20 in some cases). Courses last four or five weeks full-time or 16 weeks to one year part-time
• CELTYL (Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Young Learners) - this is very similar to the CELTA course (with the same entry requirements), but specialises in teaching younger learners
• CertTESOL (Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) - you usually need A levels/H grades, or the equivalent, and must be at least 18 (20 in some cases). Courses last between four and ten weeks full-time and three months to a year part-time.

Certificates are usually enough for basic level jobs. There are also higher level courses which are needed if you want to aim for a higher level. They include:

• DELTA (Cambridge Diploma in Language Teaching to Adults) 
• Trinity Licentiate Diploma in TESOL.

For these you need EFL teaching experience and usually a TEFL certificate qualification.

There is also a growing number of MA degrees in TEFL or TESOL for which you need a first degree. These can be useful if you want to move into management.

To teach EFL in a college of further education in th UK, you will need:

• a Level 4 Certificate in Further Education Teaching at Stage 3 (See Lecturer: Further Education); and
• a Certificate for ESOL Subject Specialists which is available through Cambridge ESOL or Trinity College.

Please see the Cambridge and Trinity websites for further information and details of course providers..

Opportunities

Most people who train as EFL teachers do so as a means of working and living abroad. Many of these jobs are on fixed-term contracts of between nine months and two years. The main employers include: commercial language schools; government departments; voluntary organisations; large companies; and The British Council. Overseas opportunities are good in many countries.

Work is available in the UK in commercial language schools. These are found throughout the UK, although there are more in London, the south coast of England, and Oxford and Cambridge. There is a shortage of EFL teachers and there are many vacancies for qualified people. However, most of the work is seasonal, the busy period being between Easter and autumn. Many of the jobs are on short-term contracts. It is difficult to get a permanent or long-term job.

Some EFL teachers work in colleges and universities in the UK. With experience, it is possible to gain promotion to a senior or management position in a commercial language school or a college, but such jobs are scarce. Other possibilities include:

• private tuition
• training other people to teach EFL
• opening a language school
• writing books and other EFL materials
• setting and marking examinations.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Teachers working in commercial language schools in the UK could earn between around £13,000 to around £18,000 a year. 
Earnings for senior positions can be up to £24,000 or more a year.

This is based on full-time work - work is often seasonal, with most available in the summer, and teachers are often paid by the hour or week.

In language schools overseas the salaries vary widely from country to country. A typical salary in China may be between £4,000 and £7,500 but usually includes accommodation and flights. Salaries in Europe are between £5,000 and £8,000 including accommodation. Salaries in parts of the Middle East and countries such as Japan, Korea and Taiwan can be higher and may be in the region of £18,000 to £20,000.

Contracts are usually for between nine and twelve months or for the summer. It is important to take into account the cost of living in a country before judging the value of a salary.

Further information

1 Hills Road
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London
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University of Kent
Canterbury
Kent
CT2 7NY
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London
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Tel: 020 7930 8466