In Sweden, Midsummer for the Win

Posted on by

By Dana Yu
@danamyu

If you’re lucky enough to be teaching English in Sweden, make sure to stay until June to get in on the biggest holiday of the year.

Each June, Swedes flee the cities for their summer homes in the countryside to welcome the arrival of summer with greenery, dancing, feasts, and friends at the annual Midsummer festival. This two-day celebration was historically aligned with the summer solstice, but has since been designated on the Friday and Saturday between June 19 and 26.

The festival begins Friday morning on Midsummer’s Eve with the construction and decoration of the maypole. The maypole is built in the shape of a tall cross with large wooden poles, and two floral wreaths hang on either side. After a traditional lunch of pickled herring, boiled potatoes, salmon, eggs, schnapps, and more, the maypole is raised in an open field where children and adults sing and dance Midsummer songs.

Continue reading →

TOP 5 Holiday escapes for TEFLers in Brazil

Posted on by

By Eduardo Santos

TOP 5 Holiday escapes for TEFLers in Brazil

If you’re working as an English teacher in Brazil, you’ll quickly notice the Brazilian love for long holidays. Whenever you get the chance to have a 3 or 4-day break in Brazil, don’t miss the chance to discover the natural wonders of the country. Due to its continental dimension, I’ve decided to pick one holiday destination for each of the five regions.

1 South: Iguazu Falls

Located between Brazil and Argentina, the Iguazu Falls are an awesome sight as tones of water throw themselves over cliffs surrounded by the jungle. If you have the chance, spend a day on the Brazilian side and another on the Argentinean side. On the Brazilian side, visit the Brazilian Iguazu National Park with subtropical rainforest and over 2,000 species of vascular plants and home to the typical wildlife of the region: howler monkeys, jaguars, giant anteaters and caymans. The falls are visited by tourists all year round, so if you happen to be teaching in the south and would like to experience the wonders of Iugazu falls and nature all around, stop by!

Continue reading →

Teaching English in Europe – Part II

Posted on by

By Daniel Cariello
BA Hons English Literature graduate

Teaching English in Europe – Part II

By Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Lmbuga Commons)(Lmbuga Galipedia) Publicada por/Publish by: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-2.5-es (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/es/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons

If you’re looking for cultural splendour in a country of economic prowess, then I suggest a researching course in Western Europe. Spain may appeal to those who are looking for an interesting and enriching country. Its rugged mountain ranges delve into the magnificent Atlantic in the north, and it is littered with glamorous beaches. It has a wide range of cultural activities on offer – fantastic restaurants and amazing ballet and dance performance. You could also go and see the toreros excite the crowd in the bullring.

However, with Spain having quite a low foreign-language speaking population (although the UK, Ireland and Greece is further behind) it may be difficult to cross the language barrier with your peers. On the other hand, this only means that the need for English-language speaking teachers is high, so the market is unlikely to saturate any time soon.

Continue reading →

Speak My Language: Resources for Teaching English as a Foreign Language – Part 2

Posted on by

By Monika Salita
@monikasalita or about.me/monikasalita

Speak My Language: Resources for Teaching English as a Foreign Language – Part 2

By Joe Crawford from Moorpark, California, USA (Flickr) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

For some English language teachers, working with younger children or lower level learners may instill overwhelming thoughts.  “Will I spend more time corralling children rather than teaching them?” and “Is this rudimentary content truly worth teaching?” are some questions which may breeze by one’s mind. Have no fear, my EFL teacher friend, there are many online resources available from which to garner ideas on engaging ways to connect with and teach younger students, or those simply at a lower comprehension level.

Continue reading →

Is it time for a TEFL experience?

Posted on by

By Tammy Reed

Is it time for a TEFL experience?

By Alejandro Flores from Sevilla, Spain (flickr: Salamanca) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

English (as you may well be aware) is a language at the forefront of international discourse. It is the official language of the European Union, and the third most natively spoken global tongue.

Unlike standard teaching qualifications, TEFL provides an  opportunity for those fluent in English to share what is considered to be a universally accepted language. In return for your time spent teaching, you could very well find a plethora of cultural delights, discoveries and even life-long friendships.

Continue reading →

Top 5 getaways while teaching in Mexico

Posted on by

By Roy Duffield

Top 5 getaways while teaching in Mexico

By tato grasso (Own work (personal work)) [CC-BY-SA-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

Mexico. The word alone conjures up a plethora of exciting images. Mexico has always been the land of adventure, freedom and escape. Relaxing siestas, crazy fiestas and the dusty, open road. While many travellers are avoiding the country in recent years, there really is no reason not to take up the abundance of TEFL opportunities on offer. Practice your Spanish over a quesadilla con chorizo and a can of Tecate at your local taco stand. Watch the sunset, sipping cocktails and with fine dining on a tranquil beach. An experience that anywhere else would cost an arm and a leg, here in Mexico is a nightly pastime. Paradise!

Continue reading →

Teaching English in Europe – Part I: An Introduction

Posted on by

By Daniel Cariello
BA Hons English Literature graduate

Teaching English in Europe – Part I: An Introduction

By Asahiko (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

Europe is a popular destination due to the continent’s distinct culture and stunning landscapes. If you want to get involved with an English Speaking Language Course specifically, then there are plenty of fantastic destinations in Europe. With a contrasting variety of experiences you could choose to see anything from the beautifully candescent Northern Lights to the all-encompassing Southern Shores of the Mediterranean. Europe is packed with rich history and romantic cities.

Continue reading →

Speak My Language: Resources for Teaching English as a Foreign Language – Part 1

Posted on by

By Monika Salita
@monikasalita

Speak My Language: Resources for Teaching English as a Foreign Language – Part 1

Diving into the task of doing work we’re passionate about, teaching English, yet may not have a lot of work experience in, can be a daunting task for new and experienced teaching assistants alike. This is where resources come in.

My go-to resource during my teaching séjour in France was the Assistants in France forum. This forum served as a great tool from which to learn about the details of living abroad and, more importantly, to share information on lesson planning, discussing ideas that worked and others that didn’t. It’s easy to come across gems such as this Best Lesson Plans document.

Continue reading →

The importance of living abroad

Posted on by

by Dana Yu

The importance of living abroad

By Mr Drake (by myself) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Learning doesn’t stop after graduation. Teaching English abroad is a popular way for explorers-at-heart to travel and have fun while continuing to grow themselves in unconventional ways.

Here are four learning opportunities not to miss out on during your adventure abroad:

Continue reading →

Teaching English in Egypt – A country of splendour

Posted on by

By Daniel Cariello

Teaching English in Egypt – A country of splendour

By kallerna (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Egypt is a fantastic destination if you’re looking to teach English in a country that celebrates the history of the ancient world and offers tourists spectacular experiences with the majesty of the Pyramids and the splendour of the meandering River Nile. In addition to this, capital city Cairo offers an exciting nightlife and appeals to culture-seekers with splendid restaurants and opera. It is worth noting that it may be difficult to find teaching jobs outside of Cairo due to the capital being so central to the Egyptian economy. However, jobs in Cairo often offer the best salaries in North Africa.

Continue reading →