This is an in-depth guide on how to get started teaching English abroad in Asia with a focus on teaching in four East Asian countries: Korea, China, Taiwan and Japan. It does not focus on the teaching or training part of that.
For that I recommend either the course which goes DEEP with the online training especially focused on teaching kids (8 out of 10 jobs in Asia).
You can read much of this guide below by following the links.
I have personally taught in China, Korea and Taiwan. This guide will help you choose a country, a school, an age group, polish your resume, stand out...
Here's a look at the contents
- 1. Requirements
- 2. Choose your place
- 3. Japan...
- How to get a job
- Websites for finding a job in Japan
- 4. Korea...
- How to get a job
- Websites for finding a job in Korea
- 5. China...
- How to get a job
- Websites for finding a job in China
- 6. Taiwan...
- How to get a job
- Websites for finding a job in Taiwan
- 7. Still not sure where you should teach?
- 8. Do I want to work in a public or a private school?
- Public schools
- Private schools aka Hagwons, Buxibans, Training Centers, and Eikaiwa
- Other kinds of schools
- 9. What age group do you want to teach?
- 10. How to Write an Effective Resume for Teaching English Abroad
- Cover Letter
- Writing your resume
- Reference Letters
- 11. Job hunting tips
- Likability Wins
- Go There And Look
- See The Big Picture
- Use Recruiters for Info and Maybe a Job
- No Experience?
- Make Your resume REALLY Stand Out
- 12. FAQ
- Do I have to speak their language?
- Do I have to teach for one year?
- How much money do I need to bring?
- Can I teach English without a degree in Asia?
- Can I teach without a TEFL certificate?
- Can I teach without experience?
- What if I am not Caucasian?
- What are the salaries for teachers in East Asia?
- How much money can I save?
- Is there FREE housing and airfare?
- Can I still teach in Korea if I have a criminal record?
- Should I take a TEFL/TESOL/CELTA course?
- Do schools in Asia have vacations, summer and winter breaks like western schools do?
- Who speaks the most English?
- Do you have any advice?
- What does TEFL, ESL, EFL, and TESOL mean?
Check out this playlist on teaching English in Asia
Some other related posts on ESLinsider that you'll find:
- China vs. Korea
- Korea vs. Japan
- China vs. Taiwan
- Where do you teach? Or see this quick overview on Reddit.
- Teaching English in Asia salary
- Teaching English in Asia for non-native speakers
- A bunch of reasons to teach English in China, Korea, Taiwan or Japan
You can find those too if you start with the links above for each country.
Remember teaching English isn't as easy as it sounds. If you really want to have a better experience teaching in Asia then take this course (especially if you teach mostly kids and chances are you will).