Myauroraenglish.com
TEFL or teaching English as a
foreign language refers to teaching English to students whose
first language is not English and is taught in a region where
English is not the dominant language and natural English
language immersion situations are apt to be few. TEFL usually
occurs in the student's own country either within the state
school system, or private, either in an after-hours language
school or with a one-on-one tutor. The teachers may be native or
non-native speakers of English.
The ideal qualification is an undergraduate degree in any
subject, plus a certificate in teaching English.
English teaching certifications can be earned through an
intensive, 4-week program or longer part time program which is
in turn internationally recognized qualification that is
accepted by many employers around the world. The CertTESOL and
the CELTA are generally the most widely recognized and they are
accredited in the UK on the National Qualifications Framework.
Both qualifications are accepted by the British Council in their
accredited teaching organizations worldwide in 100+ countries.
However, there are several international certificate programs
which are run by schools in various locations around the world.
As in most fields of work, the rate of pay depends greatly on
the candidate's education, training, experience, seniority, and
expertise. As with much expatriate (aka "expat") work, the
employment conditions vary considerably between countries
depending on the level of economic development and the perceived
desirability of living in that place. In relatively poor
countries, even a low wage may equate to a comfortable middle
class lifestyle.
In Japan, the JET Programme employs assistant language teachers
to work in Japanese high schools and elementary schools. Other
teachers work in private language schools (eikaiwa). The largest
of these chains are Aeon, GEOS, and ECC. The industry is not
well regulated; Nova, one of the largest chains with over 900
branches, collapsed in October 2007, an incident that left
thousands of foreign teachers without money or a place to live.
Other teachers work in universities. Agencies are increasingly
used to send English speakers into kindergartens, primary
schools, and private companies whose employees need to improve
their English. Agencies known in Japan as "hakken" or dispatch
companies have recently been competing among theselves to get
contracts from various Boards of Education for Elementary,
Junior and Senior High Schools, so wages have decreased steadily
in the last 4 years.
The technique of using literature aimed at children and
teenagers for TEFL is rising in popularity. Both types of
literature offer simpler material ("simplified readers" are
produced by all the major publishers), and are often written in
a more conversational style than literature aimed at adults.
Children's literature in particular sometimes provides subtle
cues to pronunciation, through rhyming and other wordplay. One
technique for using these books is called the "multiple-pass
technique". The instructor reads the book, pausing often to
explain words and concepts. On the second pass, the instructor
reads the book completely through without stopping.
Communicative language teaching (CLT) is an approach to the
teaching of languages that emphasizes interaction as both the
means and the ultimate goal of learning a language. Despite a
number of criticisms , it continues to be popular, particularly
in Japan, Taiwan, and Europe. Task-based language learning
(TBLL) is a particular approach to CLT which has been gaining
ground in recent years.

