EFL Jobs in the UK

If you are looking for EFL jobs in the UK (EFL stands for English as a Foreign Language) you will need, as a minimum: a Cambridge CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) Or Trinity TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) qualification You may be able to find work as an EFL teacher if you have a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education), but it would probably only be a summer job.

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Summer Schools

Most EFL work in the UK is at summer schools. These generally run during July and August and are held in universities and schools across the UK.

Typically, groups of children and teenagers come to the UK for between 1 and 6 weeks during the summer. They follow a program of lessons and activities while they are there.

Most of the kids come from Europe, although numbers from the Far East are increasing.

Teaching at a summer school is often residential, and food is provided. You do not always have to live on site if you have accommodation nearby.

Apart from teaching classes (often, but not always, with topic based materials provided by the school), you may have to help with social activities such as discos, sports, or excursions.

Senior Teacher Duties

In addition to the duties of a teacher, a senior teacher at a summer school may also have to mentor new teachers, assess students' levels, write reports and create materials. They may also have extra supervisory duties.

Teaching adults

Jobs teaching EFL to adults are harder to find than jobs teaching teenagers, and they can usually only be found in large cities or coastal towns.

Some private language schools open year-round, but even if you are teaching adults, the peak season is still during the summer and many schools only offer temporary contracts.

Full time, permanent contracts are rare in EFL in the UK and are generally only available to people with relevant experience.

ESOL

ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages.

It is different from EFL as it is designed for adult students who are living in the UK, whereas EFL (English as a Foreign Language) is designed for students who are not living in an English speaking country.

(Click here for more clarification on these different terms.)

Many local colleges teach ESOL courses and it is possible to find work if you have a CELTA or TESOL qualification. Colleges generally prefer to recruit staff who hold a PGCE in post-compulsory education, though.

It is sometimes possible to start studying for the PGCE qualification after you accept an ESOL job, and some colleges will even help you by giving you time off to study, and by paying some or all of your tuition fees.

Private tuition

The final type of EFL teaching you can do in the UK is private tuition.

You can do this through an agency, privately, or through an organization which sends you students who you teach while they stay in your home.

This kind of teaching is very intensive and you need to be "on duty" 24/7, teaching and providing accommodation and food.

If you are prepared to make an effort to find EFL work there are many different paths you can follow. Make your research and find the best one for you!

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