Teaching English overseas

Josephine Gillespie

Though travel can broaden the mind, teaching the English language overseas can help change lives. Ishara Ratnayake was searching for a way to combine work with travelling and experiencing new cultures when she discovered Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL).

Ratnayake completed a certification program at a TESOL college and found a job teaching English in Sisaket, a Thai country town. “It was great. Rather than just passing through, I experienced the country as well as neighbouring countries when I had time off. “You are helping people who need to improve their English to find work and it’s rewarding to see them improve,” she says.

Ratnayake worked at the Thai/American Learning Centre. “We weren’t teaching hardcore grammar. We were just helping with pronunciation. You tend to be a novelty as a foreign teacher. Students want to show you around and look after you, so it’s a lot of fun.”

TESOL trainer Bob Cook has spent 25 years in Papua New Guinea, teaching in primary schools, working in business and acting as a high-school principal. He’s also spent time in Queensland with indigenous communities and teaching English to migrants.

Cook says his experiences have prepared him well to instruct the next generation of teachers. “There’s a difference between training and teaching. If you can blend both, it helps to understand both sides of the picture.”

He says the course appeals to a wide range of people, but a desire to experience a new culture and pass on the English language is essential. “It’s all types of people, from 18-year-olds to people who have retired and are looking for something interesting to do. “It’s also for people who are looking for a change of lifestyle.”

Cook says age is no barrier, with the oldest student being in their 70s. The only requirement is that applicants speak fluent English. “A lot of people lack confidence and think you have to be a professional teacher, but that’s not necessary. “If you speak English, you can teach it. The course is practical, it’s hands-on and focused on activities you can do in class.”

Ratnayake, who now has a marketing role with the college, says that after students complete their training they can teach in more than 80 countries. There are thousands of teaching positions, with many Asian locations also providing accommodation and return-airfare costs. “China is a popular first posting, Then people can head off to Europe or South Africa,” Ratnayake says. The introductory course takes five days with at least one elective, to be completed online. Branches throughout Australia give additional support.

Details, ph: 1300 723 928 or visit http://www.ataonline.edu.au/

By Josephine Gillespie, The Hearald Sun, January 27, 2007.