Teaching Jobs Abroad Will Need Clearance Certificates
Countries offering teaching jobs to the teachers of other countries will impose strict regulatory rules which might make our teaching career come to halt suddenly. In order to help sustain our career in those countries, we will need to have a police clearance certificate specifying that we do not possess a criminal or conviction record. This is required by many countries to be provided along with the visa application itself, as they believe this will help them protect the rights of their children and from potential child abusers.
In the modern world of teaching jobs, these certificates are considered even more important that the passports we have. Some countries do not even allow people to search for teaching jobs without a proper police clearance certificate. Different countries give a different name for this record; nevertheless it can be defined as any document that is capable of giving a complete background description of ourselves and the fact that we do not have a criminal or conviction record before. This document is to be provided by everyone who wishes to apply for a teaching job abroad, regardless of whether they have been convicted or not.
Teaching English in Singapore – Lucrative and Rewarding Jobs Await
For too long Singapore has been dominated by its larger cousins in the global market for TEFL/ESL destinations. It is natural to head to Thailand and Vietnam, completing ignoring this inspiring compact island. No more should the Lion City just be a refuge to teachers from Thailand looking for some civilisation while on a holiday break. Lucrative TEFL/ESL opportunities exist that allow teachers to save and provide for a lifestyle teachers in Thailand and Vietnam can only dream of. Salaries are high, classes involve mostly adults, and schedules are usually done in blocks – all highly rated in any TEFL/ESL job.
Singapore has a lot to offer which other countries don’t. Firstly, in the region of South East Asia, TEFL/ESL salaries far outstrip those of neighbouring countries. Teachers can expect to start at USD 2500 a month, most likely beating the USD 3000 mark. While the cost of accommodation may seem high on this small island, other costs such as transport and food are incredibly cheap when compared to the Europe, and even the US. This provides for a very comfortable lifestyle indeed, where teachers can experience the world famous diverse cuisine, spend money travelling, and of course save.
The TEFL Explanation
Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), is a term used to describe the teaching of English to non-native speakers in a country where English is not the first language (see ESL/ESOL/EFL/ELT, which explains the differences between the many acronyms you are likely to encounter in English language teaching). It is possible for TEFL to happen within English speaking countries, in language schools for example, but teaching tends to takes place in a student’s native country. There, TEFL is used within state school systems, private language schools and even by freelance teachers. Teachers can be either native or non-native speakers.
Qualifications
There are institutions that provide TEFL certification across the globe, but there is no internationally recognised independent accrediting organisation that overlooks the issuing of these qualifications. TEFL providers tend to get their certificates accredited by organisations within their region that are able to approve teaching qualifications.