What type of schools hire English teachers abroad?

English teachers abroad work in all sorts of schools, institutes, academies, camps and other venues.  Most English teaching positions, particularly in Europe and Latin America, will be in private language schools and institutes. Public schools in some countries, particularly in Asia, also hire TEFL certified English teachers.

Private Language Schools and Institutes

• As foreigners are not typically hired to teach children in public schools in most countries, the majority of opportunities for TEFL certified English teachers abroad will be in private language schools. These are typically privately owned enterprises specializing in language training (usually English), and can range in size and scope from mom-and-pop businesses with a single classroom to large multi-national chains of schools operating dozens of branches in multiple countries.  
  
  
• Large cities in Europe, Asia and Latin America typically host anywhere from 50 – 250 such schools.  Some will specialize in business English or English for young learners, while others may offer general classes to students of all levels and abilities.
  
  
• In Europe and Latin America, these types of private language schools typically cater to adult students, however the market for younger students is growing.
  
  
• Private language schools and academies, pre-schools, and vocational schools hire English teachers throughout the Middle East.
  
  
• Daily work schedules vary, but on average you will teach for 25 - 30 hours a week with 12-15 hours of prep work. A common shift is from 2 – 9 p.m. with some weekend work to accommodate students looking to study English after a standard work or school day. Class sizes also vary, but typically range from 2 – 15 students. 
  
  
• For those looking to teach English abroad to children, there are opportunities in many countries, particularly in Asia, to work in private kindergartens, pre-schools and day care centers.

Are there summer opportunities to teach English abroad? 

YES, however options will be more limited than if you were looking to teach English abroad for a year or even for six months.  Except for some short-term contract work, most language schools look to hire full-time teachers for 10-12 month contracts.  This means that most short-term opportunities for English teachers will be either in summer camps or in a volunteer capacity.  

Teaching English abroad in the summer as a volunteer or at a summer camp may not pay much (if anything at all), but you can find great opportunities to spend a couple of months abroad and any experience you gain will be a great addition to your resume, especially if you decide to teach English abroad again at a later date.