As global society evolves, people’s priorities change. Nowadays, an increasing number of people are looking for more flexibility in their work, which would help them obtain the much needed work-life balance. For this reason, many are retraining as teachers of English as a foreign language (TEFL), a rewarding and fulfilling profession that allows you to teach international learners online – a suitable option for those seeking a flexible work schedule.
By teaching online, you can work whenever and wherever you want: from the comfort of your own home or while travelling the world. This, in fact, is one of the most attractive features of TEFL: earning money to support your travels. So, having found a promising career that lets you explore foreign countries and discover different countries, where would you like to go?
Destination: Brazil
Many teachers who made the leap before you chose Brazil as their new home away from home and never looked back. Depending on your country of origin, you might not need a visa to enter the country. Let’s see why Brazil is such a popular destination for TEFLers.
The World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016, both held in Brazil, gave the country’s economy a boost and created many job opportunities. What’s more, the large influx of visitors for those events sparked an interest in the locals to learn English. It appeared clear that becoming fluent in the global language of business would have benefited their careers and increased their chances of finding a (better) job.
Currently, with a tourism industry in constant growth, a booming petroleum sector, and a general development of the industrial trade, Brazil is a country where the demand for TEFL teachers is in constant rise.
TEFL salaries vary greatly depending on where you live, and so does the cost of living. Large cities like Rio and Sao Paulo are much more expensive than small villages, which is reflected in the salary. On the other hand, large urban areas offer more job opportunities as there are many private language schools to work for.
Teaching English in Brazil
If you are interested in classroom-based teaching, the most straightforward way to teach English Brazil is to get hired by a private language school. There are several language school franchises that offer different working conditions, with Brasas and Cultura Inglesa considered to be among the best. In addition to franchises, there are a myriad of independent language schools dotted around the country, especially in big cities.
As well as (or instead of) teaching at a school, you could teach private students. This would give you more control over your schedule, the flexibility to choose how many hours to work and the type of classes you want to teach. On the other hand, the disadvantages of teaching privately are short notice cancellations and late payments. Drawing up a basic contract for your prospective students is an easy and clear way to avoid, or at least reduce, your risks.
Another option is to live in Brazil while teaching online. From online platforms to agencies, there are a large number of organisations that can help achieve your TEFL goal.
- Latin Hire is a well organised agency that recruits online teachers of English for a range of schools. They look for professional individuals with a strong command of the English language and a neutral accent. Those able to speak some Spanish and/or Portuguese are preferred.
- English Up has partnered with Macmillan to offer professional and well-structured language courses to adult learners. This online school is based in Brazil and hires only teachers who hold a 120-hour TEFL certificate as a minimum.
- SkyLearn is another Brazilian online language school that teaches English to adults and children. Their hiring criteria is quite stricts: candidates must be native speakers of English holding a university degree as well as a TEFL certificate. They pay via PayPal every month and the salary varies depending on in which part of the country you live.
- Open English is the largest platform dedicated to teaching English to adult South American learners. Like at SkyLearn, they have very specific requirements for their teachers, who should guarantee 25 teaching hours a week, be native speakers, and hold both a university degree and a TEFL qualification. The advantages of working for Open English are that they offer a full schedule to their most reliable teachers and ready-made lesson materials.
Whether you decide to teach online or face-to-face, it is important that you have a TEFL qualification. Not only will it help you develop your language knowledge and teaching skills, but it will also show your potential employers that you are a committed and dedicated professional.
Online teaching
Wherever you are in the world, if you are teaching remotely you will need some tech. Your equipment doesn’t need to be expensive, but it needs to suit your needs. Your laptop should be reliable, have up-to-date software and a good quality camera. A headset is very useful, especially if you are always on the go, to remove or limit background noise. A pen drive to store some tried-and-tested lessons in case of emergency can also be an inexpensive yet useful tool.
Finding good accommodation isn’t always easy, but try to find a quiet and well-lit corner to dedicate to your teaching time. More importantly, ensure that your WI-FI connection is stable, reliable, and, ideally, fast.
Brazil awaits…
If you are planning to move abroad and teach English online, Brazil could be the right destination for you. In this amazing country you will find plenty of work opportunities either online or in-person. Remember to do your research on your potential employers before applying and be aware of scams – always ask and check if you’re not sure. Living and working abroad is an exciting adventure that broadens your horizons and opens your mind: Brazil is a great starting point for your new life abroad.
Sources:
https://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/esl/articles/teaching-english-living-in-brazil.shtml
https://braziliangringo.com/teach-english-brazil/
https://bridge.edu/tefl/blog/jose-from-brazil-teaching-english-online/
https://monitor.icef.com/2015/08/the-brazilian-market-for-english-language-learning/
