Things to Consider Before Accepting an ESL Teaching Abroad Opportunity

Some of my most memorable experiences as an adult came from teaching overseas. Teaching English abroad can be an incredible opportunity to explore a new culture, develop your teaching skills, and build relationships with students and communities around the world. I’ve had the chance to teach in both the Czech Republic and Ecuador, and I’ve learned a lot as a two-time teacher abroad. So whether you’re an experienced ESOL teacher or considering your first international teaching experience, here are some questions to consider before accepting an opportunity!

When I went on my second teaching abroad experience, I realized not all English teaching programs are created equal… My first and second experiences were extremely different. One provided a stipend and covered airfare whereas the other offered neither. One provided a contract with clear expectations for me as a teacher whereas the other was endless ambiguity. One was at a diverse school where students paid to learn English whereas the other was a more homogenous, free class for community members. One provided me a comprehensive curriculum whereas the other required me to develop hours of new lesson plans each day. Each of these details shaped my overall experience, and if I were to ever teach abroad again, I would draw on these contrasting experiences to make a more informed decision.

Before accepting an opportunity, take time to ask questions, research the organization, and reflect on your goals and expectations. The following four areas can help you determine whether a teaching abroad opportunity is a good fit for you, your students, and the community you’ll be joining.

1. Logistics: What Should You Know Before Teaching English Abroad?

One of the biggest perks of both of my teaching abroad experiences was the 3 meals a day, 7 days a week that were provided for me. In the Czech Republic and Ecuador, I was served the most delicious Czech and Ecuadorian food. I tried all sorts of new meats, flavor combos, fresh fruit, and juices! And I absolutely loved never having to think about what I wanted for dinner. Food is just one of the many logistics you’ll want to consider before committing to a position. Make sure you understand the practical details of living and working in another country and that you can answer the following questions related to compensation, travel arrangements, housing, and legal requirements.

Program Length and Visa Requirements

• How long is the program: six weeks, three months, six months, a one year?
• Will I need a visa or work permit to participate legally?

Compensation and Financial Expectations

• Will I receive any sort of financial compensation?
• If I receive a salary or stipend, how much will I earn, in what currency, and how often will I be paid?

Housing, Meals, and Travel Arrangements

• Does the program cover airfare or expect me to pay for flights?
• Is housing provided, arranged by the school, or left to me to organize?
• If housing is provided, will I have a private room, share with another teacher, or live with a host family?
• Are meals included? If so, how many meals per day and on which days of the week?
• Will I have access to safe drinking water, reliable electricity, and internet?

Contracts and Program Agreements

• Will I receive a written contract before accepting the position? (If the answer is no, take my advice: RUN haha)
• Does the contract clearly outline my teaching responsibilities, working hours, compensation, housing, meals, and travel arrangements?

2. Program Quality and Personal Fit: Is This the Right Teaching Abroad Opportunity for You?

I’m a sucker for living in rural places, so it’s no surprise that both of my teaching experiences were in rural areas of their respective countries. In Czechia, I lived in the beautiful, rolling hill countryside of Central Bohemia; in Ecuador, I lived in the gorgeous Amazon rainforest along the Rio Napo. Rural does usually mean limited transportation, though, and that often made it difficult for me to travel on the weekends (or even get something as simple as a chocolate bar from a nearby store). For me, that wasn’t a dealbreaker, but it is something worth considering if you plan to do a lot of local travel on your days off. When considering a program, take a look to ensure that the program location, school environment, and support systems will allow you to thrive personally and professionally.

Location

• Will I be living in a rural community, a small town, or a large city?
• What will the weather and climate be like during my stay?
• How easy will it be to access groceries, pharmacies, transportation, medical care, and other necessities?

Support and Community

• Will I be working alongside other English language teachers, or will I be the only teacher?
• If I live on campus, will I be expected to socialize with students or supervise them outside of class?
• Will I have opportunities to connect with other teachers, local educators, and community members?

School and Program Reputation

• How long has the organization been operating?
• How long has its English language teaching program been running?
• Can I speak with former teachers about their experiences? Are there reviews or reports that raise concerns about how teachers or students are treated?

3. Teaching Responsibilities: What Will Teaching ESL Abroad Actually Look Like?

Teaching in the Ecuadorian Amazon was the first time I’d ever taught outside… and let’s just say, it was wet, haha. All of my English classes were outdoors, and paper was nearly impossible to use because it was so humid. I was lucky to have a TV accessible to me for slides and whatnot, but this setting required me to adapt my teaching in whole new ways! Before accepting a position, clarify your workload, student population, curriculum expectations, and available resources. Also consider whether you are equipped to do what is expected of you in that context–do you feel prepared to teach students who are pre-literate? Do you feel competent enough to teach a classroom with multiple proficiency levels? Have you ever taught Business English before? It’s important to be honest with yourself about your own capabilities as a teacher.

Workload, Working Hours, and Responsibilities

• How many hours per week am I expected to work?
• How many of those hours will involve teaching, lesson planning, grading, meetings, or other responsibilities?
• Will I have designated planning time, or will I be expected to prepare lessons outside my scheduled hours?

Class Structure and Teaching Conditions

• How many classes will I teach each day or week?
• What is the typical class size?
• Will I teach students individually, in small groups, or in large classes?
• Will students be grouped by age, English proficiency, grade level, or another factor?
• Will I have access to a classroom, whiteboard, projector, or other teaching equipment?
• Will I have a co-teacher or teaching assistant?

Student Population and Learner Needs

• What ages will my students be: young children, school-age learners, university students, or adults?
• What are their educational, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds?
• What are their first languages, and how might those languages influence their English learning?
• What are their current English proficiency levels?
• Will I teach students with a range of English proficiency levels in the same classroom?
• What are students’ reasons for learning English, and what goals do they hope to achieve?

Curriculum, Lesson Planning, and Teaching Materials

• Does the school provide an established curriculum, textbooks, and other teaching materials?
• Am I expected to develop my own curriculum or create individual lesson plans?
• If I need to develop my own lessons, am I prepared and equipped to do so?
• Is there a scope and sequence that outlines what students should learn and when?
• Will I have access to student assessments, previous lesson plans, or information about what students have already learned?
• Am I expected to provide my own teaching supplies, such as notebooks, paper, markers, or other classroom materials?
• Will I have a budget to purchase supplies, or will I need to pay for them myself?
• Do I need to create any assessments for the class?

Program Instructional Goals and Learning Priorities

• What are the primary goals of the English language program? Are students learning English for employment, education, travel, community participation, or personal development?
• How will student progress be measured?
• Will I be expected to administer assessments or report on student outcomes?
• Are the program’s instructional goals realistic given the length of the program, class size, and available resources?

4. Ethical Considerations: How Can You Teach English Abroad Responsibly?

About 5 months ago, I started getting videos on my TikTok feed about “voluntourism,” and then I began to wonder if I was contributing to that problem. These voluntourism opportunities can be well-intentioned, but they can also prioritize the volunteer’s experience over the needs of the community. I’ve learned that teaching abroad is not just about where you will live or what you will teach, but how you enter a community, whose needs the program prioritizes, and what happens after your time there ends. I feel like if I had understood the potential ramifications of going abroad to teach for six weeks and then leaving a community high and dry upon leaving, maybe I wouldn’t have gone in the first place. Before accepting a position, consider whether the opportunity supports the community in a meaningful and sustainable way.

Cultural Awareness

• Am I prepared to adapt my teaching practices to the local cultural and educational context rather than assuming what works in my home country will work there?
• Have I researched local customs, social expectations, educational practices, and communication styles?
• Am I approaching this experience as an opportunity to learn from the community, rather than simply share my own knowledge?
• Am I prepared to examine my own cultural biases and the power dynamics that may come with being a foreign teacher?

Community Needs and Local Educators

• Could my position take employment opportunities away from qualified local teachers?
• Does the program respond to a genuine need for English language instruction identified by the local community?
• Were local educators, school leaders, and community members involved in designing the program?
• Does the program collaborate with local educators, or does it operate independently of the existing education system?
• Does the program recognize and build on the expertise, languages, and knowledge already present in the community?

Sustainability and Long-Term Impact

• What happens to students when I leave?
• Is there a transition plan for the next teacher or for local educators who will continue the program?
• Will the lessons, materials, and curriculum I develop remain available and useful after my departure?
• Does the program prioritize long-term educational outcomes?
• Does the program build local capacity and support the long-term development of local educators?
• How does the organization evaluate the program’s impact on students and the wider community?
• What would meaningful success look like from the perspective of local students, educators, and community members?

Final Thoughts: Choose a Teaching Abroad Program That Benefits Everyone

You will never find me in a situation where I don’t grin from ear to ear when asked about what it was like to teach English in the Czech countryside or Ecuadorian Amazon. These experience were incredible opportunities for me to learn, grow, and contribute in all sorts of ways. That being said, however, it’s best practice to be sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before you’re all of a sudden in a new country where you don’t speak the language and don’t know whether the water is safe to drink, haha.

Take the time to research the organization, clarify your responsibilities, understand the living conditions, and reflect on the program’s ethical implications. Ask difficult questions before you sign a contract, and do not be afraid to walk away if the answers raise concerns. There will always be a need for English teachers, so it’s not worth settling for a program that may do more harm than good (whether that’s the you, the students, or the local community).

Most importantly, remember that teaching abroad is a two-way experience. You may bring valuable teaching knowledge and skills, but you will also be entering a community with its own expertise, priorities, and educational traditions. A successful teaching abroad experience should support your professional growth while respecting local educators, responding to community needs, and contributing to meaningful, sustainable learning opportunities for students. English teaching should be about more than just your own chance to see the world, but instead, to empower language learners around the world to achieve their linguistic goals.

Have questions about a teaching abroad experience you’re interested in? Want some feedback on whether it may a good program? Feel free to reach out to me at contact@intheESOLclassroom.com and I’d love to chat!