Author: Josh (MTC)

The TEFL Academy is one of the best TEFL course providers in the industry. If you are seeking a recognized TEFL certification at an affordable price, that will prepare and qualify you to teach English as a foreign language, The TEFL Academy is hard to beat. The TEFL Academy’s (Ofqual) Level 5 TEFL certification will satisfy most job requirements to teach English online or abroad.

According to their own statement, The TEFL Academy is the most awarded TEFL provider! They have won the Go Overseas and GoAbroad Top TEFL Awards for five years (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023) in a row!

The TEFL Academy review we have performed here is based on an actual assessment of the Level 5 course.

Pros

• Accredited UK Ofqual Level 5 qualification
• Accredited in the USA by DEAC
• Includes 168 hours of online instruction (20 hours of online practicum can be purchased as a separate course)
• Can be completed online through self-study or as a combined learning course
• Each enrollee is assigned and given direct access to a qualified and experienced ESL Professional
• Enrollees have 6 months to complete the online course

Cons

• Receiving assignment assessments from course instructors can sometimes take time – prepare ahead of any employment abroad and visa applications

Acreddited TEFL Course

The TEFL Academy (not to be confused with International TEFL Academy) was founded in 2012 in the UK, and while it is one of the newer TEFL certification providers on the scene, it enjoys a special place among the few providers currently offering Ofqual Level 5 TEFL certifications.

What this means is that its TEFL certification courses are put through a rigorous audit to ensure they comply with Ofqual, a UK Government department which regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments.

Here is what Ofqual states as its responsibilities:

We’re responsible for making sure that:

• regulated qualifications reliably indicate the knowledge, skills and understanding students have demonstrated
• assessments and exams show what a student has achieved
• people have confidence in the qualifications that we regulate
• students and teachers have information on the full range of qualifications that we regulate

As such, The TEFL Academy’s Level 5 TEFL certification is an officially recognized qualification, so anyone planning to embark on a career in TEFL can do no wrong by earning this certification. To put things into perspective, the Cambridge CELTA is a Level 5 qualification. So, in essence, The TEFL Academy’s TEFL certification is an equivalent to the CELTA in terms of its Level 5 qualification.

The TEFL Academy has also taken the additional step of gaining accreditation by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), an accreditation body recognized by the US Department of Education.

Courses Offered by The TEFL Academy

What sets The TEFL Academy apart from its competitors is that it offers only two courses, which can be completed entirely online: a Level 3 (120 hours) and a Level 5 (168 hours) course. In this article, we focus on the Level 5 course.

Many providers offer a wide range of courses, which can get confusing for prospective students who don’t know which course is right for them. The fact of the matter is that the ESL industry generally regards 120 hours as the minimum study hours for a valid TEFL certification. Most quality employers will be looking at this when examining your TEFL qualifications.

Any course which can be completed in fewer than 100 hours is insufficient on its own, while courses which require more than 200 hours to complete are usually unnecessary. You should be well-equipped to teach English to ESL learners by completing a course within 200 hours.

Level 5 TEFL qualifications include at least 150 hours of course study. While the number of study hours itself does not define the quality of a TEFL course, a course must have enough depth of content to adequately impart knowledge, skills, and understanding required for the qualification to have any true value.

Therefore, the 168-hour Level 5 TEFL Certification course offered by The TEFL Academy is more than adequate for gaining qualifications to teach English to ESL learners.

That said, when you enroll in the Level 5 TEFL Certification course, you will also receive one of The TEFL Academy’s top-up courses free of charge. Many other providers charge extra tuition for their extension courses, so this is a nice bonus for completing your TEFL certification with The TEFL Academy.

Let’s take a look at the courses on offer: 

Diploma/Certificate Courses

• Online Level 5 TEFL Course (168 hours)
• Online Level 3 TEFL Course (120 hours)

Practicum

• Oberserved Teaching Practice Course (40 hours)

Top-up Courses (free when enrolling in the Level 5 TEFL course)

• Teaching Young Learners (30 hours)
• Teaching Business English (30 hours)
• Teaching English Online and 1-to-1 (30 hours)

Diving Into The TEFL Academy Level 5 Online TEFL Certification

The Dashboard

The TEFL Academy has neatly organized its online certification course into 10 units, providing a complete set of skills designed to prepare you to get started as ESL teachers. Each unit focuses on specific aspects of teaching English to ESL learners.

When you log in to the training portal, you are immediately taken to a dashboard where you have access to the course and a TEFL glossary for common lingo used in the industry.

There is also a notification reminding you that submitted assignments will be assessed by a qualified tutor, usually within 5 business days. This gives you a sense of comfort and encouragement that you are not merely going through an automated online course, but that your enrollment in the course involves being assessed by a qualified ESL professional.

Within your dashboard, you can navigate from one unit to the next as you go through the course. You can also navigate to other key sections of the course. For example, in the Competencies section, you can track your progress through the course and the competencies you have developed along the way. In the Grades section, you can see your unit test grades, assignment grades, and overall course grade.

The Course

Each unit has specific outcomes defining what you competencies you will have gained by the end of the unit. The content in the units are organized into “Steps”. You must complete Step 1 before gaining access to Step 2, and so on.

This keeps you from getting distracted and wandering around the course while not ever completing it. Completing the course step-by-step makes it easy for you to stay focused on the task at hand.

Towards the end of each unit, there is a Further Reading section where you can find additional references to enhance your understanding of the theme and concepts covered in the unit.

Finally, before completing the unit, you will have to pass a test before you can proceed to the next unit.

In-depth Content and Solid Delivery

The course covers every core aspect of being a quality ESL teacher that both employers and students expect. Here’s a breakdown of the topics covered:

• Lesson Planning
• Teaching English Vocabulary
• Teaching Pronunciation
• Understanding English Grammar
• Teaching Receptive Skills: Listening and Reading
• Teaching Productive Skills: Speaking and Writing
• Teaching English Grammar
• Principles of Teaching English as a Foreign Language
• Materials and Aids for Teaching English/Classroom Management Strategies
• Using Resources Effectively when Teaching English as a Foreign Language
• Case Study, CV and Cover Letter, Job Sites and Resources

Actionable Information and Advice

Enrollees are assigned to specific course tutors who will monitor their progress, grade their assignments, and provide constructive feedback and support as needed.

In fact, The TEFL Academy has set up an Online Course Tutor Support website where you can submit support tickets and track every support request with a complete archive of the communication you’ve had with your assigned tutor.

There are three assignments to complete during the course. The first one is assigned after you have finished the first five units. Detailed instructions and templates are provided for you to complete the assignments, and, as mentioned, students can seek help from their tutors via the support website.

The assignments are not a cakewalk. That’s not actually a bad thing, as it’s proof positive that you must actually study and make the effort to successfully complete assignments to earn your TEFL qualification. After all, if you’re paying for a legitimate, government-regulated qualification, you would not expect to complete it without any difficulty.

The assignments are designed to aid you in developing key skill sets needed for planning and delivering lessons, and supporting the development of your students.

Naturally, we can’t reveal any information about assignments because they are intended only for students enrolled in the course. Spilling that information to the public would be a disservice to those who pay for the course and to The TEFL Academy itself.

Examples of assignments you can expect: creating specific lesson plans for teaching various English language skills and in different contexts, and writing an essay, which will likely require you to conduct some research. 

Anyone graduating from the 168-hour Level 5 TEFL course will gain valuable knowledge and a genuine appreciation for teaching English to ESL learners.

The course itself can be completed within 4 – 5 weeks if you are committed, though you have up to 6 months to complete the course. This should be ample time to complete the course and gain your TEFL certification.

Beyond the core course content, The TEFL Academy also includes a module for preparing a CV (résumé) and cover letter. This is invaluable for anyone who finds writing a resume or cover letter on their own difficult.

What Can Be Improved?

While there is always room for improvement, it’s really hard to find fault with this course. The TEFL Academy has arguably put together the most complete and well-structured TEFL certification course we have reviewed, and it’s no small compliment to say that the course has been designed to prepare ESL teachers for real-life teaching.

A few course graduates have commented that the turnaround for assessing assignments is a bit slow. Any experienced ESL teacher will attest that assessing students’ assignments is not fast work, and it requires intense concentration and patience to review essays, lesson plans and other assignments.

Having said that, people who have paid for the course may need to have a TEFL certificate in time for employment and work visas, and the time to wait could impact getting these sorted out in time.

Still, this is not entirely the responsibility of The TEFL Academy. If you are planning on a career abroad as an ESL teacher, you really should be planning to earn your TEFL qualification. This is one of the key qualifications needed to secure a legitimate job and work visa in most countries.

Why travel abroad without the qualifications in hand? As it is, many countries now require that your documents (including your TEFL certificate) be apostilled prior to granting you a visa.

After all, the course can be completed within one month of committed study, and you have up to six months of access to complete the course.

So, yes, perhaps The TEFL Academy could do better with their turnaround for grading and providing feedback for assignments, but they do provide fair warning to students to allow 5 business days for their tutors to assess assignments and provide feedback.

Who Is This Course For?

This course is ideal for practically anyone aspiring to become a qualified ESL teacher. As an Ofqual-regulated and accredited qualification, The TEFL Academy’s Level 5 TEFL Certification is a fantastic option for both online ESL teachers and anyone planning a career teaching English abroad.

Considering that one top-up course is offered free of charge to enrollees in the Level 5 TEFL Certification course, you will acquire more than enough skills to back up your paper qualifications as an ESL teacher.

Can Non-Native English Speakers Enroll in this Course?

The short answer is YES. Non-native English speakers can enroll in the course; however, if you are a non-native English speaker, you should have at least a C1 (Advanced) level of English proficiency. According to The TEFL Academy, about 20% of their course enrollees are non-native English speakers.

Top-up Courses

The TEFL Academy offers top-up courses designed to help you specialize your teaching skills for:

• Young learners
• Business English
• Online and 1-to-1 teaching

If you successfully complete the Level 5 course, you will be eligible to enroll in one top-up course of your choice for free. Top-up courses are 30 hours, and completing the top-up course earns you a specialized TEFL certificate.

While the top-up courses don’t carry much weight with employers, these courses will help you understand various aspects of how to teach English in a foreign country or online, whichever of these applies to your situation.

The TEFL Academy also offers a 40-hour Teaching Practice Course, designed to help new TEFL teachers can practice teaching skills in a group session. Enrolling in this course involves group work and tasks, and enrollees will work together in smaller groups to plan and deliver mock lessons to each other.

This is not equivalent to an onsite teaching practicum, in which TEFL teachers would gain practical experience with real ESL learners. But the Teaching Practice Course does cover various methods of lesson delivery and practical teaching material you can use once you complete the course.

Job Placement Assistance

The TEFL Academy review would not be complete without discussing job placement assistance. Typically, TEFL course providers have included at least basic assistance with job placement, ranging from resume planning and crafting to connecting graduates with partner schools and online ESL companies.

As online teaching continues to grow, The TEFL Academy has chosen the path of helping their graduates find teaching jobs via their job board, and referring them to other popular job boards such as this site.

The TEFL Academy Internships

Like other TEFL course providers, The TEFL Academy offers internship programs. Most internship programs are in Asia, though some internship opportunities are available in Europe and Latin America.

Pricing

The 168-hour Level 5 Online TEFL Certification tuition fee is regularly priced at around $530. This is significantly less expensive than many other Level 5 TEFL qualifications.

Bottom Line

We hope our The TEFL Academy review has helped you decide if getting TEFL qualified with their Level 5 certification is for you.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a course provider as friendly, approachable, and transformative as The TEFL Academy. This is a legitimate TEFL certification, and completing the course should equip you with the skills and confidence to teach English.

Enroll here for the course.

There are several different types of employers in the ESL industry. As a teacher, you may find yourself working at a private language school, university, public school or any of the many other types of schools and programs that teach English to non-native students.

But, when hunting for a job, it can be a bit confusing understanding the difference between each type of school and program and knowing whether it will be the right job for you. So, I will go through each school type and list some characteristics of each, as well as providing some insight into who is a good candidate for each type of employer.

Why Is It Important to Know the Difference?

You must understand the difference between each type of school for a few different reasons. At the top of that list is the fact that you don’t want to end up working at one type of school when you were beyond qualified to work at another type that would have paid much better.

Private language schools, for example, are great places for new teachers to get their foot in the door but will not pay as well as universities which are looking for teachers with experience and higher levels of qualifications.

If you have the level of experience the universities are looking for, you wouldn’t want to end up in a contract with a private language school for a year and potentially miss out on tens of thousands of dollars out of ignorance.

A second reason for you to understand the different types of ESL employers in the industry is so that you can find one that is better suited to your lifestyle and your level of experience. Though private language schools may not pay as well, they are often great places for beginners to get some experience, as many will have a curriculum already developed that you will work from.

This can help new ESL teachers who don’t have as much experience creating lessons and managing classes, as it will take some stress away. On the opposite side of that, private language schools often hold classes in the evenings, so if it is important for you to work during the daytime and have evenings off then this may not be the best option.

Not all schools are created equal, just as not all teachers will be suited to teach equally at every school.

What are the Different Types of ESL Employers?

Let’s take a look at some different options available to you as an ESL teacher.

Private Language Schools

These are mostly privately owned schools that can be found throughout the world which cater to students who are looking for extra instruction outside of their normal schooling. These schools usually have a focus such as on conversation or grammar or test preparation and cater to an extremely wide range of students.

Some schools, for example, will cater to adult professionals who are attempting to expand their level of business English for the boardroom. Others, however, may focus on high school students attempting to prepare for the IELTS to secure a place at a prestigious university.

The focus of each of these schools will be extremely diverse, and the type of teacher they will want to hire and the requirements they will have of that teacher is going to vary greatly.

Though private language schools can be found all over the world, they are especially prominent in East Asia including in Japan where they are known as Eikaiwa, South Korea where they are known as Hagwons, and China where they are referred to as enrichment schools. In the Middle East, primarily in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, they are especially popular for working with foreign business professionals who are working in the country.

The hours’ teachers will be required to work will vary greatly with these schools, depending on who the main clientele is. For students who are in regular school, classes will be primarily in the evening after the normal school hours and on the weekends. For business professionals, classes will be more on the weekends all throughout the day.

It is important to understand that there can be less stability and security at these types of schools due to the fact they are private companies. There are several stories of companies such as NOVA (an Eikaiwa school in Japan) which shut down due to bankruptcy, leaving thousands of teachers with no job, no place to live, and no route for renewing their visas.

There are also many stories coming out of China of recruiters for enrichment schools lying to teachers about the legality of working without a visa among other things and teachers getting into trouble with the law. While these are not the norm, you should always make sure you are informed about the visa laws and other laws governing working as a foreign employee in the country you are in.

Pay at these types of schools will often be less than at a public school or at a university. This is one of the reasons that the requirements for working at these schools are often less than at others, and one of the reasons that competition for these positions is often less. This doesn’t imply that there aren’t private language schools that pay well, simply that universities and, in some countries, public schools will often pay better.

Public Schools

The governments of many countries around the world have instituted mandatory English classes in the public school systems, and therefore the demand for native English teachers is great. Countries throughout Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East have instituted policy attempting to make their population more competitive in the global marketplace.

Working for the public school system in any country is going to provide more stability than working at a private language school. Since you will be working for the government, in essence, taking care of your visa and work permit will be a much simpler task oftentimes.

Salaries at public schools will usually be greater than at a private language school, though this is not always true and will depend largely on the country. Many people find working at public schools to be preferable due to the stable hours (regular school hours) as well as the generous amount of time you receive off for winter and summer breaks in most countries.

Benefits at public schools will usually be more generous than at private language schools and can include pay bonuses, flight reimbursement, provided housing or reimbursement, travel per diems, health insurance, and more. Benefits will depend on the country you are working in, with some countries such as the United Arab Emirates offering a wide range of benefits and others such as Thailand offering few if any.

Requirements for working in the public school system will vary in each country, however, generally speaking, a bachelor’s degree and at least a year or two of experience will be required. Some countries, such as China and the United Arab Emirates, will require tutors to have a 120-hour TEFL certification (either blended learning or onsite). Some countries, such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, may also require public school teachers to have a teaching license and prior experience in the area they are being hired for.

These kinds of positions are largely going to be more suitable for people looking to move abroad long-term, as contracts can sometimes range 2 to 3 years. If you are just looking to live in a place for a year and want to work a minimum number of hours, so you have more time to travel, then a public school job may not be the best option.

Though it should be stated once more that because you will be on the public school schedule, you will usually receive generous time off for summer and winter breaks on top of any government holidays.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges and universities are a great place for teachers with prior teaching experience or professionals in various fields such as business, aeronautics, engineering, and more to find jobs. The need for university-level ESL teachers is high in many countries around the world as the demand in various fields for professionals with English-speaking abilities has risen.

Universities tend to have the highest-paying jobs for foreign teachers, depending on the country. Because of this, the competition for many positions can be quite high.

An added benefit of working for a university is that you will work significantly fewer hours, and unlike at a public school when you are not teaching a class you do not have to be at the university. Also, you will receive significant time off for summer and winter breaks on top of any public holidays.

The benefits that are offered by universities in many countries also tend to be quite good when compared to private language schools. Depending on which country and which school you are working with, you may receive salary bonuses, flight reimbursement, housing allowances or provided accommodations, health insurance, and potentially more.

Along with this, you will have a lot more freedom with the content and how it is presented than at a lower level public school or at a private language school, where the material will be more clearly defined.

Universities will usually have much stricter requirements for whom they will hire. Teachers will generally need to have prior experience teaching and will need to have a 120-hour TEFL certification (either blended or onsite). Also, universities in many countries such as Japan may have requirements that teachers actively work to get published in journals and will even set aside one day off during the school week for teachers to conduct research and write.

You will need to check the requirements to make sure you will be able to meet and keep up with what will be expected.

Online English Companies

These will be companies that hire native (and for some companies, non-native but fluent) English teachers to conduct 25-to-50-minute classes. There are hundreds of different companies, with the largest concentration of them being in China due to the massive number of students and the extreme demand for native English teachers.

The barrier for entry into these online ESL companies is quite low for most, with a few who cater to adults or more prestigious schools having stricter requirements. Most companies will hire anyone who has a bachelor’s degree, and many will even hire current university students. Some may require a TEFL certification but very few.

A typical class at one of these companies involves using pre-designed curriculum, usually set up in a course with various activities to engage the students. Though there are companies that work with adults in subjects such as business English, the vast majority of these online ESL companies work with students between the ages of 4 and 16.

Payment at these online companies will be much lower when compared to many of the above-listed types of employers and typically, no benefits beyond incentive bonuses will be offered. These companies are good for people who are attempting to supplement their income or for current teachers that are looking for extra work.

It may not be the option for providing your total income. Hours and classes may or may not be stable depending on the time of the year and the individual company. Larger companies with more students will usually be able to provide more stability to tutors than smaller and newer companies with fewer students.

If you are interested in finding out more about teaching for an online ESL company, you can read this to find information about hiring practices and what online teaching is like.

Some Extra Tips When Looking at Schools

Regardless of which school you are looking at or how reputable they seem to be, the burden will always be on you to figure out if you meet the qualifications to work legally in the country you are interested in. Also, you should make sure that before you sign any contracts with any of these types of schools that you ensure everything that was promised to you is in writing and that a contract is legitimate.

This may be difficult: depending on the country you are in, as the contract may be written in the native language of that country, so you will need to hire an independent translator to go through and tell you exactly what is stated.

Remember that, while most recruiters and employers are legitimate and will not try to weasel out of paying benefits, there are many that will. The internet is full of stories from ESL teachers who were promised many things that weren’t delivered on.

Look at each school type and the pros and cons to see if you are picking the right place for you. Again, private language schools are great for beginners trying to get their foot in the door. If you already have teaching experience, you may want to be on the lookout for public school or even university jobs that will pay much better and offer more stability and security.

At the end of the day, there is a high demand around the world for native English speakers, especially in emerging markets, so you should have no trouble finding a job. Armed with the above knowledge of what the different types of schools are, finding the right job for you should be a bit easier.

Whether we want to buy socks, a new laptop or TEFL courses, we always look for customer reviews online before.

For choosing a quality TEFL course, you rely on sources like:

• “Trusted” review sites
• Review sections on the providers’ website
• Blogs (like this one) with review articles, obviously ;)
• Reddit
• YouTube

Reviews can be a reliable source for making purchasing decisions, but you must also keep in mind that not all reviews can be trusted, and you should be equipped to distinguish between legitimate and fake reviews.

In this post, we walk you through the various sources to identify and choose a great TEFL course and tell you what to consider.

TEFL Course Accreditation

Accreditation is a form of review, whereby an independent accrediting body has audited the TEFL certification course and awarded an accreditation based on satisfying specific criteria.

However, as mentioned earlier, there is no industry-wide accrediting body, and thus, a TEFL course does not need to be accredited to be offered. At the same time, any TEFL provider can gain accreditation via an agency that is willing to award one. This muddies the water supremely, making it difficult to choose a TEFL course to enroll in.

You’ll notice that many TEFL providers are or claim to be accredited. However, having an accreditation alone is not a guarantee of the quality and legitimacy of a TEFL course. It’s essential to consider who is providing the accreditation, what credibility the accrediting body has, and if the accrediting body is, in fact, independent.

Unfortunately, some TEFL providers have questionable accreditations. Some of these accrediting bodies have little to no history, nor are they government-recognized or regulated. Some are even owned by the same company that offers the TEFL certification, meaning they are hardly independent.

Some TEFL providers apply the term accredited to their courses using very loose definitions. They state an affiliation or membership in an organization, and claim to adhere to that organization’s standards. However, membership in an organization does not necessarily mean the course is formally accredited.

One of the first steps you should take when deciding on a TEFL certification is to determine the reputation and credibility of the accrediting body itself.

In the absence of an industry-wide accreditation body, government recognition and regulation becomes an important factor. Having a government-regulated accreditation means the TEFL certification meets acceptable criteria for an academic qualification according to a government framework for qualifications.

In the UK, The Office for Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is an independent government agency that is responsible for regulating qualifications.

CELTA is a UK Level 5 qualification and its accreditation is regulated by Ofqual. What this means is that CELTA must undergo continuous, rigorous audits to demonstrate that the qualification accurately reflects the knowledge and skills acquired by who have completed and earned the CELTA certification, according to the UK government’s qualifications framework.

Presently, only a handful of TEFL providers offer Ofqual Level 5 certifications, which are equivalent to the CELTA, but offered at a much lower cost:

• The TEFL Academy
• Premier TEFL
• International TEFL Academy
• i-to-i TEFL

Regardless of participant reviews about the quality of these TEFL certification courses, you can be certain each is accredited by an independent body that is regulated by the UK government, and meets the requirements for a Level 5 qualification.

In the U.S., accredit bodies such as The Accrediting Council of Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) and the Commission on English Language Accreditation (CEA) are officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as reliable authorities. In other words, TEFL certifications that are ACCET or CEA accredited satisfy the requirements of a qualification as defined by the U.S. Department of Education.

The following U.S. based TEFL certifications are ACCET accredited:

• BridgeTEFL (whose courses are also recommended for undergraduate and graduate college credits)

When selecting a TEFL certification, look beyond the accreditation. Investigate who is the accrediting body, and what makes this body a reliable and recognized authority. We only recommend UK Level 5 TEFL certifications and U.S. Department of Education recognized accreditations.

Any of the above recommended TEFL course providers will provide you with a TEFL certification that is legitimized through a government-recognized and regulated accrediting body, and each of them will be able to offer proof of their accreditation. Don’t succumb to companies which plaster logos all over their websites. Ask for evidence of the accreditation.

Consumer Review Sites

The fundamental challenge with consumer review sites such as TrustPilot is that they are not as independent as they may appear to be Here’s why:

1. They offer paid services to businesses to gain reviews and charge anywhere between $80 – $800 per month, or more.
2. Because they rely on paid subscriptions from businesses, their services are designed to favor the success of their clients, rather than providing an objective platform for consumers to review a business.
3. There is no clear and stated vetting process to ensure that publish reviews are indeed from real customers. Indeed, many review sites are plagued with fake consumer reviews.

Can you see the problem here? If the business is not benefiting from the service, they will stop paying for the subscription. Additionally, it is not uncommon for businesses to pay for reviews (including TEFL reviews), or to incentivize their customers to leave positive reviews.

Some companies also engage in campaigns to leave negative reviews for their competitors, making the entire consumer review site business a questionable one.

That doesn’t mean consumer reviews are devoid of value. However, if you are using review sites to decide about a TEFL certification course (or any product or service for that matter), you need to strengthen your BS meter and separate the wheat from the chaff.

Let’s look at two examples of actual reviews published for two different TEFL providers (names removed) on review sites, and decide which one you think is a meaningful review and which one isn’t:

Example 1:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5) – [TEFL Provider] is great and offers quality qualifications. The experience was really great and I encourage anyone who’s looking for a good company to join and experience it for themselves.

Happy Customer 1 (Unverified)

Example 2:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5) – I really enjoyed the [TEFL Provider] 168 hour course. The content was thorough, well organised and included a multitude of interesting and suitably challenging assignments. [TEFL Provider] provided me with a depth of resources which I will use throughout the beginning stages (and maybe later) of my teaching career. I am thankful to the creators of the course and those individuals who provided extensive feedback on my assignments. *** were a joy to be taught by.

Happy Customer (Verified)

Which of these two reviews is actually meaningful to helping you decide if the TEFL certification course is worthwhile enrolling in? We think it’s pretty obvious.

Unfortunately, many people overlook the sheer amount of meaningless (and potentially fake) reviews and just focus on the overall rating. In our experience, while a high rating is important, there’s more to the rating than meets the eye.

Here’s what we recommend:

• Look at both positive and negative reviews and determine if the review is actually meaningful, or if the reviewer is simply dropping pleasantries along with a five-star rating. Same thing with overly negative ratings – check to see if the negative feedback is actually relevant to the course. Some negative ratings have nothing to do with the course itself, and more to do with gripes or misunderstandings the enrollee had.
• Pay attention to how the TEFL provider responds to negative reviews. Is the provider offering constructive explanations and solutions to address the reviewer’s concerns, or is it on the defensive?
• People are more likely to leave reviews when they are not happy, than when they are. So, scrutinize positive reviews more than you would negative reviews.

Coupon/Deal Sites

Many accredited TEFL courses appear on coupon/deal sites, and are offered at rock-bottom prices, sometimes as low as $20. Now, think about this carefully for a moment. Do you honestly believe that for $20 – $50, you could learn the knowledge and skills needed to be an effective English teacher?

Proper accreditation costs significant investment of time and money, so if the course is being offered at an unbelievably low price, then it’s probably too good to be true. Would you pay someone to teach you a language for $20? Probably not.

Aside from lack of proper accreditation, TEFL courses offered on coupon/deal sites almost always won’t have a qualified and experienced ESL professional on-hand to evaluate assignments (and probably won’t have assignments to begin with). Why is this important?

The whole point of even taking a course is to learn a skill. Because teaching English to ESL learners is a hands-on skill, you want someone with experience to provide you feedback that can help you start your career on the right track, to let you know what aspects of your teaching skills are strong and which ones you need to improve.

In our experience, we’ve found the low-end TEFL courses you see on coupon/deal sites to be disingenuous about their pricing. Many of them sell their courses at $20 – $50, with a 60-day window to complete the course. Then they attempt to upsell you with offers to extend your time to complete the course for $99. If you go down this route, you will have paid up to $150 for a TEFL certification. Ultimately, this is not the $20 deal you thought you got.

Can you get a job with a low end TEFL certification? Sure. Can you get one anywhere, particularly with high-paying employers? Unlikely.

Affiliate Sites and Blog Reviews

Many sites and blogs exist to earn commissions for products and services they promote, and one of the ways a site or blog can promote a product or service is by publishing a review. (We’re no exception here.)

So the question begs: how can someone who earns a referral commission from a product or service write an unbiased review? To answer that question, let’s make two assumptions:

• There is no such thing as an unbiased review.
• The only reviews actually worth trusting are ones in which the blogger has actually trialed the product or service.

Unfortunately, not everyone who publishes reviews online has tested the product or service they are reviewing. So, the real consideration you should be making is not whether the reviewer earns a commission for referring you to a product or service through a review; instead, whether the reviewer has actually used the product or service, and is recommending it because after trialing it, the blogger believes in it.

There isn’t anything inherently wrong with recommending something you get paid to recommend. If you worked in an Apple Store and earn money recommending Apple products, that makes you biased towards Apple products, of course. But if you also use and like Apple products, is there something wrong with also recommending them and earning an income as well? We don’t think so.

What we do think is wrong is people publishing bogus reviews for the sake of earning an income from a product or service they have never used, and will never purchase.

Here at JimmyESL, we audited every TEFL certification ourselves before we recommend it. We are TEFL certified and experienced ESL teachers, so we feel we are more than adequately qualified to assess the quality of a TEFL course.

More importantly, our emphasis is and will always be on reviewing and recommending TEFL courses that have earned legitimacy through a government-regulated accreditation. As long as there is no industry-wide accrediting body for TEFL qualifications, we are only interested in reviewing and recommending accredited TEFL providers with government-regulated accreditations.

So if you are searching for and checking TEFL course reviews on blogs, you should be skeptical of TEFL reviews (including ones we publish). Check that the reviewer has personally audited the TEFL course.

Because you can’t be 100% sure someone who claims to have audited a course has actually done so, you can also request TEFL providers you are considering to give you restricted access to the course, or to speak to graduates about their experience.

Wrapping Up: Beware Fake TEFL Reviews

The world of e-commerce and online marketing is highly competitive, and online reviews are one of several ways companies try to gain an edge to earn credibility with consumers.

This is true for TEFL certification courses, too. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of fake TEFL reviews online, so it is important to know how to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Fortunately, we’ve already done the heavy lifting for you. We only recommend TEFL certification providers with UK and US government-regulated accreditations, whose courses we’ve actually reviewed and tested ourselves.

For those of you who are wanderlust, teaching ESL learners has long been a viable way to see and experience the world. But teaching in a classroom environment isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

Some people loathe the mundane aspects of being a classroom or online teacher: preparing lesson plans, teaching grammar and pronunciation, reviewing and grading essays and tests – day in, day out – the list could go on.

If you are seeking different experiences and genuine adventures, you should explore the field of outdoor education. In this post, I’ll explain what this is, what it takes to become an outdoor education instructor abroad, and I’ll introduce one of the most renowned global organizations in the field.

What is Outdoor Education?

Here is a description from Wikipedia:

Outdoor education is often referred to as synonymous with outdoor learning, outdoor school, forest schools and wilderness education. Outdoor education often uses or draws upon related elements and/or informs related areas.

The hallmark of outdoor education is its focus on the “outdoor” side of this education; whereas adventure education would focus on the adventure side and environmental education would focus on environmental. Expeditionary education involves expeditions into wilderness “where man is but a visitor.” All of these activities typically involve experiential education.

If you have a penchant for the outdoors and wilderness, then outdoor education jobs abroad might be the perfect alternative to teaching English. Many people who have worked as outdoor educators declare that the experience was life-changing, and the friendships made have become rich, purposeful relationships.

Where to Find Outdoor Instructor Jobs Abroad

Outdoor Education jobs abroad will often be available in international schools and outdoor education providers that cater to them. Outdoor Education is not cheap. Camping trips, wilderness excursions, and extensive travel for both educators and participants means Outdoor Education can indeed be expensive and thus unreachable for the typical public school.

Consequently, most outdoor education jobs abroad deal with engaging international school students, since international schools are equipped with both the financial means and willingness to integrate outdoor education into their curriculum.

Not all programs happen in the wilderness. There are plenty of programs that take place in school gymnasiums and playgrounds, as well as programs where students get involved in local community work, and often there are programs offering a mixture of these experiences.

Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), for example, has its own Outdoor Education Department. WAB is one of the most prestigious international schools in China. It is evident that WAB views Outdoor Education as critical to its students’ learning experience. Here is what WAB says on its website:

In the wild, we challenge students to challenge themselves, and think and reflect on how they interact with the environment, heightening awareness of the global issues facing our planet. Our team structures programs unique to each grade level, gradually increasing in difficulty and steadily building independence. The goal is to meaningfully engage students, and to foster a love of nature and respect for our interconnectedness.

The Requirements to Become an Outdoor Educator

Before searching for Outdoor Education jobs abroad, it is important to know if this type of work is suited for you. Even if you are someone who loves the outdoors, that’s not enough. As you will often be dealing with adolescents and working in collaborative and culturally diverse environments, a positive mindset, team spirit, and cultural awareness are all crucial to making this a successful experience.

Because Outdoor Educators need to be prepared for emergencies in the outdoors, most Outdoor Education jobs abroad will require you to have completed a Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) certification course.

As well, there is often a lot of travel, and perhaps several days in the month when you will be away from home and cut off from the comforts of modern urban living. There may be times you will feel homesick, and times when relaxing for you means not being outdoors!

While Outdoor Education jobs abroad often attract people of all age ranges, they are likely to appeal most to people in their late 20s to mid-30s. Many people at this age range tend to be in a transitional phase in life before settling down or pursuing other goals and interests, and have very few commitments and dependents, if any.

If you think Outdoor Education and Experiential Learning is something that resonates with you, the JUMP! Foundation should be at the top of your list.

Getting to Know the JUMP! Foundation

JUMP! Foundation is a leading provider of outdoor education and experiential learning programs, and it is a global leader in this field. JUMP! is also a social enterprise, in that it allocates a portion of its human, educational and financial resources towards leadership programs that target underserved communities around the world.

The organization’s community outreach is undoubtedly what makes it a life-altering experience for its employees, local NGOs it partners with, and the communities it serves.

JUMP! is all about equipping today’s youth with the skills needed to be leaders tomorrow. It designs and delivers a broad spectrum of impactful experiential education programs, and has, over several years, developed an extensive global network of partnerships in the field of education.

JUMP! Foundation was founded in 2006 to accomplish three goals:

• Inspire individuals through transformational experiences
• Empower individuals with skills and resources to create positive impact
• Engage individuals with local and global communities

JUMP! was started by its founders responding to what they saw as a missing piece in the puzzle of a person’s educational development.

Concepts such as global citizenship, leadership, engaging in local cultures, and developing creative solutions to challenges faced by local communities are some examples of how JUMP! has stepped into the arena of the traditional education model and helped evolve the model by integrating experiential learning.

Since many of these learning experiences happen outside the classroom space, students who participate in JUMP! programs learn through hands-on experience rather than simply learning concepts and theories alone.  

Currently, JUMP! maintains offices in Bangkok, Beijing, and Canada, and has satellite offices in other locations around the world.

JUMP! Programs

The organization has on-site programs for educators, students and schools (JUMP! Schools), as well as off-site programs in various parts of the world (JUMP! Experiences). JUMP! also offers virtual programs (JUMP! Connected) to expand its reach and make its programs more accessible on a global scale.

JUMP! delivers its experiential learning programs mainly for youth who are enrolled in prestigious international schools, and works with these schools to bring the programs in-house as part of the school’s wider education mandate.

The purpose of these programs is to introduce learning opportunities through trips, nature excursions, community involvement, and engagement with local cultures.

As a social enterprise, JUMP! is also deeply committed to making its resources and programs accessible to youth from all backgrounds. It provides support to underserved communities across the globe through its Impact programs, which we will discuss a bit later.

Career Opportunities with JUMP!

JUMP! has opportunities to work as a full-time member of staff, as well as a contract program facilitator. Full-time job openings occur throughout the year, and it is thus a good idea to follow JUMP! and look out for openings as they are advertised.

Contract program facilitator opportunities are more fluid, meaning you could join JUMP! as a member of its global facilitator network, practically wherever you are located. Contract facilitators work on a per-project basis, so if you are looking for non-committal opportunities to work in outdoor education and experiential education, getting on board the JUMP! Facilitator team might be the right path for you.

Qualifications to Work with JUMP!

Teachers, especially those who have genuine educational backgrounds and experience working within international school environments, can do well working with an organization like JUMP!

Additionally, those who have a passion for outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, trekking, or rock climbing might find themselves at home working with JUMP! If you have a Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) or Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification, this would be an added bonus.

Anyone who has been involved with humanitarian assistance or relief efforts, such as UN peace corps, would be considered to be an asset to JUMP! in helping students learn these values and skill sets.

The team at JUMP! works in an extremely collaborative way, so being a team player is essential to making a career at JUMP! successful. People who are good problem-solvers, are good at presenting and speaking to large audiences, able to motivate and inspire participants in group activities, and have a high level of empathy.

Also read: The best career opportunities after quitting teaching English abroad.

We are discussing and trying out various teaching tools all the time but fail to remember the most powerful tool that teachers have: patience.

Pressured by the overwhelming day-to-day tasks and obligations, let alone disobedient students and demanding multitasking, did we lose this magic, yet almost endemic trait?

Personally, I usually find it hard to stay patient at work while living in a world where “fast” means “effective”. 

Sometimes I remember that progress takes time, but often I feel impatient and frustrated when I see that some students are lagging behind despite my efforts.

So lately, I’ve implemented 7 techniques that helped me to develop my patience as a teacher and approach teaching from a different angle. Read on and try them yourself!

Why Is Patience Important In Teaching?

Patience in teaching means dedicating the necessary time and effort to help students learn something, with the intention to explain, contextualize and build on their prior knowledge.

Patience also refers to developing and maintaining trust in the student-teacher relationship. 

Both the teacher and the student need to believe that their actions will eventually bear fruit, though they may face many obstacles on the way.

Despite the common misconception, being patient as a teacher doesn’t simply mean “waiting for students to become better”. In fact, using patience as a tool reflects in all aspects of your work: like being patient with peers and their requests but also with yourself when you’re approaching the end of a term, and you have a pile of stuff to get done.

Being patient when working with students requires higher emotional control and awareness on the side of the supportive teacher, allows learners to make mistakes but also encourages students to analyze them and create new solutions.

This, on the other hand, turns students into critical thinkers instead of marathon runners for the “best” results — a very pragmatic quality for their future.

In other words, neither teaching nor learning can be effective if there’s no patience which makes it fundamental in all educational processes.

The college science professor and educational expert Leslie Schwab highlights patience as the top trait of any effective educator, along with concern for students, knowledge of the subject being taught and willingness to adapt.

Schwab writes that patience is important as teachers cannot expect all students to progress at the same pace, so their task is to provide more extensive explanations in several times. According to her, the counter tactic, i.e., “go home and practice more” usually triggers anxiety and insecurity in students that would eventually reflect on the work of the teacher.

Nevertheless, we can’t just put a blind eye on the fact that teachers are only humans, and they can simply lose patience and snap. Some of us are triggered by the noise, others by the scratching of chairs on the floor, or by the constant “forgetting” of homework…

After all, research has shown that during their career, teachers have more stress and frustrations than workers in other fields, and show a bad temper.

On the surface, patience may seem complicated to master, yet there are many small steps that you can make to see it grow within you and resonate in your working place.

Also read: How to become a good and effective ESL teacher.

7 Strategies for Teachers to Be More Patient 

Follow these strategies to develop patience and stay calm in stressful environments or situations.

1. Take Care of Yourself

Yes, this is my number one, top tip as there’s no way to stay calm, focused and productive at work without providing basic personal care for your physical and mental health.

Despite what mainstream culture of work preaches, burnouts are not a sign of professional success but of a low-quality life.

Going to the spa once a week or weekend getaways in Tuscany sound fantastic, but I’ll stick to simple self-care strategies that any teacher can try on a daily level:

Get enough sleep

Make sure you sleep enough hours every night. Believe me when I say that NOTHING can soothe your nervous system better than regular slots of quality sleep. Make it a priority.

Make routines and stick to them

I already wrote about establishing routines as great stress-relievers when it comes to task management and feeling calm on a daily level.

Wake up a bit earlier, start the day with a cup of coffee and NO extra stimulants like news, music, or Instagram stories.

Relax, breathe and get ready for the new day. Then make a list and note down your tasks for the day and the day after — no need to plan further, just stick to this simple practice on a daily level to feel more organized and ready.

Pull the breaks when needed

You start working early in the morning and finish late in the afternoon, or sometimes even continue working at home — no wonder if you feel constant fatigue throughout the working week. I recommend 3-4 breaks in the day to balance this out.

Just isolate yourself for 10-20 minutes, lean your body on the chair, take a few deep breaths, or do a short meditation to relax (link below). Occasionally, I need a short pick-me-up, so I go for a quick run and listen to my fav music or podcast.

Mind your nutrition and caffeine intake

Our mood is closely related to our nutrition patterns, meaning, what we eat when we’re busy can have a big impact on how sluggy or motivated we feel.

Try to eat moderate, balanced meals and stick to 2-3 coffee cups maximum per day.

Stay hydrated while in class, and always have some sugar booster at hand when your energy bars start going down. Personally, I run on pralines, dates or bananas, but you can also have dry fruits and nuts, protein bars etc.

Make leisure time mandatory

At a certain point of the day, you have to stop working if you want to continue working productively.

Leave some time in the day for other activities like sport, reading, watching films, hanging out with friends… Whatever makes you feel happy and relaxed.

Also read: The extensive stress management guide for teachers.

2. Examine Your Impatience

Analyze what causes your impatience while in class, and try to recall and identify situations when you lost your tolerance.

Think about the consequences of losing your cool and project possible alternative reactions on your side.

Once per week, I imagine a situation, like a student spilling water on my computer for example, and let myself think about 3 possible reactions, then I choose the most and the least appropriate and I write it down. 

At the end of the month, I analyze all responses in my diary, check my progress, and see if I have implemented positive solutions in my classroom.

If you know your triggers, you can choose how to react in similar situations in the future.

3. Learn to listen to others

Listening to others at work before reacting, may seem like an easy-peasy thing to do, but actually, it requires conscious effort and can clearly show how patient you are.

Try practicing this at home or with your friends. Don’t interrupt them while speaking, nor when they make short breaks between sentences. Let them finish their thoughts, think about what they said, and THEN reply. 

Do the same at work with your students and colleagues. You will notice that your responses become more clear and measured, as you get more time to understand the other person and think about what you’re going to say instead of bursting out in the very minute.

4. Practice being the person you want your students to be

Students mirror your energy and behavior. Or let me put it this way: when I had a bad day and I enter class feeling anxious, angry or sad, students can feel my uneasiness and respond by reacting in a disturbing manner.

Try to count to ten before you open the door of your classroom and leave personal burdens behind. Remember that you are there to share time together and collaborate for a good cause.

If you give instructions with a calm voice and approach them with kindness, they will identify this atmosphere with their behavior in class.

Remember the good old “Show, not tell”?

5. Be responsive, not reactive

When you behave just reactively, it means you react immediately and without conscious thought, i.e., impatiently.

Example: Students are texting under the desk, you expel them from class.

You can practice replacing this behavior with responsiveness, a thoughtful action that considers the short and long-term consequences of the immediate situation.

Example: Students are texting under the desk, you take their cell phones away and ask them to stay after class for a short talk.

Here are some ways to help you achieve this:

Take a deep breath — this is the fastest way to interrupt stress. Signal the mind and the body that you noticed the signal, and now you’re preparing to go from reactive to responsive.

Pause — when you feel the trigger to snap, freeze and slow down. Think before speaking. It’s okay if students are waiting for your response. 

Mark your triggers — most signs of reactive behavior include shallow breathing, muscle contraction in the chest, neck, belly, feeling to push or shut something down, lack of focus, anxiety, sudden wave of warmth in the head etc. Notice these signs, so you can recognize and learn how to deal with them.

These 6 activities will help you to promote mental health of your students as well.

Motivational Quotes about Patience for Teachers

Need Some Motivational Patience Quotes for Your Board?

I’ve Got You Covered!

Patience is bitter, but its fruits are sweet.

Aristotle

I have only three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These are your greatest treasures.

Lao Tze

Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.

Unknown

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.

Franklin P. Jones

Time is the Best of critics, and patience the best of teachers.

Frederic Chopin

Conclusion

There’s no magic wand that will help a teacher be more patient over night. However, you can practice these simple strategies and see what works best for you.

Take it slow, trust yourself and most importantly, accept that you cannot control everything at all times and find joy in riding the storms in our noble work.

Clothes make the man, the saying goes. (And the women, of course.) That’s especially true when you are a teacher in a very formal and conservative country like Japan.

Are you going to teach English (ESL) or another subject in a Japanese school and want to know what to wear? Do you need to dress in a full business suite (or even uniform)? And what about long hair or tattoos?

In this post, I’ll explain the Japanese teacher dress code and touch upon the various Dos and Don’ts.

Dress Code for Teachers in Japan

The dress code for ESL teachers in Japan is “business professional” to “business casual.”

There are a few different options for where you can teach English in Japan. They are:

• Public Schools
• Private Language Schools
• Corporate Training Schools

In Japan, the expectations for a teacher’s attire is very conservative. The private language and corporate training schools have a business professional dress code, while public schools can range from business professional to business casual.

Outfits for Female Teachers

When there is some flexibility with other types of clothing, female teachers should avoid wearing sleeveless shirts or anything low cut that shows cleavage. Shirts that button high up at the neck are the best.

Japanese culture requires that you bow, so showing even a hint of cleavage in these moments would not be culturally acceptable. The shoulders should be covered. Pants or knee-length or longer dresses are suitable, though jeans are not. Your clothes should not be tight-fitting. Blazers can be worn on top of your outfit to give you a professional appearance.

All clothing should be in subtle tones without being too vibrant.

Outfits for Male Teachers

It is quite common that your school will require you to wear a suit and tie. Otherwise, men can wear trousers, button-up dress shirts or collared shirts, either short or long-sleeved.

Prints on Clothes

Be mindful of images and messages printed on your clothes, especially when it comes to politics, religion, profanity, and sex. You should be respectful of Japanese culture and norms as well as command respect from your students, parents, and school administrators.

Shoes

You will need a pair of indoor shoes or slippers to wear while you are at school, which should not be open-toed, sandals, or sneakers.

Everyday Dresses vs. Special Occasions

When thinking about what to wear, also think about your comfort. You will likely be animated when teaching, so you’ll want to wear clothing that allows you to move around comfortably.

You will also want to have more formal attire for business luncheons or ceremonial functions.

Clothes for the Different Seasons

Japan’s weather and climate feature four distinct seasons:

• Spring, from March to May, is pleasantly warm with little rain.
• In summer, from June to August, there is heavy rainfall and extreme humidity. Northern regions tend to be a bit cooler.
• Autumn, from September to November, is commonly fair.
• Winter from December to February can be snowy and quite cold.

Japan also experiences a typhoon season, which occurs from May to October, peaking in August and September. Typhoons bring strong winds, torrential rain, and hazardous winds.

So, you should plan for the seasons when shopping for clothes.

Hair

Men’s hair should be nicely styled and cut short. Some schools may allow men to have long hair provided it is clean and tidy.

For women, the length of hair isn’t an issue. You can have it long or short, worn up or down, although it should be clean and tidy no matter which style you choose.

Dyed hair, other than your natural color, is not likely to be allowed.

Facial hair

Facial hair is acceptable in most schools in Japan; however, make sure you keep it neat and trimmed to maintain a professional look.

Makeup

It is generally not appropriate for women to wear makeup except for just the lightest mascara, lip gloss, or pale lipstick. Perfume and nail polish are not acceptable. Men should not wear makeup or perfume.

Tattoos

Tattoos are generally taboo at any Japanese school, and if visible, should be covered up at all times, either by clothing or makeup.

Jewelry

In general, earrings and piercings are acceptable in most schools; however, large or excessive jewelry may be considered inappropriate.

Buying XXL clothing in Japan

It may be hard to find extra-large sized clothing or footwear, so it’s best to carry some with you if you have difficulty finding these once you are there.

Dress Conservatively at the Beginning

Every workplace is different, so it’s best to dress conservatively during the first few days, paying attention to what other teachers are wearing and then adjusting accordingly. Maybe, it will be okay to “downgrade“ slowly over time.

Read our dress code guide for teachers in Korea.

When you are a teacher, you have to earn the respect of your students. Appropriate dressing therefore is crucial, especially when you teach ESL or another subject in a country with a very different culture, like Korea.

You might already know, that the dress code for teachers in Korea is more formal than in the western countries. But, in concrete terms, what does an appropriate outfit look like? What about hair, make-up and tattoos?

In this post, I’ll explain the Korean teacher dress code and touch upon the various Dos and Don’ts.

Dress Code for Teachers in South Korea

Teachers are highly regarded in South Korea and admired as authority figures. An ESL teacher (in Korean, 선생님 or Seon-sa-eng), should dress respectably and maturely.

Every school will establish its dress code for teachers, based not solely on culture, but also on other aspects. You’ll need to adapt to your specific school’s dress requirements.

There are different school types where ESL teachers work. These include:

• Public Schools
• Private English Schools (Hagwons)
• Universities

Public schools generally require a semi-professional look while hagwons and universities offer more flexibility.

Outfits for Female Teachers

For women, knee-length skirts or dresses, collared blouses, or sweaters with a pair of slacks are suitable. When teaching, it is not proper to reveal a lot of skin, so do avoid tank tops, sleeveless or low-cut tops and mini-skirts.

Women can wear shorts as long as the material is trouser style and not denim.

Outfits for Male Teachers

Men should wear collared shirts, dress shirts, or sweaters with a neat pair of slacks. They are discouraged from wearing shorts due to adverse feelings about visible body hair.

Prints on Clothes

Be mindful of images and messages printed on your clothes, especially when it comes to politics, religion, profanity, and sex. While they may be acceptable in your country, it’s wise to be respectful of South Korean culture and norms. Besides showing respect, you also want your students, parents, and school administrators to respect you, too.

Shoes

When entering someone’s home in South Korea, you’ll be expected to remove your shoes. This practice applies to schools as well.

You’ll put your outdoor shoes in cabinets when you enter the school building and wear slippers (in Korean, 실내화, or “sil-nae-hwa”). You can bring a pair of basic slippers with you from home.

When you meet with the school administrators, they will advise you if the ones you have are acceptable and, if not, where you can purchase appropriate ones.

Special Occassions

When thinking about what to wear, also think about your comfort. As a teacher, you will likely be animated. You want to wear clothing that allows you to move around comfortably.

There are times when teachers will be required to dress more formally, such as business luncheons or ceremonial functions. It’s a smart idea to have some formal attire handy for such occasions.

Clothes for the Different Seasons

There are four distinct seasons in South Korea, so you’ll need to bring suitable clothing to accommodate the weather changes. Additionally, you will need to bring work clothes that are acceptable to your school. Refer to your School Dress Code page for details.

In winter, the climate of South Korea is cold but sunny. In summer, it’s hot and humid with abundant rain. The spring and autumn seasons are short but pleasant.

South Korea can be affected by typhoons from July to early October and bring large amounts of rainfall and strong winds, most commonly on the south coast.

For winter, bring warm clothes, such as a down jacket, gloves, a scarf, and a hat.

Summer clothes should be light and made of natural fibers. A light raincoat or umbrella is recommended, as well as a light sweatshirt for air-conditioned places.

Hair Dressing

Your hair should be well-groomed and at an appropriate length. You can dye your hair, but be careful not to be too outrageous with your color choices.

Excessive facial hair is usually considered unacceptable. It’s best to be clean-shaven, but if you do prefer facial hair, make sure it is well-groomed and trimmed.

Jewelry and Accessories

South Korea is conservative when it comes to jewelry on men. It’s almost certainly going to be the case that schools prefer men not to wear any earrings or piercings.

Excessive jewelry and piercings are not appropriate for female teachers. To be safe, stick to modest jewelry.

Head coverings, such as hats, should not be worn in the classroom. If you have religious needs to have a head covering, it is best to clarify this with the school where you will be teaching beforehand.

Can You Teach in Korea with tattoos?

South Korea, like nearby neighbors Japan and China, still frown upon tattoos. However, they are increasingly becoming de-stigmatized, especially in younger generations. Tattoos tend to be less of a concern in urban centers, such as Seoul, where people are more accustomed to seeing them.

As you move out of urban areas, people tend to be more conservative, and tattoos still perceived negatively. Facial and neck tattoos will not be acceptable, and you may need to cover any tattoos on your arms.

You may be asked if you have tattoos, especially visible ones, on your school application or during your interview, so make sure you are honest about it to avoid issues that may arise in the future.

So, if you want to teach ESL in Korea, tattoos should not be an issue, as long as you can cover them, i.e., through long sleeves.

Buying XXL clothing in Korea

There is a saying in South Korea that “one size fits all, and that size is small.”

The larger cities carry most sizes of clothing, though, in non-urban areas, they are generally small. It may be hard to find extra-large sized clothing or footwear, so it’s best to carry some with you if you have difficulty finding these once you are there.

Dress a Little Better than You’re Expected

You will have many comfortable clothing options when teaching in South Korea, but always keep in mind that looks and appearance are paramount in how you are perceived professionally by your school, your students, and their parents. It’s still best to keep yourself looking clean, well-groomed, and smart, even when you’re dressed casually.

Dressing more conservatively may seem like an infringement on your style from back home, but it’s a small price to pay for a well-paid job and the chance to live overseas.

Learn how to pass your teacher job interview in Korea here.