When It Comes To Teaching English In A Foreign Country, Does Age Matter?
Traveling, meeting, and working with new people are outstanding facets of living in a foreign country. Still, for someone who has a passion for teaching English, it can be the best opportunity of a lifetime. Many applicants, though, fear they will be discriminated against due to their age when applying for teaching positions as ESL teachers.
Do you think you are too young for a career in ESL?
The TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults) courses are typically for students who are 18 years old. English schools overseas usually need their teachers to be at least 21 years of age. Still, if they can prove English proficiency, an additional requirement is often set, for example, a college degree. That is true, but it doesn’t rule out young people from being able to do it!
You can also teach English in places like Latin America, which employ many teenagers and students in the 18-to-20 age range. People will take you more seriously if you are a good role model of yourself, and this means that you ought to model yourself as a professional. Volunteer programs, summer camps, and tutoring opportunities, on the other hand, do not have an age requirement. Since your TEFL certification does not expire, it’s a good idea to get certified as soon as possible if a chance arises for you later.
When is it too late to teach English abroad?
Being an older applicant may be beneficial since many colleges want to select applicants who have more life and career experience. On the other hand, an aging ESL instructor can have more significant health problems and increased costs. For example, health insurance costs for those above the age of 60 are skyrocketing. Younger candidates are happy to work odd hours in exchange for a livable yet moderate wage, but older candidates are likely to demand more.
It is recommended that older ESL teachers consider the age limitations in the specific location they aim to teach. For example, retirement ages are fixed at 55, 60, or 65 in Asian countries. In most Arab countries, workers must be under 60 years of age to join the company. Latin America has seemed to be much more adaptable and flexible on age restrictions.
Depending on their priorities and their students’ characteristics, schools will set age limits for teaching English. The best approach is to inquire into specific college or training programs.
An older ESL teacher must still show good judgment and be physically fit to meet the work demands. If you act and think young, you can not only fit in, but you will quickly learn to adapt and teach English abroad.
Please don't be worried about your age; go for it!
Do not let age get in the way of your enthusiasm and seriousness if you want to teach abroad. Decide to go where the market is, asking if you would add the most value! To put it bluntly, teachers who teach English as a second language must be willing to adapt to new developments while keeping an open mind continually. Though it may be difficult at first, you may gain such opportunities as providing private lessons, opening classes, or starting your own English teaching company.
Are you a young, middle-aged, or old teacher? How difficult have you found it to find a career in this industry? If you want to learn more about teaching English abroad, you can join our Teach English Abroad Jobs Facebook group. We could be able to assist!