Teaching with LELI in East Timor - A diverse, enriching and inspiring experience

For the past twelve years, I’ve had the privilege of working at Lorosa'e English Language Institute (LELI) in the vibrant capital of Timor-Leste, Dili, East Timor. More than just a workplace, LELI has become a second home - a supportive community where I feel welcome and valued every single day.LELI is a warm and inviting place from the moment you step through the doors. The reception area is bright and welcoming, and our friendly staff greet everyone with genuine smiles, setting a positive tone that carries through the whole building...

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Debunking the Myth: Brexit's Impact on the EU's English Teaching Workforce

In the wake of the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union, a common misconception has emerged - that Brexit has cut off the EU's supply of qualified English teachers. It is important to dispel this myth and provide a more accurate understanding of the situation. Firstly, it's important to acknowledge that the UK's withdrawal from the EU has indeed impacted the free movement of labour...

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Evaluating the nuances of the language school market across Europe and beyond

As the demand for language learning continues to grow globally, it's crucial for educators and school operators to understand the nuances of various language school markets. In this dynamic world of language education, the profitability of language schools can vary significantly across different countries. While it's tempting to assume that language schools in certain countries are more lucrative than others, the reality is often more complex. For example...

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Skilling up for Management

Continued professional development (CPD) in ELT benefits the individual and the institution. Successful ELT management entails proficiency in ascertaining and delivering client and staff needs and managing time, finance, resources and quality control in order do so. This career progression may require upskilling in these areas and will form part of an individual’s negotiated and agreed CPD plan...

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From free-spirited Teacher to Academic Management - Stepping up your career in TEFL

With the end of summer (in the northern hemisphere), many TEFL teachers are planning their next career move. Sarah Taylor reflects on the fulfilling journey her TEFL career has taken her - from a volunteer placement in rural Nepal to teaching in Italy and eventually earning a management position at a prestigious school in the UK. 

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New teacher abroad? Six vital teaching tips

As one term finishes and before we start the next, it's a nice time to reflect on not only the year just completed but also one's career to-date. After seven years of teaching English in five countries I can certainly say I've had a journey, and in the process learnt a lot about myself, the classroom, the English language itself and what it really takes to teach it effectively. Here are six tips which I hope will help encourage and guide anyone preparing to embark on their first trip abroad to teach English as a Foreign language or for anyone more experienced...

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How to Balance a Writing Career with TEFL

The stereotype of the aspiring writer trying to survive by teaching English on the side is nothing new. James Joyce, JK Rowling and Nick Hornby are just a few of the novelists who taught EFL in order to fund their works in progress. All these writers had to pave their own way to literary success with jobs that barely earned them a basic living with limited opportunities to focus on their art. And it's not just novelists who juggle their creative endeavours with TEFL, but journalists, copywriters, travel writers, scriptwriters, playwrights and bloggers too. Yet we all know that neither teaching nor writing are the best paid jobs to begin with, so what exactly is the allure? And is there a way to ensure simultaneous success in both of these professions?

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ChatGPT and English Teaching: Should we be scared of Artificial Intelligence?

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last six months or making a sustained effort to avoid news media altogether, you have probably heard about ChatGPT, the recently-released and Microsoft-backed Artificial Intelligence program. Produced by the non-profit OpenAI. ChatGPT and its rival Bard, produced by Google, have been making headlines this year due to their groundbreaking use of AI to perform a variety of functions in response to requests made by...

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Teaching English: Is it really a long-term career?

If you are still trying to weigh the pros and cons of becoming a teacher of English, doubt no more. When choosing a career we are usually guided either by what we love doing or by the financial benefits of a job. In my opinion teaching English can be the perfect combination of both - it is a fun job (you are guaranteed to never be bored) and there are plenty of opportunities to make good money. Another point in favour of choosing teaching English as a long-term career is that there are a lot of options to transition to from teaching per se to other areas within the TEFL industry: you can become a DOS, open your own language school, move into materials creation and...

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