Teaching English Abroad Sites

Teaching English as a foreign language (commonly abbreviated to TEFL) is as much a noble cause as it is a way to effectively travel the world, as it often brings some form of income or board to the long-term backpacker. Needless to say, it takes a certain level of courage to throw yourself into such a challenge, and those who do nearly always have rewarding stories to show for their time. Scattered amongst our award category for best teaching abroad blogs are such tales, and our judges have worked hard to provide a quality mix of personal blogs and those which help others plan their own adventures. As a side, it is interesting to note that most of the blogs which made it through the judging process pertain to the Far East - one member of the panel noted that massive cultural differences and challenging scenarios often result in great travel copy.

• Ted's TEFLnewbie.com

  http://www.teflnewbie.com/

  A retired EFL teacher, There really isn't much on the subject of teaching English abroad which Ted Tucker doesn't know about. No matter which continent you're hoping to set off to, make sure you take advantage of Ted's gigantic library of advice.

• Spain: The Blog

  http://spaintheblog.blogspot.com/

  Carloz is a North American working as a translator and English teacher in sunny Barcelona, and you can tell through his enthusiastic writing that he wouldn't trade his situation for the world.

• All About Teaching in Japan

  http://www.all-about-teaching-english-in-japan.com/

  You'd be hard pushed to come across a resource site as brimming with useful information as this. As the name would suggest, the site is related to Japan and absolutely no aspect of teaching there is left uncovered.

• Transitions Abroad

  http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/esl/index.shtml

  Packed with articles, advice and regularly updated job posts, the Teaching English Abroad portal over at Transitions Abroad is an excellent guide for those looking to embark or continue their teaching careers.

• Aclipse

  http://www.aclipse.net/

  If you're a college graduate and the thought of teaching in South Korea is playing on your mind, Aclipse can help you explore the idea fully before taking the plunge and support you as you do. There are also a few enlightening blogs hosted on the site to give you an idea of what teaching in Asia has to offer.

• My Several Worlds

  http://www.myseveralworlds.com/

  Carrie's blog is a well-presented discourse on all things Asia, including what it's like to live and teach there. Stunning photography and quality writing throughout, and a long-standing Tripbase favourite.

• A Geek in Korea

  http://blog.torgodevil.com/

  Fresh and witty writing courtesy of Togodevil, a teacher living and working in South Korea. A great representation of everyday life in the country.

• Volunteer Abroad Blog

  http://www.uvolunteer.org/volunteer-life/

  Teaching and conservation trips are uVolunteer's speciality, and the guys out in the field (in which the locations and activities are many) are kind enough to share their inspiring stories via the regular blog.

• ITTO Blog

  http://teflblog.tefl-tesl.com/

  The International Teacher Training Organization is a part of a fine network offering TEFL and TESL certification courses for the ambitious teacher. The blog is a good link to various teaching resources and, along with the main site, is a content powerhouse for TEFL students.

• ESL Job Project

  http://www.esljobproject.com/

  Predominantly focussing on Asia, the ESL Job Project is an immensely useful service for English teachers looking for opportunities abroad. Lots of handy information and materials alongside the job and teacher listings make this an indispensible resource site.