Teaching English jobs in South America are available by the million, but it is very difficult to decide on the best option without having experienced any of the options on offer before. Equally, no amount of research online or scouting for potential job opportunities is going to help. It is always best to take heed of the first hand advice from others.
Teaching English Abroad is Full of Options
Teaching English abroad can vary greatly. Teaching English to children is an option. Teaching English to adults is another. Working in public or private schools is a further decision to make. Teaching private lessons to students as a sideline can be very profitable, but very lonely and isolated.
Teaching English in Venezuela
Teaching English in Venezuela has its positives and negatives. In some of the smaller cities, for example Mérida, the community feel and relationships built between members of staff can be excellent and can make a life abroad for the first time a happy one. This is of course an important area to consider before making such a life-changing decision.
However, outside of Caracas (perhaps one of the least attractive capitals to live in, in the world) the hours for teaching English jobs are long and the pay is poor. Indeed, the cost of living in Venezuela is incredibly high; salaries do not match these costs. The fact that many of the major companies and businesses are owned by the government also means that healthy competition does not exist in the country and inflation is constantly rising.
Most teaching English jobs outside of the capital require the teacher to work illegally too. It is a much better option financially for the various schools (the private ones that hire foreigners anyway) to employ their staff off of the books. This means that they pay less tax and it also means that the teacher doesn't have to contribute any tax.
However, this means that the teacher of English doesn't really have any rights and has to continue to leave the country every three months to renew his or her visa. Having said that, the lack of official contracts and paperwork does allow for a lot of freedom. Teaching English in Venezuela therefore can be a viable option for someone who does not want to commit long term. When offered something better, leaving to teach English somewhere else can be a move made quickly and without fuss.
Teaching English in ArgentinaBy far, the best place to find teaching English jobs in Argentina is in Buenos Aires, simply because there is more on offer. Equally, however, UBA (Universidad de Buenos Aires) is huge and regularly employs foreigners to teach English to the university students in a variety of programmes for a decent wage.
Having said that, there are lots of private schools that need people to teach English on a more flexible timetable, but pay less money. Wall Street Institute and Berlitz School are two of the private schools in Buenos Aires that pay the least, but require the least from their staff in return. All of the lessons are pre-planned for the teacher and most of the sessions are really more like conversations.
In this way, jobs teaching English can work brilliantly to supplement the cost of living whilst travelling or as an additional job to a main source of income elsewhere. They are also a good way of coming into contact with students who want to take on more classes. Through this method, building up a personal repertoire of students, and teaching English privately where the cash you earn is cash in hand, is excellent.
Bear in mind that teaching English jobs in Argentina are harder to get (even with private schools like Wall Street) without a CUIT number or at least being semi-legal. If working with less of a commitment is important, Venezuela is a better bet.
Further Information on Teaching English in South America
For further information on teaching English jobs in South America and first-hand accounts on the subject, the links embedded within this article are really useful sources of information.
Also, bear in mind that for almost anywhere in South America, no matter how small the school or establishment, almost every teaching English job will require a TEFL qualification. At present, most places are asking for a CELTA certificate too.
Summary of Teaching English Jobs in South America
In conclusion, the important points to remember when looking for a teaching English job in South America are that private classes normally bring in more money and offer more flexibility, but working for a school can offer better security and can make life a little less lonely.
Equally, it is important to gain qualifications before attempting to take on a position and to decide whether a contracted post or one that is a little less above board is going to be more suitable. Either way, the experiences to be had are broad and it can take time to find a working life that fits.
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