Claire Bradford - Life Coach in Sussex
Life coaching for TEFL

I was recently asked by Education Guardian to write a piece on "Planning your life as an EFL teacher". Click here if you'd like to read a copy of the article

TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language

One example of where life coaching can be extremely useful is in the domain of TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

An increasing number of people choose to go into TEFL, not as a gap year option straight after university, but as a life-change option much later in life. Whilst taking a TEFL qualification and 'going travelling' might appear straightforward, and almost a logical thing to do for recent graduates, it can become a much more substantial project later in life.

Teaching English is a great way of taking on a new life direction, and is a great way of 'giving something back'. TEFL usually involves teaching English to individuals or small groups of motivated students with a genuine desire to improve their English. Teaching is usually in private language schools and whilst it is possible to teach in the UK, most people start by gaining experience abroad.

It is for this reason that TEFL can represent such a huge life change. You might end up quitting a secure job, forsaking a regular salary, selling or renting out a house or flat, and most certainly finding yourself many miles from good friends and family. That's a lot for anyone to deal with. It might also be a very long time since you've been through a change of a similar magnitude.

If you're at the stage of wondering whether TEFL is for you, just click on the TEFL link and get in touch with Cactus Teachers, the TEFL course admissions service, who will be able to advise you more.

If you're ready to start leading up to a life-change option such as TEFL, or if you want to start looking at how you might move towards this sort of goal, then maybe we should talk. In just a few sessions, you might find you've cleared those limiting beliefs, barriers and fears that have been holding you back all this time.

What's more, the most internationally recognised TEFL qualfications (the Cambridge CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL) are only 4-week courses - that means that approximately 6 weeks from now - YOU could be jetting off abroad!