TEACHING English as a foreign language (TEFL) is not really an officially sanctioned program. But anybody who has a university degree in English and who can complete all three TEFL courses (basic, intermediate and advanced) are eligible to be given certification to teach TEFL in countries where English is not usually the first or second language. Thus, many people, especially those adventurous ones who are yearning to go abroad the fastest way, just take all three courses for six months so they can teach in other countries. There are lots of advantages if you are TEFL certified. Many individuals and institutions will hire you. In countries like the French Guyana for example where English is not that prevalently spoken, the United Nations maintains programs and hires TEFL-certified people to tutor adults and children alike in these countries. Adults who are usually taught English are usually government officials and community organizers who need to negotiate with key international bodies, both public and private, like the World Bank for example.

These government officials and community organizers need to speak English for hiring a translator is just a hassle and a waste of resources. When you use the services of a translator, there are possibilities that the translation may not be accurate. And worldwide organizations like the United Nations tend to pay big when one is hired as an English language instructor. Another opportunity for you may be in the form of coaching a non-English speaking actress in a Hollywood movie or a West End play for instance. Hiring an aborigine Taiwanese actress to play opposite Hugh Grant in a London play for example definitely needs the services of an English language mentor because a play cannot be dubbed in itself to the English language. You cannot just project a hologram beside the stage and show the translation of what the aboriginal actress is saying. Even though the Taiwanese actress is authentic, she needs to perform her monologue or dialogue in English.

The same is true of a Polish actress who needs to speak English lines in a Hollywood movie. In both these instances, the services of an English dialogue coach are highly needed and they are paid very well by the producers of the play or the film. If the production in question is a TV series, then it will be more advantageous to you since especially if that television show is doing well in the first season and will run to several more reasons. A dialogue coach will become a permanent member of the crew and you will be paid in cashier’s check. There are other enormous opportunities like teaching Japanese, Chinese, German or French government officials or even corporate folks the basics of the English language. Not one single instance have I heard that this kind of job pays less. It’s always huge money simply because majority of the planet’s population don’t speak English yet English is undoubtedly the universal language used. So do not dilly-dally. Start enrolling in a TEFL course today.