1. Think like a student!  Ask yourself the following questions: Would you understand your instructions? Were your explanations of vocabulary and grammar clear? Would you enjoy the activity you’re providing? This will help you to plan and conduct your lessons to really help your students learn.

2. Rapport with your students is really important.  If students are relaxed, comfortable and aren’t afraid of making mistakes in front of you, they will participate more and therefore learn more.

3. Act confident, even if you don’t feel it at first.  Students will smell your fear! If their teacher appears confident and in control, students will also feel confident and relaxed in class.

4. Plan more activities than you think you’ll need so your lesson doesn’t run short. It’s better to have a couple of extra activities up your sleeve than your lesson slowing to a stop way before time.

5. Be patient. Students need time to process information, especially in another language.  They also learn at different paces and have different personalities and behaviour, so patience is key.

6. Keep good materials.  If you make a wonderful activity with lots of cut-out pieces of card etc, keep them for the next time you teach that lesson – you don’t want to have to do it all again.

7. Plan your lessons well, but allow for flexibility.  Be aware of what’s not working or what could be extended, and respond to your students’ needs and interests.

8. Enjoy yourself! Have fun finding out about your students and their culture, and providing lessons that they find enjoyable and useful.

9. Discuss teaching and experiences with fellow teachers and share ideas.

10. Take the opportunity to teach different levels and in different teaching contexts. The more experience you get, the more impressive it is to employers and the more confident you’ll be in your teaching.

1.  Preparation is key! Find out as much as you can about the culture of the country you’re going to – dos, don’ts, taboos, etc. 

2.  Learn a few phrases to start you off in the local language; this will help you to feel more comfortable and will show you are willing to make the effort. Even if you get it wrong, this effort will be greatly appreciated.

3.  Try to squeeze a few TEFL materials into your suitcase – dice, blu-tack (doesn’t exist in some countries), a few family photos, etc, are useful for lessons.  See if you can fit the Absolute TEFL manual in your luggage too, because it's a great reference guide and other teaching and grammar books can be a bit bulky to carry.

4.  If you’re going to apply for a job once you arrive somewhere, make sure you take all the relevant contact numbers you need, along with a copy of your CV and certificates. Also, as well as your shorts and T-shirts, take an outfit that could pass as smart, so you’ll look presentable for your interviews!

5.  If you do private lessons, let someone know the name of the student and the address of where you’re going, just to be on the safe side. 

6.  Enjoy your time living in another country, learn as much of the language as you can, make friends with local people, see the sights, have some great experiences at work and in your free time.  Make the most of this fantastic opportunity!