The Nomads Blog

Are you looking for a unique and rewarding experience? Here's how to find a paid job teaching English in South America! South America is a popular destination for English teachers all over the world. Teaching in this continent opens up a world of possibilities, allowing you to travel and explore frequently while you hone your English teaching skills. There are 12 countries to choose from all with diverse cultures and histories, you’ll likely find yourself learning a new language as well!

We understand that being a non-native English speaking teacher (NNEST) may be difficult at times but we’ll guide you through getting past the hiccups and provide everything you need to know to get started. 

Meet Alex, a talented teacher and one of Teaching House’s CELTA graduates. Now he uses his knowledge and worldly insight in practice teaching English to teenagers and adults at OHC English New York.

You did it! You’ve finally made the decision to study the CELTA course to kick-start your ESL career. Get ready for the rewarding work and fun filled opportunities you’ll experience over the course of your CELTA journey. 

Meet Nathan, a CELTA graduate and global traveller. After graduating from his CELTA course, Nathan has gone on to teach in New York at OHC English.

Thinking about travelling abroad and need inspiration or advice on how to make the most of your trip? Top travel bloggers tend to be excellent writers and inspire many others to explore new places. But which blogs about travel are top notch? Read on to find out!

History has shown that adults who have had difficulty learning a second language often feel frustrated and discouraged. This is because they are trying to learn while already being proficient in their native tongue, which can feel like fighting against the current - it's hard! To help boost motivation levels among these learners you need patience as well as acceptance of all effort made possible by your students; this will give them more confidence when speaking or writing during class time together.

Learn how to engage your students in the online environment with our top 5 tips for the virtual classroom. Teaching English as a Foreign Language is different when using a tool like Zoom, but these easy tips will make sure you are putting your best foot forward.

Being a CELTA trainee can be a consuming life experience, especially if you're taking the intensive 4-week course. The information and teaching techniques

Kate Bailward talks about her love for job as a Cambridge ESOL Speaking Examiner and why it's worth it to get trained up.

Why I Fell in Love with Italy: Kate Bailward tells the story of her slow-burning love affair with Italy and how she went from ambivalent to head-over-heels.

Decided to get a CELTA? Great! Want to do it somewhere warm, colorful, and delicious? We can help! Here are three places where you can get a CELTA in Latin America.

When in Rome: An Absolutely-Non-Comprehensive Visitor's Guide to the Eternal City. Kate Bailward shows us around her favorite sites in Rome, Italy.

Thinking of teaching in Madrid, Seville, or Barcelona? Here's an insider's advice on what it's really like to teaching English in Spain!

Amy Butler gives us the pros and cons of getting a job before you leave

Ever thought about teaching English in Ukraine? From employment procedures to local cuisine, here is a basic guide on what to expect from one teacher's experiences teaching English in Kiev!

So you're living and teaching English in Tokyo and you're wondering what to do in this mad city on your days off? How about starting with these 6 suggestions...

What Next? What Happens When you Quit TEFL? John Harrop profiles 6 professionals in various fields who were once TEFL teachers.

Fran has been teaching English in Brazil for over two years and she shares her insights in what her students have taught her about teaching.

The Republic of Georgia has recently become a hotspot destination. If you're thinking of making a move, here's an insider glimpse on what it's like to teach English in Tbilisi!

John Harrop takes us deep into the seedy world of a cowboy outfit in Madrid; questionable professional development, aftershave and the occasional caña

Get an inside look at the TEFL industry by checking out these top teaching English in Europe blogs! Have one we missed? Leave it in the comments so others can learn more about teaching English abroad.

Dreaming of an overseas trip? Make sure you check our top tips for travelling in 2020. We give you the low down on the essential travel procedures to make sure any trip abroad is drama free.

There’s a long list of run-of-the-mill things that we know recruiters look for: references, enthusiasm, experience—the usual. But did you know that there are a plethora of other, less obvious things that recruiters look for when they’re hiring that you may not have known about?

Fran talks about what she discovered moving from New York to Brazil to teach English with her CELTA

Take the stress out of international relocation with these tips

As I head into my 5th year as an ESL teacher in Brazil, I often get asked how to get a teaching gig here. The Olympics turned the global spotlight on Brazil, & put it on the radar of many teachers seeking new adventures. I have adored my time here, & encourage any interested to consider Brazil, provided you can be open-minded & keep these tips in mind:

Fran Zarnitzky shares her favorite sites for TEFL

What to know the truth about teaching in Vietnam? Here's the honest advice of someone who's already done it!

Have you ever thought about teaching English in Hong Kong? Read the personal experience of one English teacher of what it's like to live and work in Hong Kong.

South Korea remains one of the most popular countries where foreigners can teach English. The salaries are among the highest in the ESL industry; there are great perks like free housing and flights to Korea; and Korea is, for the most part, a fantastic place to live.

The Joys and Frustrations of Learning a Language: Fran Zarnitzky wraps us up in her Portuguese learning experience in Brazil.

Teaching English in Brazil brings opportunities to travel South America. Fran shares her tips for the best way to backpack through Bolivia.

Whether you're a new teacher or a veteran, here are some tried and true DOs and DON'Ts of teaching English from an experienced teacher trainer!

The Classroom is a Stage: Teaching as Theater. Lauren uses her experience in theater to breakdown the tenets of teaching English as a second language.

I recently wrote a post about some of the characteristics of English pronunciation and what teaching it might entail. If you missed it, you can find it here: . In this second installment, there are several practical ideas and resources for teachers to use that can help students improve their pronunciation in a range of ways.

Erica introduces you to the role of Pronunciation in the TEFL classroom

Teaching ESL to Young Learners: If you're used to teaching ESL to adults, transitioning to young learner classes can be quite a challenge.

Is working in just one country too stationary and settled for you? Check out the amazing opportunities you have when teaching English with Peace Boat!

John tells our all about his experience working as a summer course director in Portsmouth

Shared Experiences: Making Friends Abroad. Making friends abroad can be tough if you're not an extrovert. But there are fun ways to put yourself out there.

Robert Palisin take you on a tour of a Rwandan Market

Redefining Normal in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam - An English teacher from the U.S. learns to adjust to her new life in Vietnam. Here's a day in her life.

Are you an English teacher who's itching to go self-employed? Before you start freelance English teaching, here are some practical points to consider.

Georgina sends us a postcard after 10 days on her bike ride for charity

Driving a motorbike in Vietnam is not for the faint-hearted foreigner. Sherry Ott tells her tale of overcoming her fears to join the masses of moving motorbikes.

Ramona describes her journey from CELTA trainee to teacher across different sectors

The first day of teaching at any school can be terrifying for any teacher, but mix cultural blunders in with ESL students and it can be a recipe for, well, humor.

Moving to Vietnam is a scary decision, but one that feels right. Going to teach English abroad

Moving abroad for the first time can be daunting. Here are 11 tips on what to pack and prepare for when you're planning to move to another country.

Sherry Ott sets out to try durian in Vietnam, a fruit that is infamous with Westerners for its horrible smell and strange taste.

Meet Bettina—she wanted a change after working in Marketing for a few years, so she decided to go after her passion for teaching English! We chatted to Bettina about what it’s like undertaking the CELTA 100% online, what she loves about teaching and her advice for anyone who’s thinking about pursuing a career in English teaching—plus her best tips for finding a job after you complete the CELTA!

Are you a Celta graduate looking for that next challenge? Is your boss going on about doing a Delta to turn you into a hot shot ESL star? Do you have a fetish for putting yourself through vigorous challenges? If so, don't get all excited just yet because doing a Delta could destroy you, it nearly did to me. For about a year I lost my social life (not that I really had one in the first place), my free mornings and weekends, and quite a few centimos. Looking back, I wonder if that manic year was really necessary. Did it really improve my job prospects, and make me a more confident teacher? Were all those hours reading about ESL theories, memorizing terminology, and perfecting lessons worth it for the benefit of having a Delta? Yes and no.

Little Fish and Men in Hats (A Day in the Life of an English Teacher in Korea). Whitney Currier chronicles a typical day in her life abroad in Daegu, South Korea.

One teacher lost months of time and thousands of dollars in a false job offer. Learn from her experience with what may be the worst TEFL job scam ever, as well as tips to protect from getting scammed yourself.

Amy Butler talks to Susan about the TEFL industry and where to travel and teach

Brycie Gold teaches English in Fuzhou, China and gives her tips for getting to know the people and culture of the country where you work.

Whitney Currier writes about the role of personality traits in language learning

John Harrop describes how he went from TEFL teaching to coursebook writing

Learning English is a process, one that can be exhilaratingly fast or excruciatingly slow. No matter how fast your learners are going, here are some tips on how to teach students to never give up on their English journey.

My first TEFL conference presentation was an accident. Well, I did know about it ahead of time. But when I signed up to go to the internal International

So you've completed your CELTA, booked your tickets to your destination to find an ESL job abroad, and even have some interviews lined up. But how are you going to ace them? Luckily, there's plenty you can do to prepare yourself for an ESL interview.

Living abroad and teaching English are both daunting tasks by themselves. But together they can be overwhelming! Here are a few tips on how best to manage teaching English and expat life to get you started on the right foot.

How do you know if you're ready to take the DELTA? Check out one graduate's advice on Cambridge's premier TEFL qualification and see if it's time you leveled up in your English teaching career!

Even after thirteen years in the wonderful ESL world, I still dread getting an awful class who drains my soul until I consider hanging up my boots. Last

Love them or hate them, teens will normally be a part of an English teacher's working day.

Obtaining a Delta is no easy task. Ask anyone who has passed one and they'll tell you that it was tough going. It takes over your life, absorbs your energy and

Whitney Currier does the math on teaching English and saving money in Korea

Barry takes you on a trip teaching English, learn about how he did it

If you work in TEFL, chances are you've thought about taking the Delta. Here are one teacher's reflections on the practical ways each Delta module has made him a better teacher!

Barry O'Leary explains how doing the Diploma (Delta) broadened his horizons

Going abroad for the first time can be difficult. Here are 6 tips for overcoming culture shock and ensuring you have the best experience abroad.

Barry O'Leary tells you how to take your TEFL career to the next level

Erica Lederman writes about five day trips that you can take from your base as a TEFL teacher in Bogota

Amy Butler gives you five things you may not have tried yet

Erica takes you through a few key considerations before you do your CELTA

Erica gives you five important questions to ask at a job interview

Amy Butler takes you through five European countries where Americans can get visas

Five activities you can use with a new class

Dimitris Vlachos offers his five booming locations for English language teachers

TH CELTA graduate Georgina tells us about moving to Vietnam

Fran Zarnitzky gives us the insider take on life in Brazil.

ESL Lesson Download: St. Paddy's Day. Print out this lesson plan and materials for your Intermediate+ class and get them in the Irish spirit!

ESL Lesson Download: Presidents' Day - Looking for ideas for your ESL class during Presidents' Week? Download this lesson and get teaching!

ESL Lesson Download: Memorial Day. I bet you didn't know half these things about Memorial Day - neither will your students! Download this lesson and run with it.

Teaching House pairs up with This American Life to offer this amazing, downloadable ESL lesson for Father's Day.

ESL Lesson Download: April Fool's Day is a time for pranks...so how about an educational ESL prank to play on your students on April 1st? Download this lesson!

Kate Bailward takes us on her Easter Break backpacking travels in Florence, Italy and gives her tips on what to see and how to do it all on a tight budget.

Download this Intermediate+ Level ESL Lesson to teach for April Fool's Day - your students will love it!

Download this Intermediate+ Level ESL Lesson to teach in the week of USA's Thanksgiving Holiday - your students will love it!

Download this Intermediate+ Level ESL Lesson to teach in the week of USA's 4th of July holiday - your students will love it!

Shannon Felt shares a lesson highlighting the odd US holiday called Groundhog Day

World UFO day Have you noticed any strange objects suspended in the night sky recently? It's probably a strange looking cloud, a low flying plane, a balloon or unusually bright planet. But there is a chance, some would say a pretty big chance, that what you are seeing is an alien craft on field trip to Earth. UFO Are we alone? In early July, UFO spotters and alien hunters converge to celebrate World UFO day. Our amazing teacher trainer, Thea Micoli based in New York City, has put together this fun speaking and writing video lesson using the Pixar short - Lifted: a short movie about an alien in training. It's a heartwarming little flick perfect for pre-intermediate learners of all ages, and lasts less than 5 minutes, though the lesson will last around 45-60 minutes. An Alien In Training Lesson Plan - Updated Let us know what you think of the lesson in the comments below - and why not discuss your views on extraterrestrial life too? Are we alone in this universe?

This lesson is suitable for Pre-int to Upper-int, looks at some of the world's quirkier Christmas traditions. Your students will practice reading, build essential vocabulary and practice their speaking and presentation skills

Every year, the National Tongue Twister Contest is held by the Logic Puzzle Museum in Wisconsin. Kids and adults compete from all across the country to say dozens of puzzling tongue twisters as quickly as they can. Practice these tricky tongue twisters with your students and help them with their pronunciation skills!

Different countries have different traditions that they follow when celebrating the new year, whether it's quickly eating twelve grapes at the stroke of midnight (Spain) to wearing special underwear (Latin America). Ask your students about their own personal or cultural traditions and learn about even more in this lesson plan!

Free Reading, Vocabulary and Speaking Lesson on the topic of popcorn

National Coffee Day is in September here's a reading lesson to spill on your students

Having a horrible boss can make going to work every day an extremely frustrating and tiring experience. Even so, it's funny to reflect back on old bosses (and be grateful for how much better life is without them). Check out these weird boss encounters and have your students share their stories as well!