TESL Training for the Experienced Educator

Teaching in a broad-curriculum school abroad is a great option if you’re a certified teacher looking for something a little different.

There are many American and international schools in Asia looking for qualified teachers to join their staff either short- or long-term. The three main types of American and international schools abroad are:

Schools Affiliated with the Department of State

These schools are funded in part by the U.S. Department of State. They hire staff on a school-by-school basis, not through government channels. School curricula are usually American-style, but the student body is international. For more information, contact:

Office of Overseas Schools
Room 245, SA-29
Department of State
Washington, DC 20522-2902
(703) 875-7800

Educators interested in summer service opportunities should contact the following department:

Division of Human Resource Management
Department of Education
415 12th Street, NW, Room 706
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 724-4080

If you are interested in teaching assistantships and fellowships for study and research, contact:

Institute of International Education
809 United Nations Plaza
New York, New York 10017
(212) 883-8200

Department of Defense Dependents (DoDD) Schools

Teachers in DoDD schools are government employees. These schools are usually located near military bases and predominantly have American students. Teachers adhere to American curricula. For more information, contact the following address and request the booklet called “Overseas Employment for Educators.”

U.S. Department of Defense
Office of Dependents Schools
4040 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203-1635
(703) 696-3068

Independent Schools

These schools can be religious, company-related, or just generally private. For more information contact one of the teacher recruitment organizations listed below.

Teacher Recruitment Organizations

Teacher recruitment organizations recruit qualified teachers for overseas schools. They hire for positions in many countries at recruitment fairs held around the country. The application process does take time, so apply at least six months in advance. For more information contact one of the organizations listed below:

International Educators Cooperative
212 Alcott Road
East Falmouth, MA 02536
(508) 540-8173

International Schools Services
P.O. Box 5910
15 Rozel Road
Princeton, NJ 08543
(609) 452-0990

Ohio State University
Educational Career Services
110 Arps Hall
1945 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43210-1172
(614) 292-2741

Queen’s University
Placement Office
Faculty of Education
Kingston, ON
Canada K7L 3N6
(613) 545-6222

Search Associates
P.O. Box 636
Dallas, PA 18612
(717) 696-5400

University of Northern Iowa (UNI)
Overseas Placement Service for Educators
Student Services #19
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0390
(319) 273-2083

Other Organizations with International Teaching Opportunities

These organizations have information about positions in Asia and other parts of the world:

Council for International Exchange of Scholars
3007 Tilden Street NW, Suite 5-M
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 686-4000

Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program
Office of Academic Programs
Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs
U.S. Information Agency, Room 353, E/ASX
301, 4th Street SW
Washington, DC 20547
(202) 619-4555 or (202) 619-4556

Japan Council of International Schools
International School of the Sacred Heart
4-3-1 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo 150, Japan

Korea Council of Overseas Schools
Liberty Christian School
P.O. Box 62 S.R.C.O
Seoul 140-600, Korea

Peace Corps
Recruitment Office
1990 K Street NW, Suite 5400
Washington, DC 20277-3741
(800) 424-8580

The TESOL Placement Service
1600 Cameron Street, Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314-2751
(703) 836-0774

U.S. Information Agency
Teacher Exchange Branch
301 4th Street SW
Washington, DC 20547
(202) 619-4555