Postgraduate Certificate In Tesol

Almost lost between Spain and France the tiny principality of Andorra boasts the best skiing in the Pyrenees. It’s also a tax-free haven, so a great place to stock up on gifts and duty free. The principal language is Catalan, with Spanish a close second. In addition to which French is widely spoken, and you can expect people to speak English in the main tourist areas. At a little over 400 square kilometers, Andorra is home to only a handful of language institutes. Definitely worth looking into though if you are in the business of seeking to combine some great skiing with some TESOL teaching. Andora La Vella is Andorra’s principal city. The main industry is tax free shopping, which caters to bargain hunters crossing from Spain to France and vice versa. Anyone wishing to teach in a...  [Read more]

Belgium has plenty to offer in terms of food, art, architecture and history. It goes without saying that it is home to first-class chocolate, excellent beer, and many fine cheeses! It’s handy for France, Germany, Holland and the UK, and has a number of big cities and pleasant costal areas. In addition this it is, of course, home to the European Parliament. So don’t be surprised if you bump into a Euro MP. Dutch is the official language, but in practice this spoken in the north, with French being in common usage in the south. Brussels, situated in the middle is one of the world’s truly bilingual capitals. The population is made up of two parts Germanic Flemings to one part Celtic-Latin Walloons. English is widely spoken - particularly amongst younger people who often have a high...  [Read more]

Located between Croatia and Serbia, this diminutive country is a cultural crossroads. Occidental and oriental traditions are strong, and through out the ages East and West have fought for possession of this land. Beautiful unspoilt beaches on the Adriatic are proving quite a draw for ex-pats looking for a canny investment, and tourism is definitely on an upswing. The languages in use are Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian. The population is about 40 percent Muslim, 31 percent Orthodox, 15 percent Catholic, 4 percent Protestant, with ten percent of no religious affiliation. The TESOL market is an emerging one, and there are only a few private language institutes. However, rapid growth can be expected due to the fact that Bosnia-Herzegovina is seeking to both build its tourist trade and join the...  [Read more]

Vast tracts of unspoilt wilderness make Finland a top destination for trekkers and those seeking to get back to nature. The best remedy to bones chilled by the snow and ice is a nice long spell in a sauna; however, if you are going ‘native’ then during your sauna you need to go and have a roll in the snow or take a plunge in an ice hole in a nearby lake. Finland is home to a big hunting, shooting and fishing fraternity, but if this is not to your taste then coastal areas offer some excellent sailing during the season of the midnight sun. Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish, the latter being spoken by about six percent Finland’s population of five million. English is widely spoken, particularly in tourist areas and in the capital Helsinki. Prospects for teachers...  [Read more]

Nine thousand years of history, and a present-day physical division between Greek and Turkish society guarantees an interesting place to visit. Along with this, fabulous scenery, and wonderful stretches of unspoilt coastline make this an ideal place to relax and soak up the culture. Popular with the Pheonicians, the ancient Greeks, the Romans, and the crusaders, there is an architectural treat to be found almost everywhere you look. Greek and Turkish are the official languages; however, English is quite widely spoken amongst the Greek Cypriot community. The population is 750,000, so it’s none too crowded. The local religion is 75% Greek Orthodox, with 14% Muslim. Prospects for teachers are very good. There is considerable enthusiasm for English on the Greek Cypriot side because of...  [Read more]

Deep in the heart of Europe, Germany has much to offer the visitor and the prospective resident alike. Germany’s great wealth is clearly visible in its elegant big cities, whilst out of town you can expect to find fairy-tail castles, bucolic villages, and endless forests and mountain peaks. In either rural or urban settings fine wines, and famously excellent beer can be enjoyed along side a wealth of culture and history. The official language is German, with no sub languages in use. English is widely spoken, particularly by younger people. The population of the country is a little over eighty-two million. It is a large country and climates range from the arid steppe to the peaks of the German Alps. When contemplating working in Germany it is useful to remember that unification did not...  [Read more]

Whether it is the truly great centre of culture and fashion to be found in Paris, or the verdant countryside in the Dordogne, France is a huge draw for tourists, people spending a year or two abroad, and expatriates who have decided to make France their home. As well as the world-renowned food and wine, it is good to remember that France is a country of seasons. Paris is particularly pleasant in the springtime, but in the hot summer Parisians make for the south or the Côte d'Azur, looking for a good tan and a little of the beach lifestyle. In the winter, skiing in the Pyrenees or the French Alps is very popular. Timing is also important since the large cities tend to empty a little between mid July and the end of August, when many take their annual five-week vacation. Not precisely the...  [Read more]

If ostentation wasn’t regarded by the Dutch as undignified, the Netherlands would loudly boast a strong liberal culture, combined with a great art history. It is a small, flat country, and bike is the only way to travel. For some a strong draw will be the museums and art galleries. For others the flower-filled fields, windmills and canals paint a pretty enough picture all by themselves. The principal language is Dutch, with Frisian also spoken in some areas. The population is a little over 16 million and the climate is temperate. There is a high degree of English competence in the cities. So much so that it was once mooted that English become the official language of Dutch universities. This proved a bridge too far for Dutch liberalism, and the idea was thrown out. With such a high...  [Read more]

The smallest of the Scandinavian countries, Denmark sees itself as setting a world benchmark for liberal society and freedom of speech. Vibrant cities and towns are offset by breathtaking, unspoilt countryside. One of the most striking facets of Denmark is that it is a clean place where everything, such as public transport, seems to work well. With a population under 5.5 million you are unlikely to feel crowded out. The official language is Danish, but a good standard of English is widely spoken. Thanks to the widely held desire for self-improvement English studies are pursued as a hobby by a large portion of the population. Hence there are considerable opportunities for even inexperienced teachers to get a start. However, as with many countries the mainstay, and what really pays, is...  [Read more]

Sweden offers a combination of big city sophistication and unspoilt Nordic wilderness. Since the devaluation of the Swedish crown this now comes with a considerably reduced price tag. Haunting islands and endless tracts of forest abound, and it’s the perfect place for hiking and getting back to nature. In this predominantly Lutheran country the official language is Swedish, though Finish and Sami are supported as minority languages. English is widely spoken, and so you can expect a helping hand on the ground. With a population of just over ten million you won’t feel crowded out. Prospects for teachers are good, however, the traditional private language institutes do not feature as strongly as in other European countries. This is because of the well-established network of Folk...  [Read more]

Centrally located in Europe, Austria is a year-round magnet for tourists, and boasts spectacular alpine scenery, matched by the wonderfully overblown, baroque architecture of many of its cities. Culture is a keynote, and music, art, and architecture reach their apogee in cities such as Salzburg and Vienna, the capital. Here, in the land of Mozart, there are plenty of large cities with strong cultural traditions, and Austria is a highly desirable location for anyone who seeks to combine a love of the arts and a passion for skiing, snowboarding, climbing or hiking. The first language is German, though many young people are fluent in English. Minority languages in common use include Croatian and Turkish. It is a predominantly Roman Catholic country, and the currency in use is the euro. Most...  [Read more]

Slovenia is a country rich in natural resources, and blessed by both landscapes of great beauty, and, more importantly, continuing peace, which has either been absent or of precarious purchase in much of the Balkans in the last twenty-five years. This peace, atypical for the region, has brought great prosperity and marked economic development since Slovenia seceded from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, and joined the EU in 2004. In short, Slovenia is a ‘good gig’ for teachers with plenty of opportunities, good wages - relative to the standard of living - good working conditions and enthusiastic students. The economic development which has taken place means that Slovenia is no longer the ‘best deal in Europe’ for those looking for life on the cheap; but this means little to the...  [Read more]

On account of its central-alpine location Switzerland is a fascinating synergy of French, German and Italian culture. It is also the worlds most prima face democratic nation, a land where the population regularly participate in referenda deciding matters of state. General tidiness and seamless efficiency abound in the operation of services and the maintenance of public spaces. For those who enjoy alpine pursuits Switzerland obviously offers amongst the best skiing in the world, not to mention hiking, Hang gliding and all the rest. If this doesn’t grab you, then you are at least guaranteed breathtaking scenery at almost every turn. German is the principal official language spoken by about 66 percent of the population. Next up is French spoken by 19 percent of the population....  [Read more]

There is such a tremendous amount of marked regional diversity in Spain that one is almost dealing with a mini continent. Life on the costas - Spain’s huge coastline - differs greatly from that in the big cities, which in turn differs from life in the thousands of picturesque rural villages, which is again different from the ski slopes of Andora or Granada. Dispirit locations and circumstances are united in a profound love of life, sometimes combined with a slight disdain for work. Spaniards work to live, they do not live to work. Hence it is very easy to get swept up in a seemingly constant round of fiestas and festivals, music and dancing - eating well and drinking well being all part of pursuing the good life in the best of all possible worlds. Despite the fact that practically...  [Read more]

Cool Britannia offers an almost vertigo-inspiring range of attractions, life-styles and experiences, and one can chose between the big cities and their glittering array of restaurants, nightlife and cultural attractions, and the justly famous countryside offering everything from mountains and lakes, to the verdant, bucolic landscapes that inspired many an artist and writer. In addition to this Britain is an immensely culturally diverse society. This brings with it great food, fascinating people and life-styles, and it matters little that nobody is quite sure - or that fussed about - what it means to be British any more! One of Britain’s greatest assets is its density. There really is an awful lot of stuff packed into a relatively small island. In addition this dirt-cheap airfares make...  [Read more]