I Taught English Abroad

It’s 2025, and building upon the advancements from the past year, it's no secret that the TEFL industry is rapidly transforming. With more students becoming teachers, greater access to a high-quality English education, and a booming online teaching sphere, it's an exciting place to be.So, what’s ahead? With AI becoming more prevalent than ever, are there threats to the TEFL industry? What else is on the horizon? Can the TEFL world become even bigger and brighter? ‘I Taught English Abroad’ speaks to The TEFL Org’s founders, Jennifer MacKenzie and Joe Hallwood, as well as Managing Director Andy Healy, to discuss the future of our industry.--Visit the episode page to learn more about Andy Healy, Jennifer MacKenzie and Joe Hallwood and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell, get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

You could go your whole TEFL career going “by the book”, carrying out the same lessons over and over, and still have an enjoyable experience. Or, you could innovate, make a name for yourself, inspire generations of learners, and be invited to teach around the world, with an online audience reaching millions.Betsy Potash and Jason Levine (Fluency MC), in their own distinct ways, chose the creative path. Having carved out fascinating careers with countless amazing anecdotes and experiences, they both came back to ‘I Taught English Abroad’ to tell you how to embrace innovation, and go against the 'status quo,' as a teacher.--Visit the episode page to learn more about Betsy Potash and Jason Levine, and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

While TEFL can open the doors to the rest of the world for talented teachers, there are also incredible opportunities to make a difference for newcomers to your local community. With ongoing crises worldwide, there’s a significant demand for English teachers to help asylum seekers and refugees fleeing persecution, war, famine, poverty and other traumas. So, how do TEFL teachers make a difference? What’s it like teaching such vulnerable groups? What skills do teachers need? Grace Davis rejoins the podcast to tell us about her experiences working with refugees in Minnesota.--Visit the episode page to learn more about Grace Davis, and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

It sounds like a simple enough question. How do you become a great TEFL teacher? Seemingly, greatness can come through countless routes, but what skills does a person need to become a brilliant educator?Thomas Kerr, perhaps the most enthusiastic, qualified and talkative English teacher you'll find, joined ‘I Taught English Abroad’ to give his perspective. Building on his wealth of experience, he shares some funny anecdotal accounts, fantastic pieces of advice, and some surprising nuggets of information along the way.--Visit the episode page to learn more about Thomas Kerr and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

We’ve all been there: the rain clatters against the window of the bus, train or car on the commute to the job we don’t necessarily want, in the city or town we don’t want to be in any more. You feel stuck, and the dreams you once had of travelling and working overseas feel as distant as ever.For Rachael McGettigan and Daniel Gillard, divergent paths took them from these Groundhog Days to achieving their long-held ambitions of thriving across the globe. Here’s how they did it and how you can follow their path.--Visit the episode page to learn more about Rachael McGettigan and Daniel Gillard, and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

Why do so many TEFL teachers want to try their luck in Japan? What is it about the land of the Rising Sun that draws so many curious English educators over to its shores? Why do so many people try their hand at applying for the JET programme?We brought in two experts - returning guests Patrick Smith and Celi Reeder - to give a tell-all on the reality of moving to Japan, managing expectations, discovering unexpected perks, making friends, meeting students and more. If you want to know anything about teaching English in Japan, this is your opportunity to learn.--Visit the episode page to learn more about Patrick Smith and Celi Reeder, and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell, get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

We're excited to announce that the sixth season of I Taught English Abroad will be out next week! We're returning stronger than ever with in-depth interviews about the TEFL topics YOU care about. What's more, we've got some amazing guests coming back onto the podcast to give us both a little update and some expert advice on some of the most inspiring, controversial, futuristic and downright exciting subjects in English teaching. It's blockbuster stuff - you won't want to miss an episode.Tune in for the first episode on the 28th of January.--Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

When Seth Knight left seminary after training for the priesthood in Milan for 3 years, he wasn’t quite sure what he’d do next. Qualified in music, and a former professional dancer, Seth knew he loved working with people and performing. Teaching came calling, and a truly unique story followed.In this fascinating episode, we deal with spirituality, navigating important junctures in life, changing direction and what makes teaching such a rewarding and lasting career.--Visit the episode page to learn more about Seth Knight and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

Rachael McGettigan had pretty much put any plans to teach and explore Asia aside. It just wasn’t a priority, nor something that seemed realistic - until she happened upon the ‘I Taught English Abroad’ podcast. After listening to our first-ever episode, Rachael caught the travel and teaching bug and hasn’t looked back.We talk about changing career, being inspired by stories of Cambodia, and how she ended up meeting our first podcast guest for a career-affirming evening.-- Visit the episode page to learn more about Rachael McGettigan and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

It can be difficult when you have parents from two different cultures. Growing up, Lucia identified as both a Londoner and a Canarian, spending different periods of time across the capital of England and Spain, but what was once a tricky balancing act among peers has become a huge strength, and now she teaches English.We caught up with Lucia to find out more about her life and career, and what it was like growing up between two very different lifestyles.---Visit the episode page to learn more about Lucia Power and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

Through her own company, English With Grace, and from her career in working with refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups, it’s no exaggeration to say that Grace Davis has opened doors for all kinds of people through immersive language lessons.We talked about how bilingualism can help in English teaching, putting textbooks to the side and starting an online teaching school.---Visit the episode page to learn more about Grace Davis and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

We love a unique perspective on ‘I Taught English Abroad’, and if you do, too, try this on for size: Frank Carrizo Zirit has more qualifications than you can shake a stick at, was accepted into university at 16, is a bilingual Venezuelan-American and has both a popular podcast about English teaching, and a considerable following on social media.Suffice it to say, Frank is a singular voice in the English teaching sphere, so we had to get him on our podcast to cover a range of topics from his amazing career and the TEFL world as a whole.--- Visit the episode page to learn more about Frank Carrizo Zirit and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

Fernanda Cwiertnia had planned for a career in chemistry, but after finding herself dissatisfied with life amongst the test tubes and periodic tables, she opted for a career in teaching English, and the results have been fantastic.We talk about teaching approaches, teaching in Brazil,  mentoring English teaching talent and more!---Visit the episode page to learn more about Fernanda Cwiertnia and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

Benjamin Robson dreamt of Premier League stardom growing up - who doesn’t? - and even played in a couple of notable soccer academies. Now, though, he’s one of the preeminent stars of English pronunciation online, with a formidable following across YouTube and TikTok. We spoke to Benjamin about his teaching journey, life in Valencia and Hamburg, and growing his brand as English Life with Benjamin.--- Visit the episode page to learn more about Benjamin Robson and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

Pronunciation is an integral part of learning a language, and there are so many different accents, types of English and ways to perceive phrasing. Ellie Caudwell Casey, a linguistics expert so enthusiastic that she wrote 25,000 words on the /r/ sound alone, tells us about finding an audience online, how drilling into the specifics of linguistics and phonetics can help English learners, and why finding a niche is so important.---Visit the episode page to learn more about Ellie Caudwell Casey and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

We don’t meet many TEFL teachers who start in Iran, take online classes with American universities, and then opt to live and work in Italy. But then, we don’t meet many teachers like Roya Abedi.The definition of a determined self-starter, Roya has used social media and online word-of-mouth to start a very popular English teaching business. We hear all about the IELTS, her motivations to leave Iran, and much more.---Visit the episode page to learn more about Roya Abedi and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

Johnny Ward is a one-of-a-kind. Growing up poor in Ireland, Johnny made it his mission to make a career out of doing things that he loved. To say he succeeded is an understatement; Johnny’s been to every nation on earth, climbed the highest peaks, rowed across the Atlantic, visited both Poles, dodged bullets in warzones, lived it up in Turkmenistan and so, so much more - and it all began with TEFL.Trust us: this episode has everything, from a trip to Afghanistan to climbing Everest, as well as some teaching thrown in for good measure.---Visit the episode page to learn more about Johnny Ward and to view the episode transcript.Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

When he joined TikTok during the pandemic, Michigan-born TEFL teacher Patrick Smith thought it’d be a fun way to kill some time while teaching in Japan. Instead, it turned into an amazing platform for Patrick to share fantastic teaching stories, with over a million followers keeping up with his updates. We talked about the African-American teacher experience in Japan, using social media as a force for good, teaching styles and - somehow - hamsters. ---Visit the episode page to learn more about Patrick Smith and to view the episode transcript. Inspired to teach English abroad? Visit The TEFL Org to learn more about getting qualified and start your own TEFL adventure.If you have a story to tell get in touch - we'd love to hear about it! Just email [email protected]

How could I Taught English Abroad possibly go bigger than it did last season? How can we outdo ourselves after reaching lots of new listeners, recording in person and even doing some travelling of our own for season 4? Well, it was simple. We stuck to what we do best: great chats with amazing guests. We meet a man who’s travelled to every country, climbed the 7 summits and visited both poles. We meet a teacher who was considered a child genius and went to university at 16. We meet the internet’s most TEFL teachers, with tens of millions of views between them. It is action-packed, it’s dramatic, it’s insightful, it’s I Taught English Abroad!Subscribe now and get notified about new episodes. It all kicks off on the 3rd of April!

The idea of the career changer is something we talk about a lot at The TEFL Org. We like to imagine that teaching English can be a get-out from the tiresome commute, the job that remains unfulfilling, the same old.For Andy Korterling, of Can Travel Will Travel and the Pigs on Bikes YouTube channel, that’s exactly what TEFL became. And while it wasn’t the easiest transition from engineer in England to teacher in Cambodia, it worked out extremely well.

How determined does a person have to be to achieve their goals? How highly must the odds be stacked against you for you to give up?Sara Alami, an English teacher from Iran, couldn’t have had a more difficult road to where she is now. She’s the co-founder of an Iranian English language school, teaches online to students around the world and has a massive social media following. But nothing about her background, and how she learned English, would make you think any of what she’s achieved should be possible.

Imagine your first ever teaching experience was in a purpose-built Korean village, where everything was in English. Even if you’ve worked on film or TV sets, or in the entertainment industry in some form, it’d be quite a jarring experience.Well, that’s what happened to Angie White, our next guest, who decided to explore the world of TEFL teaching after some time working in Hollywood. Our second on-location interview in LA, we discuss first lesson nerves, exploring cultural and family heritage, and what makes a great teacher.

Let’s be clear - the English language can be difficult. Whether it’s on a conversational level, where idioms stalk almost every sentence, or at the academic level. So, imagine navigating English for both casual chats and textbooks when it’s not even your mother tongue?Our next guest, Cecilia Nobre, grew up in Brazil, absolutely fascinated by language. So, she mastered both conversational and academic English, and has since worked in English universities, and recently, co-authored a book. She’s also taught, of course, in Brazil, England and Turkey. So we knew we’d have plenty to discuss.

We love confidence here on I Taught English Abroad. The confidence to say “I’m going to be a teacher”, for example. The confidence to travel to entirely new places, either having gained employment, or just going to see what you can find. The sheer - as we call it in Scotland - gallus to say “I’m going to do this, and what’s more, I’m going to be good at it”; we like that. So when we met Brittany Yaxley, who called her website and social media presence “She Run the World”, we thought “there’s a TEFL teacher who doesn’t lack self-assurance”.Confidence often comes from experience, however. And though Brittany is still early into her teaching career, her vast travels have made her a perfect resource for tips and advice, whether it’s on digital nomadism or places to seek out for adventure.

When it came time to pick somewhere to live and teach in South Korea, Ilsa Strough had loads of options. Seoul and Busan, for example, represent two buzzing, sprawling choices where expat communities are widespread and jobs are plentiful. Except, doing the expected isn’t exactly Ilsa’s way.Hear about how she built an online audience, inspired countless others and fought against the stares and the culture shock of moving to rural South Korea and becoming a popular, talented TEFL talent.Content warning: Features discussion of diet and body image.

Like many TEFL teachers, Dan Wharton once found himself looking out his window and dreaming of being somewhere else. Somewhere new, somewhere exotic, somewhere totally outside of his previous experiences. He trained as a TEFL teacher, and moved to China - so far, so exciting.The next chapter of his life, however, sets him apart from any other guest we’ve had. His skill and expertise in recruitment saw Dan establish a recruitment company to help other TEFL talents live and work in China. Dan tells us what teachers need to be doing on applications, how to set themselves apart in the job market, and he reveals an exciting new development in the Chinese visa application system.

Gav and Em, of the How To English Podcast, first met in art school with designs on breaking into the world of fine art. Over 20 years later, they’ve travelled the world side-by-side as intrepid world explorers and teachers of excellent repute.The duo tell us all about their travels, the challenges they’ve encountered, building a podcast audience and much more in an action-packed hour of conversation.

I Taught English Abroad has gone Hollywood, as we meet LA English Tutor, known to her friends as Anne Crutchfield. Anne, originally from Illinois, tells us all about teaching the diverse and exciting population of Los Angeles, her experience working for the government, the challenges facing modern teachers, as well as much more.If you’ve ever wondered how to make a career from TEFL within the United States, specifically in a huge city like LA, this is the episode for you!

You probably remember your favourite teacher. If that’s the case, chances are they’re the one who gave you creative freedom and let you express yourself. It could’ve been art, stories, songs; whatever it took to get you feeling inspired, they did it.For many, that teacher will have been our next guest, Betsy Potash. American, but now based in Budapest, Betsy’s approach to teaching is utterly, unstoppably creative, and she’s given a generation of teachers amazing ideas through her website and podcast, Spark Creativity. The section where Betsy tells us how exactly she got into content creation is utterly staggering.

They don’t have pictures in the dictionary, but if they did, you’d maybe see Matt Mitzel’s face under the word ‘Wanderlust’. Matt, a qualified and experienced TEFL teacher, has made it his personal mission to travel to every country in the world, and he’s already made impressive inroads.We cover the niceties of Istanbul, the career of Lionel Messi and, of course, teaching around the world. Here’s Matt’s story.

Your favourite TEFL podcast is back for a fourth season! Yes, once again, ‘I Taught English Abroad’ is back to tell the most compelling stories from the world of English teaching, filled with valuable insights, scarcely believable career trajectories and the best stories you’ll hear on any podcast.Meet the Hollywood-based teacher working with actors and models. Hear from a teacher who wants to visit every country in the world - and find out how he’s going to do it. Get to know the couple who met at art school and are now over 20 years into their teaching journey, and so, so much more.With a bumper line-up of inspiring stories told from locations all around the world, as well as invaluable advice for any budding TEFL teacher, this is an absolute must-listen season!Subscribe now to get new episodes in your feed every week.

We take a look back through Season 3 with The TEFL Org’s social media and marketing guru, David Foster. In this episode we tackling subjects as diverse as apparitions, Liverpudlian accents, and travelling as a couple, all while shattering some long-held TEFL  myths. 

Jema Perry (Mooncake English) hadn’t always planned on being a TEFL teacher, but the mark she’s made - and continues to make with her work online - is impossible to argue. Enthusiastic, charming and inspiring, Perry’s stories of climbing the career ladder in China are infinitely inspiring

Travelling the world, finding work as a teacher and assimilating to new cultures can be difficult solo. As a couple? It’s a different story, as Celi Reeder tells us all about living and working in South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and more!

Now an online TEFL sensation, it’d be quicker to list what the amazing Jamie Gajewski (also  known as ESL Teacher 365) hasn’t experienced in her career thus far. From fleeing revolution in Egypt, to haunted farms and teaching in castles, to changing her approach after illness, this episode makes for a truly fascinating listen.

When you have the experience of teaching young learners in countries as diverse as South Korea and Romania, you probably make some pretty astute observations along the way. This episode’s guest, Martin Sketchley, has lots of them; he tells us all about applying his theories in the classroom, publishing, and more.

It started with some curiosity about teaching in Spain, and now Mrs A is one of the leading lights in English and Spanish teaching in the country. Mrs A tells us all about establishing an awards ceremony, publishing and so much more in this action-packed episode.

It all began with a voracious hunger to learn English phrases and a love of the Backstreet Boys. Today, Lachesis Braick is an amazing example of how non-native English-speaking teachers can thrive in countless arenas. 

Imagine going from disillusionment with civil engineering to flying around China as an English teacher within 5 years? Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, as TEFL expert Ross Thorburn recounts in this episode of I Taught English Abroad.

If you’re looking for a podcast episode that namechecks Stirling, Romania, Hungary and Beverley Hills, you’re in luck. Kitti Majorán takes us through her fantastic career to date, from watching English language TV throughout her childhood to empowering entrepreneurs today. 

‘I Taught English Abroad’ is back; bigger and better than ever.Our award-nominated podcast returns for Season 3, and has some of the most dramatic, inspiring and insightful accounts of teaching abroad you’ll ever hear.We have fantastic guests from the TEFL world, telling us about everything from escaping revolution, turning long-term illness into opportunity and teaching in a castle - and that’s just one episode!TEFLing as a couple, exploring underrated destinations, and getting into English teaching as a non-native speaker: we’ve got it all.So come join us for the journey, won’t you? Click ‘subscribe’ for ‘I Taught English Abroad’ S3, starting 4th July, 2023.

Join host Euan Davidson and Erin MacKenzie, Content Marketing Manager at The TEFL Org, for a roundup of the second season of 'I Taught English Abroad'. They discuss their favourite moments, misconceptions about TEFL, hip-hop, and Erin tests Euan's memory.

How did a politics student become co-founder of an industry-leading TEFL course provider and an influential ambassador for Scottish women in business? Via a garden shed, of course. Find out how Jennifer MacKenzie built a TEFL titan.

Carl’s ruthless academic determination and wanderlust has seen him teach in some of the less-heralded but most eye-catching locales in the world, including Iraq, Azerbaijan, plenty of East Asia and now, from the comfort of his home office.

From Pennsylvania to the rest of the world, Cheryl Obal turned TEFL into performance art, combining world-renowned choreography and dancing skills, English teaching and a nous for business. This fascinating episode covers working for NGOs, settling in India, Saudi Arabia and Italy, and how truly transferable TEFL skills are.

From feeling aimless and working as a Hallowe’en “scarer” in Cornwall, Sophie Oliver used the momentum from a trip to Barcelona to motivate her to finish a TEFL course. Her journey since has been inspiring. 

Arthur’s story is a perfect example of changing both career and fortunes. From despondency in Portland during the global financial crisis, Arthur truly turned his life around, teaching across Asia, meeting his wife, and providing fantastic lessons for prospective TEFL teachers.

When the Covid-19 pandemic forced a change of plans, Ellie Rayner went from working on cruise ships to achieving what had seemed impossible; uprooting to Japan and establishing herself as a teacher. We discuss turning long-term goals into an idyllic existence. 

Melissa Thomson tells us all about changing careers; from the world of PR to teaching everywhere from Bilbao to Japan, via a spell working with asylum seekers and refugees in Glasgow’s old biscuit factories.

To kick off season 2, we’ve got a real treat: Fluency MC. Jason Levine, a former music industry worker and hip-hop DJ, was filmed by one of his students rapping a lesson. It completely changed his life. We talk about going viral, staying relevant in the TEFL world and so much more with Fluency MC.