Teach English in Myanmar

Quick Facts

Eligibility Requirements

You don’t need to have any teaching experience to teach English in Myanmar. You do need:

Required

• A passport from the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand

Preferred on case-by-case basis

• A Native English Speaker
• Between 20 and 59 years of age
• No major medical or mental health diagnosis or medication in the past 5 years
• No communicable diseases
• No criminal conviction whatsoever (even misdemeanors)
• No visible tattoos, such as on the face, neck and hands

Get Started

Unsure? Get expert advice and guidance

We’ll send you more info, explain the program and answer all your questions.

Program Options

What’s included for each Program Option

Full Program Highlights

• Comprehensive pre-departure support and guidance

  • Getting the necessary documentation prepared prior to departure.
  • Assisting you with all planning, packing, visas, costs, budgets and booking flights.
  • Answering your questions to help ease any anxieties you may have regarding your trip.

• Logistics and safety when arriving

  • Airport pickup (provided if applicant lands within four days of start date and between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM).
  • Sim card and setup assistance.
  • Assistance with opening a local bank account.
  • Welcome group dinner.

• A toolkit for navigating Burmese culture

  • Cultural Orientation and excursions.
  • Social events and meet and greets.

• Practical Teacher Training

  • To hone your craft and ensure confidence before you begin teaching professionally.
  • Lesson Plan templates and resource directories.

• Guaranteed Job Placement

  • At carefully vetted schools.

• An Internationally Accredited TEFL/TESOL certification

  • The knowledge required to teach english successfully.
  • You will graduate with an Internationally Accredited 120 hour in-class TEFL/TESOL certificate that never expires and can be used to teach all over the world.

• A support network of fellow teachers

  • Lifelong friendships and travel opportunities.

• 24/7 In-country support

  • Ex-foreign teachers and local, on-the-ground support staff provide you with personal assistance throughout the duration of your teaching experience.
  • You can rest assured knowing that any queries will be answered such as translation help, legalities, emergencies, travel options or school queries. Someone is on hand.
  • Teacher meet-ups.
  • We check in with you regularly and keep up to date with your teach abroad experience.

• Lifetime Teaching Placement Guarantee

  • Once you’ve completed your contract, we can guarantee you a position at another partner school throughout Asia for which you are eligible, at no additional charge to you.

• Self-development and advantageous future employability

  • When you do head back home, you’re not just another resume in a pile of resumes – you are someone different who’s done something interesting and rewarding.
  • Add teaching abroad to your CV to stand out from the crowd.

• Teaching philosophy and environment
• Teaching materials
• School code of conduct
• Local staff support and English proficiency
• After school activities and requirements
• Disciplinary processes
• And many more considerations!

So you might find a job but you’ll be unprepared from a teaching, cultural, financial and emotional perspective.

• Pay one fee and you’re able to teach in any partner school on your program line as long as you like.
• It’s a once-off fee for a lifetime of opportunities to make a difference in the lives of your students and travel the world in a sustainable way.
• For example, once you’re finished in Myanmar you can travel over to Thailand or Vietnam and experience a whole new cultural adventure.

You might think you’re taking a step back by taking a year off but nothing could be further from the truth!

Although you may think it’s a halt in your education journey, you’re actually fast tracking yourself through:

• Learning independence.
• Learning how you react to different situations.
• Learning how to master and grow your confidence in public speaking.
• Learning how to overcome obstacles.
• Learning about yourself through your own personal self discovery.
• Learning how to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.

These would normally take much longer in a normal, sheltered environment and wouldn’t be nearly as much fun!

When you do head back home, you’re not just another resume in a pile of resumes – you are someone different who’s done something interesting and rewarding.

Teaching Placement Overview

Teaching Placements

Placements are mainly situated in Yangon, a bustling and steadily growing city.

Placements are in language schools and private schools.

The language centers run all year around and the private schools run for nine months of the year.

Language Centers

Language center are at their busiest on the weekends so teachers usually teach those days and evenings during the week, with two days off during the week.

Private Schools

Private schools run Monday through Friday during the daytime with Saturday and Sunday off.

The teaching environment varies with some classes having air-conditioning while others do not. Some classes have technology in the classroom while many do not. For the younger learner classes, there are sometimes teaching assistants in the classroom, but not in all cases.

Age Groups

All ages. You may end up teaching anywhere from kindergarten students to high school students. It depends on the school that is interested in your profile. When you take the TEFL/TESOL course you will be trained to teach people of all ages and skill levels.

Working hours

The position is full time, ranging from 15 to 25 hours per week in the classroom, five days per week and have two days per week off but the days may not be consecutive and those teachers working at language schools should be prepared to teach on Saturday and Sunday as those are the busiest days of the week for language schools.

What if you are unhappy in a job? Can you get a new one?

It depends on the circumstances. If you perform poorly or are fired for poor behavior, then we are not responsible for finding you a new job. But if the issue is beyond your control, then we will help you find a new position.

Dress code for teaching?

Professional dress unless otherwise negotiated with the school.

A quality TEFL/TESOL course helps teachers avoid the frustration and pitfalls of being unprepared in the classroom and provides all the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively teach English.

Educational Philosophy

Course Components

• Information and discussion about Myanmar culture, history, politics, and society to provide exposure and help students navigate their new environment.
• Significant instruction in Burmese language (7 Hours).
• Strong grounding in the history and theory of teaching English as a foreign/second language. This is taught in a way that emphasises application of theory to enhance success in the classroom.
• Significant practical training in teaching listening, reading, speaking and writing in the classroom, including extensive lesson planning, presentation, and feedback from peers and instructors.
• Tons of tips, tricks and examples of how to teach English to every age group.
• Advice and guidance for effective classroom management.
• Practical training and assessment through participation in a non-profit English camp for disadvantaged kids.

Detailed Course Overview

Week One – Orientation

The first week of the course is an amazing, interactive orientation on Myanmar culture and language, as well as an opportunity to bond with other teachers-in-training and staff members.

The program is held in Yangon, Myanmar encompassing Myanmar language, culture, and society. The course is taught by area experts and includes several exciting and informative cultural excursions.

Myanmar has a rich history and participants will explore the distinct ethnic and cultural regions and exotic neighbours that make up Myanmar’s national and regional geography. Students will receive a strong foundation in Myanmar language, society, politics and geography and this knowledge will be reinforced during several cultural excursions.

Cultural awareness training helps clients settle into their new environment, make local friends, avoid misunderstandings, and enjoy success in social and professional life.

We provide a vast array of exciting and adventurous excursions within the local community to immerse our clients in culturally rich local experiences. 

Week Two

The second week of the course is a deeper exploration of theory in the discipline of English as a second language and how to teach grammar.

Students learn about the structure and key elements of a lesson plan. Every lesson requires a detailed lesson plan that lays out the procedures of the class, and encourages teachers to consider the challenges, technology resources, and other factors that can impact a successful lesson in the classroom.

During week two, students will also learn how to teach speaking and grammar.

Grammar can be challenging to teach. One of the reasons for this is that it has been a long time since native English speakers have reviewed grammar rules, so we provide students with a bit of a refresher.

The major assignments for week two are to create a lesson plan for teaching grammar and to present a full lesson just as a teacher would in a classroom.

Week Three

The third week of the course focuses on how to teach reading and listening.

The major assignments for this week are to create lesson plans for teaching reading and present full lessons just as a teacher would in the classroom. During this week participants will learn more about teaching young learners and practice planning lessons for kindergarten students.

Additionally, our participants will learn about curriculum development for long term learning goals for their students.

Week Four

The final week the class is dedicated to classroom management and preparing for and conducting the English camp *.

While classroom management may be the final topic covered, it is in fact extremely important, especially in cross-cultural contexts. Classroom management is about setting ground rules, apply them consistently, getting to know your students, and earning and maintaining their respect and commitment.

Students spend several days preparing their lessons for the English camp. The camp typically lasts 2-3 days.

During the final week there will also be an in-class final exam.

Accommodation during the TEFL/TESOL Course

Your fee includes shared accommodation for the duration of the course and includes internet, electricity, and air conditioning. Rooms are shared (with someone of the same gender).

A room in the communal house during your In-Class TESOL. Clean and tidy.

Accommodation after the TEFL/TESOL Course

Once you’ve completed your TEFL/TESOL course, your accommodation will vary from place to place, but it is typically somewhat basic.

Some accommodations may have a kitchen area, air conditioning, and even a laundry machine for washing.

Usually, internet is not included in rent prices. However, it is very cheap to purchase a subscription or data for your phone. Alternatively, you can head over to a local internet cafe in major cities.

Mobile services are usually very fast, with most networks running on 5G speeds. Otherwise, connectivity is somewhat slow, especially in smaller villages, where internet access is still limited.

An example of accommodation in Yangon. Simple and clean. Single room options are available at an additional expense.

Kitchen and bathroom facilities are basic with everything you need.

How much will rent cost?

Rent will vary depending on where you are living, but it is generally between $200 USD to $350 USD per month, not including electricity and water.

Will I be living with someone?

If you are placed with a friend or partner, you will be able to live together. Otherwise, you might be living alone or sharing with another ESL teacher.

• One of the huge advantages of taking the TEFL/TESOL course in Myanmar is that the course itself prepares people thoroughly for teaching in Burmese schools and gives you first-hand experience in the classroom during the practical portion of the course.
• The course begins on Monday morning, we typically have a welcome meeting on the Sunday afternoon before the intake. We would want all participants to be in country by Sunday afternoon before their course starts.
• Placement Only candidates will join one of the dates outlined below for their orientation before heading to their placements.

The following costs make up the program fee and are payable to TravelBud before you head over to Teach English in Myanmar.