Teaching English as a foreign language or EFL teaching is a rewarding career that can help developing countries to gain a voice in the developed world. Education, the economy and trade can all be advanced with your work. It is also easier for us to learn about each other’s culture when we have a common language. You can teach English as a foreign language if you have a degree and have undergone EFL training.
EFL teaching is a worldwide career but Africa is becoming a popular place to teach. Its colonial history lives on with many countries speaking French and German as well as their native language. Where Britain dominated during colonial times English remains but there are several countries where little is known of English.
Rwanda has now begun a national programme of teaching in English at primary and secondary schools. They hope to use English so that the children of today will be able to speak English when they become government officials, academics, business men and women and diplomatic envoys.
French has been the traditional teaching language until now and the shift to English has been put down to the Francophone feelings since the genocide in 1994. Relations have cooled as both countries blame each other for the mass killings.
Although this is definitely not a reason behind the switch to English touted by officials, commentators view this as a large reason. The official word is that by learning English Rwanda will be able to communicate more effectively with the rest of the world. This does not only apply to potential foreign trading countries like China, England and the US. Their neighbouring countries also use English as their second language so it would smooth relations between them too. These countries include Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
Businesses are also seeing the benefits of using English in every office around the world to make trading and communications easier. You can teach English in nearly every country after you have completed EFL training.
Tags: africa, efl training, languages, teaching, teaching abroad