Teaching English in a foreign country, very often stereotyped as those looking to broaden their vision and gain a life changing experience, is now looked as the key to abundant opportunities. Doesn’t the world become a better place when you are able to communicate with people and form a bond through a common factor: language? If not the world, you can at least conquer the hearts of Cambodian people by helping them learn English language and giving them an opportunity of showing their hospitality. Here’s everything you need to know about teaching English in Cambodia: the land of smiley and curious faces!
First things first!
Cambodian Education System
Cambodian education system comprises of 6 years of primary education until grade 6 followed by six years of secondary education. After which very few children get the opportunity to pursue vocational education, as poverty comes in the way for some! Only students with good scores get to enjoy the next phase of this education system which is Tertiary education (Masters). The enrollment rate for tertiary education is only 14% of the population, according to UNESCO.
In a country with tremendous poverty and corruption, these education hungry children are striving to learn to make a good future for themselves. With English as a requirement in majority of well paying jobs, you would be making a huge impact in their lives.
Why Teach English in Cambodia?
People in Cambodia want to learn English
In a country that has experienced a great amount of tragedies, wins, political upheavals and destruction of both people and land, it isn’t inappropriate to assume that English language truly acts as a gatekeeper to high income jobs that every Cambodian dreams of.
With tourism booming in Cambodia and language acting as one of the most important tool for information and communication in the age of Globalization, the demand for learning and teaching English is increasingly evident. It is a dream for some to learn English for them to be able to pursue their career and aim big.
Affordable Cost of Living
As an English teacher your income falls anywhere in between $1000 to $2500 which makes living in Cambodia a dream come true. Accommodation in Cambodia costs around $200- $400 maximum in a good location whereas food and drinks are not more than a dollar or $2. The maximum it would go around $15 if choose a fancy place for your pallet. If you have decent or even little savings, you’ll go a long way in Cambodia thus making it a very affordable place.
You can find some really good deals on accommodation here. There are plenty of expat Facebook groups that you can hop on to for feedback and reviews of the areas! You can also find some helpful interviews and insight on living in Cambodia here.
Beautiful Getaways!
Needless to say it is a beautiful country despite of its cons, just like every other country. Be it the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat or pristine island of Koh Rong, you’ll never find yourself running out of hotspots to explore. From historical venues to floating villages, from beautiful lakes to dreamy islands, from partying on pub street to enjoying a traditional Khmer boxing match, there’s never a dull moment in Cambodia.
No visa hassles
Citizenship from USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa are commonly preferred, but qualified non-native speakers can get teaching jobs. Obtaining a business visa is no biggie if you already have a contract with your employer. Business visas can be conveniently extended up to 12 months. However, you could easily land in the country on a tourist visa which is single entry, familiarize yourself with the country and after you secure a job, decide on continuing you could obtain a business visa which will cost you around $45.
What it’s like to teach English in Cambodia?
Making a difference
You will already be on your path towards making a difference as a English teacher in Cambodia! How? Teachers form the backbone of a community which thrives to provide children with bright future and opportunities. You would be the bearer of new possibilities for people in a country where English is not a luxury.
There are plenty of government schools for rural Cambodian community. However a majority of them cannot afford basics such as school uniform, pencil and other stationary items required for school. To overcome these challenges there are plenty of non-profit organisations running schools. You can donate your time teaching English to these kids and see a different side of this country!
Learning to overcome the challenges of teaching in a developing country
You will face certain challenges for sure as teaching is different in a different country! In Cambodia, although you will find some schools that are fairly modern with air conditioning, library, computer room, offices etc there are high chances that majority of them might not have these amenities.
Each new nationality comes with its own quirks. Cambodian people bring a certain fun, dedication, hard work and curiosity which makes the whole process easy!
Minimal stress
All your first world problems would probably come to an end after seeing easy going and friendly Cambodians. I remember once stressing about getting out of a kayak surrounded by swamp and my guide just looked at me and asked me to smile! And that was it. Living in a slightly lawless society you do learn to go with the flow. You will experience power outage here which will completely change your attitude towards WI-FI cut as you will learn to get on with your day regardless!
What to expect as an english teacher in Cambodia?
Easiest career move
Many expats chose to teach in Cambodia as the barriers are minimal. You don’t really need a certification to teach English in Cambodia. However, it is always good to have one for a well paying job which will often look for a degree or a course certification. If you are looking to teach secondary school, a certification is a must.
TEFL certifications are worldwide recognized and there are many reasons to get one. Being a native English speaker is a qualification just enough for teaching English in Cambodia. However, if you wish to become a good teacher, you should consider getting a TEFL certification. You can read about why TEFL certification is important to teach English in Cambodia here(link to TEFL blog).
Cultural exchange is an enhancing experience
Every country has a unique cultural story to tell. Cambodia has more than a story to tell when it comes to culture. People here apart from being extremely friendly, take huge interest in getting to know you and your culture. Knowing a common language makes that process pleasant and fun! Before you know it, you end up creating a bond for life!
Reforming the existing structure
With teaching English comes a great responsibility! You will find courses not structured properly and for the most part you would have to go through lesson planning and coming up with creative ways of keeping students engaged and help them learn concepts of English.
Hard working Cambodians will inspire you
Trust me, Cambodians are extremely hard working. Don’t be surprised to see people juggling their lives in between two-three jobs! You will also find people working on weekends. With low paying salaries this is normal in Cambodia. However, their only way of achieving these goals is by learning English as every good job comes with a requirement of knowing English. So if they are juggling between jobs its because they are cashing up money so they can learn English and have a bright future with just one job!
What is the best way to find english teaching jobs in Cambodia?
Online
There are a couple of websites where you can find the jobs online. Websites like teachaway, kh.jora, learn4good , teaching nomad etc usually have fresh postings online. You will probably have better chances if you personally go to the schools and look for openings yourself.
Word of mouth
This is one of the best and easiest way of finding a job in Cambodia. As with word of mouth comes a strong backing from someone who already knows either side of the party and can put in a good word for you. Cambodians are extremely sweet and helpful people if you ask anyone, they will surely help you.
Non-profit organisations
It definitely is a good start especially if you don’t have a certification or a degree. With volunteer experience you can make your CV and get a good idea of what its like to teach in Cambodia. Teaching for non-profit organisation would be a good way to check if you are up for the challenge and can then continue to pursue a degree for a well paying job.
TEFL Destination course
We would definitely recommend having a TEFL certification for a smooth job search process. It helps in standing out of the rest of the application and for schools to know that you are serious about teaching English in Cambodia. With a certification schools can trust you with credibility and you won’t be just another volunteer looking for a life changing experience but actually making a change! TEFL destination courses are great as with this course you can easily learn in 140 hours and they offer a confirm placement.
Are you now ready to teach in Cambodia?
Got more questions? Drop them in the comments below and we will be happy to help you!
Share this:
