6 Effective Tips for Teaching English While Traveling in Italy
Congratulations to you, you lucky thing! You have made the first step towards your dream of earning money while you travel and see the world. Teaching English is one of the best ways to make sure your funds don't run out and that you can sustain your travels for as long as possible.
Teaching in Italy is an excellent choice. Beneath all the cultural treasures and natural beauty that Europe offers, boredom is not an option!
We've put together six tips to make the most of your excellent decision to teach in Italy.
1. Decide where you will live
What kind of experience would you like when you arrive in Italy to start your teaching assignment? Do you want to have a chance to get to know the small villages, islands, and towns with a traditional way of life in the south, or would you prefer the thrill of fast-paced business in the north?
Perhaps you are the kind of teacher who will thrive in the fast pace of a big city like Naples, Rome, or Milan. Alternatively, maybe you'd prefer to see a different side of Italy in a smaller town like Pisa - home of the leaning tower - or maybe even Messina or historical Matera. Either way, deciding before you start your Dolce Vita is best so you can narrow your job search.
2. Have a base vs. moving around
Teachers' choices are seemingly endless, with teaching at an entirely online school is a real option. Having good equipment is crucial for this option, however. The online teaching path forms an ideal option if you would rather be able to spend a fortnight here or a month there, getting fully immersed in each place.
Not for you? Time to think! Online isn't the only way, and the traditional schooling system in Italy has a wealth of opportunities.
3. Plan a budget
It is worth bearing in mind that the global currency exchange is in flux and that the Euro is no exception in this situation. If you have savings to help you with the start of your travels, look at the forecast for your currency pairing with the Euro and plan when could be the best time to exchange your currencies.
This will help you to maximize value and make your money go further, acting as a good cushion if any problems arise in the first few weeks of your adventure. Then think carefully about whether the salary mentioned in your job post will be enough to get you by.
4. Get to know the local customs
Italy is a country that has a range of approaches to the work/life balance, particularly between the north and south of the country. In the north, you are more likely to find a particularly hard-working attitude with short lunch breaks and regular overtime expected as standard.
In the south, it is more likely that you will find businesses and shops closed for a long lunch break each day. While this may or may not apply to your teaching post, it will be useful for you to consider effectively planning your day-to-day routines, such as planning lessons and buying groceries.
5. Use your travels to engage your students
It is easy to forget that while you can travel around Italy at your leisure or even explore neighboring countries, your classes and students may not have left their country or town at all.
The idea of finding out about new places as part of their English learning, with you as their tour guide, will be a thrill to boost engagement levels in your teaching. Use postcards, trinkets, souvenirs, and even local cuisine tastings to elevate your teaching to new levels of excitement.
6. Prepare interesting props and resources
It sounds simple, but don't underestimate the impact of props and resources. Using colorful and intriguing added extras as part of your teaching method can be invaluable.
You can also make videos for your lessons and store them in an online resource bank for easy access.
Alternatively, getting your class involved in making resources themselves can be an interesting and active way to learn a new set of vocabulary.
However, try not to fall into the trap of adding grueling hours of resource creation to your schedule.
Final Thoughts
Now you can take these tips and apply them to your time spent teaching in Italy. What can you teach your Italian students of English, and imagine what they could teach you!
