Rob's English online roadmap | What you need to teach English abroad | learn English online

Hello out there to everyone wanting to learn English online and everyone teaching it - or wondering how to go about either. I'm Rob Marshall and I've been teaching English - in person and online - for over twenty years. Break My Barriers was born way back in 2001, when I broke my first major barrier and moved from Brooklyn, New York to the Czech Republic. It was a daunting challenge as I had never left my safety bubble in the U.S. before and the only language skill I could boast of was some street Spanish I had learned working in bars and restaurants while paying my way through college. Well, over two decades later, I'm still living in a foreign country. But, after all these years, it doesn't seem so foreign anymore. In fact, it has become my second home. Looking back on the journey, I think my family and friends (especially Mom, rest her soul), were right in thinking I was crazy moving to a new country where I didn't speak the language and had zero job prospects. Online teaching wasn't yet an option back then and in order to start freelancing as an English teacher here, I was forced to the learn the language. Had I not been following my heart (yes, love was the catalyst for the move) I might have chosen a country with an easier language😅. No, just kidding. In retrospect, I wouldn't change a thing. Today, I have a wonderful eight-year-old son (albeit with my second Czech wife🤣), I'm fluent in the language, I've travelled all over Europe, learned two other languages passively (Slovak and Polish - Mom would be proud), and I've recently been brushing up on my Italian and Spanish. Most importantly, I've learned to harness the power of my mother tongue - English. This blog will be all about how my readers can share a similar experience and save money in the process. Whether your a native speaker of English with similar aspirations of teaching our now-more-than-ever global language, or a foreign student trying to break your own language and/or geographical barriers, jump on board and enjoy the ride with someone who has been on both sides of that fence. I'll be giving you all the tools, advice, and support you need while sharing with you the partners I used on my own path to living a fulfilling life abroad.

Teach English abroad

Nowadays, anybody can teach just about anything online. Teaching English online provides an almost unlimited amount of opportunity. For most platforms, all you need is a laptop and stable internet connection and you can teach from anywhere in the world. In my experience, however, many of the newer platforms don't pay as well, with average hourly rates ranging from $5 - $10/hr. The advantage is that "teachers" don't require any educational background or formal training and there are plenty of these sites to choose from. Personally, I recommend the more traditional route of actually getting trained to be able to really teach students and provide them value. A great option for going this route is International Tefl and Tesol Training (ITTT), a company with a tradition of providing quality training at affordable prices and shorter, 30-hour courses to help you get started a plethora of opportunities once your certified. Use this link https://www.teflcourse.net/apply/?cu=CXEUR2022G

and claim a 15% discount on all courses, courtesy your truly🙃 .

Learn English online

As with teaching online, learning English online is becoming the new the status-quo. And as with teaching online, there are many miracle-cure courses out there claiming to teach you a skill (language) in weeks or even days. Providers entice would-be students with low pricing and flexibility but, in my experience, the end result is almost never satisfying. I'm a believer in you get what you pay for and - at the risk of sounding a bit old-school - if you really want something you need to work for it. That being said, the tried and tested brands are still your best way to go. I love TEFL UK (sorry U.S., the demand here in Europe has just made the services that much better) for their diligent approach in recommending the most appropriate solutions for their students and their certificates are recognized worldwide. This site is for both, students looking to improve their IELTS scores or Business English, and for those looking to become certified English teachers. Use the code AF7089CD when checking out/paying for courses here https://tefluk.com/online-english-courses and enjoy a 10% discount on all services offered by TEFL UK.

To sum up, teaching and learning English has become much easier and you can do either - or both - from anywhere in the world. The key is to try and cut as few corners as possible and use tried and true staples in the industry to get the best results. Education is just one of those areas where skimping never pays off. Take it from me - a guy who did it the old fashioned way - by earning it!

The discounts provided above won't be available forever. So choose a course that suits your needs now and get started breaking those barriers today!

by Rob Marshall