Includes: ESL jobs from all of Asia and Oceania. Ads in this category include opportunities to teach English in Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Micronesia, etc. TEFL positions in South Asian countries (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc.) are also included in this section.
Comment: The Asian TEFL market provides perhaps the most opportunities for those looking to teach English abroad. Teaching English in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan has been lucrative for many years now, and many EFL schools actively seek native speakers looking to teach English overseas. China, of course, is also becoming a hot spot for teaching overseas, and salaries are rising accordingly. Though TEFL jobs in South East Asia, in general, tend to pay less than those in the countries mentioned above, many ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teachers find the tradeoffs worthwhile. Visa restrictions may apply for ESOL teachers looking for positions in Australia and New Zealand.

Teach English in Europe

Includes: ESL jobs from Europe. This category includes positions teaching English in both Western Europe (the UK, Ireland, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, Greece, etc.) and Eastern Europe (Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, etc.). Teaching English opportunities from Turkey are also included here.
Comment: The European TEFL market is as vibrant as ever in both Eastern and Western Europe. As former Soviet Union countries vie for a piece of the world's economic pie and others, such as Turkey, bid for entry into the European Union, teaching English opportunities abound. In Western Europe, from the tourist mecca of Spain to industrious Germany, learning English is simply a given. While well-paid ESL jobs in the UK and Ireland exist all year round for the highly qualified, entry-level and summer positions are also numerous. Visa restrictions may apply for ESOL teachers in European Union countries.

Teach English in South America (+ the rest of Latin America)

Includes: Opportunities to teach English abroad in Latin America. This category includes all EFL jobs in the geographic region from Mexico to Argentina. Teaching English positions from all South American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, etc.) as well as teaching overseas opportunities from Central America (Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, etc.). Also included in this category are prospects from "non-Latin" countries in the region such as Haiti or Belize.
Comment: The TEFL market of Latin America is an active one, yet due to cultural forces, it might not to seem that way for an ESL teacher hoping to find a position via the Internet. This situation is changing slowly, however, and ads to teach English abroad in Latin America are increasing all the time. Internet use in the region is building steadily, and with it is sure to come more ESL job opportunities on sites such as this one.

Teach English in the Middle East and Africa

Includes: ESL jobs in the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. This category includes teaching English opportunities from Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, etc.; North African countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, etc; and the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa - Kenya, Ethiopia, Senegal, etc. Also included in this section are opportunities to teach English in Central Asia - Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, etc.
Comment: There are some very attractive TEFL opportunities in this area of the world from oil-rich Gulf states such as the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, etc. Of course, close monitoring of political situations is advised. That said, many liken the area to a large, modern city -- there are sections to be wary of and others that seem perfectly safe. While salaries outside of the Gulf tend to decrease, many feel local color increases, making the tradeoff a rewarding one.

Teach English in the U.S. and Canada

Includes: Positions teaching English as a Second Language in the United States and Canada. This section includes opportunities to teach English in all 50 US states and every province of Canada. Positions teaching overseas in US territories are not listed in this category. Opportunities to teach English abroad in Guam, for example, are listed in the Asian section; teaching English in Puerto Rico are found under the Latin American category.
Comment: Teaching English jobs in both the US and Canada continue to grow steadily as both countries see increased immigration. Both countries offer a wide range of opportunities from grade schools to universities to private institutions. Typically, government sponsored institutions require some form of advanced degree or specialized certification. When the need is immediate, however, these requirements are sometimes waived, though usually temporarily. The promise to pursue certification or an advanced degree is, at times, enough to get a foot in the door. Visa restrictions may apply for non-residents.

Teach English Online

Includes: Opportunities to teach English via the Internet, opportunities for EFL/ESL content writers and editors, opportunities for web designers and programmers. This section also includes positions from recruiters and chain schools with TEFL positions open in various countries.
Comment: The marriage of the Internet and education is still in its infancy. In fact, at this point it doesn't look so much like a marriage as it does an engagement. Neither party, however, is going to leave the other at the altar. More and more ESOL websites crop up every day. More and more ESOL students have access to high speed connections. More and more English learners are taking advantage of online education. Self-paced, interactive instruction already has certain advantages over classroom exercises, and though face-to-face instruction will never disappear, bits of it are already migrating to online webcams. Language is a tool for communication, as is the Internet. Their union, while not always perfect, is still a solid one. Growth in this area of ESL is a given.

Abbreviations & Acronyms

The field of English as a Second Language, like any field, is loaded with abbreviations and acronyms that can be puzzling to a newcomer. Whether your goal is to find a job teaching English overseas or at home, you will no doubt run into many of these shortcuts. The following is a quick guide to some of the more common terms you're likely to encounter on this site. Many of the terms, while having slight, technical differences, essentially mean the same thing.
 

ESL - English as a Second Language
Though originally meant to indicate the English used by a non-native English speaker living in an English-speaking country, it is now generally accepted by most as the catchall for the field as a whole.

TESL - Teaching English as a Second Language
TESL can also stand for Test of English as a Second Language, though you're unlikely to encounter that meaning of it on this site.

EFL - English as a Foreign Language
Technically meant to indicate the English used by non-native speakers living in a non-English speaking country.

TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language
TEFL can also stand for Test of English as a Foreign Language.

ESOL -  English for Speakers of Other Languages

TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
TESOL can also mean Test of English for Speakers of Other Languages.

ELT - English Language Teaching

CALL -  Computer Assisted Language Learning

TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language
Originally designed as a test for foreign students applying to American universities (and still used for the purpose), it has also been adopted by many foreign businesses and universities as a general English aptitude test.

TOEIC - Test of English for International Communication
Created as an alternative to the academically-oriented TOEFL, the goal of the TOEIC is to test a more general, everyday type of English, though with an emphasis on business English.

For information about travel and living abroad, see that section.