Did you know our department offers clubs, organizations, study abroad trips, and opportunities for students to teach English abroad? TEFL minor student G. Briggs taught English in Italy this past year. We asked her what she would say to a fellow NC State student who is considering the TEFL minor and/or TESOL practicum experience abroad:

“If you are interested in learning a language I don’t think there is a better experience out there than living in a place where the language is spoken. Learning a language in a classroom is very difficult because languages can’t be separated for the culture they are a part of. They come with a whole world view and way of thinking that you can’t properly learn without being surrounded by it. That being said, you do have to make an active effort to integrate, it won’t just happen passively. 

On the other hand, if you aren’t interested in learning a new language but just want to teach English as a foreign language, I would still recommend the experience because it’s going to give you a good perspective on what it’s like to be around a language you don’t understand and therefore make you more empathetic towards your future students. It’s good to get an idea how people differ culturally so that as you teach you can recognize students’ behaviors in their own cultural context and understand them more fully as people. Otherwise you may get the wrong impression of someone assuming that their understanding of respect or manners is the same as what you’re used to.” — G. Briggs, class of 2028