Get ready! Go Overseas and International TEFL Academy have teamed up to launch their first annual teach abroad contest. Applicants will teach us a word or phrase in another language for a chance to win one of several prizes.

The grand prize winner will receive a free on-site TEFL course through International TEFL Academy in their choice of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, San Diego, or Chicago, along with roundtrip airfare and housing for the duration of the course. One runner up will receive an online course, and an honorable mention will receive a Camelbak backpack.

International TEFL Academy also offers lifetime job guidance and support for all of their TEFL course graduates. For the grand prize winner, this isn’t just a fun trip abroad, it’s an opportunity to jump start their year or career teaching English abroad and get professional guidance every step of the way.

Why Give Away a TEFL Certificate?

As English increasingly grows as a global language, so too has the demand for English teachers abroad. However, the days when recent college grads backpacking around China could land job for a few months, teach, and continue backpacking across the continent, are quickly fading.

Schools are demanding higher standards for the teachers they hire -- a TEFL certification being the most common qualification teachers must have (other than fluency in English, of course).

Not only that, but getting TEFL certified is the responsible thing to do. “It’s a new job,” says Jessie Beck, a TEFL certified ESL teacher, “you have no idea what you’re doing at first, but getting TEFL certified gives you the tools to create a successful lesson and better help your students learn.”

Raising Awareness of TEFL Certificates

The teams at Go Overseas and International TEFL Academy hope not only to award one grand prize winner, and one runner-up with a paid for TEFL certification course, but to raise awareness of how important TEFL certifications are within the ESL industry.

Responsible schools and institutions have their students priorities in mind first, and help ensure that they’re getting the education they deserve by making sure they have talented, caring, and -- above all -- qualified teachers leading each class.

Some people wrongly assume teaching English is an easy way to make money while traveling, but it, like any job, requires a unique set of skills. TEFL courses teach you those. “I really wish I had gotten TEFL certified before I taught in South Korea,” says Tucker Hutchinson, “it would have made a huge difference in my confidence and ability to teach well.”

How Can You Enter?

Go Overseas and International TEFL Academy want you to show off your teacher skills and creativity by teaching a word or phrase in another language. Applicants can use text, photos, and / or video to do so, and will be judged on both their creativity and clarity.

“We’re all curious to see the creativity of the entries,” says Andrew Dunkle.

The contest ends on June 10th, 2015 at midnight PST. Applicants must be over the age of 19 and a resident of the United States or Canada. Enter the competition and show off your skills:

http://www.gooverseas.com/teach-abroad-competition