The TEFL Interview: Common Questions And Tips

TEFL interviews can be just as challenging as any other job interview, but even more so if you don’t have TEFL experience. 

One key difference to the usual job interview? You might need to do a demo lesson during an interview for a teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) job.

Yep, during a TEFL interview you might be asked to do a demo lesson to demonstrate your teaching skills.  This could take place in person at the school or online via Skype, Zoom, or Google Meet. 

But don’t let the idea of a TEFL  job interview send you spiralling into anxiety. Before your blood pressure hits the roof, let’s look at the whole interview process. 

How to apply for a TEFL job

1. Search for jobs online (top tip: use our handy Jobs Board)
2. Fill in the application form – don’t forget to check your grammar and spelling!
3. Be invited for an interview – online or face-to-face
4. Ace the interview (and your demo lesson)
5. Sign a contract – be sure to read the fine print, and pack your bags.

Now let’s break down the whole interview process and look at the most common questions in a TEFL interview. The interview is usually given by the Director of Studies, a Head Teacher, or a recruiter. Don’t be intimidated – they want to get to know you and your sparkling personality!

Common teacher interview questions

• Why do you want to teach English as a foreign language?

We all have our reasons for wanting to embark on a crazy TEFL adventure, but those are probably not the reasons you should be giving a future employer! 

Focus on reasons that relate more to your passion for the English language (and other languages) and daily interaction with people. They don’t have to be specific reasons – I love the idea of teaching Spanish kindergarten students – but can be more general – I’m looking for a job that will challenge me and allow me to grow and develop new skills. Explain that there are better teaching opportunities abroad than in your city, or you’d like to teach in an immersion context.

• Why do you want to teach in Bangkok/Madrid/Cape Town?

This is your chance to show that you have done your research. This shows your employer that you are serious about the job opportunity.

For TEFL, this means the location. The location of your teaching position is part of the job so it’s a necessary aspect to consider. Of course, you don’t want to make it seem like you are taking the job for the free flights! But understanding the country and the culture you are moving to will help the employers believe you are ready for the position and will be able to cope with any issues arising from relocation.

• What challenges do you think you’ll face as a foreigner here and how would you deal with them?

Be realistic. There will undoubtedly be hard times and you need to be aware of this in order to cope. 

Consider the difficult aspects of living abroad in this particular location and explain that you have considered them and are willing to tackle any challenges – be specific and suggest ways in which you can deal with those issues when they arise. Remember, the last thing an employer wants is a teacher who is going to fly home at the first sign of discomfort.

Read more: How To Deal With Culture Shock

• How has your experience prepared you for teaching English as a foreign language?

If you have never taught before, don’t let that worry you. 

Any practical teaching on your TEFL course counts as teaching experience. If you have taught outside the EFL context, definitely mention that. If you have done any tutoring, au pairing, sports coaching, volunteering, or anything which involves taking care of children, tell the interviewer about it. Explain how it has helped you prepare to teach English as a foreign language.

Highlight any transferrable skills you’ve acquired on the job in an unrelated field. 

For example, if you work in customer service, this will have taught you how to deal with different kinds of people and probably how to have tons of patience too, which are excellent skills and traits you can use when dealing with students. 

For those who do have teaching experience, they don’t need to know every detail of every job as long as you are able to talk about the different kinds of students you’ve had and the different teaching situations. For each teaching position you have held, there will be something that sets it apart from other teaching posts, and this is what will show the diversity of your experience.

• What makes a good TEFL teacher?

This is similar to another common question, What are your strengths and weaknesses? 

When you answer this question, the interviewer will be able to understand your theories around teaching and learning, as well as the characteristics of your own teaching style. Make sure you consider the various responsibilities of a TEFL teacher besides teaching, such as classroom management, discipline style, rapport and communication.

• What’s your favourite age to teach?

While it is okay to prefer to teach a certain age group, you should not be adamant about which students you would or wouldn’t want to teach. 

Employers like to know that you are flexible and open to teaching all ages, if necessary. Of course everyone has a preference but make it known that you would welcome the challenge of teaching other ages too.

• How would you motivate your students?

If you’re not sure about how you would handle any classroom situation they put you in, think back to when you were a student and answer the question from that perspective. Your students may not be very different to you so whatever worked for you could be just as applicable to them. Maybe you remember having a sticker chart when you were very young, trying to win competitions when you were a teenager or being motivated by your own progress as an adult – all of those are credible ideas for the EFL classroom.

• What is your discipline style?

Discipline is a controversial issue and it’s better to be open-minded than to be set in your ways as to what works and what doesn’t. How you deal with discipline will depend on the students you are teaching and the situation you are teaching in. This question is especially relevant for teaching Young Learners. 

The interviewer may ask you what you would do in a certain situation – for example, if a student refuses to stop speaking in their first language, or never does their homework – or they might ask you to speak about how you would discipline your students in a general sense. 

• Take me through an activity that you have done with a class that has worked well.

Obviously if you haven’t taught a class, this can be difficult. But you may have had some classroom training on your TEFL course with classmates or students and this is just as valid. 

Think of an activity or game which is relatively easy to explain and go through the procedure step by step. What the employer is looking for here is evidence that you understand the purpose of an activity – to present/practice/revise adjectives of personality/the present perfect/compound nouns – and know how to execute it.

• Take me though an activity that you have done with a class that hasn’t worked well. How would you do it differently?

Again, if you haven’t had any classroom experience you may need to be a bit creative. 

Consider an activity that you came across during your TEFL course and think about how it might not work with a particular class. 

For example, a very interactive game may not work with a class that is very shy or low-energy, or a certain activity may not work because the abilities and knowledge of the class were over/underestimated. Be honest about the fact that this is a hypothetical situation and your employer will appreciate the fact that you can predict tricky situations and come up with solutions to anticipated problems.

• How would you teach the present perfect/personality adjectives/the /Ɵ/ sound?

Unfortunately, there’s no shortcut for this and you’ll need to rely on your TEFL training for a good answer. 

Whichever language point or structure they ask you about you will need to have a few ideas up your sleeve as to how you could teach it. A good way to prepare for this is to come up with a few activities for grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Then, to answer the question all you have to do is choose which activities would suit the language point.

If you’re not familiar with the language point and have no ideas, simply say that you would need to do your homework before the lesson. We’re not expected to know everything all the time but we are expected to be proactive and take steps to deal with any shortcomings in our knowledge.

• Do you have any questions for us?

While it might be tempting to answer a quick No so you can finish the interview, this is a chance for you to show off. Show that you are serious about the position by asking questions about the job specifications. Good questions to ask are:

How many hours will I teach in a week?

What is expected of me outside of contact hours?

How big are the classes?

Do I have an assistant?

How many other foreign teachers are in the school?

What course books are used?

Is there suitable accommodation near the school?

What is included in the contract?

Interview tips: How to prepare for a TEFL interview

#1 Do your homework

Find out as much as you can about the school and the country where you want to teach before the TEFL interview. Search the Internet for TEFL forums to find threads about the school and/or city. Look out for issues around working conditions, visa requirements, and accommodation for teachers, amongst other things.

[Check out our Guide to Teaching English Abroad or download our Factbook to help with your research.]

#2 If you’re interviewing online, find a quiet spot…

This should go without saying, but make sure that you are in a calm, quiet place that has a stable internet connection. Don’t try and interview in a café or public area, as the background noise can be very distracting. Though you can’t guarantee a stable connection, try to do everything you can to avoid interruptions during the call.

#3 …and consider the space

In a usual interview, there is nothing you can do about the interview setting. But in an online interview, you can make sure you have the optimal background. Try to position yourself in front of a blank background, be it a wall or a “bland” background. This is so that there aren’t any unnecessary distractions behind you.

Virtual backgrounds are not recommended, as they can make you appear a bit, well, odd.

Be aware of your lighting, so that your interviewer can see you clearly. When in doubt, natural light is best.

#4 Test test test

Before your interview, test your computer. This includes your sound and camera, as well as your placement on screen. Make sure you are comfortable, both with your physical circumstances and with the technology. You may be understandably nervous during the interview, but – as in any interview – try not to let that show.

Another handy tip is to close all the other programs on your computer to ensure that the connection is as strong as possible. And don’t forget to turn your phone on silent.

#5 Don’t forget it’s an interview

Even if you are sitting in your kitchen, you need to take a formal approach. A smart shirt or blouse and running a comb through your hair never hurt anybody. This is still the first impression that your prospective employer will have of you, so make an effort and look the part!

Arrive early. For an in-person interview this is essential because you might have no idea about traffic and distances. But even online you can enter a virtual room before the appointed time. 

Face-to-face interviews may seem more familiar, but be prepared for the unexpected. You may be given a grammar test or even asked to do a demonstration lesson off the cuff, with students or just with the interviewer.

#6 Use your soft skills

Be mindful of your body language. Eye contact is especially important because it’s one of the few ways you can really connect in-person and online. Use this chance to show them you are engaged, friendly and communicative. Don’t shift in your seat or move unnecessarily. Smiling will help you to appear more confident. Do some deep breathing to make sure you’re as relaxed as you can be.

 #7 Ask questions

One of the biggest mistakes people make in interviews is not asking enough questions to the employer. While it’s good to want to secure the job and come across as personable and agreeable as possible, you don’t want to land a job and arrive at work only to discover it’s not what you thought it was going to be. Make sure you have a list of questions so that you interview the potential employer back. As much as you want to be the right person for them, they need to be the right employer for you. 

#8 Highlight the diversity of your experience

Of course, you can expect to be asked many questions regarding your teaching experience and it’s important to highlight what makes your experience different from the next person’s. While they don’t need to know every detail about previous jobs, it’s good to highlight the different types of students you may have taught in various situations and schools. Raising attention to the diversity of your experience is key in an interview process.

#9 Prepare to demonstrate your abilities

It’s not always the case but some EFL schools and companies will ask you to give a demonstration lesson. It is probably the worst-case scenario as coming up with a lesson idea on the spot in front of people you are trying to impress can be incredibly daunting. Have some lesson ideas prepared beforehand so that if you are asked to do this, you’ve got something in the bag.

If you’re asked beforehand to prepare a demo lesson, check out Teaching Demo Lesson Tips To Ace Your Interview to make sure you’re totally prepared.

#10 Brush up on your grammar

Your TEFL course should prepare you for this. But if you are rusty don’t be afraid to admit defeat if a question completely stumps you. Teachers often don’t know the answers to student’s questions but the trick is to come up with a way of saying you will look up the answer so you know the answer the next time it comes up.

Remember:

Be yourself, ask lots of questions to ensure you are the right person for the job and it’s the right school for you, and you’ll be fine. 

And don’t forget to check out our Jobs Board for all the latest teaching vacancies!

Don’t forget that failed interviews should be viewed as practice for the next one! If you don’t get the first job you’re interviewed for, don’t throw in the towel. There are lots of reasons why you might not have been chosen. Apply for your next post and before you know it you’ll be on a plane and on the way to your dream job.

Good luck!