Here is a short guide if you want to Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in Bangladesh, a developing country with many opportunities

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In this era of globalization and opportunities, English is more than a simple medium to communicate. The demand for TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) in non-native countries is skyrocketing day by day, as it offers the opportunity to jumpstart someone’s career.

The interest in TEFL is multidimensional and is escalating. More and more nations are focusing on creating a generation with great English communication skills.

In this regard, Bangladesh can be your next big name while seeking TEFL jobs overseas.

TEFL in Bangladesh

From the dawn of British colonization, English has been an integral part of South Asia.
English proficiency in South Asia varies a lot compared to East Asian nations. However, being a South Asian country, the proficiency of English in Bangladesh is not very satisfactory yet. Reports suggest that about 38% of the students in the lower secondary level are below average performers when it comes to the usage of English (source: Md. Shahnawaz Khan Chandan, (2016), Curing the Fear of English, The Daily Star).

This is even more alarming when it comes to rural areas of the country. The proper grasp of English is not accessible or understood by most Bangladeshis, and having poor English proficiency represents a challenge for most Bangladeshis, especially in getting competitive jobs. 

These are the reasons why Bangladesh is a country that is significantly investing in new opportunities that can make English learning and professional English training more accessible on both government and non-government levels, so, there is still a lot to do in order to establish a strong presence of English teaching among the Bangladeshis, yet the way is set.

On the other hand, there aren’t many quality places or trainers where the learners can sharpen their English skills according to their customized needs. The need to excel English is drawing more and more attention towards the infrastructure of teaching English as a foreign language in Bangladesh.

Tips for Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Bangladesh

Bangladesh got the status of a developing country in 2018 and that played a significant role in the South Asian economy. The Country has many strengths in a variety of aspects. That alone can tell us about the potential of Bangladesh in regards to the future of the TEFL industry. Yet, taking a deeper dive into the culture of this country, we can really start getting excited.

Culture & People

Bangladesh has a very exquisite culture and traditions that make the land even more distinctive.
Amazing literature, national festivals, and events will get you mesmerized throughout the year! 

In addition to that, it hosts a strong enriched history that dates back to many centuries. The bearer of a lavish history of ancient Bengal, Mughal Empire, Bengal Sultanate along the British colonial influence make Bangladesh one of a kind. Bangladesh is a true crown jewel of South Asia when it comes to historical significance.
It is proudly holding sovereign status after gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971 and cherishes one of the most chivalrous histories of freedom. 

The soul of Bangladesh is its people! The generic Bangladeshi people have a very amiable aura. Especially towards the foreigners they are very hospitable and can be quite considerate as well. But, try to be very down to earth and humble while mixing with the locals. Bangladesh can come across as a little conservative nation when it comes to maintaining modesty and amiable behavior.

Be very careful and respectful towards the culture and history of the Country while mingling with the locals and you are good to go!

Tourist destinations and weather

The Country is packed with beautiful tourist destinations, which is a bonus! If you are lucky enough you might get the chance to visit all of the Bengali beauties while pursuing your career in teaching English. Bangladesh hosts some of the wonders of the World, such as the longest beach Cox’ Bazar and the largest mangrove forest Sundarbans: The Abode of The Royal Bengal Tigers.

Other noteworthy sites include the Chittagong hill tracts, UNESCO world heritage sites – Shaat Gambuj Mosque of Bagerhat, Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur, tourist attractions of the north-eastern Bengal, etc along with numerous historic sites all around the country.

The distinct flora and fauna is another key point that makes Bangladesh different from any other Asian nation. Bangladesh mostly exhibits moderate humid weather all year around. The distinctively thriving seasons in the subtropical climate adds more charm to the overall experience of this riverine country.

So, try to pack your bag according to the weather demand. Remember the summers in Bangladesh (April to July) can be too hot and the monsoon (August to October) is pretty prominent in this climate, even though the winters (November to February) are moderately cold.

Free picture: armadillo, animal
Photo: Pixnio

Where to live in Bangladesh? 

The country has already sailed its boat towards becoming a developed nation. The biggest and capital city Dhaka hosts about 8.906 million people. This mega city can offer all the modern amenities anyone would look for. Then comes the largest port city of Bangladesh and the second most significant region of the country – Chittagong.

Serving some of the most iconic places to visit the port city Chittagong is also a great choice for a good stay. The other good options to stay besides these two would be the divisional cities (Sylhet, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, etc.) as they offer most of the modern facilities one needs, but it depends on your work-station and where the job is located in the country.

Choose wisely while applying, but don’t worry… Bangladesh is packed with great accommodations and good transportation facilities for all budget groups and has almost all the major cities of the country accessible by road and flight. 

However, in terms of choosing accommodation try to find well-reviewed and diplomatic, well-secured areas. Choose residential areas where emergency services are easily accessible and try to check the previous record before any sort of deal or contract regarding renting apartments or rest houses. A good neighbourhood with significantly secured facilities will get you covered for the rest of the journey.

Food and beverage

The land of Bengal serves some of the best food you will ever taste. Jam Packed with delicious Bengali delicacies, the food has a fanbase of its own! Once you taste it the Bengali cuisine will take you on a different journey of itself. But be aware of the food that can be loaded with exotic spices and can cause a different twist in your stomach!

However, you can find any good quality restaurants or cafes depending on your budget brackets and your taste all around the country.

Social drinking is only allowed in registered bars and luxury hotels. Other than that, it is considered taboo to drink alcoholic beverages openly out in the public.

Security

If you are asking yourself whether teaching English as a Foreign language would be easy in Bangladesh, we are super easy to work with.

Various academic projects have been conducted in Bangladesh previously and most of the trainers or mentors from abroad would provide you stories of great promising experiences to start with.

Also, in terms of Bangladesh, the statistics show that, even though crimes are not rare (just like any other country) the prominence of crime among the daily lives of the foreigners is significantly less than many other Asian nations in general. However, try to stay away from the scams and investigate well before making any deal!

How to apply to TEFL jobs in Bangladesh

To get your hands on TEFL jobs in Bangladesh you need to have all your documents ready before applying.

  1. Make your passport and other official documents up to date.
  2. Make sure that you have your TEFL certification documents right by your hand.
  3. Get your CV up to the mark and consider sending the CV and applications to the language schools at first.

You can also take advantage of the TEFL agencies and platforms.
Internet is your best friend and the major websites get updated daily.

These are some of the best websites to find TEFL jobs:

Useful websites for staying in Bangladesh

After heading towards Bangladesh for your job these websites might come handy for you.

Travel & living guides for Bangladesh

Emergency contacts in Bangladesh

Laws & Regulation  

If you are a school or organization currently recruiting in Bangladesh, please contact us at [email protected] to get a discount code on our job posting services.

Conclusion

Bangladesh offers great facilities for any foreigner living here, especially on the internationally aided projects, and generally speaking, the quality of life for foreigners can be good, compared to other developing countries.

Also, the education sector of Bangladesh is improving drastically from the tertiary levels and many projects are launching to enrich English proficiency to match up the expectations of performance in Bangladesh.

So, Bangladesh can undoubtedly become the right choice that will never fail to amaze the ones who would like to seek jobs for TEFL abroad!