Job Discussion Forums

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I seem to recall that this question came up quite a long time ago, and I'm curious to know the number. I've tried searching on the internet, and I haven't even found any rough estimates as to how many people might be native speakers doing TEFL work overseas.

This is just a ball park estimate here: apparently the US Embassy in Beijing has about 65,000 Americans registered as living in China. I would guess that the majority are teaching English (though I freely admit that guess might well be wrong). Let's say 50,000 Americans for a nice round number.

China is probably the biggest single market right now for TEFL, but there's plenty of work in other places. How much of the TEFL market is in China? Half? A third?

So I'm guessing that something like 150,000 Americans are TEFLing overseas. When you lump in Brits, Australians, Canadians, Kiwis, and others, I'd guess that something like half a million to one million native speakers are working in TEFL.

Anyone else care to take a guess?

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

1 377 492

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

That many? I would think less than 25,000 worlwide.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

No, it's definitely 1 377 492.

Oops. 1 377 491 now. Dave's got a job in MacDs; better pay, more respect.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

I can't remember where I read it but there are apparently 6000 foreign English teachers in Istanbul.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Or maybe we should ask, how many sane teachers are living in China?

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Don't forget Central/Eastern Europe. There are at least 40,000 EFL teachers in Prague alone. Surprised

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

ok...more than I thought. I've never been good at guessing grains of sand on the beach.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Where the heck else could figures on such a question come from??!! I suppose we could offer honest guesses about the cities we work in, but more than that - who could even try?!

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

That's where my low figure came from. Mexico City is one of the largest on earth, but I can't see there being more than 500-1000 native-speaker TEFLers here. But, Mexico is not China or Japan.