A number of people think of international schools as places where children are taught English as a Foreign Language. The truth is that English is used as the language of teaching. They also offer the same broad range of subjects just as like in state schools in the USA, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. In many ways, international schools are very similar to schools in these countries. The major difference is that the children are learning in the second or third (sometimes fourth) language and that language is English. Also, international schools usually have children that belong to various nationalities.

The students work towards external tests like International Baccalaureate Diploma, US High School Diploma, ‘A’ Levels, AP, IGCSE, and SAT, which are recognised internationally as entrance qualifications for universities worldwide.

An overseas teaching job helps teachers develop their careers in an international school just like what they would be doing in their home country. Similar posts of professional development training, middle and upper management, and responsibility are available.

Although it is true that a good number of international schools have a number of students learning in their second, third, or fourth languages, these students do not go to class simply to learn English. They are readying themselves for further and higher education.

Simply put, a number of teachers do not grasp the available opportunities at international schools; they misunderstand that the job simply entails teaching English as a foreign language and they are not interested in doing that; they would more willingly teach the subjects they are good at when they do apply for a teaching job abroad. One other factor why teachers do not apply is that they are under the impression that speaking the official language of the country that the international school is located is a requirement. That is really not the case. English is used by international schools as the learning language, which is why English-speaking teachers will be able to discover so a number of opportunities worldwide.

There are growing opportunities. There are teaching jobs in europe, asia, the middle east and the other parts of the world. Presently, there are more than 5,000 international schools in almost every single country worldwide. This number is forecasted to increase to 8,000 by the year 2015.