World’s First TEFL Documentary Film Now In Production

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) has always been a popular occupation for travellers and cultural enthusiasts, but with broadening demand for English, low cost airlines and a highly curious new generation, the industry is skyrocketing. Now, independent British filmmaker Daniel Emmerson is making a 60-minute documentary film that will celebrate and explore the global TEFL industry. Emmerson recently signed a contract with the independent industry website TEFL.net which is sponsoring the film.

TEFL.net’s founder Josef Essberger commented: “The film will give an insight into a varied industry that stretches around the world, with English being taught as a foreign or second language to all age groups in virtually every country, whether by local teachers or mother-tongue speakers. That insight should prove invaluable for those contemplating entering the industry. But it will be interesting too for experienced teachers who will have a chance to see how their peers in other countries cope with the challenges of such a multi-cultural occupation.”

The documentary film, due to be released as a full DVD package in the Spring of 2008, is set to feature TEFL trainers, teachers, students and school directors from a wide variety of countries. The film is currently being shot on location around Europe and will soon move to South-East Asia for further footage.

Emmerson has been working on the project for the last few months from Krakow, Poland, where he has been documenting TEFL training courses and preparing for the intensive months of filming ahead. The film will also see Emmerson teaming up with experimental film director Joel Carr and playwright Mathew Stocks.

The documentary will be the first of its kind, which is surprising in view of the breadth of the industry. Although TEFL teaching has been touched upon in various reports in the past, there has never been a film dedicated solely to this occupation. In many ways TEFL is a key that enables people to travel, work and live abroad. This obviously has an impact on the big cities and small towns alike that are visited every year by "native speakers" from Britain, the USA, Australia and other countries, and this documentary will also explore how this is crafting the new shape of the English language. This first of its kind documentary is sponsored by TEFL.net, who will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on the film's release.