Job Discussion Forums

[Yellowrose]

Hi everyone! Like many others, I've surfed Dave's ESL for years. Now, I'm wanting to make a move somewhere in the world, teaching English, and need some advice and encouragement.

To summarize: I'm female, 55, B.A. in English Lit, M.S. in Teaching English as a Second Language. I've been a technical writer/editor for dozens of years. My husband is British (we are currently living in USA), and I am able to get a UK/EU visa. My daughter has just this week graduated from university, and I will not have to cover her medical insurance much longer. Plus, I am green with envy that she and her boyfriend are making plans to soon teach English in South Korea.

My teaching ESL/EFL is limited to volunteering for about 1 year and tutoring for 2 years. I have, however, worked with training departments writing curriculum, presenting training classes, performing needs assessments, etc.

I know that if I don't get an EFL teaching position soon, it may not ever happen. However, like most, I need to make some kind of decent salary. I could make do with a borderline survival salary for a year or two, until I get some experience and more references under my belt, but after that I need some real work for a few more years.

So... where is the best place to start looking? BTW, I'm in good health, decent shape, etc. AND, I really only want to teach college students or adults. Any advice is appreciated. I am ready to walk off my fiscal cliff, but I need to do it with eyes wide open

[tttompatz]

What do you define as "some kind of decent salary"?
(saying "decent salary is about the same as asking, "How high is up?".

If you mean subsistence wages teaching adults in an economically depressed but culturally diverse Europe then ....

If you mean the ability to live comfortably and save $500-1000 per month then Asia beckons.

.

[Yellowrose]

Thanks, tttompatz, you've caught me and called me out on vagueness. I suppose I needed to "hear" what I already knew.

[coledavis]

Only adults. This restricts your opportunities. For example, Russia and Ukraine offer opportunities, but the adults only sector for relative newbies but with good English qualifications is at the universities, which pay the worst. sorry if message a little garbled, i'm standing naked in a \russian hospital covered in cream!

[spiral78]

Jobs that pay above bare subsistence in the EU are few, and the vast majority go to people with local reputations, contacts, and language skills. It would likely take more than a year or two to land something that pays reasonably (ie: that you could ever consider buying a flat or a car or add to your retirement savings).

As ttompatz notes, Asia is really by far your best bet.

[Xie Lin]

[coledavis]

Yes it was medical! Health: robust. Problem: still serious, as I have medium to severe psoriasis, which is incurable. I was undergoing ultraviolet treatment, but the local technology is a bit old and, partly my own fault, I got burnt so I had to stand for an hour in gunk. For those who like the details, the room was quite cold too, so I combined vigorous exercise with the boredom-busting of writing on the forum.

[Yellowrose]

I second the nomination for coledavis! And I am happy you are all right (mostly).

How do you like teaching in Russia? I have actually worked with quite a few Russians at Johnson Space Center, and found them friendly after the initial meetings. I also took an introductory Russian course, but do not remember much since I never used it much past translating various space station segments into their Russian names.

[coledavis]

I like Russia, but before you leap in would suggest you follow some threads on the Russian forum, as it is a difficult country (and that's true for the locals, let alone us clueless foreigners) and many people have a degree of culture shock being here.

[Glenski]

Do you have any publications? I ask because in Japan if you want to teach at university, you'll usually need at least 3 to get your foot in the door. Otherwise, as for teaching adults, let's pin down an age group, because I would not call Japanese uni students mature enough to label them as adults.

Perhaps business English would be an option, but you usually have to have some sort of background in the profession where you have clients, so you can understand the lingo.

What does your husband plan to do while you teach? What are his qualifications?

[johntpartee]

One word: China.

[Sashadroogie]

All the best Cole. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

[coledavis]

Well I'm recovering from the surprise of winning the much coveted Startling Image award; I'd like to thank my agent... Unfortunately, any medical improvements are strictly temporary; psoriasis isn't curable. Still, I'll be relatively itch-free for a while and might even be able to bare my otherwise beautiful body in public for a while (now competing for the More Information Than You Wanted to Know award).

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

OP:

You didn't mention if your husband is going to be going with you. And if so, and if he will be working, what his qualifications are.

You might want to think about volunteering teaching some ESL classes in your area while you are deciding to kind of get back into it, assuming that the MS in TESL was done before the dozens of years as a technical writer / editor. A lot has changed in dozens of years (but maybe you have been working in educational editing, I guess- is that a kind of 'technical writing'?) so you might want to do some reading.

I know some business English teachers in Japan really have no business experience to speak of, but then the business English teaching is a part-time job that they do while teaching part-time at private high schools as well. Neither pays all that well, but they make ends meet.

The majority of jobs in Japan involve teaching young people.

[tttompatz]