Job Discussion Forums

Mart1300 · Joined: 16 Nov 2011 Posts: 11

It is quite unfortunate that it is so hard for non EU citizens to work in Europe. I got my BA in German and would love to work in Germany as an ESL teacher, but it seems near impossible to do. The German language is in real dire straights here in the States as Chinese is taking over high school German programs. It would be nice to let some ESL teachers go over to Germany and then come back to the US to increase the awareness of German as an important language.

artemisia · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 875 Location: the world

It does seem to depend on political relationships to an extent - whether or not there are exchange programs set up between countries, for example. Obviously the crucial issue is the 'right' passport in terms of ease.

delphian-domine · Joined: 11 Mar 2011 Posts: 674

artemisia · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 875 Location: the world

Well, I was always the only native English speaker in my language classes!

At least I did get a bit further along than the above, though my first attempts at ordering in a restaurant there got quite a spectacular reaction. I guess it was a combination of mixed up words and maybe poor pronunciation, but apparently I ordered (or sounded as though I'd ordered) "the dog dish" and a "mouldy apple". I remember this well because of the reaction of the waitress. Her jaw just about hit the floor while she repeated this several times (in ever increasing volume), and looked like she might pass out from the shock. Everyone around me also looked like stunned mullets.

Eventually it was all sorted out and I must say the service on that occasion was remarkably fast in a country that is definitely not all about the customer. I suppose you could say that was a certain kind of success.

NWBen

How's the employment situation outside of Berlin and Frankfurt for uncredentialed teachers?

Despite my poor German (couldn't explain English grammar in German) I got hired at a private school in Leipzig in 1995 because I walked in the door looking for work the same week that the school got a humungous contract w/a Saxon firm that had just been bought by Dow Chemical. They needed someone, ANYONE, to save the poor DDR-educated managers and scientists from drowning in Texas-accented 'Murrikan. They didn't care that the only experience teaching I had was 6 months in Poland.

Aside from leading a conversation group for a community college in 2000, and tutoring a Mexican friend this year, I haven't taught since. A poster here said that that didn't really matter, in Frankfurt at least, at Berlitz and inLingua. I'd love to hear about other cities. Probably I need to google up the phone #s of Berlitz/inLingua in those cities and ask myself. Very Happy

Sounds like getting a CELTA wouldn't do me any good?

JN · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 214

I thought I'd add a couple of things. As far as ESL teacher's knowing much German, I can't really say. However, for me, even before I thought of going into teaching, I was fluent in German.
Then as for a CELTA not doing any good, I would say that is definitely not the case. I would certainly recommend getting a CELTA, which would open more doors here. Or a person could take the CELTA here in Germany. However, I am not really familiar with the CELTA, but just from reading and talking to people, it seems that more qualifications can definitely help.
I have heard from a recruiter that getting jobs in the smaller towns, i.e. smaller than Berlin, is easier.