Job Discussion Forums

kpjf · Joined: 18 Jan 2012 Posts: 385

Hi

Just wondering, has anyone ever applied for the lecteur d’anglais positions in France? As far as I know, the places go to exchange students and then what’s left is advertised and you teach English in a French university and get approximately 1,200 euros after tax. I'd really like to do this to improve my French and wouldn't mind at all if it were in a less popular city (e.g. I'm not particularly interested in Paris)

I’m a UK national, so no visa problems. I have an MA in TESOL, will have a PGCE by next summer, and have about B1 in French, though not sure if they’re looking for people with a higher level of French (?).

So I’m just wondering does anyone know how competitive these places are? My plan was either to apply for this or the JET programme in Japan, but I’d prefer to do this lecteur d’anglais 1-2 years before making a life for myself in Asia, maybe starting off with the JET programme. Problem with JET programme is deadline is quite early (Nov/Dec for starting the next year) so I wouldn't be able to apply to French unis and if no luck try the JET programme. But, if it seems it’s really hard to get on maybe I’ll just apply for JET as if I don’t get into the French university not sure what I’d do. So, in short it would be really useful if someone had more info!

Also, people talk about Asia vs. Europe and how teaching is very different, so I wonder would it be better for my experience to just go to Japan or would French university experience be worthwhile experience for Asia? (e.g. my eventual goal would be getting into the Hong Kong NET programme). I say this because with JET you’re like an assistant whereas in the French university I’d be the sole teacher and wonder if that's better for your C.V.

Money isn't really my concern at the moment, it's experience I want.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Dedicated · Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 972 Location: UK

Sorry for the delay in replying but I rarely check the France board.

I did this a number of years ago and loved it as "maître de langue" with an MA.

I suggest you register with SAES :http://www.saesfrance.org

Also read an interesting blog about being a lecteur d'anglais:

http://www.blog.parisunraveled.com/how-to-apply-for-a-job-as-a-lecteur-danglais-in-a-french-university

I had offers from 3 universities and chose Lyon.

Shimokitazawa · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 458 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

kpjf · Joined: 18 Jan 2012 Posts: 385

MissFrantastic · Joined: 08 May 2015 Posts: 1

Hey,

This is probably really late and I'm guessing you've already made a decision. If not though, I'd say go for it. I did it for two years here in Caen, and it was mostly a great experience. I'm even still living here, so it can't have been too bad!

In terms of your French, B1 is fine - depending on what the university wants you to teach, it might be necessary to explain a few things in French to the less able students, especially with bigger groups. I'm sure you'll be fine though, as with a PGCE you'll have a lot more experience than I did when I started! My first week I was asked to start teaching subject-specific English to a large (40 students) mixed-ability group of Geography students… and that's just one example of the sink-or-swim technique that seems common re lecteurs.

I could be wrong and it could just be this uni, but if they say you're being recruited just to teach English to actual students of English, be aware that that can all change very quickly. If you're looking for good experience to put on your CV for JET, then it's perfect - not only will you be solely in charge of your classes, you may need to design the whole course and put together the assessments if you're being loaned out to another department. Fun! (No sarcasm intended, promise.)

In terms of pay, it's ok, depending on where you are going and rent etc, obviously. If you do overtime hours, then the pay for those is quite good. The only unfortunate thing is that for some unknown reason, French universities appear to think that people love doing overtime so much that they don't need to be paid for it until the end of the academic year. Again different universities will vary in how long they take to pay you this money, and it is getting better. My first year, I didn't get the overtime money until November of my second academic year. The second year, I only had to wait until October, and this year there are crazy rumours going about of being paid in July!

Sorry for the long reply, especially if it's completely redundant. Good luck and enjoy, whatever you end up doing!

Shakey · Joined: 29 Aug 2014 Posts: 199

The salary for lecteur d'anglais positions is 1,200 Euro a month, is that right? That's only about US $1,300 a month. I'm shocked that the salaries are so low.

I was expecting that those positions would pay around 3,000 Euro a month. Are there any university TEFL positions in France that would have a salary of about 3,000 ~ 4,000 Euro a month?

Kofola · Joined: 20 Feb 2009 Posts: 159 Location: Slovakia

A lecteur is just a teaching assistant (also poorly paid in the UK). If you want to earn the kind of salary you are talking about you will have to qualify as a lecturer. The only foreigners I know who have lecturer positions in France have the agregation, but EU rules might mean that is not necessary these days. Some info on what is required: http://www.eui.eu/ProgrammesAndFellowships/AcademicCareersObservatory/AcademicCareersbyCountry/France.aspx#AccessibilityforNon-Nationals

Shakey · Joined: 29 Aug 2014 Posts: 199

kpjf · Joined: 18 Jan 2012 Posts: 385

Nicky_McG · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 190

I was a lecteur for two years in Northern France.

I'd say there's quite a lot of bad info given on this forum about what the position entails.

I got my position as I was a visiting lecturer for another subject and my boss wanted to lock me in to doing that. That's far from a standard route in, though. I was 30 when I did it but most of my colleagues were in their early to mid twenties. I was working at an LEA department so I thought the students would have a decent level but this wasn't the case!

The actual classes were a complete joke from a teaching perspective-you were thrown in with thirty or forty students ranging from elementary to advanced and expected to increase the level every week (we're talking about one hour's class a week...). In reality, though, you could do whatever you wanted and students numbers usually stabilised at around 10-15. No resources were available so this is something to consider if you're a newbie teacher. Having said that, there are now so many internet resources that this shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Most of the students were very nice (some troublemakers but they tended to stop coming) so the atmosphere is generally pleasant, but I felt a bit bad for them about the organisation. My school split the classes into grammar classes, listening and speaking, reading and writing. This patently didn't work as any decent EFL teacher would be able to tell them.

You are not a 'teaching assistant' as somebody said. You get your own classes and never have to assist another teacher in theirs.

Regarding salary, I can't believe I saw somebody complain about it. You will never earn a better salary as an EFL teacher. You are paid something like 1200 euros every month (for the whole year) but only teach a few hours a week each semester. You will also be free to do additional hours at another school if you wish. It's a terrible system for the students and taxpayer but those teachers complaining about the salary need to get real. I think I worked out my hourly teaching rate and it was about 70 euros per hour.

So , would I recommend it? Yes! The university I was at maybe the exception with regards to disorganisation (though I doubt it) but, generally, the students are nice and the pay is unbeatable.

kpjf · Joined: 18 Jan 2012 Posts: 385

Nicky_McG · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 190

I've heard lecteurs complain about the pay. A lot of people just look at the monthly salary and don't realise that it's basically a part-time job. Some lecteurs get away with murder in terms of content to be honest.

kpjf · Joined: 18 Jan 2012 Posts: 385

Nicky_McG · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 190

kpjf · Joined: 18 Jan 2012 Posts: 385

Hi,

Thanks for the information. I am the wrong side of 30 actually, ha. In fact when I recommended an older friend (with good French ability, PGCE & MA in TESOL) to take over my job, my boss said she preferred someone closer to the age of the students. This surprised me given my friend's qualifications and the other lecteurs alongside me didn't seem to have any formal qualifications, so she seemed to prefer someone young yet less experienced. Though maybe she was the exception here from what you say regarding age.

I'd gladly accept 35 euros an hour in France in one of the private unis (though not Paris). In the city I was in Wall Street offered a measly 12 euros an hour! Talking about that, 20 euros an hour in Paris?! I wonder how anyone can survive on that with the living costs there. What kind of existence is that? But with demand and supply... if people are accepting it, employers will offer it! Maybe some people are just so desperate to work in Paris they'll accept peanuts.