Job Discussion Forums

[SSS]

Hello all,

Firstly, I have been reading the forums throughout the day and learnt a great deal from the postings. What you are doing here is wonderful. Kudos! to the founder and the people behind this forum/site; equally, the participants who take the time to share valuable information by posting here.

My question: I have seen very little information about non-native speakers as ESL/EFL etc., teachers in the forums. I made a reasonable assumption that there are not many. I would like to know how difficult/easy is it to get a teaching position being a NNS I graduate (BA Communication) in Apr 2005, and would like to take a TESOL or similar to maybe return to UAE as an instructor, lived in AE for 4yrs before, if not of English, then another discipline. I have some experience training adults but at the (corporate) organisational level in Canada and enjoyed this immensely, but none at the primary/secondary/college level. I think TESOL/TEFL would be a great transition into teaching at these levels.

Therefore:

1) NNS
2) without any experience - can intern
3) will work to get a TESOL diploma

is my current situation, planning to travel to UAE in the summer, 05.

I would appreciate any information about this, especially from NNS instructors(if any) but anyone with any reccomendations would be greatly appreciated. Primarily, while the employer(s) *may* eventually choose to employ the NNS, how would the NNS favor in the classroom with his/her students acceptance of him/her Is this even a good idea , with many positions explicitly stating a native english speaker as a prerequisite


Thank you
SSS

[Afra]

I don't think being a non-native speaker of English is a problem. However, you are not a teacher so you aren't likely to get work teaching in the UAE. There was a post recently asking about unqualified teachers working here.

[veiledsentiments]

SSS

If you were a qualified teacher with a degree in education, plus CELTA or even better, an MA in TEFL, and a few years experience teaching in the field, I'd say that the fact that you are a nns would not be that important.

The fact that you have none of the above would exclude you from teaching in the Gulf. I have never heard of any 'intern' type positions. So many teachers want to teach in the UAE, that they can choose the best qualified and experienced.

Get your qualifications and a few years of experience in your own country (Canada?) and then try looking for a job in the UAE.

VS