Job Discussion Forums

[CanMet]

I wonder if anyone can recommend some useful websites or give some information about teaching in OMAN and other countries in the Gulf.
Thank you very much

CanMet

[sperling]

Hi -

A good start would be to read the Oman section of my Job Information Journal at:

http://www.eslcafe.com/jobinfo/middle_east/sefer.cgi?Oman

All the best,

Dave Sperling
Founder
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Dave's ESL Cafe
http://www.eslcafe.com

[scot47]

Isn't it strange how few posts there are on Oman ! Are all the EFL teachers in Oman so blissfully happy that they never need too post ?

[zakiah25]

The situation here usually revolves around Sultan Qaboos University, the various Teachers Colleges and assorted institutes. I don't know about the University but change comes slowly in the Teachers Colleges but recently they did eventually change their basic text from Headway to New Interchange after suggestions from teachers. The bad news comes from Al Rakaib Institute in Muscat which is starting to behave like every other bad institute that you have read about in this forum. Recently, they tried to make a resigning teacher (who had given the required 3 months notice) pay all recruitment costs (advertising and airfares) for a new teacher which wasn't stipulated in the original contract.

[MindTraveller]

Here's a site I found that's pretty good for all of Arabia - with connections to local Arabian English newspapers:

http://www.albawaba.com/countries/index.ie.php3?lang=e

Oman isn't very large. So when someone like "Bill" posted about his experiences here in Oman, EVERYONE knew who was talking. I had worked with him and respected his general comments on Arabia. They were correct. His comments on Oman were a bit off the mark because of his own behavior and the resulting problems he caused for his co-workers and the Omanis.

So people in Oman don't talk much because there aren't that many of us, and word DOES get around. Suffice to say, teaching in the colleges, like I do, outside Muscat, is very isolating. There's not even a decent restaurant or a hotel with a swimming pool here. I have to drive 2 hours one way or 2 hours in the opposite direction to even see a movie. The local video shops aren't very good, but cable tv is excellent. The teaching is on par with other teaching situations in the Gulf.

Unlike in Asia, we do get paid! Maybe late, sometimes, but we do get paid. We get paid a bit less than teachers in the UAE. On the plus side, we can save more easily because there's practically nothing to spend your money on in some of the towns where the six teacher colleges are located.

Personally, I much prefer Arabic laid-back (lots of vacation time) mentality compared to Asia's 'be at your desk 10 hours a day'.

If you have any specific questions, write and I'll see if I can answer them.

Sincerely,
MindTraveller

[inscrutable]

Ahlan wa sahlan, MindTraveller,

Your post caught my attention because the picture it paints supports my own mental image of Oman. I have been enchanted by the place ever since I saw it from the air during a flight from Delhi to Jeddah 20 years ago.

I am a 51 year old male who has spent most of his life in technical publications. I worked for six years in Jeddah during the 1980s and more recently spent a few months in Bahrain. I earned a BA in English (writing) in 1996 but have no experience teaching.

I am now ready for a change and am looking at teaching ESL/EFL. Whatever others may think of it, my dream destination is Oman. I have been looking at the CELTA and TEFL courses offered by Bridge Linguatec in Denver, Colorado.

Knowing that Oman is quite pro-British, my question for you is this: would I be more likely to find a good job in Oman with the CELTA, or will the TEFL work equally well? They are very similar in terms of hours of training, teaching hours, etc. It's just that the CELTA carries the Cambridge cachet.

Thanks so much for any advice you can offer--assuming you're still in Oman!

[MindTraveller]

Right now, with a background in publications (writing) you may easily find a job at the Higher Colleges of Education, but ask to work with the Intensive English program which is now at Sohar, Rustaq and Nizwa. Don't accept unless you get into that program!

The students are motivated and the materials are good. It's a new program this year, so there's been a lot of problems making syllabi and testing..... and next year will be the same with the program, because the students will be taking advanced writing and other course in English. And yes, they need to have teachers who can teach writing. I hope you can do that?

Despite the pro-British attitude in many Gulf countries, the teacher colleges switched from the British HEADWAY to the USA-American INTERCHANGE books and for the Intensive courses, are using the same books as Sultan Qaboos University - NORTHSTAR.

I don't know if TEFL or CELTA are preferred, but a Masters is preferred, with some teaching experience.... However, they really need teachers for the Intensive program - and would like to hire more native speakers.

The problem is that Oman has only one real city, and I have to go to the UAE to see a decent movie. Nizwa is a bit large, and Sohar is just an hour from Al Ain, in the UAE. So the postings are a bit remote with little social life among the ex-pats - that I know of. You can start an on-line distance program for a Masters in Linguistics..... That would be a good thing to do too.

So apply, take that course, and do some volunteer teaching ASAP!

I hope this helps you.

[veiledsentiments]

Inscrutable,

I agree with Mindtraveller, but would add a personal suggestion and expansion to it. I would say that CELTA would be your best choice. It is a fully recognized piece of paper and most important, they teach you how to teach.

I also second the suggestion that you go to your nearest adult education provider and offer to volunteer in their classes. It is a great way to get some varied teaching experience with some experienced teachers. (besides giving you something to put on your CV/resume)

You didn't mention any other education, but if you have no degrees at all, you will not be eligible for many of the acceptable teaching jobs in the Gulf.

The reality is that you will only have a real chance at employment if they are short of applicants. Naturally, they prefer people with MAs in TEFL and as much experience as possible.

VS

[inscrutable]

Thanks, VS, I'm so glad you dropped into this thread. I have read lots of both your and MindTraveller's posts throughout the cafe, and you seem to be veritible fonts of information in this area!

I have edited my original post to correct the omission: I have a BA in English (writing). Most of my tech. pubs. work has been in graphics, however I have over the last few years done some writing and editing, and even some instructional design. Most of my work over the last 20+ years has been with engineering firms.

A month ago I would have been delighted with your recommendation to go for the CELTA. I was gung ho to go to St. Giles in San Francisco. Then I learned about Bridge-Linguatec, right here in Denver. They also offer the CELTA, however I learned just last week that they didn't have enough applicants for the March 8th course so they switched it to TEFL. They won't offer another CELTA until May 10th. St. Giles has a CELTA in April, assuming there's space in it, but a month in SFO would be rather expensive. Since I am currently unemployed I am in somewhat of a hurry, so I had just about decided to go ahead and do the TEFL on March 8th.

Getting back to Oman, I thing teaching writing would be fun. I hadn't even thought about it till you mentioned it, MindTraveller! These Higher Colleges of Education you mention, are they part of SQU?

MT, you suggested doing a MA in linguistics; VS, you suggested doing one in TEFL. Can either of you recommend a specific school or program to do this by distance?

Shukran jazilan.

P.S. I am not the least concerned about leisure activities. As long as I have internet access, the occasional video will be fine. Plus, I look forward to working on my very rudimentary Arabic.

[veiledsentiments]

Hi Inscrutable,

One problem with the Gulf is that it isn't a great place to learn Arabic and Oman does have a dialect that is not widely used. The only place I ever used my Arabic was when I was living in Egypt and when I was traveling to places like Jordan or Syria.

Most related MA's are in Linguistics, Applied Linguistics or TESL/TEFL. Afraid I can't help with distance MAs, but you might want to look into the Fellowship program at the American University in Cairo. Though I expect that they are filled for Sept 04, you might want to think about '05. There is nothing like a free MA!! It is also a great place to use and learn Arabic. Check out their website or get in touch with their NYC office. You could teach for the year in between.

I taught writing for years all around the Middle East. I enjoyed it - when I wasn't sick and tired of correcting essays!! Mind Traveller suggested the intensive program and knowing Omani students as I do, that is likely rather low level writing skills.

VS

[MindTraveller]

I had nightmares last night! From the advice I gave inscrutable!

Can you write a quiz? A test? Can you make a test easier or harder? Can you calculate grades? Can you handle petty annoyances from students? Do you have classroom management skills?

Can you/will you follow a syllabus or do as you darn well please in the classroom? Do you ever flunk students? Are you easily swayed by students' complaints?

Do you have a 'clean' vocabulary? (Not even 'damns' are allowable in the classroom).

Can you supplement difficult stuff in a text book with your own materials? How's your knowledge of grammar - especially when teaching to non-native speakers?

Can you make a syllabus? Can you teach writing using the Writing as Process method? Do you know what Writing Across the Curriculum is? Do you know how to grade students' writing when they are weak, without destroying their egos? Do you know how to offer interesting topics for students to write about? Can you drop an activity when you realize it's not working - or immediately change it to fit the students' levels?

Do you have a teaching certificate? Have you done any student teaching?

I just started to worry that I was encouraging Inscrutable to come to my college and cause me lots of heartache. If you haven't been in a classroom, please don't come to Oman..... Go to China or Korea or some place else to learn some classroom/teaching skills. I'm sorry I was so optomistic earlier. But after sleeping on it, and imagining Inscrutable as a new colleague, I freaked. The last thing I want to deal with is another teacher who can't, won't, or doesn't know how to teach.

Perhaps Oman isn't a good start because of the lack of skills. With lack of skills and such a difficult culture, the double-whammy might be too much to handle.

A year spent getting a teaching certificate is well-spent. It's better than just a CELTA or the other. You can get a teaching certificate, take some other classes like I have done, and then add EFL/ESL onto your teaching license.

Please forgive me for being overly optomistic earlier. This is my fourth year here in Oman and working with people who can't teach has been a problem nearly every semester. I really don't want to endure more of that if I can avoid it. It really creates a stressful atmosphere when people who can't teach are hired......

So take what I said before, and now, with a grain of thought and make up your own mind. But if you land here, and can't write a quiz or a test, don't expect me to teach you. I'm not paid for that.

[inscrutable]

Dear, dear MindTraveller, don't get yer knickers in a twist. I have not packed my bags for Oman. Besides no teaching experience, I don't have an MA--which you said was required by the Higher Colleges of Education. Hence, I shall not be arriving until I am prepared--at least not to work with you. Just FYI, yes, I can do quite a lot of what you list above and, as a writing major I am familiar with Writing as Process and Writing Across the Curriculum.

I signed on the dotted line today for Bridge-Linguatec's TEFL program, which I will complete on 2nd April. After that I will try for a job in Yemen where I can gain some newbie experience.

Thanks VS, I have looked into the AUC fellowship and downloaded the application form. Perhaps I will try for that next year. The deadline is February for the following autumn.

Your "lecture" about Gulf Arabic brought a smile to my face. What Arabic I can muster is Hijazi dialect, which elicited a giggle from the room boy at the Bahrain Hilton when I told him, Ana ma'atkallum araby quayyis. They don't like that MISRable slang in Bahrain! My Egyptian colleague elicited a similar response from the girls behind the counter at the Dairy Queen--they thought his accent was hilarious.

Though I'm sure I would pick up some local dialect if I lived in Oman, it was my readin' and writin' I was hoping to improve upon--for which, thankfully, I have books.

Cheers to you both and thanks!

[MindTraveller]

Dear Inscrutable,

No, I'm not gonna get my knickers in a twist.... I just had another hard day at the College of Education (not HIGHER Colleges - those are in the UAE) so I have other things on my mind.

Oman does hiire people without MAs, and the HCT does too, but often those people have teaching credentials and teaching experience in their home countries.

I didn't mean to come on too strong, but I ususally do. Sorry about that. I hope your knicers aren't twisted either.

[veiledsentiments]

Hi Guys,

Well, at least my knickers are fine. I must say that after years in the Gulf I completely understand the situation that Mindtraveller is talking about. It can be frustrating to work with people who you have to 'carry' even though they often get the same pay as you. such is life---

BTW, MT, if you look back in the thread, it is you that confused our newbie with reference to the 'higher' colleges of education. Now we are even confusing ourselves.

Inscrutable

The folks around the Gulf always found my Arabi Masri highly amusing. I never got a 'negative' reaction. The students loved to switch over to the dialect and joke with me. People found it so funny to hear basically Baladi Arabic from the mouth of an American female - since I learned most of it from taxi drivers, boabs and vendors in Egypt. I have found it a useful icebreaker all over the Arab world - it has great effect during bargaining sessions - it just charms their socks off.

VS

[inscrutable]

No twisted knickers here!

I would never arrive at a posting in Oman or anywhere else if I weren't prepared to carry my weight.

MT: Sorry you're having a rough time. Sounds like you need to chill out and do a bit of mind traveling.

VS: Great anecdotes. Guess I'll have to work on my Misri Baladi dialect!

Cheers.