Job Discussion Forums

klingklang77 · Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Posts: 10

Hi everyone! My name is Lisa and I am moving to Frankfurt the end of the year and probably going to start looking for teaching work early 2010.

My husband's job is relocating there and his job will be sponsoring him, which would, I believe, include a work visa for me. That is what I've been told.

I have 3 1/2 years work experience teaching in Australia. I am an American citizen with Permanent Residency in Australia. My husband is Australian so that is why I have been working in Australia. I have an MA in TESOL and my experience includes teaching GE and EAP. I am working at a private English school teaching GE and the University of Sydney teaching EAP. I have not done business English, but I hope to do it before I leave to get that on my resume.

My question is how difficult would it be to find a job teaching EAP? From what I understand, BE is the thing to teach over there. I also wouldn't mind teaching GE, but I think the money is in EAP.

Luckily my husband can support both of us, but I would like to have something to do and some extra income. What would be the situation for someone like me?

Thanks!

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

English for Academic Purposes (I"m assuming this is what you mean by EAP) is usually found at 1. international schools and 2. universities.

You sound qualified for both of these, but be aware that job openings are fairly rare and usually go to people with local contacts, reputation, and language skill.

Worst case scenario is that you will start out in private language schools, teaching Business English, while you build your local reputation and perfect your German....you should ultimately find whatever 'better' jobs are available.

Remember that the economy is quite weak in the region in general. I'm at a university just over the Dutch border, and we are being squeezed quite a lot just now...it's the same with our partner universities in Germany and other parts of the world.

klingklang77 · Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Posts: 10

Thank you very much!

I lived in Germany for a year when I did my German degree. My German is quite rusty, but I feel it will come back to me.

I understand the economy is weak, but there is some hope. What is private tutoring like? Can I put up flyers in unis to advertise paper checking etc.? Is that an option?

Thanks!

klingklang77 · Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Posts: 10

*Bumping*

I am now in Frankfurt and I have no idea what to do. I search for job ads, but nothing comes up. What are the names of the private English schools and where are they??

Thanks!

Insubordination · Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 394 Location: Sydney

I'd just look in the online business yellow pages

http://www.businessdeutschland.de

and type in 'fremdsprachen' and look at the websites of the results. There were

Go to:

and look in the Frankfurt section. http://www.toytowngermany.com/ This site will also help you out with a lot of things as it's a forum of expats with everything in English.

This is an English language teachers' association in Frankfurt:

http://www.eltaf.de/
or so.

English teachers in Germany forum http://elt.yuku.com/

Hello Frankfurt

http://www.hellofrankfurt.com/

Found a school here

http://www.englischkurs-bw.de/teaching-frankfurt.htm

Good luck with finding a job and your new life![/url]

Sansibar1 · Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 43

With your experience and an MA TESOL you should be able to work a few hours as a freelancer at the local university.

My advice is to just contact them, introduce yourself and your experience briefly and ask whether they happen to be looking for someone to teach a few lessons.
Might sound a bit odd, but that's usually the best way to find work at the higher institutions in Germany. They don't really post all that much on the internet.

Try here:
Gesch�ftszimmer
Senckenberganlage 31
Raum 567a
60054 Frankfurt am Main

Tel : 069/798-23629
Fax: 069/798-28068
[email protected]
www.uni-frankfurt.de

Or also here:
IHK Frankfurt (Chamber of Commerce and Industry Frankfurt)
Sabine Syed
Telefon: 069 2197-1207
www.frankfurt-main.ihk.de

This school almost always has openings:
Target Language GmbH
Address Kopernikusstr. 13
Offenbach, Hessen
63073 - Germany
Telephone 00 49 69 8484790
Fax 00 49 69 84847921
Contact person Mr. Chris Slattery, Director
www.targettraining.eu

They are based in Offenbach, which is right around the corner of Frankfurt. They have a solid reputation and only employ well qualified candidates.

You could also try the local Further Education College (Volkshochschule Frankfurt). www.vhs.frankfurt.de
They probably won't say no to a qualified native speaker.

Hope this helps.

klingklang77 · Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Posts: 10

Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

One question, though. I thought my visa would automatically come with ability to work, but it doesn't. I, of course, freaked out and we called the consulate. I was told when I find I job, I just go and get my work permit. The consulate said it would be no problem.

Does this sound right?

Sansibar1 · Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 43

klingklang77 · Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Posts: 10

Thanks all for your help. I have found a job at a language school. However, I am a bit skeptical about the direct method. Does this really work? I am not used to teaching this way.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Bertliz?

You're right to be suspicious - the 'direct' method has been widely discredited in the literature/research in the field of second language acquisition.

If you're ok with the conditions of the job, it's not a disaster to teach for such a provider.

It simply means that your experience there may not be useful on your CV for the future, assuming that you want to work for schools that use more up-to-date methods/approaches.

klingklang77 · Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Posts: 10

Similar to Berlitz. I don't want to say exactly for privacy reasons, but along the same lines.

I don't know, I went in today for my first day of training and I walked out feeling insecure about my teaching. Maybe because it is so new but I felt like I was a brand new teacher and you know that feeling isn't the best. It seems cult-ish like, lol; they kept saying this method works.

Perhaps, I should just give it a try and see what happens. From what I understand it is kind of difficult to get the job I really want at this time of year (June would be the best time to apply for a September job?).

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Yes, June or the very end of August.

So far as the direct method - don't worry - so long as you demonstrate to a later employer that you weren't a total convert, you should be OK. Very Happy

klingklang77 · Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Posts: 10

Thanks!

I am kind of worried b/c of observations and what if I don't do it their way. Ugh.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I'll make an offer, for what it's worth - I'm not the goddess of EFL!....but.....

When you have an interview with a different school pending, send me a pm with any information you have regarding a demo lesson. I'll do my best to help you get back into the mainstream mode in terms of your lesson plans and general approach Smile

(For the record, I've got 12+ years of experience, CELTA, and MA TESL/TEFL. I'm involved in hiring and teacher training in a learner-centred university setting. I know a 'little bit' about generally accepted approaches/methods).

puhutes · Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 46

BTW, I've been working in the Frankfurt/Darmstadt area for the last 2 1/2 years and have never had any problems finding work... during the big economic crisis was actually a big plus for me... people lost their jobs and wanted to work on their language skills. I moved away 2 weeks ago and still have quite a few contacts. I actually had problems to find a native speaker to replace me and totally forgot about the ESL cafe forum. If you are interested, please send me a message.