Job Discussion Forums

[desert]

I'm going to be starting a MA in TESOL this fall, but I won't have that much experience by the time of graduation. Based on my not so great experiences teaching English in Turkey and Yemen, I'm not looking forward to going overseas to a country that I don't really want to go to just for the experience. That's why I'm starting to think about other options to gain experience.

In that regard, how beneficial is it to get TA experience teaching English in graduate school? I could conceivably teach English for four years while working on a PhD in linguistics. I know that the PhD isn't necessary for teaching, but at least I wouldn't have to travel to a country that I am not interested in going to. Eventually, I would like to end up working in Kuwait.

Any comments? Advice?

Thanks in advance.

[veiledsentiments]

None of my employers except the university where I did the teaching counted it... and it only counted as a half year as it was, of course, part time. If you are looking at a job that requires MA + XX years of teaching, the time as a TA or Fellow doesn't count.

I wouldn't get a PhD for Gulf teaching unless you are going to attempt to get into a graduate program that has a TEFL program. That said, if you have no actual experience before or after the PhD, nor after the MA, you may have a problem getting hired.

I would finish the MA and get a few years of teaching and see if you can foresee ever needing a PhD in this field.

VS

[scot47]

I have known employers in KSA who were reluctant to hire those with PhDs to teach English.