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Algoroth
Joined: 27 Jun 2013
Posts: 2
Location: Alabama
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 Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 3:56 pm Post subject: Experienced IS/CS Professor |
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Hi,
My wife taught ESL in Oman and Saudi Arabia before we met. We are now considering looking for teaching positions in the region as a couple. I have been a full-time professor of information systems/computer science in the USA since 1996, and hold a B.S.B.A. and a M.S. in Management, both with a focus on Management Information Systems. We are both Americans.
In looking through the forums on this site, I found numerous posts stating that online ESL certificates were not accepted because they did not include a classroom teaching component. However, given my extensive teaching experience, will an online ESL/EFL teaching certificate qualify me for an ESL position in the Middle East?
Would a ESL/EFL certificate make it easier to find a position in the Middle East teaching in IS/CS/IT?
Thank you!
Michael |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Algoroth wrote: |
| In looking through the forums on this site, I found numerous posts stating that online ESL certificates were not accepted because they did not include a classroom teaching component. However, given my extensive teaching experience, will an online ESL/EFL teaching certificate qualify me for an ESL position in the Middle East? |
No, an online TEFL cert wouldn't get your CV a second look---the same goes for your lack of EFL teaching experience. Even if you get a CELTA, your unrelated degree + lack of (post-CELTA) EFL teaching experience wouldn't get your CV second look.
| and wrote: |
| Would a ESL/EFL certificate make it easier to find a position in the Middle East teaching in IS/CS/IT? |
No because the focus would be on teaching content and not EFL. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:10 pm Post subject: Re: Experienced IS/CS Professor |
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| Algoroth wrote: |
| My wife taught ESL in Oman and Saudi Arabia before we met. We are now considering looking for teaching positions in the region as a couple. I have been a full-time professor of information systems/computer science in the USA since 1996, and hold a B.S.B.A. and a M.S. in Management, both with a focus on Management Information Systems. We are both Americans. |
Are you looking for a position teaching EFL, or a position teaching IS or CS? It makes a difference. I'd think you're much more likely to find a position teaching in your fields of IS or CS than trying to get a job that you have no training for or experience in.
| Quote: |
| However, given my extensive teaching experience, will an online ESL/EFL teaching certificate qualify me for an ESL position in the Middle East? |
As nomad soul stated, no, an online certificate will not qualify you for an EFL position in the Middle East. It seems that the standard is a related MA (i.e., in applied linguistics or TESOL) and at least a couple years teaching EFL (post-MA). I've heard that in some places, one can scrape by with a CELTA (a 4-week full-time course), but many of those are less than ideal working/living situations.
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| Would a ESL/EFL certificate make it easier to find a position in the Middle East teaching in IS/CS/IT? |
Would a mini-course in CS make it easier for me to find a job teaching EFL? Probably not.
For teaching IS/CS at a university, your lack of a PhD might hurt you, but I'm not really sure. Are you teaching at a community college in the US? I know the Chronicle of Higher Ed forum has a section on working in the Middle East -- you might want to ask there as well. |
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Algoroth
Joined: 27 Jun 2013
Posts: 2
Location: Alabama
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| Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:40 pm Post subject: Re: Experienced IS/CS Professor |
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Thank you both for the information!
I'm just exploring my options at this point. It sounds like a quality ESL position in the Middle East will require a return to graduate school, likely not making that a worthwhile option at my age. Continuing as a CS/IS/IT professor sounds like a better path to pursue.
| Quote: |
| Would a mini-course in CS make it easier for me to find a job teaching EFL? Probably not. |
I asked because a lot of non-ESL professors have difficulty teaching students that have not mastered English. If an ESL certificate would give me an "edge" over other CS/IS/IT professors, then it would be worth pursuing.
Thanks again!
Michael |
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Wilsonthefarmer
Joined: 13 Nov 2012
Posts: 152
Location: Riding my black horse
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| Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 7:50 pm Post subject: Re: Experienced IS/CS Professor |
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| Algoroth wrote: |
If an ESL certificate would give me an "edge" over other CS/IS/IT professors, then it would be worth pursuing.
Thanks again!
Michael |
An ESL certificate would not give you an "edge" over CS/IS/IT professors. Because the position of Assistant/Associate/Professor in the ME universities requires you to hold a PhD as a minimum qualification, and the salary and benefits are very much better then an ESL teacher or a lecturer.
Your best option is a lecturer in CS/IS/IT in a university, where the mininum qualification is a Master.
Good luck. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Algoroth wrote: |
| I asked because a lot of non-ESL professors have difficulty teaching students that have not mastered English. If an ESL certificate would give me an "edge" over other CS/IS/IT professors, then it would be worth pursuing. |
Again, no---the focus is on teaching content (CS/IS/IT...) and not on EFL. Big difference.
| Wilsonthefarmer wrote: |
| Because the position of Assistant/Associate/Professor in the ME universities requires you to hold a PhD as a minimum qualification, and the salary and benefits are very much better then an ESL teacher or a lecturer. Your best option is a lecturer in CS/IS/IT in a university, where the mininum qualification is a Master. |
And some positions require (or prefer) the instructor be fluent in both Arabic and English, which is why the majority of those slots go to Arabic speakers who are usually PhD holders.
Anyway, try Qatar Community College (see higheredjobs.com), which is affiliated with Houston Community College. Additionally, if you're up to committing to university study for at least a year, seriously consider getting a graduate certificate in instructional (educational) technology or instructional systems design. That would expand your tech knowledge into teaching and learning and should boost your chances for work in a variety of industries in the Gulf, especially in the UAE. |
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