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Jmbf
Joined: 29 Jun 2014 Posts: 663
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 10:27 am Post subject: Re: erm |
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dragonpiwo wrote: |
The oil gigs generally had the best pay and conditions but 'difficult' trainees.
Libya's a no go zone, the UAE companies are offloading their teachers, the Kazak gig died, Qatar is sewn up by a recruiter, so the pay isn't so good, Kuwait was always bad, the Iraqi gigs have gone, which leaves Saudi, where the dosh is going down and recruiters are more the norm. The direct-hire stuff is largely no more.
I'll be heading home when this is done. Good job my wife is well-qualified as TEFL in Poland is a joke. |
While in general I agree that the TEFL market is in a significant downturn, I still believe that there are decent TEFL jobs out there, it's just that they are becoming more and more difficult to find. In particular, some of the larger and wealthier Asian cities still have potential for dedicated and hard-working teachers. |
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danshengou
Joined: 17 Feb 2016 Posts: 434 Location: A bizarre overcrowded hole
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 10:48 am Post subject: |
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If you have the quals and are willing to work (sometimes a lot and in less than desirable locations), and you have a good network, you will have access to the few good jobs that are out there that offer significant savings potential. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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danshengou wrote: |
If you have the quals and are willing to work (sometimes a lot and in less than desirable locations), and you have a good network, you will have access to the few good jobs that are out there that offer significant savings potential. |
That's too general. In light of the factors (on the previous page) that impact the TESOL market now and likely in the future, can you give specifics as to the type of qualifications, experience, networking strategies, and what and where you deem as the few good jobs? |
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danshengou
Joined: 17 Feb 2016 Posts: 434 Location: A bizarre overcrowded hole
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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MA TESOL or related, 5+ years relevant post-grad experience, and friends in similar jobs you are looking for ought to do it. And if maximum savings is the name of the game, Saudi and China are probably the best options in TEFL still, though I'd go with China overall. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world
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Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 10:21 am Post subject: |
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danshengou wrote: |
MA TESOL or related, 5+ years relevant post-grad experience, and friends in similar jobs you are looking for ought to do it. And if maximum savings is the name of the game, Saudi and China are probably the best options in TEFL still. |
A TESOL-related MA + relevat teaching experience describe the current requirements for the better jobs in KSA and the Gulf, in general. But are you asserting that 10+ years from now, an MA TESOL and experience will be the norm for legit work in Asia, Europe, Latin America... etc.? Is that realistic, especially given that salaries are stagnant or declining? |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash
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Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 11:01 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
MA TESOL or related, 5+ years relevant post-grad experience, and friends in similar jobs you are looking for ought to do it |
The trend across Europe is towards more highly-qualified local teachers, as has long been the case in Scandinavia, for example. |
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danshengou
Joined: 17 Feb 2016 Posts: 434 Location: A bizarre overcrowded hole
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Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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TEFL is pretty much a Saudi-China game. Not so good. And ESL is mostly a part-time job. Depressing. An MA TESOL ranks among the worst master's degrees out there in terms of jobs and pay. So true. Any other good news? You can retrain. Wow. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world
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Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 3:55 am Post subject: Robots as language teachers? |
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For those concerned about technology eventually replacing EL teachers:
Robot takes over language teaching
EL Gazette | March 2018
Source: http://www.elgazette.com/item/493-robot-takes-over-language-teaching.html
Kids at a Finnish primary school have a new language teacher who could eventually speak over twenty languages.
Elias is a robot which understands students’ requirements and doesn’t mind repeating the same concepts countless times. Its special software also caters for recreational activities such as doing the Gangnam Style dance, Reuters reports.
Elias can recognise pupils’ level and adjusts its questions accordingly. It also provides real-life teachers with feedback about students’ areas for improvement. The only downside of this language-teaching machine seems to be its inability to maintain discipline amongst a class of primary school children.
The one-foot tall robot, which is still in its trial version, can currently communicate in English, Finnish and German.
One of the language teachers at the Tampere school that is testing Elias told Reuters: ‘I think robots and coding the robots and working with them is definitely something that is according to the new curriculum and something that we teachers need to be open minded about.’
Elias, one of four robots in a pilot program, is based on SoftBank’s NAO humanoid interactive companion robot and also includes a mobile application.
(End of article) |
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Mr. Kalgukshi Mod Team
Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Posts: 6613 Location: Need to know basis only.
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Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 12:00 am Post subject: |
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Lengthy postings exceeding 300 words are subject to deletion. |
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Yanklonigan
Joined: 23 Jan 2017 Posts: 36
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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There are still blacksmiths in the world who make a great living nailing shoes on horses. I read an article about a man who operates a shop close to Central Park in New York City, and he claimed he was making a $150,000.00 a year servicing the horses who do the carriage trot for tourists. It's great news to hear, but I still wouldn't recommend anybody to pursue the trade of blacksmith. A few well-qualified ESL professionals will do well for themselves somewhere in the world in the future, but I still wouldn't recommend anybody to pursue the profession of ESL teacher. |
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Blistering Zanazilz
Joined: 06 Jan 2018 Posts: 180
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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I wouldn't recommend anyone going into ESL teaching at this point in time either. It's not really a growth industry any longer and young people today would be far better off learning to code or getting involved in some other field that still has a future. ESL ain't that. |
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Gulezar
Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Posts: 483
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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Blistering Zanazilz wrote: |
I wouldn't recommend anyone going into ESL teaching at this point in time either. It's not really a growth industry any longer and young people today would be far better off learning to code or getting involved in some other field that still has a future. ESL ain't that. |
Anyone who is interested in teaching and traveling might consider duel certification ESL/Second Language Teaching K-12. With those qualifications you have some options:
1. Teach in your home country. You can teach Spanish, French, Russian, German, Chinese or whatever as your 2nd Language and also be the District ESL Coordinator, meaning that if your city gets the next wave of refugees, you have hours in ESL Teaching and fewer hours in Language Teaching.
2. Many international schools have foreign language classes, so you can teach a foreign language overseas and also can assist with EFL classes.
Just make sure that you don't get swamped with hours and not be paid for the overload. |
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bograt
Joined: 12 Nov 2014 Posts: 331
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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Blistering Zanazilz wrote: |
I wouldn't recommend anyone going into ESL teaching at this point in time either. It's not really a growth industry any longer and young people today would be far better off learning to code or getting involved in some other field that still has a future. ESL ain't that. |
Reading these boards it's like there are only two options available for young people today - TEFL or coding. |
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Blistering Zanazilz
Joined: 06 Jan 2018 Posts: 180
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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Obviously there are other options, and I only listed one of them. The STEM subjects are the present and the future and people would be wise to invest their time and money there rather than in becoming an ESL teacher. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash
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Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2018 1:37 am Post subject: |
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bograt wrote: |
Blistering Zanazilz wrote: |
I wouldn't recommend anyone going into ESL teaching at this point in time either. It's not really a growth industry any longer and young people today would be far better off learning to code or getting involved in some other field that still has a future. ESL ain't that. |
Reading these boards it's like there are only two options available for young people today - TEFL or coding. |
Or becoming a blacksmith in a tourist city;-) |
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