Job Discussion Forums

Saraclara · Joined: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 5

Hi everyone

I am completely new at this and therefore I will start with a basic question. I am a 26 year old Dutch female, have a MSc in Health psychology and am currently working at a Dutch university (since 3 years). I teach and do research and that will lead to a PhD in a year's time, hopefully.
Obviously I am not a native speaker in English, but my English is fluent after spending several long periods working in Australia and the United States.
After finishing my PhD degree I would like to take a year off and go teaching and travelling in Asia.
What would my possibilities be, not being native in English? What countries should I try?
Would there be a possibility to teach psychology in colleges/universities in Asia?
Can anyone reccomend a reliable recruiter? I guess most people arrange everything themselves, but I am so new in this, I could use some help, I guess.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I didn't know the T&T syndrome had spread to Europe, but apparently yes, it has! How unfortunate for everybody...
Anyway, you can put in a stint in this here China - though it would be wise to camouflage your identity as much as possible - not that students can tell a Zulu's English from a TIbetan's English.

Indonesia is totally out of the horizon for you. Ditto for Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan aKorea. India might be relatively open (but with far fewer opportunities than China).

Ludwig · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 5:15 am Post subject:

I am short of time, so PM me; it is not a problem. I, too, am half Dutch.

By the way, in English, it is 'a 26 year old female', not 'a 26 years old female'.

Toot ziens,

Ludwig

Saraclara · Joined: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 5

Ludwig, you got me! Smile

But... in Dutch it is 'tot ziens' and not 'toot ziens' Smile

I'll PM you!

So China? But where to start looking for work?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

You probably won't be able to teach anything aside from a language course in Asia unless you are fluent in that country's language. I can tell you that in Japan, you need a minimum of a master's degree (in the specific field), plus publications just to get your foot in the university door.

Teaching English? Well, it can be done, but despite your claim to be fluent, many Japanese employers still prefer to see 12-13 years of your education being completed in English in a native English speaking country. Not all do this,but I think you'll find most will.

Saraclara · Joined: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 5

Hi Glenski, thanks for your reply.
Well, by the time I will start looking for work I will have a PhD plus several international publications in health psychology, so that is not the problem.

But I don't really want anything permanent, since my long-term ambitions are to get a lecturers position either in Holland or in an English speaking country (Canada, Oz, NZ??)

I just want to take a year off 'serious' academic work and just teach and travel for a while..
Actually I heard there's a huge shortage of teachers in some parts of Asia, so do you really think they would be really picky about their teachers?

august03 · Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 159 Location: Jiangsu, China

Try China, the school I am currently working at is looking at taking on a couple from El Salvador, she is fluent in English (bilingual) and he has an intermediate level of English.

I have noticed that in the smaller cities they are more impressed with a nice academic CV, your PhD will go a long way. I think a CELTA or TESOL certificate would be very handy and looked favorably upon, that is, if you have the time to complete one.

hamel · Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 95

sorry roger, but you do not have your facts straight. i heard about a dutch esl teacher (female) here in pusan who is doing very well in a language institute. this is in a rather affluent part of town. women are favored in korea as esl teachers and with nearly a phd i think it is a good possibility in korea.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

hey, hamel,
I didn't get any facts wrong, matey; far from being averse to seeing Dutch teach English in Asia, I actually favour that idea.
What riles me is when people see TEFLing as a stepping-stone to backpack.
Either they come here and commit themselves; or they come here and consume and spend their savings.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

hamel · Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 95

i lived in amsterdam for a while and i know that many dutch people are fluent in english and their grammar may be better than some of the teachers i've seen working esl in asia--and korea is supposedly the "hub" of asia (and teaching jobs pay reasonably well). if a dutch person has a job sponsor in korea, i can't believe it would be a major difficulty. check with the dutch embassy i guess.
sorry roger.
hamel

AsiaTraveller · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:41 pm Post subject:

Saraclara,

Why do you necessarily need to teach English? You'll have too much competition in that field from native speakers.

In Indonesia, there is definitely a market for tutors or teachers of Dutch. Yes, English is the primary language of business and tourism. But there are enough Dutch tourists in Indonesia that tour guides and others still want to speak Dutch occasionally.

Why not lecture on some aspect of public health -- ANYWHERE in Asia? Do you have a particular specialty? Evidently you do, if you're nearly finished with a Ph.D. Why not contact health professionals, NGOs, government agencies and public health faculties at universities? Do your professors have contacts in Asia? Maybe they can connect you up with some Asian colleagues who would ask you to teach a course or offer some lectures on a topic in health psychology.

And don't forget that Bali is still dealing with the repercussions from the bombings of 2002. Health professionals from all over the world have recently worked in Bali (as volunteers as well as paid staqff) to help with relief, counselling and rebuilding efforts.

Go with your strengths and unique skills -- rather than skills that thousands of others have.

lagerlout2006 · Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 985

hamel---the problem is only citizens of Can US Oz SA NZ UK can get e-2 visa,,,,In theory a French Canadian who doesn't speak Eng is eligible but a native speaker from another country is not.

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

As one of the posters mentioned there could be a market for Dutch language teachers, does anyone know if there are language schools that are looking for German teachers? My plan was to hop over to China and try to teach English there, but if anyone knows s.th. about teaching other languages than English any info would be appreciated.
And BTW, I don't want to use TEFL as backpacking, I am a proffessional teacher and the TEFL idea came up because there does not seem to be a demand for German language teachers. (Unless you have a M.A. or PhD in German lanuage from a German uni, 20 yrs of teaching experience but not older than 30 yrs and are willing to volunteer)