Job Discussion Forums

[caleb]

Hi there.

Does anyone have any recomendations on how to explore the English teaching environment in Taipei, Taiwan?

I'm an ABC (American Born Chinese) and am visiting Taiwan for the first time. I can speak moderately fluent Mandarin, but don't understand Taiwanese, nor can I read/write any Chinese besides my chinese name
I saw on some previous posts that cram schools, or the like, may be biased against ABCs, and prefer Caucasions, regardless of actual language abilities. Hopefully, this won't be too much of an issue.

Anyways, I'm looking to take a break from the IT field after working as a computer programmer for 2+ years, and TESL sounds like a promising alternative to bumming around on my life's saving while I search for my true calling in work.

Ideally, I'd find a not-too-demanding part time or full time TESL job that would cover moderate living expenses, yet leave me with enough energy to reflect or explore Taiwan. To avoid the unpleasant experiences described in some peoples' posts, I figure my best bet is to observe TESL first-hand before committing to a long contract or an expensive CELTA or TESOL certification.

I've already tagged along with some of my Taiwan cousins to their kindergarten teaching class, and that type of TESL really doesn't seem to fit with my personality. I'm responsible and accessible when it comes to caring for kids (or work), but I'm not exactly the entertainer type, so I think I'll be better off tutoring or teaching business English to adults.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how a newcomer might observe what it's like to tutor high school/college students or teach business English to adults without committing to months of volunteer work or getting CELTA/TESOL certified? I graduated summa *beep* laude from Georgia Tech with a computer science degree, if that counts for anything in Taiwan. Also, does this belong in the newbies newsgroup?

Any feedback or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[go_lightly]

Caleb --

your intentions for tefl in Taiwan are good. i am close to an ABC (born in Taiwan but raised in NorCal for most of my life) & i will also be teaching in Taipei this August. i signed on to a chain school for the security. they classified me as a "native speaker" & stressed that i not speak Mandarin at the school. although i am not a fan of this (since my Mandarin is pretty damn good & i believe that beginning English learners should have access to their native languages when learning) i must live w/ it. in regards to the reversed discrimination for ethnic Chinese teaching English in TW -- yes, it exists, but it's worse in China. In Taiwan, esp. in Taipei, there are many ABCs as yourself floating around & the more you strut your "American" ways & English, the better.
since you only want to "observe" tefl, i would try to get a gig through personal contacts. most tefl positions in Taiwan require one-year contracts. check out www.tealit.com
you will find classifieds requesting short-term teachers and/or tutors as well as the personals. i came across an ad recently specifically requiring ABCs. unfortunately, a majority of TEFL jobs in Taiwan are for kindergartens or little kids (often the more lucrative positions) so my advice is to ask around or even advertise yourself if you are interested in tutoring professionals in business english. your BS helps. also, don't worry about not understanding Taiwanese - it's not necessary, esp. in Taipei. good luck...

[caleb]

Thanks for the encouragement, and for the info. I'm starting to work my family connections in Taiwan, and a promising summer job is already shaping up. Even though the job is focused on teaching young children, it pays pretty well $20/hr, and it's only for the summer.

I also heard that responding to ads for personal tutoring at Shi Da college might be a good way to explore tutoring college-age students. I'll also look into go_lightly's suggestion to check out tealit.com. Thanks go_lightly.

If anyone else has any suggestions on teacher-shadowing opportunities, I'd love to hear from you.

[Sheep-Goats]

[Aristotle]

Hi Caleb and welcome.
Things have actually gotten easier for overseas Chinese since the government began forbidding white or black teachers from teaching in many schools.
Seems there was some concern that Taiwanese cultural values of corruption and abuse were being neglected and not properly taught by the "Dirty Foreign Teachers".
As usual qualifications are secondary and so long as you fit the bill you shouldn't have much trouble.
Teaching children is probably your best bet as that is the area with the most potential for ESL teachers and is also the most heavily scrutinized by the "Cultural Police" on Taiwan.
20US$ an hour is a very good considering the current wage deflation occurring across the board on Taiwan.
Good luck!
A.

[clark.w.griswald]