Job Discussion Forums

[VanIslander]

After nearly three years of teaching ESL abroad, happy as punch with it all, I feel the urge to change countries to do what I do elsewhere simply out of wanderlust and intrigue.

I'd like to know what it was like for those who have taught ESL in different countries. Was it basically the same? What differences did you experience in the classroom? What changes did you have to make in your teaching style?

How was it?

[sigmoid]

I've taught in both Bangkok, Thailand [for many years] and Saigon, Viet Nam [for a few months]. I thought the teaching aspects were pretty similar, but that Saigon was not quite ready for prime time. Of course those two countries are geographically and culturally close.

I have contemplated Saudi Arabia and nearby Gulf countries, China and Taiwan without taking the plunge after research. Now I'm thinking about Korea solely due to financial concerns, still in the research phase.

[basiltherat]

Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi and Syria.
I concur with previous poster, very similar. Generally, I found Malaysians to be more adult in their attitude to learning than Indonesians. Their languages are similar so they had similar problems language-learning wise.

Saudi was very challenging with an apparent lack of enthusiasm; not only for English but for almost everything else, too.
Clearly, Arabs have problems with written work especially spelling. Syrians are more advanced than Saudis in this respect though. Few Syrians have real problems with writing.

Syrians are really great to teach - except for the odd clown here and there.
In all above countries bar Malaysia, politics, sex and religion were No-Nos.
It has not been difficult to adapt.
btw, where r u thinking of going next ?
regards
basil

[dmb]

I spent 12 years in Turkey, then went to Qatar for 18 months. I am now back in Turkey. Glad to be back. Home again

[Hector_Lector]

And all that despite having an English grandparent.

[2 over lee]

Australia
China
New Zealand
Argentina
Chile.

In that order.

Regrets? Not being able to find a good job in Argentina.

I feel much better balanced in life than a year ago, now having experienced Asia and Latin America. Many of the frustrations I met in China exist here as well.

I think I'll give Indonesia a nudge next. I'd like to try Japan or Russia, but not sure I have the energy left! This coming from an aged 27. But then again can anything ever compete with the People's Republic of Chaos (P.R.C.)?

Differences in the classroom? Enormous. We can discount NZ and Australia as most of the students there were Asian with a smattering of Russians and Brazillians. A multilingual classroom does make the teacher less of an outsider.

China-sleepy students. We want more opportunity to speak, but this is not interesting. Same questions everyday.

South America. Great, never shut-up. But, hard to control and keep on topic, too many hormones coursing through the veins.

[dmb]

Shhhh that's a secret.

[VanIslander]