Job Discussion Forums

[JamieMarie]

I am highly thinking of teaching ESL overseas-Europe: Austria, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic. I really have no idea where to start. Could someone please fill me in on what should be my beginning steps? I am thinking about going in the summer/next fall.

I have one more course to take to complete my MATESOL. If I decide to stay in the USA a little longer to complete this by the end of next fall 2006 will it be hard to find a job in January-Febuary 2007?

What country do you recommend?

How do I go about applying for a working visa/EU passport?

Can one interview long distance?

Do I need CELTA if I am on my way to having an MATESOL?

If I want to speed up my MATESOL does anyone know of a program that accepts a lot of credits from another university?

If this helps, I am a native English speaker, living in the USA all of my life. I am a 28 year old single female. I have experience working with adult ESL students as a volunteer tutor and teacher, I am currently working as an elementary ESL teacher. I have four years prior experience teaching fourth grade. I should have my MATESOL very soon.
How good are my chances landing a job in Europe?


Thank you so much for your time and help!
Jamie

[Jizzo T. Clown]

I think all of these questions have been addressed on this board before. Go to the boards of the countries you're interested in. Do your homework-you've got plenty of time, as there will always be a demand for someone with an MA TESOL (though certain markets are drying up). As for an EU passport, I don't think that's a possibility if you hold an American passport. You could go on a tourist visa and work illegaly (though likely not for a school). I could be off - base here, though.

[spiral78]

Jizzo's basically correct.

You should check specific countries for application for citizenship rules: in some cases, if you have recent ancestry from a country, you can apply for citizenship. Otherwise, it's basically impossible for a US citizen to obtain EU citizenship without marrying an EU member citizen.

That said, it is still possible for non-EU citizens to obtain work permission for the new EU member countries like the Czech Repbulic, though EU members are already preferred.

Generally, you must be on site to interview for Europe, though there may be exceptions occasionally. For further information, I agree with the Clown that you'll get more precise details from the country forums, or even the general Europe forum. You might spend some time reading through the forums before asking very general questions.

[Cdaniels]

[spiral78]

I noticed that as well, but in the past those of us who have pointed out grammatical/syntactical errors have been flamed. The general attitude seems to be that we should forgive all of these things because people are writing quickly - so posting on Dave's is rather equivalent to writing and SMS message, I suppose.

I agree with the basic point that it's generally more productive to try to offer whatever advice we can without scolding anyone for their hasty writing. After all, I know what it means to be paying for every minute online! But I have to admit that I sometimes wonder about the mistakes that people make. After all, this forum is for teachers/aspiring teachers of the English language.....shouldn't most of us be fairly adept at the basics of correct grammar/wording in English?

Well, it's a rhetorical question. And if I were asked the question directly, I would probably still fall on the side of ignoring the errors and offering the best advice I can, for whatever that might be worth.

[Sweetsee]

Maybe they meant to say, " I am high thinking of..."?
Makes you wonder, though.

[JamieMarie]

I just want a little help on what I should do to get started. I didn't ask for anyone to correct my writing and I don't think I need it. Maybe you have never heard the phrase..but this is what I meant...

I am really thinking about.........

I know that I actually wrote..........
I am highly thinking about.....

But.....

Main Entry: highly
Part of Speech: adverb
Definition: well
Synonyms: awful, awfully, bloody, but good, decidedly, deeply, eminently, exceedingly, exceptionally, extraordinarily, extremely, greatly, hugely, immensely, jolly, mighty, much, mucho, notably, parlous, plenty, powerful, profoundly, real, [b]really[/b], remarkably, right, so, strikingly, supremely, surpassingly, terribly, terrifically, too much, tremendously, vastly, very, very much

I want to thank anyone who is willing to give me some advice/help and not feel that because they are teachers..they have to point out mistakes.

Jamie

[Sweetsee]

Okay, okay don't have to get all mad.
Do you have a U.S. passport?

[JamieMarie]

I am not mad..just saying...all I want is help.

Yes, I have a passport from the US.
I got it last spring.

[Jizzo T. Clown]

Maybe some people like to point out others' mistakes because it gets their post #'s up.

Then again, maybe they don't correct their students' mistakes enough and like to practice on unsuspecting fast typers here on the board.

[Sweetsee]

Okay, don't know how much help I can be but I am willing to try.

So, you have a passport and I recall you mentioned some European
countries you are considering: Austria, Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. Any reason you chose to mention those countries or are you completely up in the air about where you'd wish to travel to?

[JamieMarie]

Well, from what I have read on the board, it is hard to get a full-time ESL job in Germany and it is more freelance. I would like regular work. I think Poland or Czech Republic would be the better choices. Right now I am looking for summer work in Poland.

[Jizzo T. Clown]

Cdaniels--

Can you make your avatar smaller?! It's hard to read with all the text on one side of the page.

Thx.

[Sweetsee]

Hi Jamie,

Well, that sounds to me like a very good choice. Just yesterday I was reading a report on the current business climate there and about the tough competition the Poles were placing on their neighbors. Seems they have never before been taken seriously and are now doing very well. As they begin to expand their economy there will no doubt be a demand to learn English.

Still, I wonder why you have chosen Europe, seems to me that there is a far greater demand in Asia?


Enjoy,
s

[JamieMarie]

Thank you for replying again to my post.

Ok...so I have an American passport.....now what should I do?





Also, should I take a CELTA course, if I am pretty close to a MATESOL?
Is CELTA ever required in the US to teach ESL? I am thinking about spending sometime in Europe this summer 2006 to either travel around, teach at a summer school or a camp, or take a class CELTA. Should I take a CELTA course while I am there this summer or should I wait until I know for sure I am giong to teach in a certain country? Which qualification do most schools prefer?

Do some schools prefer you have some type of second language? I took German for four years in high school, but have since lost a lot of it. I was thinking about taking a CELTA class in Germany or a German class there if I have the time to practice my German. ( I would like to go to Europe for two months just to test the waters before I take the plunge of teaching there for a year.)


Sorry that I am rambling....any advice will be of great help to me.

Thanks a bunch


Sweetsee...I have chosen Europe because I tend to like the culture/area a little better. I wouldn't completely rule out Asia though. :0 )