Job Discussion Forums

[themusicqueen]

Hi, I'm thinking about accepting a job with Inlingua in Ancona and wondered if anybody had any info on either Ancona or Inlingua.

Any help appreciated! Thanks.

[Gregorio]

This is a very superficial response, I'll adimit, but I was in Ancona for a day and to me it looked like the "Detroit" of Italy. Is there some specific reason you picked Ancona? There are a lots of other cities with better atmospheres that you could get work.

[themusicqueen]

No particular reason for Ancona. I've applied for quite a few jobs in Italy now and so far this one seems like the best option (money-wise...need to make a little this year).

With only a little experience and no CELTA (and my age might possibly have a part to play too), I haven't found it that easy to find a job.

If anyone has any other information on Inlingua or Ancona please share.

[Boy Wonder]

Inlingua are the McDonalds of Italy.....but you will probably meet some nice students, decent colleagues and if they don't put you on 6 day weeks you may get the chance to travel around.
Just make sure you bring your own loo roll as the one I worked at sometimes didn't get round to replacing it....expensive stuff in Italy obviously!!

[John Hamilton]

I wouldn't touch Inlingua with a barge pole. There may be the odd one that's OK but I have only ever heard stories of teachers being overworked and underpaid. They use their own method which sounds very restrictive.
Surely you can find a better spot and a better school. I've seen salaries offered as low as 700 euros a month which makes them far worse than Macdonalds and an insult to the profession.

John

[Boy Wonder]

The one I worked at was so bad that it wasn't just an insult to the profession but an insult to other Inlingua schools!!!

[susselady]

Hi,
I have recently been offered a job with Inlingua in Ancona and am now getting a bit worried after having seen some of the posts on here. As a graduate with a simple TEFL weekend course I find a lot of jobs require more qualifications etc. Im just planning on Italy for a year before I come back home to do my PGCE. What exactly were the problems with Inlingua? Has anyone worked for the branch in Ancona? Has anyone had any positive experience with this company?
Can anyone suggest any reputable schools who would take someone with not so many qualifications? (but nearly a year of experience!)
Thanks!

[Chitchat]

You will be asked to sign a contract for 34 hours teaching - you may think this is not a realistic situation and sign regardless � you would be wrong!
They also don�t mention the possibility of an 8.00am start, and a 9.30pm finish, in fact at the interview they will stress an early start gets and early finish � wrong!
You will be offered initial accommodation in a village close to Avellino. The accommodation is great (you pay of course), and they tell you the buses are regular � wrong!
Well in fact the buses are supposed to be regular, but unfortunately this is on the worst bus route in Southern Italy � coming direct from Naples - & you never know when a bus will arrive (if at all).
Also they tell you the bus home from town leaves the bus station in Avellino at 9.20pm, so if you run from your lesson which finishes at 9.30 you�ll make it easily � wrong!
It took me a week to discover that the bus officially leaves at 9.20 and you will always miss it! (they are on time going towards Naples),so you then have to wait in the open air until 10.35 for the next one!
So you arrive home at 11 to leave the next morning at 8? Nice.

I was working between 34 & 38 hours a week, but actually spending 60 or 70 hours out of the house every week.

They will show you an apartment or two in the town, but the norm in Italy is to rent without furniture (or even a kitchen) so your choices are severely limited.

You arrive, and your first days� training is to watch the inlingua DVD � and that�s it! Now this is not a normal TEFL method, in fact it�s awful, but you must learn it because next comes your practice lesson teaching the boss. You will say the exact words laid out in the method or you will repeat it again & again until you reach robotic tendencies! When you�re in the classroom you can do what you want, but in the training you will do it the inlingua way!

inlingua is of course a franchise but this school strays so far outside the inlingua way of operating it�s ridiculous- no pay for no-shows, no holiday pay, working hours overload, etc etc.

Not a pleasant experience and one to be avoided

[susselady]

Thanks chitchat for the advice! Luckily i didnt take the job after reading so much bad press about it and am now sticking in england to get my PGCE so maybe if i decide to go abroad i might be able to get something better than inlingua
Just feel sorry for whoever DID take the place!