Job Discussion Forums

Bisa Dong! · Joined: 15 Sep 2004 Posts: 24

I'm asking this on behalf of a friend as I'm already registered and he's away at a school camp at the moment.

My friend is an Australia-born Arab and Muslim. He's got a strong degree in English literature and linguistics from a top Australian university, a Diploma of Education and four years' experience teaching secondary English and ESL. In addition to his qualifications, does being an Arab enhance his employment prospects in the Mid East? He doesn't speak much Arabic and is secular in his outlook but is willing to do the 'when in Rome...' thing.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

His being of Arab background might help him with some employers and hurt with others... pretty unpredictable. What will help most are his credentials, experience, and whether he is considered a 'native speaker' of English.

VS

Bisa Dong! · Joined: 15 Sep 2004 Posts: 24

And I suppose in this context, native speaker = white?

Shame. I don't think his ethnicity has ever been an issue here; in fact it was often an asset in environments which sought diversity. He teaches English (literature) to white and non-white Aussie students at a reputable secondary school and, as far as I know, no-one has questioned his qualification to teach.

I wonder what it's be going to be like for me should I decide to teach overseas. I'm half-English, half-Indonesian and hope to attain similar qualifications in a couple of years (BA in English and secondary school teaching credentials in English and ESL). But that's for another time.

Thanks, veiledsentiments.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

As I said, it depends on the employer. Definitely apply to see what happens - it just isn't always easy to predict. One of the keys to have the best credentials you can... and experience is crucial for most of the better jobs in the Gulf.

VS

qas419 · Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 32

Well, if you think that being an Arab and a Moslem is an advantage in finding an ESL job in the Arab world, then you are wrong. Most universities in the Middle East, including Gulf regions, ask for a native-speaking candidate. By a native speaker it is not meant that English is his/her moter-tongue; otherwise, there are hundreds of Indians and South Africans whose mother-tongue is English. It is meant he/she must be white-skinned European. This of course will raise the question of how valuable ESL/EFL profession is for non-native speakers. Most Arab ESL/EFL teachers, including myself, prefer to teach translation or mthodology rather than the English langauge. It is very rare that a native speaker of English can tresspass upon this boundary; it is safe.

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

The Higher Colleges of Technology in the UAE have a number of non-native speaker Arabic and Sudanese EFL teachers. It would seem that the person in question is not an Arabic speaker but someone who speaks some Arabic; which describes lots of teachers in the UAE.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

He seems eminently qualified. I would not think the surname would present a problem.

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

HCT is advertising, on the International Jobs board, for English language teachers for new colleges in Madinat Zayed. Your friend should contact them. It's becoming very difficult to recruit teachers to the UAE and it's also very late in the season so he must be in with a chance.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Afra, do you know anything about Madinet Zayed? I noted that the Men's College is opening first. I wonder what it would be like living out there... quiet I would expect... and according to my maps over 100 km from Abu Dhabi...

But, you are right that this may be the perfect foot in the door for someone like this young man. I hope that our OP is still monitoring this thread.

VS

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

There isn't much to say about Madinat Zayed; it's small, has all the basics and lots of sand! It would be fine for anyone who didn't need big city facilities although Abu Dhabi is close enough for a day trip. It's much more conservative than the cities, as most small towns are. Families with school-age children would have to ensure that there is suitable education available as I haven't heard of an international or non-government school in the area. In fact, I had heard that one of the reasons this project had been shelved was precisely because of lack of appropriate schools. However, a couple of weeks ago, the Ministry of Education for Schools announced that all government schools would be open to all expatriot children for a fee and on passing an entrance test. Whether anyone from more developed countries would want their child in a government school is a different matter! But it does mean that HCT can truely say that there are schools.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

But, wouldn't the children have to be Arabic speakers?

I suspect that they will be sending mostly single status teachers for awhile.

VS

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

One imagines this is so. However, there has been a push to train primary school teachers to teach in English in government schools and several of the Colleges have graduates who are now working. On the other hand, at least one college has stopped its full time B Ed program. As usual in the UAE, there is cohesion.

Abba · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 97 Location: UK

My friend, if you hold an Australian, US or a UK passport, you will be considered as a native speaker of English (at least in KSA), regardless if you are originally from Nigeria or Yemen!. In addition, if you can speak a little bit Arabic, I think you will have more chance in finding a job as a an Englisg teacher (especially in KSA).

desert date · Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 67 Location: Australia

Hi there. I'm the 'young man' in question and I'd like to thank everyone for their responses to date.

My plans for going to the Middle East are not immediate. I�m quite happy teaching school here in Melbourne and right now I�m just exploring my options for teaching in other countries. To be honest, I enjoy teaching English a lot more than ESL.

My interest in the Middle East is primarily cultural. I understand that Egypt, Turkey and Morocco are probably where I should be looking at. I�m thinking that, as an alternative to teaching, I might take a year of no-pay leave and enrol in an Arabic course at a university in one of those countries and use the vacation time to travel in the region. However, I would definitely consider a well-paying job in the Arabian Gulf if I could find one.

qas419 · Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 32

Desert Date, I definitely support you and wish you good luck. I am sure the HR and recruitment officers at HCT will be soon replaced and competent and partial people will take over. Dont listen to Afra; she is speaking from a narrow perspective; she is got a job at HCT and tries to prove that HCT is a partial and indiscriminate institution. Hundreds of applications from Asians, North African and Gulf Arabs which have been turnd down prove the opposite. HCT is a racist institution. This is my last word.