Job Discussion Forums

macka · Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 45 Location: uk

i have an MA in photography, 10 years esl teaching experience in Thailand and the Uk.

I have taught all levels from primary to university. I have also taught many different nationalities, both asian, due to my teaching in Thailand, and european, due to my 3 years teaching at a language school in the uk.

My question is: would it be posssible for me to teach in Saudi? if so, how would i go about findng a position? can work be found when you get there?..or do you have to have a job to go to? what about salaries?

any advice would be greatly appreciated

thanks

Longton · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 148

You have ESL experience but do you have any ESL qualifications?

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

You won't be able to get into the country without a job.

As you don't have a first degree you won't be allowed to teach in any school or university.

You could probably get a job at a contractor's teaching company ESL classes. Your qualificiations would tend to put you in with the less salaubrious employers, but there are jobs paying as high as SR11,000-SR12,000 teaching in companies for contractors, though the holiday pay is often not great, and the accommodation may well be shared.

Are you single? If you are married your lack of a first degree is likely to make problems when it comes to getting a visa for your dependants.

sheikh radlinrol · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1222 Location: Spain

How does SJ know that Macka doesn't have a first degree?

trapezius · Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 8:57 pm Post subject:

What does "first degree" mean anyway?

The OP has an MA, for God's sakes!

You don't need to have a degree in English to teach ESL at the majority of universities in KSA; just need an ESL qualification, which as of now, we don't know if s/he has or not.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Macka has an MA from Leeds Metropolitan University, but no undergraduate degree.

SJ knows that because Macka has posted on half a dozen forums.

You cannot teach in a school or university in Saudi without a first degree (that is to say a Bachelors before the Masters). Also they foreign Ministry insists on seeing a notarized copy of the degree before it will issue the dependents' visa.

I have had to refuse people with much better qualifications than Macka because of this problem. There was one gentleman who had qualified as a teacher at Teacher Training College one year before the UK government changed the system and converted all teacher training courses into degree courses. His teaching qualification alone was of a higher standard than the degrees awarded to many people from certain universities in the years that followed. He then worked as a teacher in the UK and EFL lecturer in Asia for thirty years and got a Masters in EFL. But, no first degree, no job.

macka · Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 45 Location: uk

i dont have afirst degree and i dont have an esl qualification!

i am looking for short term contract...moth/6month, maybe a year.

i dont mind what teaching i do.

my aim is to ge a few thousand pounds behind me, which is not really possible to do here in the uk!...and then back to thailand.

advice appreciated

thanks

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Just apply to short term contracts that go with companies. Plenty of companies need EFL teachers for a short period of time and ask contractors to provide teachers.

The lack of both the first degree and the EFL qualification are likely to work against you though.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

There are many people teaching in KSA with no first degree but an MA.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

If you are referring to people with degrees from Scottish or European
Universities that award an MA as their first degree I will agree with you. If you are referring to people who have not done an undergraduate course but only a post-graduate course I would like you to tell me where.