Job Discussion Forums

[RAHMA.Alfoori]

I am enthralled by the teachers' awareness of the importance of discussing what students and teachers encounter of predicaments, intricacies & worriment in learning or teaching English Language. Discussing the logistics of MOHE is also of great paramountcy to guarantee a good quality of pedagogy and therefore learning. Constructive criticism of any educational issue may contribute to developing different aspects of education in Oman.

As an Omani citizen and overall a lecturer at one of the colleges under the MOHE, I can voice your suggestions to the Ministry of Higher Education that we can guarantee a good quality of learning in our institutions. I am sure that the administration of the ministry is very concerned with the importance of quality in every aspect of education. The Sultanate of Oman is rated the second country in the world that allots a great amount of its budget and attention to education according to the 2006 UNESCO report of education in Oman.

Oman Forum raises numerous questions that cannot be answered unless there are thorough studies:

1-What should the criteria be for choosing expat instructors or teachers at the university level?

2-Do they have to have specialized degree in the field of English Language & Literature? Is experience of teaching in this field or nativity (speaking English as a first language) sufficient as a criterion? Isn't it a risk of quality of teaching/learning that we get the teachers who have never taught English as instructors of English Language?

3-Why is accent considered a matter of death & life in teaching English Language? Why don't we just focus on the linguistic competence & major of teachers? We have been taught by Arabs in the field of linguistics abroad so how come Arabs or others from different nationalities are not given those opportunities in their countries?

4-Are the materials of the foundation programme above the heads of students or teachers? If they are, why? Is it because of the students' level or the teachers' level? Have the teachers, aware of this problem, addressed it to the ministry?

5-Is students' school background weak? Why is it weak? Is it because "bad teaching makes bad learning'? Doesn't the same apply to higher institutions?

6-The generation of basic education students has not graduated from schools yet. Are the colleges prepared for that?

8-Isn't it important that we bring academics specialized in these fields, linguistics (phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, psycholinguistics) & literature?


Many questions have been raised on the forum and they need more exploration. I believe that an Omani teacher's perspective would contribute in bringing new insights into the understanding of these difficulties. Till this moment, my mind is still on the process digesting these important issues concerning our teachers and probably one day I will get you some suggested solutions.

Rahma

[Archangel]

Hi Rahma,

Welcome to Dave's ESL forum!! I read your postings with great interest. You have brought with you a refreshing breeze, actually more like a bucket of cold water. We are all still in a state of shock. Please give us time to "digest" YOU!!

Rahma sweetie, I think I know who you are, and if you are the person I am thinking of, then I know you are a bubbly and enthusiastic Omani young woman and efficient administrator now lecturer.

If you want "constructive criticism" about the MOHE, the Colleges, the quality of teaching and teachers, teaching and learning styles, Methodology, Curricula , what's wrong with the Foundation Program, down to unequal salaries and carpark availability, then sweetie, I can give you a whole list of problems and complaints from Sohar College where I am working now.

How big is your email storage capacity?

Lastly, a word of advice from someone who likes and admires you: please be careful on this forum. English teachers can be a nasty, vindictive bunch. Watch your back.

Take care and good luck!!

[veiledsentiments]

The problems and questions have really not changed since I arrived at SQU soon after it opened in the 1980's. The questions and solutions don't really need study... they have been studied and discussed endlessly. I have worked with many dedicated professionals in the Ministry and even some of my old students are there.

The problem starts in the schools, of course. If they wish to continue teaching university level in English, they need to start that in early primary school... a true bi-lingual program... to show students why they have to stop skipping their English classes. The Emirates is trying to start a program like this and I suspect that Oman has the same plans. This involved starting to teach science and math in English from early on. As I said, this idea was being discussed back in the 1980's.

As to expat teacher qualifications, that is all about economics. When I was hired, all teachers were required to have an MA plus one year of teaching experience after the MA (and preferably a few years before). All of the teachers there were experienced professionals.

But as student number ballooned, Oman could not afford to hire this many teachers with MAs. At the same time, pay stagnated and they started cutting benefits - while the other Gulf countries were raising pay and benefits. That meant that most of the better qualified teachers didn't consider Oman. The Ministry also decided that it would get out of hiring and use agents to recruit. Recruiters get the same payment no matter what kind of teacher they hire. So, they tend to hire anyone that can breathe and might almost speak English - no credentials or experience needed. This leads to a high turnover and much of the comment about problems within the various MOHE branches that we see on here. There also put too many inexperienced people into management positions that they can't handle. Again, it is because of the low salaries being offered.

The dedicated and professional teachers find it very frustrating to teach with the untrained and inexperienced teachers and managers... and as usual, it is the students who get shortchanged. My second stint in Oman I took a cut in pay because I enjoy Oman and the Omani students were my favorite. But that is because I could afford to do so... most teachers can not.

MOHE knows the problems and solutions. The problem will always come down to economics and the normal bureaurcratic tendency to fight any changes in the status quo. But it is up to the Omanis themselves to push for the changes... and they are the ones who decide what the country's priorities are.

VS

[Geronimo]

Rahma,

If I had the temerity, I would welcome you to planet Earth on behalf of all my fellow earthlings - with the exception of Archangel and Steppy-boy, of course. I was going to advise you on behalf of Archangel Steppy-Boy, to avoid Sohar College. Of all the places on this fair blue and green ball, it is definitely the one to skip... But I notice that Archangel - who works there him/herself, apparently- has already beaten me to it. Now down to the serious stuff...

In response to your questions 1 to 3:- Before these questions can be addressed effectively the nature of the various roles of the so-called "English Teacher" need to be defined. Detailed Job Profiles need to be created subsequent to a major overhaul of the organisational structure. Pricipal Accountabilities need to be established along with the Skills Profiles; the appropriate Aptitude and Outlook descriptions, as well as the the Qualifications Profiles, etc.. (Culture shock!)

These processes require input from Human Resource Management professionals. So, my first question is:- Does the MOHE have the necessary HRM expertise to call upon? (No.)

Regarding your Question 3 - Why do you claim -as an Omani teacher in Oman yourself- that "Arabs or others from different nationalities are not given those opportunities in their own countries" ?!

Veiled Sentiments asked you in another thread if you were a "teacher" or a "lecturer". Sadly, my guess is that you don't have a detailed Job Description which could be used to demonstrate the distinction between those two roles' requirements. Therefore, you are probably entitled to claim that you are a "teacher" and/or a "lecturer". By the way, do some "teachers" lecture their students at Rustaq College?

As a former manpower analyst myself, I urge Veiled Sentiments to think twice before basing judgments on manpower turnover simply on the postings on a forum of this nature. Turnover in the MOHE Colleges has been remarkably low this semester. Is that good or bad news for our students? I don't know...

Maybe some incompetent teachers should have been forced out....
Maybe turnover will be much higher next semester as some frustrated teachers depart. Would that be good or bad news?

Where are the statistics for MA-holders movements in the EFL job marketplace?! What evidence do we have to support or counter the suggestion that MA-holders have turned away from Oman due to relatively low pay rates? Please let me know about any more lucrative job options available for them in this region! You may be right - you may be wrong - about these MA holders movements... Who really knows? Any manpower analyst research students out there?

The MOHE is investing substantial sums of money. IMHO, that investment should be made on a firmer foundation. According to VS, the educationalists have had their two decades and failed! Clearly it's time to call in the HRM experts!

[veiledsentiments]

[omanized]

This has the makings of becoming one of the best threads on this forum - responding to an Omani who has a vested interest in improving the quality of education in her home country.

Rahma, great idea to get this started and you will see that between the inevitable sniping and bickering that will occur, there is a lot of common themes among the experiences of teachers on this forum.

I would say that there are three related problems - the ability of the students entering tertiary level education, the demands on teachers there to improve the students' skills in a limited time and finally the administration's culpability in allowing for shifting standards ( ie the mystery pass grade ) for assesment and staffing.

So, what does it mean day-to-day? Teachers who have to push the pace and get little results often with little support from admin, students who are frustrated and poorly prepared for a whole new standard of learning and assessment and an admin who has tremendous pressure to post results and keep students moving through the system. It is a lose/lose/lose scenario.

The solution is to improve the standards of the ' raw material ' coming into the system - nothing else will work, you simply can't force a square peg into a round hole !

Now, how does that happen...............

omzd

[eha]

'Now, how does that happen............... '

Omnzd: that makes it sound like an act of Nature. Someone has to MAKE IT HAPPEN. And (I'd say you're beginning to discover) that's NOT US. Also, if it's young Omanis in the system--- we'll just have to wait until they get into positions of enough decision-making power to get things done. Not in my lifetime, I'm afraid.

[RAHMA.Alfoori]

Dearest Archangel,

You are a breath of fresh air! So touching your words are! Yes, we know each other and I remember you very well. I am not planning to stay here for so long especially because I have other academic plans! I am more interested in academic research in my study field. How people think or feel towards me as an 'other' are utterly alien to my objectives though! Yet, I hope such unhealthy communiqu� is not conveyed to students. I believe there are always points of improvement that we need to work on!

Veiledsentiments, Omanized, Geronimo's and your notions about the difficulties encountered is the rationale behind coming here and I would rather listen to more views. I will keep being attentive to the intellectual discussion on 'Educational Digestives' post! I am so glad with the recent constructive criticisms posted here! OHMG, some of you have the experience of teaching in Oman that doubles my age twice! 

Be as fresh as a daisy!

[kuberkat]

[Sleepwalker]

I've previously worked in the Gulf and I'd like to add my small contribution.

First - I think all English teachers/lecturers or whatever they are called should have a minimum of a degree +CELTA + 3 years experience - there are many staff in college programs who managed to 'slip' through the system. Al private and government colleges should be audited and unqualified staff removed from the system.

Second - every member of staff who is teaching in English and is not a native speaker should have an agreed minimum IELTS/TOEFL level - I worked with colleagues I couldn't understand and felt that the students got such a raw deal. Their conditions should also include 3 years professional experience before teaching - not just having a paper qualification (too common in the ME).

Third - the colleges should be strictly audited for quality - the 'everyone who pays and/or has wasta will pass ' diplomas/degrees must be rooted out - this cheats the good students and supplies a generation of incompetent staff - it also insults Oman as students should be challenged - not just manouvered towards a pass in any way possible.

I wish you have been around when I was in Oman.......please pass this on.

[lotsa]

I agree on the second and third points of your posting Sleepwalker, however on the first point I do not agree. CELTA is not the be all to end all qualification out there and employers have the prerogative to be selective dependant on what they require. Having such a blanket minima is neither realistic nor all-encompassing. Consider also there are those out there that have all three ingredients of what you mention in the first point, yet are hopeless teachers. The recruitment process should weed out the bad eggs not prevent the good eggs from getting through.

[Sleepwalker]

Hi Lotsa

I take your point about employers choosing according to their requirements but I was making my point about colleges - the CELTA is not the be all and end all as you say - but many people (including me) who taught other subjects completed it to meet entry criteria.

I am assuming that the recruitment process would root out the worst and a monitored probationary period should take out the rest.

To have any kind of standards, I think there has to be minimum entry criteria - otherwise you open it up to people who can sell themselves at interview and then produce mothing in class.

[lotsa]

Yes you are quite right. Minimum criteria is important but also when viewed IN CONJUNCTION with previous experience/background in the field. I have been employed in the past by organisations that placed emphasis on experience in the field and to some of them, this outweighed the standard criteria that is laid out there. To me, the ultimate in employing someone strikes a good balance of the two.

[Sleepwalker]

Yes - you're right I perhaps wasn't clear about the point - I just think of all the totally unsuitable people I've seen messing up the students education (usually the favourites of the 'management') who obviously did an impressive interview and then ruined anything the rest of us tried to build.

I just wish people could work together to make realistic plans to develop students skills - all over the world - that's why most of us entered education. Sigh...................................

[Zola6666]

For teaching in a college, I think teachers should have a Masters (plus experience, and if possible, but it's asking too much - a teaching credenetial), OR, have taught at least 10 years in an English-speaking public k-12 school.

Why? A Masters shows a person's commitment to learning and education. It shows a person has gone through the system to meet the system's requirements. A Bachelors is now almost equivalent to a high school diploma.

A person with a Bachelors and who has taught in a public school system must have a teaching credential. A teaching credential also shows commitment to education and learning.

From my nearly 20 years experience overseas teaching English, it has been, about 90% of the time, people with Bachelors, or with Masters but no teaching experience or EFL background, who have caused the greatest amount of social damage among expats in a teaching institute.

It seems people with Bachelors (and Masters but little or no teacher-training) are so insecure, they feel they must PROVE they are better than those with Masters and teaching experience, and resort to all sorts of bickering, backstabbing and horrendous, unprofessional behavior.

That's why the greatest danger teaching overseas comes from fellow ex-pats rather than the local culture - unless you're in Korea... and I hear China seems pretty bad too....

Yes, I have a Masters, and returned to college at 40 to get a teaching credential - which took another one and a half years. And cost lots of money. So yes. I have jumped through the hoops. People with Bachelors who complain..... well, life is difficult and sometimes we all must jump through the hoops that the system demands. Or get out and jump through hoops for another job or profession.