Job Discussion Forums

AU · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

Hi all,

I would like some advice on embarking upon employment in Saudi Arabia. At the moment I have recognised TEFL certificate and am in the process of completing my MA.

However my experience in teaching is not extensive and my enquiry relates to this. From the collective experience of the those who have are already working in Saudi Arabia, would it be better for me to gain more experience before applying for jobs and how would this impact any potential salary? It may be worth pointing out that all my qualifications are from the UK and I am a native UK citizen.

Kindest Regards

/AU

Cleopatra · Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:40 pm Post subject:

Another one?

BTW if this is a genuine post, all I can say is please do a search or check one of the recent posts by people seeking general info about working in KSA. I feel people will be reluctant to repost information they have already given recently.

AU · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

I see your point I will indeed endevour to do as advised.

Many Thanks.

lall · Joined: 30 Dec 2006 Posts: 358

Mia Xanthi · Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:11 pm Post subject: harsh criticism

Cleopatra · Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:16 pm Post subject:

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

Mia Xanthi · Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 8:45 pm Post subject: freshman comp

johnslat · Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 2:17 am Post subject:

Actually , the euphemism currently is play is "Developmental Studies." Almost all two-year community colleges have such a department now (and some four-year universities.)
That nice-sounding name simply means: since you clearly didn't learn how to read and write at a "college level" in high school, you're going to have to take these courses before you can enroll in "real" ones.
I taught "Critical Reading" at Santa Fe Community College. I've taught "Freshman Composition" at a university. Developmental Studies students are definitely less skilled in reading and writing than Freshman Composition students.
Regards,
John

Cleopatra · Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:14 am Post subject:

a_ibrahim · Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 54 Location: ohio, usa

Actually, students are not automatically enrolled in Freshman Comp when they begin, unless something has changed since I graduated. Either way, my university required placement tests for all students. If you didn't perform well you'd be in the remedial courses. Let's face it, just because someone passed a course does not mean he/she got an A in that course. Perhaps his/her grades were much higher in other courses, enough to give a boost to the GPA required to be accepted at universities.

The education system in the US is not something you can generalize in this situation. I've met non-native speakers of English who are better than many native speakers from the US, UK and everywhere else. Being from the UK or any native-English speaking nation does not automatically qualify you as an expert in the language.