Job Discussion Forums

fujiclimber · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 6

Hello. I am a some-time English conversation teacher who has spent a great deal of time teaching English in Japan. I have just returned to the States to take a break and catch up on some State-side errands.

I have a question. Can anyone on this forum tell me of a country where the pay is good and is looking for teachers? Japan seems to have a glut of teachers since Nova went bankrupt. What would be recommended as an alternative area? Korea? Saudi Arabia? China? Any EFL goldmines out there? I have a Celta Certificate and 7 years of English teaching.

Also, does anybody know of anyone who has made a lifetime career of overseas English teaching and has retired or plans to retire from EFL teaching abroad? Can it be done? No jokes about "loser" eikaiwa teachers in Japan, please. I'm pretty close to being one of those "losers" lol!

I'm serious. Any comments, advice, experience? I'd welcome it all!

Thanks!

From Fuji Climber

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Sure, I'm going to retire abroad at the end of my teaching career, and I know plenty of others who have or will.

However, the better jobs in our field (money, security, benefits) go to those with higher-level qualifications, such as MA, DELTA, and Phds in the field.

I suggest that if you want to break out of the lower level, you need to consider earning more qualifications. A basic cert + experience isn't enough to get you into better positions in regions that pay well.

Kootvela · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 513 Location: Lithuania

I seemed to have coined a proverb: first you work for reputation, then your reputation works for you. When you have students who can feed you and pay your bills, make pension installments and hire-purchace installements, send you on a trip, etc. with their pay for your lessons, then any country is heaven. I did want to to teach abroad but now my private practice seems to be on the wave and in a few years time I hope to be making more money than now.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

The Middle East and Korea, maybe HK

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:21 am Post subject:

Plenty of people retire from this field- others just die! (Kidding. Sort of.)

But the secret for retiring from any field is to plan. And to have the financial wherewithal to plan financially.

I'm far enough from retirement that it doesnt exactly keep me up nights, but having a good job and getting some things in order also helps.

You're a long way from being an Eikawa loser; at least a couple of years yet. Wink

But if you want to avoid it, think about getting the better jobs. Which means better quals. Depending on the career path you're looking towards, get a masters, or perhaps a DELTA, right now!

Best,
Justin

sharter · Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 878 Location: All over the place

I don't agree with what Spiral wrote. Having an MA can help sure but most of the time in this game it's down to luck or knowing someone.....especially in the Middle East.

I know...I've spent a lot of time there/here. Most staffrooms have a mixed bag re qualifications.

With the exception of a few oil gigs and military contracts, there's no money in EFL unless you're prepared to work zillions of privates.

I'm on a good oil gig with 6 return tickets and 18 weeks paid holiday a year.

We look for appropriate experience-We only hire Brits though because visas are hard to get for Americans and are very costly.

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

parrothead · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 342 Location: Japan

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

shorter, I agree that qualifications + experience + local reputation and contacts are really the key to good jobs everywhere. No, it's not just an MA Very Happy

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 4:01 pm Post subject:

It's not just an MA (or in my case an MSc), but it can sure help. Help with immigration, help with universities, and for heaven's sake, it can help you meet the right people. Or look professional and well-prepared to the people who you do meet.

A lot of people refer to the 80s, or sometimes the 90s, as the "golden years" for EFL teachers. Because those were the years (depending on the country) when an unqualified native English speaker could bank a lot of money in certain countries. Sounds more like "the cowboy years" to me.

I can't really compare too accurately, as I was in a different profession in the cowboy years. But over the last few years, I have found that a competent, professional, well-trained EFL teacher can really do well. And I'm enjoying it.

Best,
Justin

fujiclimber · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 6

Thank you all for the replies! I really appreciate it. Is anybody in this forum teaching English in Japan right now? By the way, I am over 40 and am considering possibly teaching in Japan again. I know of one guy in his early sixties who seems to have made a career of teaching eikaiwa in Japan.

Has anybody else heard of someone making eikaiwa teaching in Japan a lifetime choice? Some posters on websites about teaching in Japan scoff at such people. I figure, if you like it and are good at it, why not do it? One thing about EFL/ESL in Japan is that there are lots and lots of jobs teaching kids, not so many for adults. And other than owners of small conversation schools, I wonder if many people actually make a career out of teaching English to children in Japan. Just teaching...not owning a school or anything.

I would be interested to hear any comments. Thanks again for the replies. I enjoy this forum!

Fujiclimber

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

fujiclimber,
If you want info on Japan, go to the Japan forum (for a higher percentage of hits, anyway).

I'm in Japan right now, and I've been teaching for the past 10 years.

If you have any experience in Japan at all (as you say you do), what sort of work did you do, and what do you want? You don't have to settle for low wages. Even eikaiwa experience counts for some private JHS and SHS slots, and perhaps even for some PT university and senmongakko work. Your only trick is to get the visa.

BTW are you the one who posted about lifetime eikaiwa careers on Gaijinpot? Doing conversation schools (eikaiwa) forever can be a bit monotonous and grueling, and I don't believe the wages increase much for all employers. Does your 60-ish friend have health insurance through his employer, or is he getting screwed like many are? Wouldn't be a cool way to enjoy a career there, IMO.

People scoff at eikaiwa teachers only because they hold jobs which are labeled largely as edutainment and the hours are fairly bad (unless you have the opportunity to swap shifts). Also, no experience is necessary, nor is there any real demand to improve yourself. I suggest using it as a stepping stone, as many others suggest. Learn from the experience. You'll have similar lessons in high school and college courses, for example, but you'll face other challenges there (larger class size, for one). If you want to pursue a career in TEFL, do it right. Take classes, join a professional group (ETJ, JALT), publish, network, and don't go it alone. (Joining ETJ or JALT will give you direct knowledge of people who have made TEFL a career, so you can attend the local and national meetings and rub elbows with them to learn more.)

Teaching kids is not for me, but I know people who do it. They love kids, and the work is physically difficult at times, but they enjoy the job most of the time. One of my friends has private lessons and company classes and mainstream school courses all with kids. The oldest ones he teaches are in high school.

Feel free to PM me for more details.