Job Discussion Forums

[DaveW125]

I�ve been teaching English for a few years now on the Korean peninsula and I�ve decided that I really enjoy it and would like to try and make a career out of it. As yet I have no actual English teaching qualifications � I have a degree in computer science and an Ma in Law. I appreciate that to make go of teaching I will need to change this and am looking into obtaining either a CELTA qualification or going the whole hog and heading back to uni to get QTS. I am also in a long term relationship with a girl who is also in applying to universities to become a qualified teacher ( she does not have an Ma but is TEFl certified with a degree in applied linguistics and is also fluent in French). I am originally from the UK and my girlfriend is from Canada. Neither of us is too keen on going back to our own countries to obtain these qualifications and we certainly have no real wish to teach in our home countries for the foreseeable future. I don�t think the cost of courses will be a problem as long as we can work part time, thus we would much rather try and obtain them abroad. I know you can get a CELTA certificate in most countries but I was wondering if anyone has any experience getting QTS outside of their home countries � were you able to work and/or support yourself? Were you able to study part time over 2 years? Which countries would offer the best chances of TEFL jobs once qualified? My girlfriend and I have been looking at Maybe Hong Kong or the Middle East but are pretty open to a move anywhere (warm ).

As a question to those who have been teaching English for many years � How do you plan for retirement? Are you able to contribute to a pension fund? Do you feel you are tied to retire in the country you have been teaching in?

any info would be great

thanks

[naturegirl321]

The ME is doable becuase you have an MA and experience.

FOr QTS; all the places I know require you to do teaching practise there. It' opens intl schools up, but you can still make money without QTS; aim for universities or bilingual schools.

For retirement, we invest in property and have savings. I contribute to a private IRA in the US. Probably I'll retire here in Peru, although I'd rather not.