Job Discussion Forums

Umm 'Abdil-Wahhaab · Joined: 23 Jun 2009 Posts: 54

Hi,

I was wondering if there was any chance of teaching literature in a university instead of ESL? I could imagine that there isnt as much of a demand.

Mia Xanthi · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:00 pm Post subject:

I have seen such jobs posted, but they are few and far between. Usually lit jobs are with public universities that offer English as a major.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Of course it depends on your employer. But, in every Gulf university where I taught that offered any lit courses, they were taught in an English Department by PhDs. My BSc was in teaching Lit and I was never offered the opportunity.

We are mostly teachers of basic EFL to fossilized beginners. Laughing

Especially the new teachers who end up with the courses that are least desirable to most.

VS

Cleopatra · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 9:26 am Post subject:

You do occasionally hear of ESL teachers being 'promoted' to teach such subjects as English literature or business studies. However, this usually only happens when the university is stuck and can't hire a suitable teacher externally. As VS says, the universities normally require you to have a PhD in a relevant subject before you can teach it as a major.

Linguist · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 202

To add to what Veiled and Cleo said, in my experience, most of these positions are filled by Saudi PhDs.

If you were to look at the English language departments at Saudi universities, you'll find the literature classrooms full of students while the linguistics ones have only 5-10 students. Why is this so? A common answer from the students is : 'Sir, linguistics difficult, literature just watch the films and it's OK!'
Very Happy

Umm 'Abdil-Wahhaab · Joined: 23 Jun 2009 Posts: 54

That was going to be my next question. Why do they seem to hire Saudi PhDs for teaching English literature? I guess Western educated, native speakers aren't as important to hire for teaching lit as ESL. Oh well.

Cleopatra · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:36 pm Post subject:

I have encountered very few Saudi PhDs. Most of the people teachign 'academic' subjects are from the Indian subcontinent or from Arab countries such as Egypt or Jordan. My guess is that colleges would actually prefer to hire native speakers for these positions, but the reality is that few 'Western' PhDs are willing to work in KSA, at least not for the salaries on offer.

007 · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:58 pm Post subject:

desultude · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 614

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the problem with content and interpretation.

It is very hard to find literature and other media that are acceptable to parents and administration. These students have read little other than the Koran. Finding books that pass the censors and still can be considered "literature" would be quite a task, I would think.

The you have the problem of having to explain "concepts" the students are unfamiliar with.

johnslat · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:23 pm Post subject:

Dear desultude,

"It is very hard to find literature and other media that are acceptable to parents and administration."

Some good possibilities here, perhaps:

http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Classic-children39s-stories-top-list.5210866.jp

" . . . you have the problem of having to explain "concepts" the students are unfamiliar with."

Ah, but that would be the FUN part - at least until you got fired and deported.

Regards,
John

desultude · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 614

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Here's another problem for the Western Professor who shows up to teach in this part of the world. How often have they taught English Lit to classes where the average English level will be probably well below standard they are used to teaching.

I remember an Arab with a BA in English Lit telling me that in his Shakespeare Class, they read one play and one sonnet. Shocked

I can't imagine spending a whole semester teaching one play and one sonnet.

VS

007 · Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:11 am Post subject:

Cleopatra · Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:39 am Post subject:

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

What I was referring to was mainly a Prof from the West who had always taught native speakers having to get down to this level.

I encountered a similar situation when they started the business department at SQU. The university insisted on their bringing in a bunch of native speaker PhDs. Although a large number of them were of Arab ancestry, they had been born and raised in the US in most cases. They had no clue how to get down to the language level or the cultural naivety of their students in a class like accounting - who practically rushed admin in frustration at having no idea what these profs were talking about.

Having dealt with exactly this situation in the UAE, the Dean tried to hire me, but to the university, it was more crucial that they have a PhD rather than someone who could get down to the student's level and build on that.

I can just see my lit profs from my BA suddenly having to teach a play a semester rather than one a week in a Shakespeare class.

VS