Job Discussion Forums

[aketzner]

I'm a 21 year old college student who is about to graduate with a degree in English next winter. I've been looking into private tutoring abroad for the summer of 2011. I found a site, www.interexchange.org, and am wondering if anyone has any information about it. Also, if anyone has any information about trustworthy companies that would help me do this that would be great.

Thanks!

[Glenski]

I don't know anything about that place (fix your link to NOT include the punctuation at the end).

They don't seem to mention summer work specifically (that I could see at a glance anyway), and they are limited to the number of countries where one can get jobs:

[aketzner]

Thanks
I noticed their limited job availability too. I only wanted to teach in the summer because I don't know the length of time I want to be gone yet. I still have to get licensed to teach English and then I figured I would need to get certified in TEFL.

[Glenski]

You don't have to have a teaching license to teach EFL. A certification is ok, but that is also not necessary in many countries.

[Kiels]

Hello,

I started my ESL career teaching at Aston English in China. There they have 2 month summer intensive jobs from July to the end of August. A lot of people have given them a bad rep but I really enjoyed it and am heading back to work for them this summer. If you enjoy it, you can renew your contract or move elsewhere for a new job. It is hard finding a short term contract but Aston will definately still be looking for summer teachers. Hope this helps x

[Daphne]

Someone with no ESL experience taken by Aston...how unusual...NOT!

[Sugar & Spice]

Related to what Kiels typed, you could probably find a short term job in Yangshuo, China. Yangshuo is a tourist destination near Guilin, Guangxi Province.

I was there last summer for a couple of weeks just taking a break and was offered a few 1 or 2 month jobs. All you have to do is walk into a language/training center and ask if they need someone or just hang out in a bar with a bunch of foreigners and ask them about jobs.

I met a few teachers in a place called "Bar 98".

[Kiels]

Daphne, to be fair, I had an English Literature BA (Hons) and was mid way through my teaching licence in the UK to become a qualified teacher. Anyways regardless, I found Aston (Jinan) to be both organised and helpful. Yes there are Aston schools which have gained a bad reputation, but I found Jinan (and others have too) to be one of the better Aston Schools. I would suggest if you decide to work for Aston to work in Dalian and Jinan, they seem most organised and receiving fewer complaints on these kind of forums. For those without experience, Aston might prove to be helpful in starting their career.

[Daphne]

It was not anything personal against you pal. At the Jinan branch you should have heard at least a whisper or two regarding why and how that branch was for a time (perhaps still is...) "managing" another Shandong branch a few hundred miles away

I also have nothing against employers who give a chance to neophytes, but from y time with that organization, that practice was part of a much more cunning and perfidious plan to make as much scratch as possible while giving employees and clients a raw deal.

The lack of training given to teachers (all the more important considering the issue of complete inexperience among so many of the employees), dreadfully inadequate textbooks, sub-standard housing....these are all cons of Aston (AES) repeatedly mentioned on this forum.

I have read about the Dalian branches being much more together than other ones, but for them to be a solid outfit; all the branches have to be up to par as they say.