Job Discussion Forums

[athenssoest]

Are there any opportunities to teach in local public schools abroad (elementary and secondary) instead of teaching in the private language schools or universities? What countries will hire foreign teachers in their own public schools? I'm studying to be a secondary teacher in the United States, and that is the route for teaching abroad I am most interested in.

Thanks!

[fluffyhamster]

If English is an official language and a (if not the) medium of instruction in schools, then logically you should be able to get hired in that country. If however you plan to work in countries where English is not an official language, then it will probably be difficult if impossible to be hired on anything approaching an equal footing with local teachers. For example, in Japan, it is only really possible (unless you go super-native somehow) to be an AET (Assistant English Teacher), meaning that people without teaching degrees in their home countries are equally eligible to do this AET job, whilst in France, I heard of a guy who had to pass a pretty demanding battery of written exams in French in order to become eligible for certified and equal teacher status there (i.e. as solo, not assistant teacher), even for just teaching English.

Don't forget that there are also private 'international schools' (for expats and rich locals who want to be more immersed in English, be schooled using foreign curricula, and thus sit foreign exams) that you might also want to consider.

[Glenski]

There are many opportunities like that.

If you are already an experienced licensed teacher, shoot for international schools.

If you don't mind being an ALT, go for things like the JET program.

[JZer]

Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Bahrain all hire foreign teachers to teach in local schools. Some jobs might be ok for inexperienced teachers but I am not sure that experienced teachers would want to play second fiddle to local teachers in some of these programs.

[FrenchLieutenant'sWoman]

As pointed out already you would be fine for an international school but some places may require you to take the equivalent on national teacher certification to teach in state schools. I can't teach here because I haven't taken the CAPES (which involves a competitive exam asking deep meaningful philosophical questions and has very little to do with English for starters...I stopped researching after that!), but I have taught in private bilingual schools. The English as a medium of instruction doesn't always work - an American teaching license wouldn't qualify you in the UK as you'd have to go through OTT (Overseas Trained Teacher but also Over The Top) programme to gain QTS.

I would look into where you're planning to go and check out the requirements there.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

[anninhk]

Depends what sort of teaching you are looking for.
The NET schme in Hong Kong is based in local public schools. If you are secondary trained you work in the school teaching English as in the same capacity as a local teacher. If you are a primary NET teacher you work in the classroom with a local teacher.