Job Discussion Forums

[Swagerty5]

Hey there,
To some out there this might be redundant but I have just a couple of questions that I've got to get answered directly.

1. Do you absolutely need a CELTA/TESOL in order to get a high paying English teaching gig KSA? It sounds like it. If so, do you know of any websites or online schools that are offering TESOL degrees cheaply?

2. How dangerous is the society for a 25 yr old blond American kid? It sounds like the treatment is much more subtle but still not pleasant.

3. How intensely do they censor your internet? Facebook? skype? I am a big reader and have a couple of enviro books that talk about peak oil... would these get taken from me in the airport? Also, I was hoping to practice guitar if I were to go (since there is literally nothing else to do). That'd be ok right? I know music and especially western music is a touchy subject...

[Sadebugo]

[Bebsi]

To address the OP's first question: no, a CELTA is not absolutely essential, but some kind of legitimate certification does help enormously. It doesn't have to be CELTA as such. A Trinity Cert TESOL, a B.Ed/Dip.Ed or a PGCE are all valued.

It really all depends on the type of job. In most cases, a primary degree (not necessarily in English) is essential, but if it is in a relevant area, e.g. English, education, foreign languages or linguistics, it helps immensely. For university jobs, a master's degree is extremely useful, or loads of experience, preferably teaching EAP (Eng for Academic Purposes), if you don't have an MA.

CELTA or equivalent always helps, although its relevance in a purely academic environment is questionable. If you are teaching lower-level students general English, in order for them to be able to communicate effectively prior to moving on to a higher level, it is obviously very important, but when teaching purely academic subjects such as writing and grammar, it becomes a lot less relevant.

In industry, prior experience is usually the most important requirement, and for the better jobs, prior Saudi experience is part of the deal.

The second question is also easy to answer. A young, blonde western male (which I presume you are?) should have no problems whatsoever.

Third Q: you will have no problems importing a musical instrument. Many young Saudis like music too, and frankly, the austere image KSA has is greatly exaggerated. Regarding censorship of reading & viewing materials, I will leave that to people currently on the ground in KSA to answer.

[Sheikh N Bake]

Get a VPN (Virtual Personal Network), a type of proxy service, which will place your IPN in the US and nothing gets blocked on the internet, anywhere. You can't even gain access to this Saudi forum without one.