Job Discussion Forums

maenad1 · Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 11

My husband and I want to work abroad for a while. I've got a DELTA and degree so can work most places; he can't.

He's got an Economics degree from a Turkish university and his level of English is IELTS 8 - ie. excellent but not perfect. He's ready to do a CELTA and get some practice before we leave.

Where would we be able to go where he would be able to find a job as a teacher?

tttompatz

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Is there any part of the world that you're looking at specifically?

My husband is also looking for work as an English teacher, he's an NNS. I've told him he shouldn't even bother, since if he found a job as an engineer, he'd make more and get more benefits, maybe even an expat benefits package. Since your husband has an economics degree, he should try to get a job in that.

Though if that's not an option, he should get his CELTA, and look for jobs that don't require native speakers. Has he lived in an English speaking country? That would help. Maybe China? I know that some NNS have worked there.

maenad1 · Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 11

No, he's IELTS level 8. We don't really mind where we work because I have a DELTA and can get a work permit. He'd be happy working semi-legally. He does want a full-time job, though: ie not just privates.

We were thinking of Cambodia and Thailand... is it true that you don't need a native-county-english degree there to land a job in a private school?

Any more ideas welcome, please keep them coming!

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Isla Guapa · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 5:35 am Post subject: Re: NNS

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

BadBeagleBad · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 5:12 pm Post subject: Re: EFL for a non-native teacher?

PattyFlipper · Joined: 14 Nov 2007 Posts: 572

Some schools and universities in Cambodia will employ non-native speakers, though these are often the bottom-feeder places where you may not necessarily want to work. Additionally, much of the work (including for qualified, experienced native-speakers) is remunerated at an hourly, part-time rate with no other benefits. Fixed-term contracts are comparatively rare. With your DELTA you would definitely be a candidate for ACE - the leading language school which does offer contracts and a fairly decent package of benefits. Competition is fairly stiff though, for this very reason. Your husband would then be able to pick up work elsewhere.

If your husband looks 'Western', rather than 'Middle Eastern' then Thailand also may be an option, as European NNS are often employed, along with large numbers of Filipinos. The same caveat applies however, in that schools which will employ non-natives are not always the best places to work. China is a definite possibility, and there you may be able to find somewhere which would hire you as a 'teaching couple'. Try government universities in less popular locations.

In all three of the above countries though, your DELTA may not count for much (the majority of local employers will likely never have heard of it), salaries are generally not particularly high in any of them, and in Thailand in particular, you will not have much opportunity to utilize the skills acquired on your DELTA. You will also have the byzantine Thai immigration regulations to contend with.

Have you thought about the Middle East? Being Turkish and (I presume) a Muslim would not be such a disadvantage there as it could potentially be in much of Asia. Your qualifications and experience should fairly easily get you a job with a reasonable salary and benefits package. Your husband could accompany you as a dependent, and he may be able to find something in a field unrelated to TEFL or education, which as naturegirl pointed out, will likely pay better anyway.