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Friend and I are moving to the Mid East.. [Dubai?]
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MidEastFeast



Joined: 18 Oct 2011
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 9:52 am    Post subject: Friend and I are moving to the Mid East.. [Dubai?] Reply with quote

We're both 24 years old, fresh UCLA grads, and thinking of teaching English overseas. I have a BA in Anthropology and he has his BA in English. We each have a few years of experience teaching English part-time to immigrants (we both attended the same Islamic high school in California and taught some of their students).

We'll be taking the TESOL/TEFL/TESL certification program in February.

My friend is flying to Dubai tomorrow, and although the schools are apparently on break, he'd like to stop at a few places to speak with staff/drop off our resumes.

Any recommendations for where he should go, or for our journey in general?

Just to note, I was born/raised in the U.S., but am of Iranian origin. Friend is of Iraqi origin. We each speak English, Arabic, and Farsi, and are no strangers to the culture.
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Eisenhorn



Joined: 25 Oct 2009
Posts: 146
Location: HCT Land. UAE

PostPosted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah yes the belief that the middle east is a giant ATM filled with desperate locals who will pay massive amounts of money for fresh college grads with a BA.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but it isn't true. It may have been in the 80's, but now a days, the locals throughout the gulf want MA's and experience. (Any of the decent schools anyways.)

At a minimum you need a CELTA (not some generic online TEFL cert) and 3 to 5 years of full time experience.

Now with your qualifications, go to ASIA. Try china, japan, korea, thailand. Many of those places LOVE to have native speakers w/bachelors and no real experience. You can get your experience and at the same time get an MA in TESL/TESOL/applied linguistics. After you have spent 3 to 5 years there, THEN you can get jobs in the middle east that have decent pay.
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helenl



Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 1202

PostPosted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 12:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And while Dubai may be more "liberal" on the surface than other places in the GCC - you are not married. Therefore you cannot legally live together (many do, but it is against the law and subject to arrest, deportation, and even lashes) and certainly you wouldn't tell anyone that you are living with someone.

As for dropping by, he might find some people around, but probably not those in a position to give advice on opportunities.

This is not a drop in job market - you need the correct documents (both in quals and working/residency) to work in the GCC - anyone who would hire you without is probably not someone you want to work for.
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 3:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

helenl wrote:
This is not a drop in job market - you need the correct documents (both in quals and working/residency) to work in the GCC - anyone who would hire you without is probably not someone you want to work for.

This is the key factor here. Your being of Irani and Iraqi origin or being Muslim is not really an advantage in the Gulf market.

It is not clear if MidEastFeast is male or female, but assuming that you are opposite sexes, not being Caucasian would mean that living together would/could be a huge problem for you. If you are a same sex couple, we step into another set of issues. If you are two male friends, sharing shouldn't be an issue, though it may be looked upon with some suspicion. And with the extremely high cost of living in Dubai and the low pay you would be offered, you would probably need more room mates.

VS
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MidEastFeast



Joined: 18 Oct 2011
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the responses.
We're two straight males.
The TESOL certificate program is with a company called Oxford seminars, the program costs $1,200 USD and includes 40 hours of in-class preparation (and 60 hours online). The company also does job placement, and after speaking with one of their reps, they said they'd guarantee us something in the UAE or Oman.

Would it really be that difficult for us to land K-12 teaching positions?
My friend has cousins in Dubai and one of their kids was complaining about having a terrible English teacher, some 21 year old Pakistani guy.

We're not looking for much, just (partially?) covered housing and anywhere between 7.5-11k AED each. Is that seriously too far a stretch for soon-to-be certified young, cultured, well-educated university grads with teaching experience?
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helenl



Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 1202

PostPosted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The better "real" international schools require a teacher certification - not an ESL certificate.

7.5 -11 k each might be possible at one of the least desirable schools but if housing is only partially (and probably not at all) covered you'll not be seeing any savings. You won't get annual tickets, you won't get medical and I'd be darn sure that proper working papers were in place or in the works (you will have to take various medical tests/x rays, fingerprints and possibly a security check) in order to get a proper working visa - all of which happens AFTER you arrive. If you don't pass one of these, you're out.

You will need transportation, payment for utilities, furniture, some $ for some kind of entertainment - Dubai is an expensive place.

Something is not necessarily good (or adequate) no matter what you are being told
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 1:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

MidEastFeast wrote:
My friend has cousins in Dubai and one of their kids was complaining about having a terrible English teacher, some 21 year old Pakistani guy.

We're not looking for much, just (partially?) covered housing and anywhere between 7.5-11k AED each. Is that seriously too far a stretch for soon-to-be certified young, cultured, well-educated university grads with teaching experience?

I doubt that this Pakistani teacher is making anywhere near 7.5K AED.

This "Oxford Seminar" seems to be missing the most important element needed in an ESL/EFL cert and that is supervised classroom teaching of actual ESL students. I suggest that you look into getting a CELTA, which is respected and accepted everywhere in the world... and especially preferred in the Middle East.

VS
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unless they've changed it, Oxford trainees teach a lesson to their peer trainees. VS is absolutely correct: this is NOT considered to meet the standard minimum for cert courses. CELTA, SIT, and Trinity are the name brand courses that DO meet the standard.

Look for:
120+ hours on site
at least 6 hours of supervised teaching with actual language students

An Oxford cert will not help you on any competitive ESL/EFL job market.
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Eisenhorn



Joined: 25 Oct 2009
Posts: 146
Location: HCT Land. UAE

PostPosted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 4:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MidEastFeast wrote:
Thanks for the responses.
We're two straight males.
The TESOL certificate program is with a company called Oxford seminars, the program costs $1,200 USD and includes 40 hours of in-class preparation (and 60 hours online). The company also does job placement, and after speaking with one of their reps, they said they'd guarantee us something in the UAE or Oman.


Oh you can get work in the UAE or Oman with a CELTA (which is what your program sounds like). But fresh out of college w/a celta, you won't be able to get anything like what you are thinking in the UAE.

Quote:

Would it really be that difficult for us to land K-12 teaching positions?

Any international school will want a US teaching certification. If you don't have one, you are up for the 2nd tier schools which are dirt cheap, and aren't the best places to work.

Quote:

My friend has cousins in Dubai and one of their kids was complaining about having a terrible English teacher, some 21 year old Pakistani guy.

We're not looking for much, just (partially?) covered housing and anywhere between 7.5-11k AED each.

Not going to happen. You might be able to swing about 9K aed a month w/out housing at the local schools in the UAE. Like I said before, it isn't a giant ATM.

Quote:

Is that seriously too far a stretch for soon-to-be certified young, cultured, well-educated university grads with teaching experience?


Yes in fact it is.
Your bachelor is completely worthless, so you will have what amounts to a CELTA and minimal experience.

Your friends bachelor is in english, which has some worth, but again a CELTA with minimal experience.

Go to China, Japan, Thailand, and/or Korea for 3 to 5 years and then you can come back and get a salary you are asking for.

I know people with an MA in applied linguistics and 5 years experience who were hired by HCT 2 years ago and they are making 14K amonth with housing included.

7K a month? Possible. w/housing? maybe. Anything more? Seriously doubtfu. But since your friend is coming here, have him stop by the Uni's and the local schools, but he should be expecting to be disappointed.

The best time for him to come would be in March to the TESOL Arabia convention and maybe he can swing a job that way. Good luck.
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Oh you can get work in the UAE or Oman with a CELTA (which is what your program sounds like).


No, Oxford is NOT equivalent to a CELTA because it doesn't have teaching practice with real students. It's only equivalent in terms of supposed hours - only 40 of which are onsite. It won't be mistaken for a CELTA equivalent by any savvy employer.
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Eisenhorn



Joined: 25 Oct 2009
Posts: 146
Location: HCT Land. UAE

PostPosted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spiral...

Thanks, I missed the number of hours. This sounds like the great "tefl certs" you can get scammed out of online... but then again, maybe it will be respected... but I wouldn't expect it.

As for the pakistani teaching english at the local high schools...they make about 3 to 5k a month, often w/out housing.
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Eisenhorn, here's the real scam bit with this particular cert:

Quote:
The TESOL certificate program is with a company called Oxford seminars, the program costs $1,200 USD and includes 40 hours of in-class preparation (and 60 hours online). The company also does job placement, and after speaking with one of their reps, they said they'd guarantee us something in the UAE or Oman.



Guaranteed!! Shocked

What is too bad is that for very little more money, they could've had a proper CELTA.
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Eisenhorn



Joined: 25 Oct 2009
Posts: 146
Location: HCT Land. UAE

PostPosted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 4:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh no, the keyword in that post is SOMETHING. Hey guys, I can get you something w/ a bachelors degree and w/out a celta... it pays about 5K a month and w/housing you may make 7.5k a month (if they are willing to pay you housing... may schools that would take you won't pay housing.)

SOMETHING is easy to get. Getting 7.5K to 9K w/housing w/out a CELTA or a minimum of a bachelors degree in english and minimal experience? Doubt it. And if you are given a position that pays, we can expect that it won't be in anything like a 'real' school.
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 4:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Checked and agreed, Eisenhorn. 'Something' (except that Oxford's 'job placement' consists of putting a grad in touch with schools or a recruiter: grads are responsible for all negotiations - not exactly what most people think of as 'placement').
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 5:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So... one can do one's own placement by visiting any job website? Or googling the name of schools? Rolling Eyes

VS
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