Job Discussion Forums

[seyz]

Hello everyone

I posted a similar thread a while back in a country specific forum but think this might be better off in the general discussion.

I am a soon to be Ph.D. holder with a degree in anthropology and a focus in literature and culture. I would like to gain more experience working with ESL programs so as to better enhance my marketability on a global level. I am not enticed by the idea of getting a "tenure track" job as some random American institution and spending the next twenty years making a career out of that. In contemplating this, I hoped that I might be able to use my Ph.D., background in language and culture, and extensive research and administrative duties to get into this area of work and then once grounded with some experience establish a foundation off of that base. I am also aware that now a lot of universities have ESL programs that are also attached to language, literature, education, or some other departments, so a sort of ideal situation would be to join one of these departments. I have worked with ESL programs before and have also taught Japanese to undergraduates.

After arriving at this revelation, I have started to learn a bit more about the academic field of ESL on my own by reading books on ESL and applied linguistics, academic journals, and browsing forums such as this one. I have also secured an ESL job at a private institute in Asia for this coming academic year. I would ultimately like to be involved in a university type of program that allows a bit more flexibility and I would also like to remain up to date on the current research and innovations that were happening in the field.

However, I am a bit overwhelmed as somewhat of a newbie. I was wondering if anyone could provide any advice (as ridiculous and wide open as this request sounds) as to how I can maybe best make efforts to enter this field and position myself for better opportunities in the future.

Please feel free to ask any follow up questions and I apologize in advance for not being more specific as to what I am looking for regarding this academic transition.

Thanks in advance.

[esl_prof]

As I recall from your previous post, you're from the U.S. or Canada, correct? Given the current state of the job market for PhD graduates in North America, I think you're smart to explore your options elsewhere. If you haven't already done so, you might consider networking with others in your situation via http://versatilephd.com/ and related websites.

As for transitioning to ESL, it sounds like you already have experience and have lined up an ESL job for next year. Could you elaborate a bit on what type of experience you actually have and what you'll be doing on the job next year? Likewise, what sort of formal credentials do you have in ESL, if any? Things like CELTA, DELTA, an actual MA degree, etc. And finally, do any of your PhD coursework, research, or publications address areas (e.g., anthropological linguistics, etc.) that would be directly related to the TESOL profession?

I have some thoughts on directions you may consider, but your answers to the above questions will help me to give you some more focused advice.

[seyz]

Hi esl_prof

Thanks for your reply. Yes I am from the U.S. I have heard of that versatile PhD website and people have given talks with a similar name on my campus. I never really looked into it because in my mind I never really considered ESL a non-academic career but I think I will have a look into the site.

Experience I have: I have TAed and taught courses to undergraduates. Mainly my experience is in teaching Japanese and Korean, but I also have some experience working with ESL and academic writing and other types of ESL oriented programs - such as coordinating conversation partners programs, leading various roundtables, organizing events, etc. I have also conduct research via interviews from ESL students about their experiences and their efforts to linguistically and culturally adapt to the American university system.

Experience I will get in my upcoming position: Mainly conversation and writing teaching. Also some translation work from Japanese and Korean into English. The school I am working with teachings all age groups so I will get equal experience working with children, teens, and adults.

None of my publications are directly related to TESOL. Though I have knowledge of linguistic anthropology, and to some extent applied linguistics, I have never published anything in that area. However, I do hope to do so in the future if this becomes my career path. I am not familiarizing myself with how TESOL/ESL publishing works. Coming from my field, the publication style is much different and the readers generally look for much different things. My main focus has been on culture, and language has played a big part in my research, but it has mainly been limited to the cultural knowledge and information that is used through language. This is something I am very interested in personally as I am interested in how language education also conveys cultural education and promotes cultural competency.

Does this help? I'll be happy to elaborate some more if you would like. I'll be looking forward to your suggestions!

[rtm]

[rtm]

I'm also a bit confused by this:

[mitsui]

I think you could get something. I know a teacher with a doctorate in French literature but mostly he teaches English classes.
He is in an international relations department.
In international studies or a department with a focus on culture, you can get something.

[seyz]

rtm,

Thank you for your reply. Perhaps I had not made myself clear so let me elaborate a bit further.

"So, in your original statement, which part does not 'entice' you? Having a stable, permanent (i.e., tenured) job? Having a job at a university in the US? Or spending 20 years making a career out of "that"?"

What does not "entice" me is getting a tenure track job at some random university in the US and settling down. For the past eight years I have been at three American higher education institutions and have grown to abhor the intellectual atmosphere. I have gradually witnessed the increasing closed mindedness of students, the hostility of faculty towards anyone who doesn't share their views, longer working hours and poorer conditions for faculty, less available positions, and overall cutbacks at the administrative level. On a more personal level, I am deeply interested in living somewhere that would allow me to continue broadening my horizons. I would like to live somewhere that I can improve my own language skills, cultural knowledge, and intellectual capability (which is why I sought a job in East Asia). After spending a few years in East Asia, really improving my Japanese and Korean to high levels, I would like to make my way west to somewhere in Southeast Asia or the Middle East. To me spending time living in another country, learning the language, experiencing the culture, and engaging the people who live there has been far more fulfilling experience than any work I have done in my courses.

Additionally, I have always been intrigued by ESL and language education, and if I could do it again I would make it a point to incorporate some sort of form training into my education. My former experience actually came through me volunteering as a TA for my school's ESL program, an invitation they gladly accepted and put me to use. I would want to be employed by a university because I do enjoy conducting research and reading the latest things going on in different fields. I have been very intrigued by the books I have been reading over the past year or so and the writing, research, and career paths of many of the ESL teachers I have read has really been inspiring.

"Do you have any formal training in language teaching/pedagogy?"

I do not have any formal training. All of the training I have has come from first hand experience and reading the books over the past year. At every institution I have taught at, I have basically had no formal training and have basically been told "teach this" and was left to my own devices. The position I was recently hired for seems to be a bit more structured and upon arrival I will receive a three day orientation.

Does this help to clear things up a bit?

[rtm]

[buravirgil]

[esl_prof]

Thanks for the clarification on your goals, Seyz! It seems that others have chimed in with quite a bit of advice during the past 12 hours.

If I understand correctly, you're basically looking for a regular faculty job in TESOL/Applied Linguistics in an overseas setting rather than a regular faculty position in Anthropology in a North American university.

In addition to exploring options in Japan, where you've already gotten some good leads, you might also post this inquiry on the Korea forums (as you've indicated that you have Korean language skills), which require a separate registration, and the Middle East forums (where you've indicated that you eventually hope to end up).

Essentially what you're trying to do, as I understand it, is to crossover from a career trajectory in Anthropology to one in TESOL/Applied Linguistics. While not impossible, it will take a lot of work on your part to show that your genuinely committed to TESOL rather than just using it as a fallback discipline because you couldn't make it in Anthropology.

In addition to the suggestions others have already offered, you goals for the next few years might include:
+ publishing research in TESOL/Applied Linguistics journals (not Anthro journals) with the goal of reinventing yourself as an anthropological linguist.
+ acquiring formal training in TESOL instruction. A CELTA/DELTA sequence would be doable and, I think, coupled with your PhD sufficient for long term careers in Asia. But for the Middle East (if that's your long term goal), you'd really probably need an M.A. (and online degrees are not accepted in several Middle East countries).
+ identifying coursework in ESL teacher training curriculums (both at the BA and MA level) that you would be qualified to teach as an anthropological linguist and seeking out opportunities to teach them.

Okay, I think that's plenty of suggestions to get you started. Ultimately, you need to be in conversation with folks on the appropriate country-specific forums so that you can tweak this advice to fit the expectations of the actual country(ies) where you hope to end up.

Good luck, and please keep us posted on how things go!

[nomad soul]

[seyz]

[buravirgil]

I wonder if this thread will sustain respectful dissent...

[seyz]

[seyz]