Job Discussion Forums

MrCAPiTUL · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 232 Location: Taipei, Taiwan

Don't most schools compensate accordingly for the lack of QTS, so long as you are making progress in becoming fully credentialed? Or is that pure bollocks?

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy

oooh, looks like I've taught EAL and ELA!

Certainly in the Further Education world you can get your City & Guilds [can't remember no 4707?] parts 1 & 2 whilst teaching, and often paid for. It's a level 4 qual although I'm not sure it entitles you to full QTS status. Now that some FE colleges are taking under 16's (ie: still compulsory ed.) for some courses, I'm not sure if there's been any change to this. Probably not in pay where FE colleges still pay less than schools.

I'm a bit out of touch now; where's Wingco Will when you need him?

mbcoolj · Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 17 Location: Athens

Well boys and girls, apparently there are alternatives to life in EFL.
Having just returned from teaching in Greece, I can tell you that some jobs I have been looking for include:

Marketing Administrator for ESOL
Secretary in Cambridge Uni
Development Assistant in Cats protection home
Healthy Eating promotion scheme for kids

Still waiting to hear from all of them....

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

The fact is that ESOL or EFL in the UK pays minimum wage. Na. Give me shelf-stacking in TESCO any day.

mbcoolj · Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 17 Location: Athens

It could well be an alternative to ASBO. Watch this space.

P.S. Is it possible for anyone on this website to have a conversation without Scot47 contributing yet another sarcastic comment?

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy

Nah, don't think so. Scot may live abroad but still feels the need to justify it by criticising where he came from, like many right-wing expats. I can't remember any constructive contributions on the UK forum, although he does help elsewhere, where he has slightly more recent knowledge.

I used to get �25 an hour although I do admit I had to work at two colleges to get enough hours. I also used to do the odd 1-2-1 company private for the same an hour (2 hour sessions and outside London) and my student thought I was good value. Privates are good in that you can offset transport and matgerials costs.

mbcoolj · Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 17 Location: Athens

I agree, it's not all such doom and gloom. I doubt minimum wage is �15 an hour, which is what I was getting in my last ESOL job in a UK school.

In the words of Bob Dylan - "Times are a-changing"

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

As they demand experience, further education colleges pay better than language schools. Not sure if DELTA is required, but CELTA is. (There it's often called ESOL rather than TEFL, as catchment tends to be residentish people such as refugees rather than visitors; but the same teaching skills are required.)

lolwhites · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 158 Location: France

If you want to get into FE, it definitely helps to have the DELTA. It's not always specified as a job requirement, but if you don't have it, others will.

Phil_b · Joined: 14 Oct 2003 Posts: 239 Location: Back in London

Jwana · Joined: 01 Aug 2004 Posts: 9 Location: Australia

Hi Phil_b

I am looking for FE college work in/around London in ESOL as have quite a bit of experience in this area in Australia through the very similar TAFE vocational training system. I have 2 questions I'm hoping you can help me with:
1. You mention getting FE work through agencies - can you recommend any?
2. Also, I'm finding that most ESOL jobs in FE Colleges are advertised via the internet with filling out terrible generic application forms being the only way to apply. However, have also been told by one college that there are many applications even for casual work in ESOL + that most colleges won't accept 'cold canvassing' type applications. Is this the case? If so, what's the best way to get casual, hourly paid type work with FE Colleges?

Thanks! Very Happy

Jwana

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy

Thanks phil for the update. Currently swanning around in Italy, but as Mum gets to her 80's I'll probably be back in a year or two and need some P/T work.

Incidentally jwana, the FE work I had in the UK was only advertised locally as it was part-time. Nobody would move for a P/T job, so at least in the printed media they only advertised locally. That doesn't help if you need F/T, but it might be possible to cobble together an income if you were in situ. There's always bar work, although Poles seem to be taking over from Aussies there! For some reason though, ski shops are always a good place to hear that familiar accent. Smile

With flexibility you'll be fine.

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

It's been a while since I taught in FE (and that wasn't in TEFL), but my experience was that they wanted formal FE teaching qualifications, but that was qualified (as it were) by the college actually putting you through the training during the first year or two of service (although you don't get paid for the evening class you attend).

Re. horrible application forms: yes, that's right. It's not like TEFL colleges. You will need to do the forms, with all the quals, personal statements, etc.

There's nothing wrong with approaching FE colleges and asking THEM which agencies they use for casual work (if any).