Job Discussion Forums

[glace]

Hooks, Officially in Viet Nam you don't need a TEFL, or even a BA for that matter. All you need to be is a native English speaker. That said most of the schools and all of the better schools prefer a TEFL and require a BA. Without those qualifications you can still get work, but you'll have fewer choices and lower pay. I believe that it is also possible to do a TEFL here in VN.

The word is that to actually get an official work permit, you need to have a BA. But as far as having an official work permit, most of us don't. There are other visa's available that are less trouble. However, the rumor is that the government will be cracking down on this over the next couple years. Some of the schools have already been requiring teachers to have proper work permits.

Viet Nam is not very friendly to the 'backpacker' teacher. The schools and students want you to be here for at least a year and they want you to have qualifications.

There are no cram schools here. Your choices are mainly English "centers" that cater to everyone from kids to working adults. Evening classes are most common, mornings can be found, but are a bit harder to come by. Afternoons are for taking a nap. Privates, mostly bored Korean houswives here with their working husbands, are also a possibility.

I have never been to Taiwan, so i can't say whether or not it's different. The culture has obviously been greatly influencd by the Chinese, physically however it must look very different than Twn. Sometimes I think it looks more like Mexico City than Asia! I have heard some people say that it takes a special person to live here for long. Maybe I'm special, VN has it's share of problems, but I havent been able to tear myself away.

[EFLtrainer]

Something to consider: any of those you mention, with the exception of Japan, are likely to offer significantly less pay even given the differences in cost-of-living.

I don't think the cert is a requirement in Japan, but it's always going to give you a leg up in schools looking for dedicated... er... decent teachers. Of course, there are a lot of places in most countries just looking for bodies.

Good luck,

EFLtrainer