Job Discussion Forums

[Lack]

Things seemed to have changed a lot in even just the past two years. The global TEFL market appears to be getting more and more restrictive, at least officially. Now here's the thing: globally, the TEFL market is GROWING. Thus, supply cannot keep up with demand. And yet it is getting harder for newbies to enter the TEFL market. So doesn't this seem extremely illogical?

I've been reading lately about China deporting more illegal FTs, and of some changes in the laws setting an ever higher bar (officially anyway) for incoming FTs. China is probably the single greatest example of this illogical effect: it is the single biggest TEFL market, and yet they are deporting illegal teachers without having an adequate supply of qualified teachers. It seems like China wouldn't want to do that since it is bad for business.

That said, I'm not especially sympathetic to the illegal teachers. I have a degree, teaching license from the U.S., experience, and soon will have a TEFL. This is good for teachers like me. I'm just asking because this seems really odd. TEFL is a huge field, and it seems like with growing demand across the world, no one would want to worry about illegals and other issues, at least right now. If it was reversed - if there was an oversupply of qualified teachers then it would make good business sense.

This may be mainly about the Asian TEFL market since that is where the main markets are. Can't imagine China is happy with most foreigners. So many FTs can be nuts in one way or another. Perhaps over time they have noticed a big difference between illegal FTs and qualified ones and think it is that important to fix the system. But that explanation does not seem adequately Chinese/Asian.

When it comes to Latin American TEFL jobs, I don't read the same kind of things. Apparently that part of the world is still generally OK with technical illegals and illegal working is still very common in many LA countries. Again, there's probably a lot of reasons for that.

All right, so what do you all think? Does the market make sense? Is there a logical explanation for why the market is growing but the standards for entry are increasing along with it?

[adaruby]

[water rat]

Johnny Foreigner - someone ought to take that as a username.

Unfortunately I think China has become more stringent because of criminal types. They have learned indirectly from Taiwan, Korea and Japan, and directly for themselves that a few child molesters have realized teaching English to kids is a primo gig. Then there are people who were busted for maybe just a nickel bag back home and have a permanent police record that makes it virtually impossible to get work of any kind in their home countries. I don't meant to suggest very many of us are like that, but such do exist and they have made it more difficult for the rest of us. Contrary to popular belief one bad apple does spoil the whole barrel.

[spiral78]

[happyinshangqiu]

In the Far East, qualifications, university rankings and all the rest of it, is took very seriously. The only reason (to my mind) that China let in unqualified people up until now is because they needed to cater to the huge demand, but if they could cater to that demand with qualified native speakers then they would. Look at Korea these days and that is exactly what's happening in the tier one cities, anyone who could walk and talk at the same time was gratefully received only as late as 2008 but now getting employment - even at a hagwon - is a test of patience and time. It isn't as easy as it once was.

Opportunities and wages are rising in China and it seems that every man and his dog wants to work in a tier one city thus these are the places where they can demand certain criteria and get it. It seems that just having a 'white face' isn't going to cut it anymore and prospective teachers need to hold a degree at the very least, I can see demands from employers being raised over the next twenty or so years as money and working conditions improve.

[Sashadroogie]

I don't see anything illogical in deporting teachers who don't have the correct work permits etc. And nothing illogical in expecting teachers to be able to teach. And have a minimum level of language proficiency themselves - even if writing on a public forum. All quite logical, to me at least.

A trend I have noticed, however, is a growing reliance on highly-skilled local teachers. Though this is possible only something significant in Europe, for all I know. But in any case, this too makes a lot of sense. As 'native' English speakers cease to have sole stewardship of English, it is quite logical that 'non-native' speakers should assume a greater role in EFL. I for one welcome that. The Russian, Ukrainian, German, French etc. EFL teachers I have worked with simply outstrip the unqualified native speaker, in every way imaginable. Including use of English, as counter-intuitive as that sounds.

English is a global language? Then bring on the global TEFLers.

[scot47]

For some time native speaker Tefling types assumed that only they could do the biz. It is now clear that most places can produce their own teachers. Exceptions may be KSA, Korea and China.

[Sashadroogie]

Very true. But Russian or Polish teachers could easily do the job in those countries as well as, if not better, than the average qualified/unqualified 'native' to be found there.

[scot47]

What would all those Liverpudlians, Glaswegians and Mancunians with BAs in Sociology do then ?

[Sashadroogie]

I dunno. Form a hippie commune?

[rtm]

[esl_prof]

[Lack]

[happyinshangqiu]

[dackinator]

I'm not sure where you mean by Latin America, but at lesay in the south: Argentina, Peru, Chile, there is a large and rising supply of quality local English teachers. Locals who have taken degrees that solely teach Esl. These are more qualified and cheaper than a foreigner. I never saw much illegal working there, just because schools disn't need it. A lot were happy to use local teachers with one or two "token" foreigners.