Job Discussion Forums

leeroy · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 777 Location: London UK

EFL - Teaching English in a country where it is not the first language
ESL - Teaching English in an English-speaking country (like Britain or the US)

Technically, this being Dave's ESL cafe (how weird, the guy who runs the cafe in my school is called Dave, anyway...), all of you lot who teach in China etc.. should bugger off to another forum Smile

. But let's leave the semantics for now.

ESL's a whole different kettle of fish to the EFL malarky.

EFL involves new culture, learning a new language, (often) having a tremendous quality of life and vast quantities of beautiful women drooling over your blue eyes and EU passport. EFL can be a life-changing experience, something to tell people about when you are old and plenty to whinge about here at Dave's. So what if you're teaching Spolit Brats Who Don't Really Need To Speak English Anyway? Wink

ESL, on the other hand, is about as glamorous as having your ears syringed. Invariably we live in prohibitively expensive cities, and are paid no money to teach (lovely) students who hate everything about their miserable lives here. The next time you folks are having fun in a Chinese hair salon spare a thought for us here in the 1st world. Paradoxically, you EFL folks have it far better.

Hondo 2.0 · Joined: 05 Aug 2004 Posts: 69 Location: Canada

I taught EFL in Japan for a couple years. Afterwards, I came back to Canada, and did an education degree. Right now, I've only got basic qualifications. I need to take a few more classes before I can teach ESL in the public school system.
The whole reason I've gone this route is so that I can work on the international school circuit. I think it's possible to teach ESL in a foreign country. I'm hoping that it's going to be a rewarding experience.
I'd like to work in Germany. Sadly, I don't think anyone there is going to goggle over my eye-colour.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Leeroy,
If ESL is so bad, than make a switch. I agree EFL is much better than ESL and I have taught about 5 years in each. It just seems more natural to teach in English in a foreign country and no one snickers when you tell them what you do. I also am sickof the spoiled brats that travel overseas to party and yeah do a little studying.

Capergirl · Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 7:53 pm Post subject:

I guess how "glamorous" your job is depends on your perspective. I find teaching students from different parts of the globe to be rather exciting, actually. It seems even more so when different nationalities are intermingled in one class. Cool

Truth be told, however, I'd be off on an EFL adventure right now if I weren't trying to provide a stable, secure existence for Mini-me. That's not to say that I will never venture from my native Canada again. However, I will go when and where the conditions are right for us. At the moment, I am quite happy to be an ESL instructor here in Canada.

Leeroy, if you find EFL to be so much more "glamorous" then why not pack your bags and get going? You are young and free to do what you like, no? Smile

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

Funny--I'm actually looking forward to being able to teach someday in the States. True, I wouldn't enjoy the easy living and disposable income of EFL, but just to be in my home turf and not doomed to always be looked at/thought of as a weirdo or outsider, plus having students who have a real, tangible need for the language--those two factors will pull me back. (As will the eventual desire to settle down with a man...)

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