Job Discussion Forums

ianthe · Joined: 13 Aug 2004 Posts: 11

I recently arrived in Ho Chi Minh where everyone assures me that there is stacks of work teaching English. What I haven't been able to discover, either talking to people, getting on line, or reading every topic in this forum, is how to get hold of addresses of schools. I have found a couple, such as ILA, but I really want to find more. I have a TEFL cerificate and several years experience working in for the Education Department in Australia as a literacy tutor in schools, but haven't finished my degree. So I am especially interested to know if anyone knows of good schools here which place less importance on the degree and more on proven experience, personality, etc. Would appreciate any tips here...a lot...

Micro67 · Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 297 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

Europe Vietnam Language School (EVS) at 421 Ba Thang Hai St. District 10. Ph: 834 5056 and 834 9088 ask for Ms. Chi and Weblondon's Conversation English 183/7 ter 3 thang 2 st. District 10. 839 7578 or 091 814 1249.

East Europe Language School 77B-779Pham Viet Chanh Quan 1 TP. HCM DT: 925 5368 925 5369 Fax 925 5370

Just a couple.

http://www.vatc.net - http://www.tefl-teach-asia.com - http://www.ilavietnam.com - http://www.cleverlearn.com/en/lang_sch_generic.jsp - http://www.hls.edu.vn

jibbs · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 452

I found a dozen or more addresses just searching the internet. Try this site:

http://vietnam.asiaxpat.com

Under "Ho Chi Minh A-Z", then "Language Schools", there are over a dozen links, many big name schools in Saigon.

There is also a "Hanoi A-Z"...

good luck!
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Also look at micro's site www.mekongesl.com

I asked the same question before stumbling on a good website or two.

Micro67 · Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 297 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

Thanks Jibbs - just a quick thought on some of the smaller schools. I do think you are taking more of a risk with them, but they are good for picking up single classes here and there to get the schedule you want and with that mentality the overall risk is lowered.

Just my $.02

Waldorf Salad · Joined: 03 Apr 2004 Posts: 56 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

Micro67 · Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 297 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

I think that the chances of walking in to work and finding the doors chained is greater with some schools that are less well known, but I feel also that there is a certain amount of inherent risk in this game and that that risk can be minimalized by having multiple sources of revenue. Rolling Eyes

jibbs · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 452

I just put a bunch of schools contact info on Micro's site.

ianthe · Joined: 13 Aug 2004 Posts: 11

Thanks for tips on schools - now I seem to be tripping over them. I did my first night of work at EVS last night - it was incredibly disorganised, I was thrown onto a motorbike ad taken to another school, where no one seemed to know what class I was in, eventually I was dragged into a room of fifty students, a film crew walked in, and the teacher (who I'd never met) pushed me up the front and said, start teaching! So I improvised while they filmed me - I had no idea what level they were or what I was supposed to do. It was hilarious. Apparently I'll be on the news...not really a recommendation of the great standard of teaching English in HCMC, but that's show biz.
As someone said, I think some of these schools are a bit dodgy. I have lined up some work next week at a school which seems to be more organised (they have actual lesson plans), but I guess it's good to keep your options open.