Job Discussion Forums

[nidhi]

Hey everyone,

I am a graduate in Literature, I have been out of school for 2 years and traveled around quite a bit (Peru, India, Singapore...) but never taught abroad. I've worked admin jobs and the like for those years... I don't have a teaching credential or CELTA, and I don't have time/money to get one (unless you can get one online for cheap or something?)... I will be taking my CBEST this year (California Basic Skills Test, it's for folks pursuing teaching credentials or interested in substitute teaching)... I am in a committed relationship, and my partner does not want to travel, but I do... I was considering applying for the JET program, but we both decided that would be too long to be apart... so that's my background and here are my questions:

Is it necessary to have a specialized degree to teach abroad? Are there any cheap training programs or online programs?

Are there 6-9 month teaching programs out there?

What is the best way to find out if a company is legit/fair/good?

If I wanted to go teach abroad in March (I've looked at some of the job posts...) for 6 months, is that advisable/a good idea?

Thanks so much!
Nidhi

[Doglover]

[Sekhmet]

Actually, there are some short term contracts available. I think the majority of them are in China, but I know you can get work for as little as 6 weeks here in Egypt. And any multiples of that as you like.

In terms of other qualifications, unless you want to work for a shady school, you will need some form of TEFL qualification. And although online courses do seem to be the best option (time and money wise), they're really not. I've always been somewhat outspoken in this area - I just can't understand how people can know if they will enjoy teaching if they have never done it! My advice would be to find a good onsite school, with a minimum of 6 hours observed teaching, and go from there.

About degrees, you don't need to have a specific one. Your literature degree is fine. I know teachers who have degrees in music, or philosophy, and have still found no difficulties finding jobs. So don't worry about that.

The best way to find out about a school is to ask people who already work there. Ask the schools for email addresses of people who are or have worked there. That way, you can get honest opinions, rather than what the school wants you to know.

Anyway, hope that helps!! Good luck!!!

[Chris_Crossley]

Hi, Nidhi,

Based upon three years' experience of teaching in both the public and private sectors in China, I would say that sounding people out is one of the best ways to get some kind of feedback on whether or not a school or training centre is good, OK or just plain bad.

Dave's is certainly a good forum to use, and there are plenty of expats out here who have plenty to say about these outfits. You can always PM any poster here if you want advice about particular schools or other aspects (e.g., work visas) that you want to know more about. You are probably more likely to get more useful info from fellow posters than any school is willing to provide in their advertisements or, indeed, their contracts.

As I have discovered, some contracts are just plain pathetic. I started a thread a few weeks ago called "Any questions? Yes, LOTS!". It contained clauses from a "real" contract from a school in China, which I thought was designed to "trap" the unwary by way of providing only the basic information. Anybody undertaking TEFL abroad needs to have a bit of savvy and be able to ask real questions about what schools are prepared to offer.

Having never done any qualification online, I can't comment about online TEFL certification, but I do know that short-term contracts of six months or even less are available in China. For example, my next contract is only five-and-a-half months long, but I am in China already, so it is no problem for either myself or the school.

Coming out in March would be OK if you wanted to come into the private sector, since recruitment at private training centres are usually on an ongoing basis, but, if you wanted to teach at a public-sector school, college or university, your best bet would be to come in time for the beginning of a semester. In the case of China, this would either be after the Spring Festival holiday (February 9-15, 2005) or else at the beginning of September.

Good luck with whatever choice you make, Nidhi.

[denise]

If you don't want to be away from your sweetie for too long and you're having trouble finding 6-9 month contracts, you can do a shorter stint. If you wait a couple of months, you should start seeing job advertisements for summer programs that would only last for a couple of months.

d

[nidhi]

thanks everyone... for folks who have china experience does anyone know about TPR in china?
i will post in the china discussion too.. but thought i'd start here

nidhi