Job Discussion Forums

[leeroy]

Something posted on the Lonely Planet website today...

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Some good advice from some previous posts, let me see if I can add anything more specific...

This is assuming we're talking about Teaching And Getting Paid For It, as opposed to voluntary positions.

Your options with teaching English depend a lot on your qualifications. The main crux is which of the following you qualify under:

* I have no university degree - (Go to 1)
* I have a degree in something completely irrelevant to English Language Teaching - (Go to 2)
* I have a relevant degree (ie. English Language, Linguistics, Education etc...) - (Go to 3)

1.

What you'll need is a CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults) or a Trinity TESOL (Teaching English as a Second or Other Language). Both last a month, and teach you the basics of lesson planning and execution. They are invaluable, and most jobs you are eligble for will demand one of these as a minimum. You can do them anywhere, and the price can range from US$200 to US$1500. Included is 8 hours observed teaching practice.

Other, shorter ones (like for a weekend, or 7 days) aren't worth it, IMHO.

Your (legal) employment opportunities will be limited, as many countries will not issue a work visa unless you have a degree (in something). China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico and Ecuador are some countries that DON'T require one - but the Big Buck places (ie. Japan, Korea and the Middle East) certainly do. There are ways of getting around the degree thing, you can simply get a fake one from the internet (try fakedegrees.com), or from Khao San Road. Mostly, employers don't check the validity of degrees unless you are going for high-end jobs. There is something about a "Working Holiday" visa for Japan, but I don't know much about that...

Some would be teachers feel it is unfair that someone with no experience and a degree in Economics would be chosen for a job in Japan over someone degree-less but very-good-and-experienced. But there you go!

If you are an EU citizen (ie. British or Irish) then you can work in some places in Europe, otherwise it'll be very tricky. Usually, there are ample ESL jobs in native English speaking countries (Ie. US, UK, Australia, NZ, Canada) - but they pay relatively badly at entry-level position. For the UK, �10 an hour is about average for a first teaching job.

After two years, you are eligible for a DELTA (Diploma for English Language Teaching to Adults). This is no piece of cake, but having one defines you as a "Real Good Teacher", as opposed to a "Backpacker who fancied travelling around and earning money". Often, degree-less teachers attract this stigma. After this, you are qualified (in most people's eyes) to be a DOS, and/or teacher trainer. After this, you'll also be eligible to do a Masters degree in some places, even if you don't have a first one.

2.

Congratulations! You can go to Japan, Korea and Taiwan. This means much more money than your average university graduate's entry level salary. Often, teaching jobs available in these countries are not really 'teaching', sometimes you will be paired up with a local teacher (so while the local teacher explains the grammar, you are there for the 'practice') - or you will be like a human tape recorder (reading from texts, etc...) The general consensus of opinion amongst entry-level teachers in Japan/Korea is that 'It's a piece of piss for quite a bit of money.'

Naturally, qualified teachers who take their profession seriously sometimes object to the above view!

Most countries in the world are available to you visa-wise, but if you are thinking further afield than Japan/Korea then a CELTA will be necessary (see 1). Although your foot in the door (visa legality) is there - most of the higher paying jobs will still want 2-3 years experience.

3.

Cool, in that case you are eligible for most entry level teaching positions in the world. After a couple of years experience (and maybe a Masters) you will be able to apply for the Middle East jobs - which are ridiculous money. Bear in mind that if you're applying for the teaching job alongside someone who has a degree in Pottery, then it'll be you that gets it.

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Jobs can be found at

www.tefl.com
www.daveseslcafe.com

There are other places, but the two above seem to be the main ones. There is a view amongst some that only people university educated in ELT should be involved in the profession. While this is true for some positions, for the most part it is not. What students often need is not a university professor who knows what a 'participle clause' is, but someone who is young, funny and interesting that they can practice their English with. You will almost always have a course-book to follow, which makes it easier!

Most people in ELT are in it for the short-term, they are recent graduates (or people who never went to uni) who fancy working and seeing a bit of the world. There is resentment in the ELT community about this, as the expereinced and qualified professionals feel that these "backpackers" drag down the image of the industry. Maybe they're right, in any case, entry level teaching jobs are mostly (but not exclusively) young people in it for a bit of fun. You can also find older people in it for something new, and quite a few 'oddballs' who wouldn't really make it back in their own country.

If you are in it for a career, then the step up after being a teacher would be a DOS (That means Director of Studies, not the British verb "to doss", ironically meaning to laze or not do anything). They are usually strange characters, and are like the 'boss' of a school. Most people won't climb much higher up the ladder from that, but there are university positions (Masters degrees and/or PHds will be needed for that stuff).

The biggest player in EFL is English First. (www.englishfirst.com) It's kind of viewed as the McDonalds of TEFL. It's everywhere, and the quality can vary enormously from school to school. But EF is nice to get into, the books are the same worldwide, and swapping from one EF school to another is easier than a 'cold start' somewhere new.

International House (www.ihworld.com) have a better reputation, and accredit schools internationally. An IH accreditation means that it's good, basically. The British Council do something similar as well, they do schools in the UK.

China has the biggest growing market, but labour laws have a long way to go in China, and written contracts don't count for shit. I've heard of salaries as high as $1,000US a month - which is a lot for China. Often, westerners are disillusioned by arriving in China and not getting western treatment (ie. Paid on time, Treated like a human being, Not lied to constantly, etc...) Employment law in South East Asia leaves a bit to be desired, really, a lot will depend on your luck.

Most employment contracts in EFL will be for a year minimum (as employers in foreign countries have to pay for a foreigner work visa, they can be expensive!) At the end of the year, they will refund you the cost of your flight. Most work in Latin America requires you to be able to speak some Spanish as well. ESL is a different kettle of fish, and you can come and go in jobs there willy-nilly.

Oh yeah, and there's
TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language (in a foreign language speaking country such as Thailand)
TESL - Teaching English as a Second Language (in a native english speaking country such as the UK)
ELT - English Language Teaching (as in, the idea of it generally)

Have Fun

[scot47]

Spot on ! As usual this publication gets it right.

Of course now we will have the people who say : "But I KNOW there are jobs for non-graduates in Burkina Faso. I met tis guy once and he told me................."

Alas for all of us travellers' tales are often a source of disinformation. In TEFL do not believe everything you hear - and that includes from me.

[voodoochild]

Good post leeroy, it sums up EFL well.

[cheryl]

Leeroy, although i desperately want to believe your post..there was only one descreptancy.

I have a Linguisics and ALS Hon. degree with a CTESL in Canada that is equivalent to a TESL Master's degree from the states...and i nearly did not make it to the JET program!! (i was an alternate) BUT a fellow JET who has 2 degrees in the natural sciences withouth the CTESL was short-listed right away. Stuff like that bothers the beejeezus out of me. I know i'm a decent teacher, my lead teacher says as much, and my students have yet to run away screaming from me!

I hope that what you posted is true of teaching positions outside of JET, because they don't seem to care about qualifications at all.

[arioch36]

I agree with overall gist of your post...BUT

At least in China, EF would be one of the worst language school to teach at...at least if you listen to people who work in China. I will not comment on other countries.

Please, let this not become a forum on CELTA vs Trinity VS TEFL International etc.. What country that cares about a 4 week course has schools that will not hire you unless you take the CELTA? Please be very specific, so we can validate or refute your claim. There used to be a guy , Swindell, who would always say that (for example) you must get a CELTA to teach in Poland. Yet the majority of people who posted were quite happy with the competititions certification course, and readily found jobs.

SO please...be specific. Tell me what countries has even more then a couple of schools that are CELTA only.

Not Japan Not China Not Korea Not Thailand Not Mexico Not Italy Not Saudia Arabia Not the Emirates Not Kuwait. Definitely not the USA
Please don't let this become a pissing match or propganda place for the cert course you like. Specifically which country/countries

Key words : Some countries don't REQUIRE a BS degree ( Americans can't do the working holiday in Japan and of course, dificult to work in the EU). China with SARS might make it easier to get a job with no experience, no BS. But even the countries that don't REQUIRE a 4 yr degree...it is the first thing any decent school asks about.

In China, the EF schools are so pathetic, any young warm white body will do. Expect to be treated accordingly

[leeroy]

I didn't write this - I copied it from the Lonely Planet discussion forum! It is in the "Long Haul" section.

With regards to jobs with CELTA only - I worked in Indonesia two years ago with no experience and just a CELTA. And for US$500 a month, my level of experience and qualifications was about average! I have met people who did something similar in China - and from looking at job boards it seems that a few other countries have such schools.

And so the mudslinging begins...