Job Discussion Forums

[mendications]

Hi,

I am trying to get a handle on what opportunities for teaching abroad there are for me. My plan for some time has been to try getting to Japan through the JET Programme. However, when I was taking a TESL training course recently, the director said that someone with my credentials should be able to get a far more lucrative job, perhaps teaching in vocational colleges or universities, or doing curriculum development, or writing materials. My problem is, I do not know where to look for such jobs and am hoping someone here can offer advice!

I have two English degrees from two Canadian universities, a BA and an MA, both with top honours. They are in English literature rather than linguistics, but I�m told that doesn�t matter all that much as far as work overseas goes. I have a year of teaching experience in the school I did my MA, running two tutorial groups for first-year university students. Currently I�m a writing tutor in the university, and I work with a lot of ESL students. Both jobs have involved curriculum development. As mentioned, I have just completed a 60-hour TESL certificate course. I�ve also worked as a writer, editor, and researcher, and I�ve travelled around Asia a bit too. I am 25 years old.

I�m not looking for a long term career in Japan, but I would like to go for a year or two. Teaching is not my �calling� or anything like that, but I don�t mind doing it; I would however be more interested in develop materials and stuff like that. Basically I want the experience of living overseas, the means of paying off student loans, and the opportunity to save up enough cash to do some more travelling in Thailand, India, and Tibet before returning to live in Canada.

I see JET would pay approx. $3000CDN/month; I�m told I should expect with my qualifications $4000-$5000 per month. My main question is this: where do I look for the jobs I want? Any advice for me about this, or anything else I�ve said?

Thanks for reading.
M.

[Cdaniels]

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

There are people with MAs in Applied Linguistics and several years of experience teaching college/university ESL classes and/or working in their institution's ESL assessment centre (testing and developing materials) on the JET programme.

You generally need to be in country in order to find a job other/better than eikaiwa or JET (unless you have contacts).