Job Discussion Forums

[littlemisshappy]

Hi there oh so wise ESL teachers in France!

I've been searching through the forums and can't seem to find all the info I need about working at a university in France. I'm Irish with 6 years ESL teaching experience, including 2 years at University level in Korea. I have a TEFL cert and I'm currently working on an MA in Applied Linguistics (by correspondence). I can speak French as I lived there for 3 years before embarking on a world trip.

I really want to return to France next year but have a couple of q's.

1) What are the chances of me being employed by a Uni before having finished my MA (I'm half way through)?
Will I be wasting my time even trying? Should I just go back to school and finish the MA then go to France?
2) Is it true that I need to get a letter proving that I have completed 900 hrs (or something like that) from a French language school before applying to Uni's there?
3) What other paperwork do I need besides references, diplomas, etc?

I'd really like to work in Paris, are the chances of finding a Uni job better outside the ile-de-France?

I have been spoilt by the wonderful life as a university lecturer - besides language schools, what are the chances of working at a public school en France?

Merci, merci, merci for any insightful info anyone may have!!

[michellem]

hello,

i am working at a few school in the ile de france so i will try to answer your questions.

1) What are the chances of me being employed by a Uni before having finished my MA (I'm half way through)?
Will I be wasting my time even trying? Should I just go back to school and finish the MA then go to France?

From my experience it doesn't really matter. I don't have an MA, i have a BA and a BEd (bac +5) and i got two positions an "ecole sup�rieur". They seem to be more concerned about working papers. if you are an EU citizen not problem, but Canadian or American without a titre de s�jour it is pretty much impossible. They usually hare someone as a vacataire ie no more than 300 hours per school year. you can't live on this. you would need two of these contract to make ends meet.

you also need a lot of luck. send cvs to all the schools in the pages jaune. and hope someone calls you back. unis don't always advertise for the positions as they get alot of cv.

2) Is it true that I need to get a letter proving that I have completed 900 hrs (or something like that) from a French language school before applying to Uni's there?

I have never heard of this rule.

3) What other paperwork do I need besides references, diplomas, etc?
titre de s�jour if you are not from the EU. they take care of the rest.

I'd really like to work in Paris, are the chances of finding a Uni job better outside the ile-de-France?

it would be about the same. keep in mind housing is a lot cheaper in the the suburbs.

I have been spoilt by the wonderful life as a university lecturer - besides language schools, what are the chances of working at a public school en France?

you have to pass the concours. the dates are not yet posted for this year. It is only open to EU citizen. you have to get your diplomas "homologue" by the rectorat of the area where you want to do the exam.

hope that answered some of your questions.
good luck

michelle

[littlemisshappy]

Thanks Michelle, that's a great start! It's good to see that requirements vary from place to place-part of the French charm I guess

[Luder]

An MA would be helpful for getting a full-time job as a lecturer at a university, but such jobs are rare and generally reserved for people who come up through the French system.

To work as a "vacataire" (part-time adjunct paid by the hour) you don't need an MA. But you do need an "employeur principal". This means that if you are a teacher you have to work three hundred hours a year for ONE other employer. If you have another kind of job, you have to work nine hundred something hours a year to be considered full-time. The reason for this requirement is to keep you from being able to claim unemployment benefits over the summer or when a course gets withdrawn.

Typically, this "employeur principal" thing is the stumbling block to teaching at a university, since the universities are strict about it. You probably won't be able to doctor a sheet of paper. The best place to look for university work is probably in the suburbs of Paris. Lots of competition in Paris itself.

[michellem]

i have heard about the 300 hour rule, but my emlpoyer didn't ask me if i had another employer. i am teacher at two �cole sup�rieurs. maybe that is the difference.

i have heard of many problems teaching as a vacataire at a university such as only being paid at the end of each semester. this is not a problelm at the school i am in. i get paid each month on time.

i would suggest trying your luck at the ecole superieur priv� in the yellow pages before trying the universities

michelle