Job Discussion Forums

zorro (3) · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 202

Is language teaching a marginalised pursuit in terms of social status and government policy in the country where you work? Is it the same back home?

guangho · Joined: 16 Oct 2004 Posts: 476 Location: in transit

Depends on your individual circumstances. A Korean hakwon is not the same as working at Seoul National University. Off topic but curious: How many Zorros are there?

zorro (3) · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 202

how about your circumstances? just interested in the multitude of experiences that we have on dave's.

there are three zorros. the original zorro forgot his password. the second zorro's account was deactivated for a reason of which i'm not sure, hence the third zorro.

saint57 · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:57 am Post subject:

I don't think English teachers in Toronto, Canada have a bad reputation. Most are probably locals with CELTAs and aren't out making a-holes of themselves every night.

Korea

English teachers in Korea have a well deserved bad reputation. Teachers had a bad rep before I went and I didn't do much to improve it.

China

I think all it will take is a little time before even peasants look down on English teachers.

Malaysia

When I tell people where I work, they never ask me if I'm an English teacher. Foreigners still carry a certain mystique because most are here doing something other than teaching English.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Obviously, I'm generalizing wildly, but I would say that largely, n the Czech Rep, EFL teachers are a small step above British stag-doers.

Obnoxious, unreliable, probably dirty - but necessary. With the stag-doers, it's economics. With the EFL teachers, it's economics from a different angle.

And (another wild generalization) the Czechs who hang out with EFL teachers also hang out with British stag-doers.

Frizzie Lizzie · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:28 pm Post subject:

In Turkey, the students often asked me or my colleagues "but what is your REAL job??"

thelmadatter · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:17 pm Post subject: ???

A possibly dumb question but...

What is a British stag-doer?

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

It's a stag party in North American English, and the Brits call it a 'do.' I guess 'stag-partiers' would convey the idea better?
Anyway, they're a Plague in Prague.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:54 pm Post subject:

It's usually a Bachellor's Party in North American English.

The femenine is "Bachellorette's party." ("Hen Night," UK)

Best,

Justin

Deicide · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:25 pm Post subject:

I think EFL is a marginalised profession in human society, forget about the country. Of course there are different kinds of EFLs. Asian EFL has little if nothing to do with European EFL based on my experience and observations.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:08 pm Post subject:

I think that in most places, big distinctions are made between "passing through" and really building a career.

Here, the back packer crowd isn't especially well looked on, but professional teachers in professional situations are reasonably well looked on.

Best,
Justin

John Hall · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:16 pm Post subject:

In Costa Rica, the situation is the same as Justin Trullinger has described for Ecuador.

Deicide · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:52 pm Post subject:

A wise man once said: EFL is utterly useless outside of the field and pretty useless within it too.

jillford64 · Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 397 Location: Sin City

I agree with ls650. My experience in Morelia, Mexico is that language teaching is looked upon favorably and is a desireable job because it pays a decent middle class wage, especially if you can get a job at one of the universities.