Job Discussion Forums

[TitanicWreck]

I live in Boston, and will be getting my TEFL certificate quite soon- but have no plans on leaving the US for quite awhile...Are there TEFL/ESL teaching opportunities in America, or do I need to go overseas to teach?
It seems I'm the only one in my TEFL class who is not headed to Europe or Asia, so im wondering if odds are that there are no teaching gigs inside the US..

[Ecrivain]

I was just about to post something related, so here is probably as good a place as any to discuss it: U.S. metropolitan areas now taking up 'English only' proposals. While it seems harsh on immigrants, it also seems like it might create some jobs for ESL teachers in the US.

[Justin Trullinger]

The English only thing is interesting, but I don't know enough about it to comment, yet.

There definitely is a great market for English teachers in the US. I know quite a few who are gainfully employed, happy and successful. THey all have MAs, though. Economies respond to scarcity. Overseas, where native English speakers are scarce, the fact of being a native speaker increases your value in that economy. But in the US, native speakers of English aren't too scarce, and you'll need some other characteristic, such as high level training, to make yourself more valuable.


Best,

Justin

PS- A TEFL cert is pretty entry level. It can work overseas, but doesn't add up to much in the US.

[Jetgirly]

I have a BA in English and a CELTA. I worked overseas for about eighteen months and was able to transition into a limited-term job at a community college in Canada. I'd say that without prior teaching experience you would have little luck getting a good (or even decent) job in the US.

[acquisition]

Unfortunately, you won't find much here. There are plenty of adults here who need English class, but since so many of them don't have much time or money, there really aren't a lot of language institutes. The children get classes in public schools, which require BAs. Colleges have classes, but they generally require MAs. I had only a CELTA and I was very lucky to get my part-time job - right place at the right time.

[guest of Japan]

OP, you don't mention if you have a college degree. If you don't then finding any position teaching ESL in the states will be next to impossible. If you do, then finding a position without experience will be upgraded to really hard. You certainly won't find anything full time. I know the boston market quite well and it's a lot of teachers doing a lot of part time work for different companies and services. The standard rate in Boston is about $20 an hour and many places do not pay for prep time. Even these jobs are so competitive that people with masters degrees are lining up for them just so they can get some experience in the classroom.

I make ends meet here in Boston by subbing at a local public high school nearly everyday, being their afterschool homework center coordinator (just got that job), and teaching ESL two nights a week for a profit adult education center. Even with all these jobs I am very happy to report that my wife finally got offered a full time job starting in January.

I came to Boston with 5 years EFL experience in Japan teaching both adults in a language school and students in Japanese high schools. I have an EFL cert. I am also a certified high school history teacher with experience teaching in an alternative high school, a tutoring company and having substitute taught at the high school level long ago. I've found that not having a masters degree is a huge obstacle here in Boston. My plan is to begin one in the fall of next year.

[denise]

I agree with the others. TEFL certificates really aren't highly valued in the US. They are entry-level qualifications in a land where many teachers have higher qualifications. And Justin's right--the "native speaker" qualification (although it really isn't a qualification at all!) that will open doors in other countries is worthless in the US. There are non-native teachers, but with advanced degrees.

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