Job Discussion Forums

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

In my opinion, the image of ESL is very much that of a gap fill travellers job. This is obviously because of the large number of teachers who use ESL teaching as just that - a gap fill travelling job.

It appears from reading these boards for several years that the number of people who are beginning to take ESL rather more seriously is on the increase. My evidence for this is the amount of people who have studied for or are studying for an MA/DELTA.

On the one hand we have those who do not take the job seriously (career wise), and on the other we have a growing number of those who do.

So, which one is it for you? What is the future of this dichotomy?

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

Career.

But I have no problem with the entry-levels who 'use' the job to fund travel. I think there are lots of benefits to that, mainly expanding the awareness of the world and its diversity, among people who might not be so aware without the direct experience of other people/cultures. And there's a large market demand for 'causal' English practice - not every student really needs more than conversation and basic grammatical explanations.

Don't get me wrong - I strongly think newbies should have at least entry-level certification - aimless conversation without any background understanding of what's going on isn't that effective for anybody.

But I think it's a great opportunity to help make the world a better place - we all have more empathy/understanding/interest when we've had direct experience with a culture and its people. Because it works both ways (students in their home countries working with native English speakers from abroad), we all have a responsibility to represent whatever country we hail from in the best light we can...or at least the people from it.

MELEE · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 4:39 pm Post subject:

For me it is a career.

But like Spiral, I recognize that it is a field with a wide range of opportunities and have no problem with the idea that some people will only do it for a year or two. Not every student has the same needs-wants-means. So we need a variety of teachers for the variety of teaching contexts.

What's bad is if students don't know what they are getting. If the school trains native English speakers with no additional training to follow their set lessons to a T. That's fine, as long as students know exactly what they are getting when they sign up for the classes.

John Hall · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 4:45 pm Post subject:

I couldn't have said it better myself, spiral78.

I would just like to add that in Costa Rica there is a surging need for career-oriented English teachers. (Salaries have been improving, little-by-little.) One of this country's objectives is to become "professionally bilingual." Eight out of every ten candidates applying for a bilingual job in Costa Rica don't have sufficient English skills at present. But the multinationals are not going away (with or without the Central American Free Trade Agreement). It is exciting for me to be teaching at ULACIT, which advertises itself as Costa Rica's only bilingual university. I could have gone to another country to make more money, but I don't know anywhere else in the world where the need to have English at a level beyond the "advanced" level of most English textbook series is as strong as it is here.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 4:58 pm Post subject:

It's my career, but that doesn't have to be for everybody. The market simply has more space for teachers than there are people who have a mind to make a career of it; so there's room for the short-term crowd as well as the lifers.

I'm in a market that attracts more short termers than long timers, and it gets difficult from an admin point of view. I'm trying to build a rapidly growing program, but find myself unable to do much in terms of career development for teachers, as they get here, spend 10-15 months, and dissapear. How can I spend money on their training...mumble grumble...

Best,
Justin

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

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

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

MikeySaid, you are aware that those 'floppy-headed Canadians' can't work legally in most of the EU too, right? You make it sound like Canadians go abroad at in greater percentages than U.S.Aians - maybe they do, but their options are equally limited...maybe they're just more motivated by weather??

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

Right, but Canada does have the whole "working holiday" thing set up with quite a few countries. I don't know too much more aboot the laws that govern whether or not a Canadian can get a Visa in other countries as they've never been of much concern to me...

However... Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders seem to be able to get out a bit more. I'm not discounting that Americans are too busy being fat and happy... but I think we have a few more impediments, maybe...?

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

Bigger student loans to pay off.

John Hall · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:24 pm Post subject:

Unemployment is generally higher in Canada than in the U. S., so Canadians are more apt to look for work internationally.

tedkarma · Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:11 am Post subject:

Career for me - and has provided for an excellent life.

I agree with spiral's first note too.

jpvanderwerf2001 · Joined: 02 Oct 2003 Posts: 1117 Location: New York

Career.
Very few complaints, unlike many on this board! Very Happy

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

Career (but somehow I think it'll feel much more of an established one in four or five after I have a decade of experience, including time that I have already spent getting trained and time I spend upgrading my credentials in the future).

I also agree with Spiral's first post.

I think another issue with the percentage of Canadians doing it is that there may be a much higher percentage of USAians who look at the US culture and foreign culture as two totally seperate things, as opposed to the percentage of Canadians who spend life (especially in high school but also in uni) trying to be anything other than 'just' Canadian and so they may be more likely to leave, especially with high unemployement levels and arts degrees (and many science degrees) leading to a virtual guarantee of a career in a big box store with a golf shirt and name badge.

saint57 · Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 9:17 am Post subject:

I think this may be more of an issue of teaching conversational English vs. TESL. Most people who teach abroad teach conversational English. I think most people who consider TESL as a career are doing something a bit deeper.