Job Discussion Forums

[lyndalorient]

Fairly new to the site and a few questions about teaching qualifications.

I m 22 and I only graduated last year with a 1.1 in European Studies - french, law and economics. I am currrently completeing my internship with the European Commission. I am looking into teaching as it was what I wanted to do originally.

In Ireland to teach English a TEFL (ACELS) 100 hours (minimum) diploma is needed as well as a good degree. This way you can become an English teacher in Ireland and abroad.

Though it is close to impossible to get teaching experience in Ireland when you are freshly qualified so going abroad is nessicary to get the 2 years minimum teaching experience they demand.

That is why I want to go to Dubai to have the experience before I am qualified so I don t end up fresh out of teacher training with no experience (nightmare looking for job if u have no experience in Ireland )


Is CELTA and and TESOL the same equivalent as Irelands TEFL (ACELS)

I had planned on taking this TEFL course before taking a year or 2 teaching in Dubai. But because the particular school (chouefait) starts mid August and my internship with the EC ends mid July I will not have the time to gain this qualification before going to to Dubai.

But as Chouefait has its own method of teaching perhaps this is a good thing. I don t to be taught one way of teaching before undoing it a few weeks later.

Would a TEFL teaching diploma help get a higher paid job in Dubai or UAE?

Because one of my options could be spend a year with Chouefait come home do the intensive diploma and pass the exams (though it would be very tough. Return to Chouefait for 1 year and look else where.

Does experience count more than qualifications in the UAE? I know in Ireland if you don t have experience its "bye bye" in most jobs even if you have a great degree and teaching qualifiactioms.

I also believe experience is more important than qualifications (I know in Ireland they choose experience anyday unless its public school thats why getting this teaching experience is so important)

Being qualified doesn t nessicarily make a great teacher (as I ve met some terrible ones (like my mums friend) who performed the very best academicly yet in a classroom situation were useless)

How many years experience do most schools demand? What type of qualification do they insist on? Secondary education, diploma, BA, MA, cert, Diploma, Ma in Tesol?
Or does it depend on the school? UAE seems to insist on BA degrees wheras South Korea/India just wants to know if you speak English as a native language...
What is the best for teaching English?

[Afra]

Do a search for comments regarding your qualifications, experience and age. You sound more suited to summer school EFL jobs. If you can't find one in Ireland, try the UK.
It's not clear what kind of schools you are interested in: Chouifet is not a language school.
If Chouifet, or any school, is prepared to employ you without either experience or recognised teaching qualifications, you should be on the alert. The Gulf is not South Korea.
I would not be happy to see my 22-year-old going into this situation.

[globalnomad2]

Japan is a much more suitable place to gain EFL experience if all you have is a liberal-arts BA. Plenty of language schools in Japan hire such people. It's a split-shift rat race, teaching 30-35 hours a week from 8 to 12 and then 5 to 10 or something like that, and furthermore, once you have a language school on your resume in Japan, you are pretty much stigmatized and can probably never get a university job when you get your MA.

From my perspective, if I were 22 and had a choice of crappy jobs in Japan and crappy jobs in Dubai, I would choose Japan. Also, there are more of them in Japan. How many language schools are there in Dubai? I don't think Berlitz would hire you, nor the British Council. What's left? Some "reputed" Indian-run schools? I'm sure others know more than I do aobut language schools in the UAE, but I hope these comments are helpful for a start.

[lyndalorient]

I am really interested in getting teaching experience (primary) before deciding to do the H dip in primary education in Ireland/England. I thought doing TEFL might be a good start but the chance to get experience seems even better. As you have to go for interviews to study to be a primary school teacher. It looks good if you can say you have experience.

To be honest I think the UAE would be more suited to me than Asia as its quite westernised. South Korea is of no real interest to me.

I looked in to being a langauge assistant in France and all you get is 700euro pm and no accomodation or flights. You also get very few hours and experience.

In Dubai, you get paid nearly double that, flights, accomodation, utilities and you get at least 21 hours of teaching and other supervisory duties. It could look better on a CV especially that you were not just an assistant.

Even if its so strict. I am not there to party. All I would want is maybe to go out for the occasional meal, do some shopping and ma a few friends. I am really a quite conservative 22 year old thats why I think UAE would be more suited to me

Ultinately I would like to be a primary school teacher and chouefait ticks all the things needed.

I just thought having TEFL would be something to put on the CV before I decide to qualify as a primary school teacher.

I definately don t want to study, train as a primary schoool teacher and come out with no experience.

[Afra]

There are very few reputable language schools in Dubai; those mentioned by globalnomad2 and a couple of others. None would employ the OP and
few offer sponsorship as there are lots of well qualified and experienced EFL teachers who are sponsored by their spouses.

[Stephen Jones]

Working as a language assistant is a great introduction to teaching, and to France. I did it in Paris, but you would need to try somewhere outside the big cities because of the rent.

If you want more money try for the JET in Japan.

Or try Thailand, if money is no problem; plenty of jobs in schools.


Why are you discounting South Korea? Best money for the newbie, and loads of twenty-somethings out to party.

[saluki]

lyndalorient,

If your objective is to get into primary teaching, why do you think it is necessary to do an EFL qualification? You don't need it to teach in Choueifat and it would not necessarily be benificial when applying for a primary teaching qualification unless you did an EFL course specifically aimed at young learners. If on the other hand you are interested in EFL teaching, then you could do a course in Dubai while you are working. That would enable you to get the qualification and pay for it while you are working, and you could enjoy your holidays next summer!

Is your job offer with Choueifat teaching the lower levels? If it is, then this is experience (positive and negative) which could be useful in an interview later. Choueifat teaching is nothing like the methods you will learn in teacher training college, but it has advantages for your purposes. At least you will learn time management, classroom management, planning skills, all of which will be valuable skills in the future.

Don't take Choueifat too seriously, just take from it what is useful to you and enjoy your year!

[veiledsentiments]

lyndalorient

Have you actually applied to Chouefat and they have said that they would consider you? They often take beginners to the field, but normally these people come with a basic education certificate from their country at the least and I don't believe that you have that.

With your lack of qualifications and experience, I would be surprised if you were able to get an employment package with benefits in the Emirates or anywhere in the Middle East.

VS

[adorabilly]

Personally, with your qualifications, korea, china, or japan (even indonesia) would be your best bet to find a decent job, and get great EFL experience.

As to the "westernized" bit, you need to understand anywhere you go, it ain't ireland/kansas anymore.

I know of very few schools in the UAE that accept anyone w/out a MA, or as grade school a BA in education and a certified teacher.

One of the other things to look at, would be the cost of living in the country you are going to.

China for example is not westernized (unless you are in shanghai or beijing), and you will only make about $700 US a month. But at $700 a month you live like a king (unless you are in bejing or shanghai then you live like an average person).

With your experience and education, personally I think you would be better served by going east (china, korea, japan, indonesia, or thailand) and I think you would learn more there too.

[stoth1972]

[lyndalorient]

I have been offered Al Ain in UAE. I am really not sure if I should accept it as I cannot find anyone who has taught there..
People just say its a nice town but on on website could I find info about the school

[kaw]

Just an idea - the British Council have a teaching assistant scheme that runs in Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Latin America, Russia, Senegal, Spain and Switzerland. Think you'll get a small salary but check out the website for more details http://www.britishcouncil.org/languageassistants-ela.htm

As for your other questions - I'm not sure but I think there have been postings before on Chouefait before. Read these before signing your life away....As for Al Ain - it's nice enough - fairly quiet - easy to obtain stuff you'd get in the UK (and probably Ireland), green, easy access to Dubai - around 2 hours - and there's a bus service if you don't drive.
As for the style of teaching - if you ever want to get into TEFL then you'll really have to do the CELTA or Trinity TESOL anyway. At least if you do one of these first you'll have a decent idea of the thinking behind the schools methodology and if it works - or not...

A DELTA / Dip TESOL helps to get better paid jobs pretty much everywhere however you will need to have a few years experience behind you to do it.

Why the interest in Dubai - is it ony Dubai or the UAE in general? If it's the money - you may be in for a bit of a shock - whilst the pay tends to be higher than elsewhere and of course is tax-free - the actual cost of living isn't that much cheaper than other places.

IMHO - I'd go and do the cert - there are so many places around the world that do it that you're bound to find somewhere that interests you - check out International House. From there - get a decent job somewhere - and then apply for your Primary course. Having some experience in the classroom, a Primary teaching qualification and an ELT cert will certain open doors.

In the UAE - it depends on where you're planning to work - universities generally require an MA. I'm not sure about the schools but at least a teaching cert I would think.

Hope this helps.

[lyndalorient]

Hi There
I ve heard about the language assistantships. You can get them through the Irish equivalant of the British council as well.

Its just that I have known people who have done them and they told me they spent their time doing nothing, got paid rubbish �750 in France depending where you are could be hard to live on. They don t provide accomodation. so rent and utilities would eat up half of that.
Unless in Eastern Europe where 750 euro goes much further

In the UAE there definately seems to be work in the primary side of things. The pay is just for food, activities and saving as accomodation and utilities are paid for. It does sound more tempting than France.

I have heard all the Chouefait stories. However I have gotten an Irish perspective on it. It does seem survivable if you keep your head down. At least I have no influences on teaching before I start.

I ll apply for the teaching diplom in 2008 and it would be great as I would have a years experience behind me. That is close to impossible to getting in Ireland as we are extemely strict on assistants and teachers getting experience in the schools.

[adorabilly]

Personally, I think you would be better served by going further east. I would highly recommend japan, or china as options for somene w/out a bachelors degree who is trying to get experience.

if you are in tokyo, you will get a decent salary, and have a very high standard of living.

As for china a much lower cost of living, makes up for the lack of some western styles/food amenities.

The UAE is very demanding on the requirements for teachers.

But that is just me.

[Iamherebecause]

Choueifat is one of the bigger and more expensive international schools in Al Ain. But their methods are not typical of education in the 21st century (to say the least) so I don't think a year there would be a good start to a career in teaching. You have to wonder about an establishment that charges high fees (used to be the most expensive school in town, don't know if it still is though) and employs unqualified teachers.

All of the other options that are open to you have to be better! If you go for the language assistant thing, you can always supplement your salary with private lessons as the teaching hours are not exactly taxing. It's more fun on a low salary in Europe than it is on a low salary here (and as an unqualified teacher you aren't going to make a lot).