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Future of TEFL?
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bograt



Joined: 12 Nov 2014
Posts: 331

PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2018 3:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blistering Zanazilz wrote:
Obviously there are other options, and I only listed one of them. The STEM subjects are the present and the future and people would be wise to invest their time and money there rather than in becoming an ESL teacher.


Yes I know Stem has the best paying jobs and future but I'd guesstimate most people who drift/get into TEFL do so because they're not interested in Maths based fields. It'd be nice if there were a few other suggestions apart from coding going around for young people of that ilk.
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GambateBingBangBOOM



Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 4:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bograt wrote:
I'd guesstimate most people who drift/get into TEFL do so because they're not interested in Maths based fields. It'd be nice if there were a few other suggestions apart from coding going around for young people of that ilk.


There are.

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/english

All it takes is a google search for "What can I do with a degree in ________ ?"

People can (and many probably should) periodically do a Myers Brigg type test (free ones online) and look up jobs for the resulting personality type that they get, and ones near to it. This may (or may not) be helpful. Looking at career areas on the OPPOSITE side of the Myers Brigg list (so if you come out as INFP, you can look up careers for ESTJ) these will likely be career areas to avoid- this will likely be useful to people.

Of course there's always "What Color Is Your Parachute?"
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bograt



Joined: 12 Nov 2014
Posts: 331

PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 5:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:

bograt wrote:
I'd guesstimate most people who drift/get into TEFL do so because they're not interested in Maths based fields. It'd be nice if there were a few other suggestions apart from coding going around for young people of that ilk.


There are.

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/english

All it takes is a google search for "What can I do with a degree in ________ ?"


Yeah, I wasn't actually bemoaning the lack of careers advice for arts graduates. I was politely saying all the suggestions on here that young people get into coding instead of TEFL are getting a bit repetitive.
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GambateBingBangBOOM



Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bograt wrote:
Quote:

bograt wrote:
I'd guesstimate most people who drift/get into TEFL do so because they're not interested in Maths based fields. It'd be nice if there were a few other suggestions apart from coding going around for young people of that ilk.


There are.

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/english

All it takes is a google search for "What can I do with a degree in ________ ?"


Yeah, I wasn't actually bemoaning the lack of careers advice for arts graduates. I was politely saying all the suggestions on here that young people get into coding instead of TEFL are getting a bit repetitive.


Oh. My mistake.

I guess many of the people giving this kind of advice on this board haven't done a lot of research in other areas. I think many people get into EFL shortly after getting out of university and may end up feeling trapped in it because they just never really did much research into other areas prior to entering the field (and may not want to start over going to university to get [possibly another] graduate degree). Others came to EFL after doing something else, but they entered EFL because there was something about that something else that didn't work for them.
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Yanklonigan



Joined: 23 Jan 2017
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 11:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As my Dominican Catholic nuns used to tell us back in the Sixties that teaching is a vocation. If it is your destiny, dream of passion than you'll be compelled to pursue the profession no matter what. If you're an ESL teacher in your heart than you'll do just fine somewhere out there on the map. I have been teaching for forty years and it's an article of faith of mine not to steer anybody into or away from a career in education. It's there waiting if you want it.

I think most of us people who have taught English overseas would admit that the "glory days" of the life are pretty much in the past.
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CTravel32



Joined: 01 Mar 2017
Posts: 85

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 4:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MOD EDIT
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=76124

Any way, to make a long story short: I suggest teachers embrace technology, at least to an extent, as it is going to play a role in education/language learning more and more. It is a selling point for a lot of the better, more advanced, higher performing schools, especially in developing nations.

People mention having to "slog through" certain grammar type exercises but my kids are really digging IXL, a lot, and it does not seem like quite a slog. I am still using standardized tests, (as practice tests), to gauge improvement and advancement and have been happy to see growth after several months of digital grammar work.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 3:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

How do you feel the industry has changed over the past 3-5 years?
How do you see TESOL a decade from now?
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juriusz



Joined: 05 Sep 2011
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 6:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's hell of a question, but just a few things that have changed:
- China has tightened its' visa regulations and started actually checking teachers' qualifications. Not a bad thing in general, but it has also become a more of a totalitarian regime, so rather not a great place for living. It remains the biggest market in the world, but is moving towards online teaching.

- I remember the good old days when Russia was a pretty solid market, say a decade ago. In 2019... Well, you can survive on a typical Russian salary, but definitely not save a lot. Ukraine is out of the game now.

It seems to be a general trend that salaries are stagnant, the cost of living is globally getting higher. I think it's actually the same for most of the businesses, not only for TESOL. There is a conversation I have every few years: is Africa going to become the new Asia of TESOL? I am afraid it isn't.

Oh, and Brexit, Or maybe no Brexit.

Teaching perspective:
- IWBs everywhere. At the same time, schools are not very willing to buy software, so teachers need to spend more time preparing IWB charts, with beautiful pictures, etc. This trend will only get stronger.

- almost every single course has some online components that are essentially the same as all the old-fashioned exercises, but you do them online. Or actually try to make your students do them online.

- lots of highly qualified people who have been doing the same thing for years because they can't get promoted cos schools typically don't need a lot of aDoses and line managers.

- Kahoot, Quizlet, similar apps that students can access from their phones. We will see more and more of these.
- IB schools - more and more of these.

Teachers' work safety, benefits and salaries are not likely to improve. On the other hand, it's not as bad as some are painting it here. Sure, IT and finance pay more, but you can still get a reasonably good teaching job.
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nimadecaomei



Joined: 22 Sep 2016
Posts: 605

PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 9:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

juriusz wrote:
It's hell of a question, but just a few things that have changed:
- China has tightened its' visa regulations and started actually checking teachers' qualifications. Not a bad thing in general, but it has also become a more of a totalitarian regime, so rather not a great place for living. It remains the biggest market in the world, but is moving towards online teaching.


I am just curious, what makes it more totalitarian and a worse place to live from 5 years ago. Also, where and what markets in China are moving towards online teaching?

Personally, five years ago I got my PGCE (paid for by my employer) and two years ago switched jobs (massive pay rise). I can only speak to China, but it did get more difficult. I needed to prove my degree (my BA not my PGCE Confused ). I also needed a criminal check even though I had not been out of the country for 10 years. The employment package reimbursed these costs, moving fees, and a lot more. When I came to China these things did not happen. In my view things have been looking up in China.
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juriusz



Joined: 05 Sep 2011
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2019 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Google used to work in China - I think they blocked it for good in 2014. In 2013-2014 I didn't have any problems with Skype, 2015 - almost impossible to communicate. Using VPNs was not a crime back then, I think it is now. Comrade Xi was to stay in power for the next few years, not for the rest of his life. Xinjiang concentration camps were not an issue back then.

More and more teaching jobs are online. I don't have exact numbers, but when you look at the job ads, the phrase 'teach online from your home" is rather popular. China has the biggest population, so they are going to have more of them than e.g. Vietnam. Teaching online saves the pain of obtaining the police check, certificates translated, working visa, etc.
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nimadecaomei



Joined: 22 Sep 2016
Posts: 605

PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2019 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

juriusz wrote:
Google used to work in China - I think they blocked it for good in 2014. In 2013-2014 I didn't have any problems with Skype, 2015 - almost impossible to communicate. Using VPNs was not a crime back then, I think it is now. Comrade Xi was to stay in power for the next few years, not for the rest of his life. Xinjiang concentration camps were not an issue back then.

More and more teaching jobs are online. I don't have exact numbers, but when you look at the job ads, the phrase 'teach online from your home" is rather popular. China has the biggest population, so they are going to have more of them than e.g. Vietnam. Teaching online saves the pain of obtaining the police check, certificates translated, working visa, etc.


I think you are misunderstanding on purpose. Google was blocked, though I still get email notifications if it gmail is allowed to sync, skype was not blocked, and using a vpn is not uncommon or illegal. Point to the law that say it is and I will agree. These kind of things are not totalitarian either way.
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Mr. Kalgukshi
Mod Team
Mod Team


Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Posts: 6613
Location: Need to know basis only.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 27, 2019 3:40 am    Post subject: MOD TEAM Reply with quote

Teaching in China focused topics and postings are best discussed on the two China forums. They will not be permitted to continue on the General Discussion forum.
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