Job Discussion Forums

mouradishere · Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 7

Hello everybody, I'm an English teacher from Tunisia with 9 years of experience and I'll be working in Abu Dhabi starting from August, I'll be teaching English in a secondary school. The pay is 2300 USD plus single accommodation plus health insurance plus airfare.
First, I would like to know what you think of the package.
Second, concerning the qualifications, I have a Master Degree in American Civilization from a Tunisian university and I would like to know if it can make any difference at all if I apply for a university post in Abu Dhabi (because I learnt from other threads in the forum that only MAs from the USA or the UK are accepted Sad

)
any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

Gnocchiman · Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 68 Location: Limbo

Mouradishere, your package sounds good.

The current head of communications at UGRU/ UAEU is from Tunisia and probably got his Master's from Tunisia. He's been in his position for a very long time, something like 18 years, and has made many differences here. Many. He'll probably be leaving at the end of the year though. If he did it, I'm sure you or anyone could!

I wish you all the best in your new life here!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I don't know if that is a good package for you or not, but I can tell you that they accepted my MA degree from the American University in Cairo. AUC is US accredited, but certainly not a US university. Laughing

I wonder how helpful this MA would be for a TEFL teacher because it is not a language degree - EFL or Linguistics. (or is it?) Most employers now are even requiring native speakers to have a related MA.

(How about UAEU, gnocchiman?)

VS

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

773 · Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 213

sowsan · Joined: 27 Apr 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Island Paradise

The high-paying and good benefit offering employers (i.e. government tertiary employers) can be notoriously biased against non-native speakers and non-western degrees. Best if you have near native-speaking competency for your MA to count and of course they can always hide behind the curtain of it not being in TESOL/Applied Linguistics if they like (although they usually mask this if they don't want it to count against you, with the words 'or a related field'.) Sad and grotesquely unfair, but true.

mouradishere · Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 7

windstar · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 235

I have come across with HR people who are mostly prejudiced against non-English speaking country degrees. This is especially true when you are not a native speaker. A friend of mine had an MA degree from Canada from a different field (International relations), HCT did not consider it as acceptable.

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

For English language teachers this is what HCT requires:
Requirements:
� Master's Degree in TEFL or Bachelor's Degree with TEFL Diploma
� Minimum of 3 years teaching experience at tertiary level
� Experience in curriculum development and student assessment
� Knowledge of contemporary teaching practices and computer assisted learning
From the most recent advertisement.

I can think of several non-native speakers teaching English at HCT and at least one is from Tunisia.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

Thanks, VS. THat was my point. 2300 USD/8500 dirhams is low for an experienced and qualified teacher. A qualified native speaker w/ 9 years of experience would be coming in well over 10,000 dirhams/month at a decent school.

Iamherebecause · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 5:15 pm Post subject:

Gnocchiman wrote

mouradishere · Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 7

thank you all for the replies. and yes VS I guess I'll have to be there to try to find something suitable, although I'm not as optimistic now as I was when posting my question ! Sad

Anyway, I am also interested in the experience itself, just for a change !
As for the compensation, am I allowed to teach in a part time job or in private mentoring ? and is that rewarding ? Here in Tunisia there are strict regulations regarding private mentoring, for instance, you can't give private lessons to pupils in your class, and you have to get a written permission from your Regional Education District before giving those lessons, and above all, they are controlled and you can expect an inspector to just drop in on you to see how you're doing... Well, these are the regulations, this doesn't mean they are always enforced, but nobody I guess wants to do something unlawful or unauthorized !
Back to Abu Dhabi, I haven't a clue about the practice around the question of part time jobs and private mentoring, so any feedback would be more than welcome.

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

Gnocchiman · Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 68 Location: Limbo

Quote:
He'll probably be leaving at the end of the year though.

Are you sure? I thought he was just one of those people who says at the beginning of every year that this year will be his last...

Yes, it is very likely he will either leave or be forced out at the end of this year. There's a new policy at UGRU which states: if a coordinator has been in his/her position for too long, then their "services will no longer be required" *click*. Being that he has held this position for a very very very very long time, one must assume his head is on the chopping block, no? The only thing that could save him is that there appears to be a clause in this new mandate that says it only applies to coordinators who are competent and well-respected by staff. If this holds true, then he'll be safe for another 18 years.