Job Discussion Forums

[yamahuh]

I just saw these positions offered and wondered how well they compare to an average position in KSA. The hours are a bit off putting (from 8am - 9 pm) but I'm assuming that those are the hours within which you will work not that those are your start and finish times each day.

Appreciate your help:

Job Description � Teacher
Person specification:
� Able to speak English with a proficiency equivalent to that of a mother-tongue speaker
� Educated to degree level through the medium of English
� Certified to teach English as a Foreign Language (training can be provided)

Main Responsibilities:
Teachers� principal responsibilities include but are not limited to the following areas.
� Teach classes assigned, as scheduled by the employer
� Deliver the programme as directed by the employer
� Use supplementary teaching materials as required
� Use an appropriate mix of multi-media teaching materials
� Start and finish classes on time in accordance with the schedule
� Prepare lessons and equipment in advance for all classes
� Give lessons to the highest standards of English language teaching

Activities and Social Events:
� Assist in the preparation and delivery of activities which promote the students� use of English
� Attend and assist in the preparation of social events which promote the students� use of English
� Assist in the organisation of extra-curricular clubs which promote the students� use of English

Administration:
� Be familiar with relevant administrative procedures used by the employer
� Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of attendance and materials covered
� Prepare, administer, correct and record the results of student assessments
� Provide reports on and advice to aid student progress
� Assist with the development and organisation of supplementary materials
� Cooperate in ensuring constructive communication among staff and students
� Meet regularly with the management receive instructions and share best practice

Working hours:
Employees are contracted to work 40 hours per week between the hours of 8am and 9pm from Saturday to Wednesday, which is the usual university schedule. Thursday and Friday are designated days off.
Contact teaching hours are 20-25 hours per week. During the remainder of the contracted working time, employees will be expected to complete administrative work, participate in continuing professional development, and take part in clubs, societies and activities which promote the use of
English among the student body.

Working location:
The normal working location is the designated university campus. Teachers may also occasionally be asked to teach and/or participate in activities which take place at other locations as designated by
the employer.

Benefits:

US$3000 - $4250 tax free per month depending on qualifications and experience
11-month contract with final month taken as holiday
Free shared accommodation provided with excellent leisure facilities (or allowance)
Free flights to and from country of origin
Free medical insurance
Transport provided to and from work (or allowance)

[Middle East Beast]

Red flags:

1. It's in the KSA
2. Shared accommodation (no freakin' way)
3. The medical insurance could be like that provide by STA, which was a cumbersome reimbursement system that was essentially worthless if you had an expensive emergency
4. Busing
5. Allowance in lieu of accommodation and busing could be nothing more than a pittance
6. Be very careful of the reference to teaching at other locations. A friend at my last job was moved five times in one year. You'd better like living out of a suitcase.

And, oh yeah,
6. It's in the KSA

[Markemark]

There's a huge red flag in there!
Equivelant to native speaker? In other words they're on the hunt for Arabs or East Europeans. So they get nothing like what's stated in salary terms.
Second, training can be provided, hahahha. What a joke!
Listen, you get nothing for nothing and that's an old trick- aren't they going to throw in th 'free Arabic lessons' as well?
You will pay dearly for that nice and kind scaffolding they're offering- which justifies them- paying you- peanuts. Shared accomodation. Hell no.
Sounds more like a language school that got lucky with winning a uni contract. The salary will be up to SR 11,0000, but mark my words, they'll flag people who need their training or aren't quite native speaker enough and give them a pittance. In the general wage slide- anyone who is a qualified and experienced native will go down with the rest.
Crap is a word that springs to mind.

[rigel]

I applied with these guys weeks ago, but heard nothing back from 'em. I've seen their adverts on here many times since then.

[EFLUndercover]

Markemark, you are absolutely right that part of the contract at least was awarded to a language school institute that got lucky with a uni contract.

What they don't spell out is that out of the 8 hours you are suppose to be at work, you have to teach 6 of those hours. One teacher is expected to do the job of two.

This happened over the summer at PNU and according to how the contract is described will probably continue during the academic year as well.

[megbeth]

I'm wondering if anyone has heard from Kaplan regarding positions and their hiring decision... They told me by the middle of August then last week it was moved a bit to the beginning of this week.

[toeknee]

I got pretty far along in the hiring process with Kaplan but about a week ago I got an email from the recruiter saying that the Saudi employers were now seeking to hire more female than male teachers. As a result, I was told there was a slim chance that the Riyadh positions would be available. I am still holding out for some luck but it appears that it won't happen. Too bad!

[Markemark]

Ha, 30 hours teaching a week, that's a language school joke. EFL undercover, you need to keep pumping the truth on these kind of scams and keeping us abreast of what they're going to pull next.
I just bet the materials are useless, arrive late, classes are stuffed with 30+ and their admin is a joke. Learning, what learning, it sounds like a zoo to me.
And teachers are all just expected to play along. Students vote teachers in- with those who speak Arabic and allow open cheaing getting positive credits, anyone who might actually want to teach- is drummed out.
These language schools are a catastrophe.

[Grendal]

[pegycove]

Poor Grendal,

I'm so sorry. My condolances. I hope this bad news doesn't contribute to your demise :roll:
PC