Job Discussion Forums

[7969]

I'm going into my seventh year at the same job in China now, teaching a writing class at a university. I do enjoy it but feel it's time to move on. I've considered going back to Canada to live and work and there are possibilities there, but I'm now thinking since I've invested eight or nine years of my life in the ESL business I'd be better off continuing in this stream as opposed to starting all over back home in something totally new. I'm not content to teach university classes in China 16 hours a week for RMB7600 any longer but in order to get higher paying/more rewarding(?) work I need to upgrade my qualifications.

I currently have a BA in Russian Studies, and a TEFL course and these are the rock bottom qualifications for being in ESL in most places. I'd like to experience the Middle East as those jobs seem to be among the highest paying and I need to ensure I improve my retirement funds in the next 10-15 years before packing it all in. Preferably I'd like to do an online/distance ed program, at least most of it via this method as I have plenty of free time in which to study, but I'm not averse to doing some parts of a program on campus if need be. I also have enough money on hand to pay for my studies. I'm committed to this job till next June but want to get started on this ASAP and not waste any more time than I already have.

My problem is there are so many programs out there that I have no idea where to start. What kind of qualification(s) will help me find decent paying work in the widest variety of locations? Can anyone narrow down the options a bit and can I get some advice from others who have already done this and/or from people who are already working in jobs that are paying well? I'm stressing the "better paying" jobs here because even though my job here in China pays OK for what I do, I haven't established as much retirement savings as I would have liked so I need to get on with it before it's too late.

[tttompatz]

Please forgive my cut and paste. This was an article I wrote for my column in the KOTESOL journal in Korea (hence the values denominated in Won). A rough quick and dirty exchange calculation is ₩1000 = $1, ₩1 million = $1000, ₩40 million = $40k.

First step in the process is determining the, "WHAT do you want to do (beyond the obvious - make more money)?"

Then you can objectively look at the question, "What do you need to get there?" It is difficult to answer if you are not sure where the "there" is.

One question that quite often comes up after people have been working as English teachers for a couple of years is, �Where do I go from here?� There are several options available and I will look at a few of them in this column.

One option is returning home. For the large majority of English teachers this will be the most common choice. The thing to remember when you do go home is that a large number of both the hard skills (teaching and classroom management) and the soft skills (adaptability, self-discipline, etc.) that you have learned while living and working in a foreign country as an expat teacher do transfer well into the corporate world back home.

The other obvious choice is to continue teaching. If you have decided that you like teaching and want to make a career out of it there are several avenues that you can choose from. A few teachers are content to stay at the entry level position. They have found their niche in public schools or at language academies and are comfortable doing the job, so there they stay. For those who want to move onward or upward beyond the entry level and make English language teaching (ELT) a career rather than just a temporary job, you will need three things: time, continued professional development, and commitment. The path you choose will largely depend on where your interests lie and what you would like to do.

For some of you, a path to working in academia as a university lecturer is the main career goal. This often requires adding a master�s degree to your credentials. The MATESOL is the common route for positions at the post-secondary level. After going through the time and expense of an MA program you can usually expect to find teaching-lecturer jobs in the tertiary education sector with remuneration packages in the 40 million won range with a decent benefit package and 9-12 teaching hours per week (plus 3-4 office hours per week) to be the norm throughout a large part of Asia. .

Regular university teaching positions that have lower educational requirements will usually offer lower salaries and probably more teaching hours per week in addition to other duties like camps, clinics and contests.

Moving upward from there are those who continue into academic research in their respective field. Continued research, PhDs, publications and presentations are the benchmark for these positions. Salaries aren�t particularly spectacular (40-50 million won per year) but the addition of other sources of revenue such as book/textbook royalties can be lucrative for those who are so inclined.

Another route that a lot of teachers take is to pick up a DELTA or a Diploma in TESOL and work in the private sector. They generally move into director positions, mid-level management roles, or work as teacher trainers in various TEFL programs. Costs for DELTA or Diploma in TESOL programs are usually in the neighborhood of 5 million won and take about 3-6 months to complete. Remuneration packages for these jobs are in the 24-40 million won range. With that said salaries in the low 30�s with decent benefit packages tend to be fairly common. These jobs typically offer 40 hour work weeks, with 15-20 contact hours per week coupled with additional administrative duties.

An additional route is to get out of the schools and into curriculum development, publishing, and consulting. This market continues to evolve and publishers like Oxford University Press, Longman, Cambridge University Press, and others continue to need qualified staff as writers, editors, contributors, testers, teacher trainers, and sales reps. Remuneration packages in this field vary widely, but entry level positions pay about 30 million won per year and there is room for advancement and upward mobility. Top earners in this field make well in excess of 250 million won per year in royalties, endorsements, appearance fees, and consulting fees.

The last option that I will look at is the most difficult, the most expensive in terms of time and money to get qualified, and potentially the most lucrative in the long term. It entails moving back to your home country, completing a post graduate certification in education (B.Ed. or PGCE) and obtaining certification as a teacher in your home country. After 2 additional years of experience at home you can then start looking at jobs in the international school sector. The field is competitive and related postgraduate degrees (MA, M.Sc., M.Ed., Ed. D., and Ph.D.) are commonplace, especially at the higher levels and better paying schools.

Decent schools in this sector have remuneration packages that are quite nice, including full benefits such as airfare, housing, relocation assistance, and tuition for children. Salaries for teachers have a wide variance, from packages starting at about 40 million won plus benefits per year to salaries topping out at about 100 million won per year plus an attractive benefit package. You can earn significantly more as a school administrator in this sector.

So, what is the bottom line to all of this? Can you make a career out of ELT abroad? Certainly, �yes� is the answer. Can you make a decent living doing it? Yes. Is there a future in it? Yes. Will you get rich doing it? Probably not. However, being a teacher does have its own intrinsic benefits; look at the pride on teachers� faces on graduation day.

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[naturegirl321]

[nomad soul]

You say your motivation is to make more money; however, where do your interests really lie? That is, what other areas of study/field(s) grab your attention? I get the sense you anticipate staying in TEFL only because it's what you know---what you've been doing these past 6-7 years.

[7969]

[Teacher in Rome]

Have you tried posting on the ME forums - if you want to experience life there you can get some country-specific info. (Pay and conditions tend to vary country to country there).

[nomad soul]

[tttompatz]

Along that same vein (for Canadians) from Athabasca-U
Distance Education:

Doctor of Education (EdD) in Distance Education
Master of Education in Distance Education (MEd)
Post-Baccalaureate Diploma: Distance Education
Post-Baccalaureate Diploma: Instructional Design
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate: Instructional Design
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate: Technology-Based Learning

http://www.athabascau.ca/programs/graduate.php

Fully accredited Canadian university and programs are by distance learning.
U of Calgary also offers an MATESOL by distance if that is your choice.

If you want to stay in the classroom and just move up the ladder then a DELTA / DipTESOL or post grad certificate/diploma in education (opens more doors).

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[Xie Lin]

Nice article, tttompatz! Useful information for those trying to sort out the various career directions they could take following the entry level years.

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[Denim-Maniac]

You didn't mention what TEFL course? And so I'm guessing it's a sub-standard one? Normally if people have CELTA they mention it. So, the first step I'd suggest is the CELTA. Use the long Chinese Uni holidays and have a month in Thailand or Vietnam and get the CELTA done.

CELTA is probably a pre-requisite to DELTA and so I think it does need to be taken (assuming what you currently have isn't CELTA/Trinity). Id then take that and find a job elsewhere in China. Wall Street would be the place that would be the first one Id suggest, skills learnt there, especially post-CELTA are likely to be transferrable to other places.

Id also be tempted to say you should check out EF. I know, I know...the are normally slated on the China forums...BUT, I am doing the first module of the distance delta at the moment,, and 4 of the course participants are from EF schools in China (Xi'an is one of them). Delta is normally / often sponsored by employers, so getting in with EF might lead to the DELTA being sponsored which would be a good move.

I think CELTA>DELTA is the best way to go. Takes less time than MA, and I feel its more practical in terms of actually improving teaching practice. Many MA programs, especially distance learning, are not going to feature any classroom observation and could be waaay too academic in content. Also bear in mind Chinese Uni experience is normally going to be a negative to many employers.

So CELTA+DELTA and two years with EF or Wall Street would make anyone a candidate for a number of decent jobs worldwide IMO. I would always believe a DELTA holder with two years solid experience MUST be a half decent teacher.

Chinese university experience and an MA with no teaching practicum wouldnt make for much of a candidate in some quarters I think. Its not guarantee of teaching quality at all IMHO.

[naturegirl321]

[Solar Strength]

[Solar Strength]

[nomad soul]

[Denim-Maniac]