I am wanting to teach esl in buenos aires, and am looking for a school to attain a teaching certificate. I have heard around that it is not so necessary to attain a certificate, but that my B.S. degree and being a native english speaker will suffice. Is this true
Please advise
Thanks
Necessity of certificate
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Generally, there are different types of teachers with different types of qualifications. For almost all international jobs that require a BA/S and native speaking, these are small language schools teaching children, college students or adults, and the BA is usually for visa purposes only. The classes are informal conversation courses with little or no structure, and if there is a structure, it is purely dictated by the textbook ("this month, use 4 chapters.") In these jobs, personality is almost the sole indicator of success or failure, as you are evaluated based on attendance and student complaints.
eager, barely-experienced, uncertified teacher
Hello,
Wow
, there is quite a mix of info out there. I have a BA and I'm 38. Besides other professional jobs, I have done only p/t teaching in math and computer science. I feel very capable of taking on ESL, but I am not sure how to do it smartly.
I'd be interested in teaching in Asia for good money and/or good cultural challenges. I think I could land a job through savvy interview and resume skills. What would be the best way to train for ESL so I can enjoy the job and help my students? Are there good certificate programs in Thailand for instance? For a month?
I've heard there are good paying jobs in certain Asian countries. Is this still the case?
Thanks for putting up with my newbie questions. Would much appreciate some constructive input. Superhal, got a minute?
Wow
, there is quite a mix of info out there. I have a BA and I'm 38. Besides other professional jobs, I have done only p/t teaching in math and computer science. I feel very capable of taking on ESL, but I am not sure how to do it smartly.I'd be interested in teaching in Asia for good money and/or good cultural challenges. I think I could land a job through savvy interview and resume skills. What would be the best way to train for ESL so I can enjoy the job and help my students? Are there good certificate programs in Thailand for instance? For a month?
I've heard there are good paying jobs in certain Asian countries. Is this still the case?
Thanks for putting up with my newbie questions. Would much appreciate some constructive input. Superhal, got a minute?
Yep, it's been a seller's market for around 10 years now. If you have a BA/S with no criminal record, you can go to just about any country you want. You don't even need teaching experience in most cases, and in many cases, teaching experience hurts you. Native speaker isn't even a requirement in some countries. Atm, China is the most desperate for teachers, but they give the lowest pay, benefits, and in-class support. After that:
Taiwan ($5-6k)
Hong Kong ($3-4k)
Japan ($3k although living expenses drops this to 2k)
South Korea ($2-2.2k.)
All dollar amounts are US, per month.
I don't know about other areas (South America, Europe, Africa, etc.) as much as these, but except for Saudi Arabia, all of them pay lower than these or require higher certification. Saudi Arabia pays a lot but I hear it's tough to live there. For Taiwan, the base pay reflects the other countries, but private tutoring is encouraged and your boss will help you line them up, which doubles or triples your salary. For Hong Kong, I heard it's dropping fast to China levels. Japan is a crapshoot because of the cost of living. If you get a city appointment, expect to spend about a 1k a month for living expenses, which you could save if you get a country appointment. For Korea, there are tons and tons of horror stories about bad schools and bosses.
For each country, type of school also brings different perks. For example, elementary school kids in South Korea has the shortest hours. Business English in Japan requires a lot of travel, often to several different schools in the same day. etc.
Taiwan ($5-6k)
Hong Kong ($3-4k)
Japan ($3k although living expenses drops this to 2k)
South Korea ($2-2.2k.)
All dollar amounts are US, per month.
I don't know about other areas (South America, Europe, Africa, etc.) as much as these, but except for Saudi Arabia, all of them pay lower than these or require higher certification. Saudi Arabia pays a lot but I hear it's tough to live there. For Taiwan, the base pay reflects the other countries, but private tutoring is encouraged and your boss will help you line them up, which doubles or triples your salary. For Hong Kong, I heard it's dropping fast to China levels. Japan is a crapshoot because of the cost of living. If you get a city appointment, expect to spend about a 1k a month for living expenses, which you could save if you get a country appointment. For Korea, there are tons and tons of horror stories about bad schools and bosses.
For each country, type of school also brings different perks. For example, elementary school kids in South Korea has the shortest hours. Business English in Japan requires a lot of travel, often to several different schools in the same day. etc.
great
Fantastic, Superhal! Thank you very much. At least I can proceed now with a bit of good info under my belt. Can I ask how you know all of this and how current the info is?Is there a reason why Taiwan is not the first place to go? A reason that makes the better pay not necessarily worth working there?
(I'll do a search on your name and see how much you have already explained about this in the past.)
I am still curious how best to prepare. Yeah, I can just wing it, sure. But maybe I can at least buy a good workbook or take a short class?
Thanks again,
Cameron
I work with a lot of teachers who have worked overseas.
Many ESL schools offer TESL or TEFL certification in 4-6 week courses, call around in your area.
As far as rates go, I keep an eye on the ads here at dave's. I did my stint in Korea in 1999-00, so the pay back then was $1400-1600.
Some Chinese professor tried to recruit me, so I looked into it. The exchange rate stinks, but when I talked to some Chinese students, they told me that the pay offered was relatively high.
Information also changes quickly. 5 years before I went (@1994) you didn't need a BA/S to get a work visa in Korea, even to work in a college. When I went, you needed a Master's to work in a Korean university. Now, a native speaker with a Master's can't get a job as a professor, as all colleges have switched to the hagwon system, and the pay rate has plummeted.
Many ESL schools offer TESL or TEFL certification in 4-6 week courses, call around in your area.
As far as rates go, I keep an eye on the ads here at dave's. I did my stint in Korea in 1999-00, so the pay back then was $1400-1600.
Some Chinese professor tried to recruit me, so I looked into it. The exchange rate stinks, but when I talked to some Chinese students, they told me that the pay offered was relatively high.
Information also changes quickly. 5 years before I went (@1994) you didn't need a BA/S to get a work visa in Korea, even to work in a college. When I went, you needed a Master's to work in a Korean university. Now, a native speaker with a Master's can't get a job as a professor, as all colleges have switched to the hagwon system, and the pay rate has plummeted.
