TEFL Finding A TEFL Job
TEFL Job hunting tips from where to find TEFL language schools to how to choose a good one and where to look for jobs teaching English
Teach English In Korea: Spotlight On Korea
Korea is one country that does not really need any more promotion to attract droves of native English speaking teachers. I don’t know if there are any official TEFL stats, but the EFL market in Korea might just be the biggest in the world.
Why do people go? There are lots and lots of jobs, most do not require qualifications past a BA, and you can save money that matters at home – some people say up to $1000 month. Get a sense of what’s available on the Korean Job Board at Dave’s (and don’t miss the Korean Forums either).
Why don’t more go? It’s usually not an easy life and it is fraught with risk: most entry-level jobs involve lot of hours, and reports of schools violating contract terms are rife. Some assert that the abundance of teachers has the result of making them easily replaceable.
I’ve taught for three years in Eastern Europe, and have passed through some real whoppers of experiences…but even I’d be wary of taking on Korea. There are, however, people who have positive experiences in Korea; others have challenging experiences but leave with their bank accounts fuller and their lives richer for the experience.
Date: July 31st, 2007 |
2 comments
Thoughts On A Job Post #14
The purpose of this is to share the thoughts of an experienced teacher (me) - who’s found her own jobs before - on a random job ad, the details of which I’ve removed to make it unidentifiable. In this case, I’ve also cut out some of the more neutral parts of the ad in order to save space. Know that I don’t mean to endorse nor slam this particular job, but rather to use it as an example of how to think critically about a TEFL job ad.
…[normal requirements given first but cut out by me…]
Why teach in this city?
This is a city that is striving to enter into the international business community…. [This is straightforward information; what may not occur to new teachers is that a focus on business may mean plenty of early morning hours with a long break in the day and then evening hours, at off-site locations, making the school’s central location less of a factor.]
Why teach at this school?
Date: July 29th, 2007 |
No Comments
Three Reasons To Get Your TEFL Certification Right Now
There are three reasons to get your TEFL certificate now: CELTA, Trinity TESOL, TEFL International, SIT, take your pick, but make your choice soon.
As I mentioned in When To Do a TEFL Course, there are benefits to taking a course at any time of year; some schools, especially those with many business clients, hire year round. Don’t give up just because you can’t take your course in the next few months…but if you can, go for it. Here’s why:
More jobs
Lots of language schools and universities, at least in the northern hemisphere, do slow down or stop over the summer and hire people to start in the fall. Being qualified and ready to start in the fall will give you a larger range of schools to choose from.
A smoother transition
Given the greater number of jobs in most places, it makes sense to follow a course with a job, rather than waiting around a few months. You’ll be putting what you learned into practice immediately. Time to unwind after an intensive course is imperative, so try to ensure at least a short break…but more than a couple of weeks can leave you in limbo: are you traveling or working?
Less time to chicken out
It can be intimidating to move to a foreign country and start doing a job based on one month of training…but you can do it! And it can be great. Downtime between training and working may allow doubt to creep in and dissuade you. Don’t let it – get started right away.
Date: July 22nd, 2007 |
No Comments
Retiring In ESL?
Jaunting off to the exotic, ideally warm and sunny, destination of your choice, buying some simple property and teaching ESL to pad your income is not a bad retirement plan at all. But how do you make it happen?
The newish website of frequent TEFL Logue contributer Tedkarma – Retiring On The Web – made me think more about how ESL and other part-time work can play a role in the plans of those who would like to retire overseas.
I won’t pretend I’m an expert on it: my own retirement is many years off (or, at the rate I’m saving, never). I think the classroom activities I share and link to from the TEFL Logue are useful to someone interested in retirement ESL…but there are a wealth of other practical details which need to be sorted out for someone going abroad to settle as a retiree.
Date: July 15th, 2007 |
1 comment
Thoughts On A Job Post #12
I’m back yet again with a new job post and my thoughts on it. As usual, I’ve omitted details so that this ad is not immediately identifiable. The purpose of this is to share the thoughts of an experienced teacher (me) - who’s found her own jobs before - on a random job ad. I don’t mean to slam nor endorse this ad…you should, of course, investigate any job you’re interested in thoroughly and not rely totally on the comments of someone else. Even if it’s me. For more of these, see the Finding A Job Table of Contents.
XYZ ACADEMY, located in 7 areas in Major City, is seeking qualified NATIVE SPEAKING English teachers, preferably already residing in this city. [this could be a turn off, of course, if you’re abroad, but it could be a good sign that they want to meet you. Or it could mean they need someone so desperately they don’t want to wait for someone to relocate. Hard to know.]
Teachers will be responsible for preparation, delivery and evaluation of English courses for General English; Business English and TOEFL IBT classes. Cmputer literacy [oops] (Windows and Office applications)is preferred although training can be provided in our centre.
Date: June 24th, 2007 |
No Comments
Use TESall.com To Help Find A Good TEFL Job
TESall.com has an neat feature that TEFL jobseekers would do well to check out and utilize on a wider scale.
First of all, there is the Worldwide Job Board: this contains jobs ads but in the form of a message board. The employer posts the ad and readers or potential applicants are free to ask questions, simply posting them as replies. Accordingly, the employer can post replies, so the dialog goes on in a public forum. There are quite a lot of jobs posted here, many of which are waiting for questions. When there is a question, the post migrates to the ESL Job Talk forum.
The Job Information Journal, which contains posts by TESall.com forum members on topics like scam warnings or other experiences or advice, is also not to be missed.
There is a thread which starts with the (generally negative) experience of one teacher with a large well known language school in Madrid. It goes on to include the comments of other teachers, one who more or less agree about the downsides but clarifies the bigger picture, and another who comments on the state of other language schools in the city. The school in question has posted a reply as well. I would actually consider this thread recommended reading for those interested in getting a closer look at the trickier aspects of language schools and contracts. I think it’s fair to say that little falls neatly into the categories of “good” and “evil” …and I think this thread provides insight into the complexity of the situation. There’s also a thread called “how to recognize a scam” that is worth checking out.
Date: July 29th, 2007 |
No Comments
Give Me Five Minutes And I’ll Tell You How To TEFL Your Way Onto TV
1. Get a TEFL certificate (not always required, but recommended)
2. Find work teaching English in China.
3. Learn some Mandarin, before Mandarin-speaking foreigner in China become commonplace.
4. Be in the right place at the right time. University campuses and expat hangouts are a good place to start.
5. Be willing to have people laugh at you.
Yes, these tips are somewhat in jest, but according to CBS News, foreigners are more and more making it onto Chinese television.
What’s the draw? One (Chinese) retiree says: “We like watching these shows because they have foreigners speaking Chinese…They show us that the world is getting smaller.” A director points out that seeing foreigners speaking Chinese makes a positive impression because it is quite naturally considered a sign of respect. Also, perhaps like many countries which get relatively few western tourists, people want to know what foreigners think of China and Chinese culture.
By the way, your Chinese does not need to be fluent: once you get your break, it’s okay if you start in Chinese, make a few funny mistakes, and then ask to speak in English: “It’s pretty funny to see foreigners with an accent” says blogger and former English teacher Ben Ross, who has appeared on tv.
Date: July 23rd, 2007 |
2 comments
What To Do After TEFL
The Guardian Abroad recently featured an article on what to do after TEFL, when you get that pesky feeling that it might just be time to go back to wherever you came from. Regarding the British job market, the author says, “…contrary to what many may think, far from being viewed as an extended holiday, the TEFL experience can be excellent preparation for a variety of career paths.” One example of an “unconventional route” is given: selling fruit smoothies to concert-goers.
You can imagine my thought upon hearing this…
Date: July 16th, 2007 |
No Comments
Spotlight On Sri Lanka
This island nation, located south east of India in the Indian Ocean, has not had an easy time in the recent past – Sri Lankans have experienced twenty years of civil unrest, and in 2004, the devastating Tsunami.
One organization which works to place volunteers teachers and other staff in Sri Lankan communities in need is VSO – Voluntary Service Overseas. VSO is currently experiencing a shortage of volunteers willing to work in a handful of the countries it serves, including Sri Lanka, and attributes this in part to the media portrayal of those countries.
While former VSO English teacher Barry Arnold says about Sri Lanka, and in particular the troubled north-east where he worked, “It’s a tragedy with no immediate relief in sight”, he also points out that “The country, unlike many in the Third World, has great natural resources, a friendly, courteous and educated populace, and some of the best potential for tourism in the world. Locals often say that before the conflict began, over 30 years ago, Sri Lanka stood comparison with Singapore and Hong Kong for economic potential.” He also notes that “the people have been let down by the quality of their leaders and their lack of vision. They have used the Tamil/Sinhala (Hindu/Buddhist) ethnic division as an excuse for their own shortcomings.” Despite the fact that he lived in the troubled north east, he reports in his piece Why Are You Outstanding? that he never felt personally threatened.
Date: July 2nd, 2007 |
No Comments
Advice For Discrimination?
From time to time, questions and comments come up about foreigners experiencing discrimination or worse because of their nationality, religion, race, etc. (and I’ve posted about it also here and here). I recently decided against profiling a certain country in the Spotlights on section after finding multiple online reports of physical attacks on black individuals – immigrants, travelers or others working there. Obviously I think this kind of behavior is not okay – with any travel there is an element of accepting the way of life elsewhere, but at the same time, some things are just wrong wherever they happen. I don’t believe that someone opposed to discrimination is “culturally insensitive” or unreasonably unwilling to accept a different culture. Nor do I think that discrimination is necessarily a way of life in countries where it does happen - though, if it goes unpunished or unquestioned, in my mind this certainly does reflect on the country as a whole.
Sometimes the answer given by people who do not experience that discrimination is “just don’t go if you know about it” (and closely conjoined is “you have no right to complain if you decide to go anyway.”) It seems rather obvious that yes, a person is more likely to have an enjoyable experience in a place where they are not discriminated against. And while I would most certainly respect the decision of a person who decided not to go for fear of discrimination or threats to their physical safety, and would not want to advise someone to throw caution about their mental or physical well-being to the wind, this “don’t go or don’t complain” from people who don’t experience that discrimination upsets me. It doesn’t matter if there is racism somewhere – it’s still wrong, and is not somehow lessened by “you knew what you were in for”. You can tie this attitude to various historical and relatively current events and it’s not pretty.
Date: June 23rd, 2007 |
No Comments
