{"id":7028,"date":"2015-02-08T12:05:29","date_gmt":"2015-02-08T12:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eltchat.org\/wordpress\/?p=7028"},"modified":"2015-02-08T12:05:29","modified_gmt":"2015-02-08T12:05:29","slug":"teaching-english-in-a-country-other-than-yours-opportunities-and-challenges-eltchat-summary-121114","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/2015\/02\/08\/teaching-english-in-a-country-other-than-yours-opportunities-and-challenges-eltchat-summary-121114\/","title":{"rendered":"Teaching English in a country other than yours: opportunities and challenges #ELTchat Summary 12\/11\/14"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 class=\"post-title\"><\/h1>\n<div class=\"post-wrap\">\n<p>#ELTchat is a weekly twitter chat for ELT professionals all over the world. Each Wednesday at 12pm or 21.00pm GMT a different teaching related topic is discussed. You can submit and vote for topics here: <a href=\"http:\/\/eltchat.org\/wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http:\/\/eltchat.org\/wordpress\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This week\u2019s topic was teaching English in a country other than yours: opportunities and challenges. Below is a summary of what we discussed.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where can Teachers go to find job information?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tefl.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.tefl.com<\/a>\u00a0is a great place to start, with adverts for jobs worldwide. You can also sign up to a weekly newsletter which is full of useful information such as city cost guides and plenty of job adverts (@HadaLitim)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Organisations such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/jobs.britishcouncil.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">British Council<\/a>\u00a0and <a href=\"http:\/\/ihworld.com\/jobs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">International House<\/a> advertise vacancies on their own websites (@patrickelt @Marisa_C @Shaunwilden ). <a href=\"http:\/\/linkis.com\/www.ef.com\/9JNCO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">EF<\/a> are always looking for teachers. Destinations include NY, London, China, Russia and LA (@angelos_bollas)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>For Higher Education \/ University jobs <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jobs.ac.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">jobs.ac.uk <\/a>and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.baleap.org.uk\/home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BALEAP.org.uk<\/a> are useful (@GemL1 @ ELTwriter).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>For some Teachers the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.vso.org.uk\/volunteer\/opportunities\/teaching-and-education\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">VSO <\/a>is a good place to start and get experience (@patrickelt @Marisa_C)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"http:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/jobs\/higher-education\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guardian newspaper jobs section<\/a> is also worth checking out (@Shaunwilden) and the @GuardianEdu has some good stories\/resources\/reflections on TEFL in (@StudyBundles)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>For jobs in China and South Korea <a href=\"http:\/\/www.daveseslcafe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">daveseslcafe<\/a>\u00a0has a large number of adverts and some useful forums which have tips on moving to and working in these countries, though chose the forums carefully as some are not so useful! (@GemL1).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>@SueAnnan recommended <a href=\"http:\/\/worldoftefl.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Quinn\u2019s World of TEFL<\/a>\u00a0for job hunting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>It can be worthwhile writing directly to schools if you know where you want to go in a specific country\/city (@MarekKiczkowiak) and it is sometimes easiest to find a job once you are in the country (@jankenb2).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Iatefl always has a job section at the annual conference (@SueAnnan)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>@MarekKiczkowiak suggested that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eslbase.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">esl base<\/a> \u00a0is a very useful website for finding schools in specific locations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are these jobs open to non-native English speaking Teachers (NNESTs) or just native English speaking Teachers?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>@SueAnnan said that she did a course in March and half of the participants were NNESTs and all of them found jobs with no problem.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Also, it was generally agreed that it is just as easy for NNESTs to find jobs as NESTs in the U.K (@GemL1 @SueAnnan).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>However, the British Council in Saudi Arabia employs mostly NNESTs (@HadaLitim), in Mexico, they can only hire Mexicans or foreigners from countries where English is the native language (@RCDesouches) and also most of the jobs in China and Korea advertise for NEST (@GemL1).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>It is also almost impossible due to immigration laws to get NNESTs into a new program in Japan (@Gotanda). Third country NNESTs in Japan have a difficult path but this is gradually increasing (@Gotanda).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0Nevertheless there are still many NNEST working in places such as South Korea and China (@Marisa_C) so maybe (and hopefully!) opinions and requirements regarding NNESTs are slowly changing. Still, over 70% of EU jobs on\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.tefl.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">tefl.com\u00a0<\/a>are for NESTs only (@MarekKiczkowiak).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>@ HadaLitim suggested that applying directly to schools can sometimes help with contract negotiation and finding out more regarding the hiring of NNESTs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What should applicants for any posts be wary of?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jobs that sound too good to be true\u00a0(@SueAnnan).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>How many hours they\u2019re expected to teach and the timings (@HadaLitim).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The length of a teaching hour as this can range 40 minutes to 120 minutes, this is important to know when somebody says you have 30 hours a week (@Shaunwilden).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Possibility of unsociable hours (evenings, weekends etc.) (@StudyBundles).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/earlyreflections1.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/11\/14900306473_1f62c2ee81_z.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-520\" src=\"https:\/\/earlyreflections1.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/11\/14900306473_1f62c2ee81_z.jpg?w=612&amp;h=462\" alt=\"Make sure you have enough time to relax and enjoy your new country! Photo from eltpics.com Marjorie Rosenberg\" width=\"463\" height=\"347\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Interview Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>So you have found the job of your dreams, in the country of your dreams what about the interview\u2026.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Read the schools website and a bit about the country, although this is an obvious point, many people still don\u2019t do this! (@Shaunwilden).<\/li>\n<li>Think about reasons why you want to teach in that country (not just for the money!) (@GemL1).<\/li>\n<li>1- google the school and the DOS.\u00a02 \u2013 be on time. 3 \u2013 relax and admit when you don\u2019t know something, and \u2026 smile J. People skills make up for a lot (@ELTwriter)<\/li>\n<li>People skills is a top one. They\u2019ll be transferred in the classroom (@HadaLitim.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t lie about your experience, and smile J (@SueAnnan).<\/li>\n<li>Think of answers to a variety of scenarios \u2013 How would you deal with a student who\u2026..? (@GemL1)<\/li>\n<li>Personal hygiene was agreed to be an important point, especially in the more tropical countries! (@ELTwriter @HadaLitim NewbieCELTA).<\/li>\n<li>Be ready for a spontaneous demo if it\u2019s a face-to-face interview @HadaLitim or at least have a good lesson which works in many differing situations up your sleeve just in case! (StudyBundles).<\/li>\n<li>Knowing the purpose of the programme helps. EAP is not conversational English, but both are legitimate products\/services. In other words know the job. Also know if the program uses teacher made resources or expects a close adherence to a set prog (@jankenb2).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/earlyreflections1.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/11\/5301071699_8822751a47_m.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-512 \" src=\"https:\/\/earlyreflections1.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/11\/5301071699_8822751a47_m.jpg?w=590\" alt=\"Try to find out about the type of classes offered\" width=\"426\" height=\"243\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cBe personable\u201d is general good advice \u2013 had an example of somebody interviewing for us in disco queen gear <span class=\"wp-smiley wp-emoji wp-emoji-smile\" title=\":-)\">\ud83d\ude42<\/span> (@Marisa_C).<\/li>\n<li>Being familiar with some classic course books can help too (@HadaLitim) and not being too critical of them until you know if the school uses them or not <span class=\"wp-smiley wp-emoji wp-emoji-smile\" title=\":-)\">\ud83d\ude42<\/span>(@Shaunwilden).<\/li>\n<li>@Marisa_C suggests taking a portfolio of lesson plans or activities \/ materials to an interview as it gives Ts a better chance. For example, if you have done a CELTA, you could fix \/ improve all of your lesson plans and put some in a portfolio. You could also take a digest of Ss\u2019 feedback notes (@HadaLitim).<\/li>\n<li>@jankenb2 suggests having a good understanding of grammar rules and being able to explain these clearly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Which places currently have the best paying jobs?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The British Council in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia pays hourly paid teachers \u00a330 per hour \u2013 tax free (@HadaLitim)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/earlyreflections1.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/11\/6774891663_a05c6a3842_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-518 \" src=\"https:\/\/earlyreflections1.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/11\/6774891663_a05c6a3842_o.jpg?w=612&amp;h=462\" alt=\"Picture from eltpics @aClilToClimb\" width=\"437\" height=\"328\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>South Korea still offers fairly good packages which include your flights and accommodation allowing you to save a decent amount of money each month (@GemL1)<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a318-\u00a320 per hour is normal in colleges in the UK if you\u2019re dip qualified (@StudyBundles). Higher Ed \/ Universities in the UK start at around \u00a324 per hour and most are closer to \u00a330.<\/li>\n<li>Certified teaching at k-12 pays best then private, adult professional programmes. But you must factor in housing and transport to compare (@jankenb2)<\/li>\n<li>This <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gooverseas.com\/blog\/esl-teacher-salaries-9-countries-where-youll-make-bank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Go Overseas<\/a> blog has a list of 9 highest paying countries (note this is from 2013 so may have changed). The list includes Saudi Arabia, Japan and Vietnam.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Main challenges \/ final tips for working abroad<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Discipline issues are a challenge with those who are trained for teaching adults (@Marisa_C).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Mine is setting realistic expectations for out of class HW levels for working professionals. I over assign and then regroup (@jankenb2)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Create a <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.google.com\/site\/eportfolioapps\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">digital portfolio<\/a> and keep it updated with added PD, lessons, student artifacts\u00a0(@jankenb2).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Learner-English-Interference-Cambridge-Handbooks\/dp\/0521779391\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Learner English <\/a>can be a great life saver when starting a job in a new country (@HadaLitim). It highlights various difficulties students from specific countries may have when learning English.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Apart from adapting your teaching to new setting [let go of\u00a0 \u2018methods\u2019 you developed] \u2013 loneliness\/isolation can be a problem for some people (@ELTwriter)- Which is why Twitter and #ELTchat are SO important! <span class=\"wp-smiley wp-emoji wp-emoji-smile\" title=\":-)\">\ud83d\ude42<\/span> (@Marisa_C).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>@jankenb2 stated that her greatest frustration is to remember that language is used by engaging in 2 way conversations, thus try to build in lots of conversation practice to your classes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Challenges are 1- understanding the new learners in front of you,\u00a0 2- finding a place to live, 3- culture shock and finally 4- learning a new language (@ELTwriter). To help avoid <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Culture_shock\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">culture shock and its various stages<\/a> you need to invest in the local culture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Finally, a very sound piece of advice from @Shaunwilden to finish on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Embrace it fully, the more you integrate into the place the better the experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/earlyreflections1.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/11\/dscn4851.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-514 \" src=\"https:\/\/earlyreflections1.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/11\/dscn4851.jpg?w=462&amp;h=612\" alt=\"DSCN4851\" width=\"463\" height=\"618\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"jp-post-flair\" class=\"sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled\">\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\">\n<div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon-text sd-sharing\">\n<h3 class=\"sd-title\"><\/h3>\n<p class=\"post-title\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/earlyreflections1.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/10\/profpic.jpg?w=312&amp;h=312\" alt=\"\" width=\"84\" height=\"84\" \/>Summary contributed by Gemma Lun &#8211; @GemL1 on Twitter and appeared first on her blog <a href=\"https:\/\/earlyreflections1.wordpress.com\/about\/\">Early Reflections<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>#ELTchat is a weekly twitter chat for ELT professionals all over the world. Each Wednesday at 12pm or 21.00pm GMT a different teaching related topic is discussed. You can submit and vote for topics here: http:\/\/eltchat.org\/wordpress\/ &nbsp; This week\u2019s topic was teaching English in a country other than yours: opportunities and challenges. Below is a&hellip; <br \/> <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/2015\/02\/08\/teaching-english-in-a-country-other-than-yours-opportunities-and-challenges-eltchat-summary-121114\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-summary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7028","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7028"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7028\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}