www.tealit.com (Teaching English and Living in Taiwan)
www.kojenenglish.com
http://www.eslcafe.com/ (Dave's ESL Cafe - a GREAT all around resource!)
http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/
http://www.eslteachersboard.com/
http://www.jetprogramme.org/ (Credible governmental Japan exchange teaching program - tough to get into, but good.)
Friday, October 23, 2009
To certify or not to certify?
Wondering what kind of credentials you need to teach English overseas? Depending on what country you're going to, the answer varies.
In most Asian countries you can get a job if you have completed a Bachelors Degree of almost any kind. Most private schools (kindergarten through high school) will ask you to bring an original copy of your degree. If you want to teach at a higher level, public school, or university, you may need certifications (discussed below). Additionally, if you hope to teach at an American accredited school, higher qualifications may be necessary (like an education certification or ESL endorsement). There are tons of full time day jobs at kindergartens and night cram schools (bushibans) that do not require certifications. Cram schools and kindergartens generally aren't held to any standardized testing or government regulations, so the quality of English being taught varies. However, the pay is generally decent. (At the kindergarten I taught at in Taiwan, the pay was $60,000 NEW TAIWANESE DOLLARS per month. The conversion rate at that time between 2004-2006 fluctuated between 1 US Dollar:30-35 NTD. So, about $2,000 USD per month, which was more than enough since the cost of living was so low. For comparison sake, many Taiwanese adults make about half that, or $30,000 NTD per month. They pay Westerners more in general, because their style of living is traditionally more expensive and they want to offer an attractive rate.) One surprising fact I noticed while in Taiwan is that there are quite a few 'non-degree-holders' who have teaching jobs. How? In Thailand (and probably other places too) they issue fake (but real looking) college degrees with your name on the spot for a few bucks. I don't recommend this, and if a school found out, you could be deported. In Asia, parents spend tons of money to send their children to English cram schools and kindergartens. Sometimes this helps them get into a better public school and part of it is a social status escalator.
In most European countries the competition is much greater and therefor the qualifications you need are also elevated. The competition is greater because the standard of living is generally better, so more people apply to those jobs. Also, Europe has a Western culture that is more familiar than the Eastern culture, so some believe it will be a more comfortable setting for them. Many of the ESL schools in Europe are more heavily regulated by the government, meaning certification policies could be enforced more easily and the policies may be regulated and standardized more uniformly throughout one country.
I'm not familiar with credentials needed in South America or other parts of the world.
In America, companies and schools are popping up that provide certification classes and assistance finding ESL jobs overseas for you. Some are brick and mortar classes, while others are online. TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language), and TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) are the main three types of certifications available. Each institution will have a preference depending on the country and type of school. Again, for many schools in Asia, this is not necessary, but if you are hoping to add a credible overseas school to build your resume as a certified teacher, it may be something to look into. If you are hoping to teach ESL in America, certification is generally required.
Here are some websites to give you more information on each certification option:
TEFL: http://www.teflboard.org/
TESL: ?
TESOL: http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/seccss.asp?CID=1770&DID=9326
Warning: some TEFL, TESOL, and TESL schools are not legit. They will ask for lots of money and give you a certification that holds little value. Be ware. It's wise to check their accrediation. Even if they state that they are accredited by some agency that sounds credible - you need to verify this with the United States Department of Education government website. If they are internationally accredited, the US Dept of Ed website will give information on which ones are credible or the CHEA website is also a good resource.
In most Asian countries you can get a job if you have completed a Bachelors Degree of almost any kind. Most private schools (kindergarten through high school) will ask you to bring an original copy of your degree. If you want to teach at a higher level, public school, or university, you may need certifications (discussed below). Additionally, if you hope to teach at an American accredited school, higher qualifications may be necessary (like an education certification or ESL endorsement). There are tons of full time day jobs at kindergartens and night cram schools (bushibans) that do not require certifications. Cram schools and kindergartens generally aren't held to any standardized testing or government regulations, so the quality of English being taught varies. However, the pay is generally decent. (At the kindergarten I taught at in Taiwan, the pay was $60,000 NEW TAIWANESE DOLLARS per month. The conversion rate at that time between 2004-2006 fluctuated between 1 US Dollar:30-35 NTD. So, about $2,000 USD per month, which was more than enough since the cost of living was so low. For comparison sake, many Taiwanese adults make about half that, or $30,000 NTD per month. They pay Westerners more in general, because their style of living is traditionally more expensive and they want to offer an attractive rate.) One surprising fact I noticed while in Taiwan is that there are quite a few 'non-degree-holders' who have teaching jobs. How? In Thailand (and probably other places too) they issue fake (but real looking) college degrees with your name on the spot for a few bucks. I don't recommend this, and if a school found out, you could be deported. In Asia, parents spend tons of money to send their children to English cram schools and kindergartens. Sometimes this helps them get into a better public school and part of it is a social status escalator.
In most European countries the competition is much greater and therefor the qualifications you need are also elevated. The competition is greater because the standard of living is generally better, so more people apply to those jobs. Also, Europe has a Western culture that is more familiar than the Eastern culture, so some believe it will be a more comfortable setting for them. Many of the ESL schools in Europe are more heavily regulated by the government, meaning certification policies could be enforced more easily and the policies may be regulated and standardized more uniformly throughout one country.
I'm not familiar with credentials needed in South America or other parts of the world.
In America, companies and schools are popping up that provide certification classes and assistance finding ESL jobs overseas for you. Some are brick and mortar classes, while others are online. TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language), and TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) are the main three types of certifications available. Each institution will have a preference depending on the country and type of school. Again, for many schools in Asia, this is not necessary, but if you are hoping to add a credible overseas school to build your resume as a certified teacher, it may be something to look into. If you are hoping to teach ESL in America, certification is generally required.
Here are some websites to give you more information on each certification option:
TEFL: http://www.teflboard.org/
TESL: ?
TESOL: http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/seccss.asp?CID=1770&DID=9326
Warning: some TEFL, TESOL, and TESL schools are not legit. They will ask for lots of money and give you a certification that holds little value. Be ware. It's wise to check their accrediation. Even if they state that they are accredited by some agency that sounds credible - you need to verify this with the United States Department of Education government website. If they are internationally accredited, the US Dept of Ed website will give information on which ones are credible or the CHEA website is also a good resource.
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