Hi all, thanks for dropping by. To make things easier, I've decided to merge some of my blogs, which, including this one, can now be found at ELT World. I've been getting off my backsides and writing recently, so come over to the new URL and leave lots of lovely comments.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Monday, August 18, 2008
Classic Articles: Secrets of those that do the TEFL Hiring
In celebration of the upcoming release of the fifth edition of Horizons Journal, I've decided to revisit some of the classic articles from the first four issues. In this article, we look at what you need to ask at your TEFL interview:
In March, Mishmumkin raised an issue of great significance to those of us who are looking for that dream TEFL job or are considering starting out in the profession: 'If I've done my research correctly I should know a great deal about my potential employer before the interview. I'm curious what those who do the hiring wish their candidates asked about.'
So, what are recruiters expecting from their prospective employees at the interview? The forum members shared their wealth of experience in offering the following words of great wisdom. Here's what those in the position to hire feel you should be asking your future employer at that interview:
Ask what you NEED to know
First and foremost, there is a consensus that you really need to ask what's important to you as the employee: don't assume that the person interviewing you knows what your priorities are. MELEE notes that, 'mostly I'm just listening to see what they ask me. That will tell me what's important to them (the students, the curriculum, resources, housing, benefits, vacation time, etc.). I do the interviews individually, but then report back to a panel - that conversation always includes letting the others know what questions were asked by the candidate.' When applying for a job it's easy to forget that, while it's a one of event for you as the potential employee, the person doing the hiring is having the same interaction many, many times and, as noted earlier, is probably under time constraints. Therefore they are likely to try to get what they need from the encounter, leaving you to ask the questions you personally need answering. Justin Trullinger exemplifies the kind of things that he, from experience, feels teachers should ask at the interview:
'I do the hiring at the organisation where I work. It's not that I have a list of questions I want you to ask, because I don't know what's important to you but I feel very strongly that you SHOULD ask about whatever is. Some of the worst problems I've had with teachers have had to do with things that were important to them that they didn't find out about beforehand, or didn't ask for more details.'
Some examples:
1 Clothing:
Teachers placed in elementary schools through us wear uniforms. They are told about this before hiring, and asked if they are okay with it. Depending on the school, these uniforms vary - some are very smart suit looking things, but some, especially at lower income schools, are sweatsuits with school logos. One teacher, very appearance conscious, was so horrified by wearing a sweatsuit that she was unable to continue, and we had to negotiate special permission for her to wear her own clothes. This made all the parents think she was the principal. It was a mess. Personally, I don't care what I wear, and would love to have a uniform, any uniform that meant I wouldn't have to shop for clothes, or try to figure out what color tie goes with things...but to her, it was an issue. She should have asked.
2 Costs of living:
Some things are very cheap in Ecuador. Some are more expensive. Computers are first world prices or higher. Having read online that the cost of living in Ecuador is low (in terms of rent and food, it is) one teacher decided rather than bringing a computer, to buy one here. But here, lap tops are high end luxury without much selection. He should have asked.
3 Housing:
We don't provide housing - but many of our teachers share apartments with each other - which is clearly stated in our pre-interview literature. This is because Ecuadorian apartments are mostly large family or multifamily units, and it would be hard to afford one on your own. A teacher who doesn't like to share simply assumed that he could find his own, and anticipated finding an apartment for the same cost as a room in a shared unit. Not a chance. Then he complains that it's hard to make ends meet...should have asked.
4 Teaching conditions:
Our teachers are expected to use text books, but not to spend the whole course using only textbooks. They also have to be creative and come up with their own supplementary activities and materials. Payment for this is included in their hourly rate - they are not paid for extra hours for doing it. This is standard enough that I didn't make an issue of it, though again, it says in the package that "teaching hours are paid for at $X per hour, and that this rate includes preparation..." Again, if this is a problem, ask, let's talk beforehand. Likewise, if you have any financial obligations outside of the country, like student loan payments, it would be good to ask about how feasible that is...
To that list I'd certainly want to add medical insurance and, if you're thinking about staying in a country for an extended period of time, you might also want to look into their policies regarding work permits and social security contributions. Those of you who're new to teaching may find it hard to believe but some of us end up staying for good. It would be a shame to find out several years down the line that you've been living illegally and that you're presence in a country is no longer welcome, or that what could have become a reasonable state pension to supplement your retirement doesn't exist as your employers never registered you. Ask!
Post-interview questions
Of course, sometimes as the interviewee, you're going to feel overwhelmed by the situation. A natural consequence of this is forgetting to ask the questions that you really need answering, as Emma notes, 'I've found in interviews that the interviewer has told me so much information about the school and teaching methods that I really can't think of anything when asked if I have questions. To ask about obvious stuff like salary when I haven't been offered a job seems presumptuous.' This issue of asking about salary is something that I'll return to later. Emma also asked the following question on the forum:
'How do you feel about teachers coming back and asking questions before accepting the post?'
MELEE replied thus, reiterating the need to be time conscious, 'I think it's great. I'd rather teachers ask only 2 or 3 of the most important questions in the interview, but that's because we interview over the phone and I'm under pressure to try to keep the calls around 30 minutes. I welcome additional questions by email, no matter how many. The sooner the better because really I'm using those questions to decide whether or not I'm going to make you an offer.' Something I've always done at the end of an interview is ask the interviewer if I can make additional contact after our meeting, primarily because I experience the kind of information overload that Emma mentions. As MELEE quite clearly states, this is beneficial to both parties.
Time (not) to talk money
Now onto the issue that's almost always at the bottom line, salary. Gordon shares his thoughts on the matter:
'Prospective applicants should not ask about salary until they are offered the job. On the other hand, applicants should have a pretty good idea of the salary at this point anyways. I won't apply for a job unless I have a decent idea of the salary range, in many cases it would be a waste of everyone's time. I hate it when jobs don't give the salary in the ad or at least the salary range.' It's not impossible these days to get a fairly good idea of what you can expect to earn in a particular country or even at a certain school. Asking questions at the ELT World Forums is one good way to learn such information. Sherri adds, 'I don't see why the salary should be such a big secret. I always tell the applicants what they can expect to make. I usually tell them over the phone before we schedule the interview. There is a pay scale so it is easy to figure out. All teachers have a copy of the pay scale once hired. If it looks like the interview is going well, I tell them how often they will be paid and when they can expect their first pay check. This is especially important for people who are relocating for a job.' I also chipped in with a recommendation which has always seen me right in the past:
'I think it's appropriate for the interviewee to raise the issue, such as, 'I'm sure once you've made your decision about hiring me, we can talk in more detail about the salary and benefits package you offer.' This lets the interviewer know that while this isn't your only motivation for wanting the job, it is something that they expect to be informed about in detail at some point.'
Gordon summarises the issue perfectly when he states, 'I think one doesn't want to appear as though money is the most important factor in the job decision, whereas we all know that it is.' I would make it clear that you will want to have a clear idea about the kind of money you'll be earning without making that the sole purpose for you having turned up for the interview.
How can you prepare for the interview?
What can you do before the interview? Gordon again offers advice:
'Before an interview, I write a list of things (housing, resources, etc) that I want answered before deciding to take a job. Then, during the interview I take copious notes, and if the interview hasn't answered my questions, I ask them at the question time. Although, just thinking about it now, I haven't had a face to face interview for years now, so its easy to have my little list and notebook. Not sure how that would go down in a face to face interview.'
While Gordon may not have tried this in a face to face interview, this is a tactic that I myself have used and find that it has been received well. If you've taken the time to sit down and make a note of what you need to know from this potential employer, it gives the impression that you're serious about wanting the job.
Another thing that makes a good impression is showing that you've given some thought about how you'll fit in to the school. Sherri exemplifies, 'I must admit, I like it when people ask about the students. I like it when they ask about the work atmosphere, but how the teachers work together, if they share and support each other. I like it if they show an interest in our program and show that they at least looked at our website.' For the interview I had for my present job, I printed off the school's entire website, annotated the points that interested me and highlighted other information I wanted to ask about. While there was no way for me to get through more than one or two points that I'd noted, it gave the impression that I'd really thought about why I wanted to work here, and was told as much later.
Don't waste their time
Let's now briefly assume you've been offered a job. Having noted earlier that recruiters appreciate you asking questions that will help you decide if you're going to take the position, think about whether or not you're realistically thinking of taking the position before making secondary contact. MELEE explains: 'If I make the offer, then you hit me with questions that lead me to believe that this is not the best position for you, then you've wasted my time because I need to give you adequate time before I offer it to someone else rather than you.' Think, at some point it could be you who misses out on an interview because someone was wasting the recruiter's time mulling over an offer they didn't intend to take.
One thing you also really need to do is prioritise what you need to ask. The interviewer will want to make a decision about you just as much as you want to decide if you want the job. One sure way to put off the person deciding whether or not to hire you will be asking questions to which you could easily find the answers elsewhere. Think about this: what would you rather know about, the number of hours you could expect to work in an average week or the colour of the tiles in the bathroom of the apartment you'll be sharing? Prioritise what you need to learn about the school. Yaramaz explains this issue, referring to a recent incident in her efforts to recruit teachers:
'We just recently recruiting for next term and have had an interesting time poring over applications. One woman included a jpeg list of over 100 questions for us to answer-- not even in word or PDF format! How can we even begin to answer 147 questions on a jpeg??? And most were really pointless questions that could be googled or asked in the interview, like "Do you have a photocopier?' and 'what is the climate of your city?' Aaaaagh!'
Aaaaaagh indeed. Imagine how you would feel if you received such a list of questions at a time when you've got to interview numerous people. How much priority would you give to someone who asked questions to which they could so easily find the answers themselves? I'll conclude by returning to the advice of Justin Trullinger: 'It isn't a question of what you should ask - but ask everything that YOU need to know. I may not know what's important to you, but it's important that you ask about what you need to know. Do not assume! Whatever you need to know in order to make an adequate decision, you'll need to ask.'
Use and distribution of this article is permitted subject to no changes being made to the content and appropriate hyperlinks/URL references in place.
In March, Mishmumkin raised an issue of great significance to those of us who are looking for that dream TEFL job or are considering starting out in the profession: 'If I've done my research correctly I should know a great deal about my potential employer before the interview. I'm curious what those who do the hiring wish their candidates asked about.'
So, what are recruiters expecting from their prospective employees at the interview? The forum members shared their wealth of experience in offering the following words of great wisdom. Here's what those in the position to hire feel you should be asking your future employer at that interview:
Ask what you NEED to know
First and foremost, there is a consensus that you really need to ask what's important to you as the employee: don't assume that the person interviewing you knows what your priorities are. MELEE notes that, 'mostly I'm just listening to see what they ask me. That will tell me what's important to them (the students, the curriculum, resources, housing, benefits, vacation time, etc.). I do the interviews individually, but then report back to a panel - that conversation always includes letting the others know what questions were asked by the candidate.' When applying for a job it's easy to forget that, while it's a one of event for you as the potential employee, the person doing the hiring is having the same interaction many, many times and, as noted earlier, is probably under time constraints. Therefore they are likely to try to get what they need from the encounter, leaving you to ask the questions you personally need answering. Justin Trullinger exemplifies the kind of things that he, from experience, feels teachers should ask at the interview:
'I do the hiring at the organisation where I work. It's not that I have a list of questions I want you to ask, because I don't know what's important to you but I feel very strongly that you SHOULD ask about whatever is. Some of the worst problems I've had with teachers have had to do with things that were important to them that they didn't find out about beforehand, or didn't ask for more details.'
Some examples:
1 Clothing:
Teachers placed in elementary schools through us wear uniforms. They are told about this before hiring, and asked if they are okay with it. Depending on the school, these uniforms vary - some are very smart suit looking things, but some, especially at lower income schools, are sweatsuits with school logos. One teacher, very appearance conscious, was so horrified by wearing a sweatsuit that she was unable to continue, and we had to negotiate special permission for her to wear her own clothes. This made all the parents think she was the principal. It was a mess. Personally, I don't care what I wear, and would love to have a uniform, any uniform that meant I wouldn't have to shop for clothes, or try to figure out what color tie goes with things...but to her, it was an issue. She should have asked.
2 Costs of living:
Some things are very cheap in Ecuador. Some are more expensive. Computers are first world prices or higher. Having read online that the cost of living in Ecuador is low (in terms of rent and food, it is) one teacher decided rather than bringing a computer, to buy one here. But here, lap tops are high end luxury without much selection. He should have asked.
3 Housing:
We don't provide housing - but many of our teachers share apartments with each other - which is clearly stated in our pre-interview literature. This is because Ecuadorian apartments are mostly large family or multifamily units, and it would be hard to afford one on your own. A teacher who doesn't like to share simply assumed that he could find his own, and anticipated finding an apartment for the same cost as a room in a shared unit. Not a chance. Then he complains that it's hard to make ends meet...should have asked.
4 Teaching conditions:
Our teachers are expected to use text books, but not to spend the whole course using only textbooks. They also have to be creative and come up with their own supplementary activities and materials. Payment for this is included in their hourly rate - they are not paid for extra hours for doing it. This is standard enough that I didn't make an issue of it, though again, it says in the package that "teaching hours are paid for at $X per hour, and that this rate includes preparation..." Again, if this is a problem, ask, let's talk beforehand. Likewise, if you have any financial obligations outside of the country, like student loan payments, it would be good to ask about how feasible that is...
To that list I'd certainly want to add medical insurance and, if you're thinking about staying in a country for an extended period of time, you might also want to look into their policies regarding work permits and social security contributions. Those of you who're new to teaching may find it hard to believe but some of us end up staying for good. It would be a shame to find out several years down the line that you've been living illegally and that you're presence in a country is no longer welcome, or that what could have become a reasonable state pension to supplement your retirement doesn't exist as your employers never registered you. Ask!
Post-interview questions
Of course, sometimes as the interviewee, you're going to feel overwhelmed by the situation. A natural consequence of this is forgetting to ask the questions that you really need answering, as Emma notes, 'I've found in interviews that the interviewer has told me so much information about the school and teaching methods that I really can't think of anything when asked if I have questions. To ask about obvious stuff like salary when I haven't been offered a job seems presumptuous.' This issue of asking about salary is something that I'll return to later. Emma also asked the following question on the forum:
'How do you feel about teachers coming back and asking questions before accepting the post?'
MELEE replied thus, reiterating the need to be time conscious, 'I think it's great. I'd rather teachers ask only 2 or 3 of the most important questions in the interview, but that's because we interview over the phone and I'm under pressure to try to keep the calls around 30 minutes. I welcome additional questions by email, no matter how many. The sooner the better because really I'm using those questions to decide whether or not I'm going to make you an offer.' Something I've always done at the end of an interview is ask the interviewer if I can make additional contact after our meeting, primarily because I experience the kind of information overload that Emma mentions. As MELEE quite clearly states, this is beneficial to both parties.
Time (not) to talk money
Now onto the issue that's almost always at the bottom line, salary. Gordon shares his thoughts on the matter:
'Prospective applicants should not ask about salary until they are offered the job. On the other hand, applicants should have a pretty good idea of the salary at this point anyways. I won't apply for a job unless I have a decent idea of the salary range, in many cases it would be a waste of everyone's time. I hate it when jobs don't give the salary in the ad or at least the salary range.' It's not impossible these days to get a fairly good idea of what you can expect to earn in a particular country or even at a certain school. Asking questions at the ELT World Forums is one good way to learn such information. Sherri adds, 'I don't see why the salary should be such a big secret. I always tell the applicants what they can expect to make. I usually tell them over the phone before we schedule the interview. There is a pay scale so it is easy to figure out. All teachers have a copy of the pay scale once hired. If it looks like the interview is going well, I tell them how often they will be paid and when they can expect their first pay check. This is especially important for people who are relocating for a job.' I also chipped in with a recommendation which has always seen me right in the past:
'I think it's appropriate for the interviewee to raise the issue, such as, 'I'm sure once you've made your decision about hiring me, we can talk in more detail about the salary and benefits package you offer.' This lets the interviewer know that while this isn't your only motivation for wanting the job, it is something that they expect to be informed about in detail at some point.'
Gordon summarises the issue perfectly when he states, 'I think one doesn't want to appear as though money is the most important factor in the job decision, whereas we all know that it is.' I would make it clear that you will want to have a clear idea about the kind of money you'll be earning without making that the sole purpose for you having turned up for the interview.
How can you prepare for the interview?
What can you do before the interview? Gordon again offers advice:
'Before an interview, I write a list of things (housing, resources, etc) that I want answered before deciding to take a job. Then, during the interview I take copious notes, and if the interview hasn't answered my questions, I ask them at the question time. Although, just thinking about it now, I haven't had a face to face interview for years now, so its easy to have my little list and notebook. Not sure how that would go down in a face to face interview.'
While Gordon may not have tried this in a face to face interview, this is a tactic that I myself have used and find that it has been received well. If you've taken the time to sit down and make a note of what you need to know from this potential employer, it gives the impression that you're serious about wanting the job.
Another thing that makes a good impression is showing that you've given some thought about how you'll fit in to the school. Sherri exemplifies, 'I must admit, I like it when people ask about the students. I like it when they ask about the work atmosphere, but how the teachers work together, if they share and support each other. I like it if they show an interest in our program and show that they at least looked at our website.' For the interview I had for my present job, I printed off the school's entire website, annotated the points that interested me and highlighted other information I wanted to ask about. While there was no way for me to get through more than one or two points that I'd noted, it gave the impression that I'd really thought about why I wanted to work here, and was told as much later.
Don't waste their time
Let's now briefly assume you've been offered a job. Having noted earlier that recruiters appreciate you asking questions that will help you decide if you're going to take the position, think about whether or not you're realistically thinking of taking the position before making secondary contact. MELEE explains: 'If I make the offer, then you hit me with questions that lead me to believe that this is not the best position for you, then you've wasted my time because I need to give you adequate time before I offer it to someone else rather than you.' Think, at some point it could be you who misses out on an interview because someone was wasting the recruiter's time mulling over an offer they didn't intend to take.
One thing you also really need to do is prioritise what you need to ask. The interviewer will want to make a decision about you just as much as you want to decide if you want the job. One sure way to put off the person deciding whether or not to hire you will be asking questions to which you could easily find the answers elsewhere. Think about this: what would you rather know about, the number of hours you could expect to work in an average week or the colour of the tiles in the bathroom of the apartment you'll be sharing? Prioritise what you need to learn about the school. Yaramaz explains this issue, referring to a recent incident in her efforts to recruit teachers:
'We just recently recruiting for next term and have had an interesting time poring over applications. One woman included a jpeg list of over 100 questions for us to answer-- not even in word or PDF format! How can we even begin to answer 147 questions on a jpeg??? And most were really pointless questions that could be googled or asked in the interview, like "Do you have a photocopier?' and 'what is the climate of your city?' Aaaaagh!'
Aaaaaagh indeed. Imagine how you would feel if you received such a list of questions at a time when you've got to interview numerous people. How much priority would you give to someone who asked questions to which they could so easily find the answers themselves? I'll conclude by returning to the advice of Justin Trullinger: 'It isn't a question of what you should ask - but ask everything that YOU need to know. I may not know what's important to you, but it's important that you ask about what you need to know. Do not assume! Whatever you need to know in order to make an adequate decision, you'll need to ask.'
Use and distribution of this article is permitted subject to no changes being made to the content and appropriate hyperlinks/URL references in place.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Traching English in the Emirates:FAQ
There's now a fairly exhaustive and constantly growing FAQ page on the UAE blog. Click on the pic below to take a look:
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Conferences in Turkey
Listed below are the forthcoming English Language Learning and Teaching Seminars and Conferences in Turkey. Please click on the links for further information.
FLORYA COLLEGE- ELT CONFERENCE- PARTNERSHIP FOR PROSPEROUS PERFORMANCE- MARCH 22, 2008
Florya College is organizing an ELT Conference which will take place on March 22, 2008. The topic of the conference is “Maximizing Learner Performance”. Deadline for registration is March 10, 2008. The deadline for proposals has expired. Please contact Belgin Öğrek for more information.
BEYKENT SCHOOLS- THE ELT CONFERENCE- 29 MARCH 2008
The English Language Department of Beykent Schools is organizing an ELT Conference on March 29, 2008. Details about the content and the deadline of the conference will be coming soon. Please click here for more information.
KULTUR PRIMARY SCHOOL- EXPLORING ELT TRENDS II- RESPONDING TO INNOVATIONS- 5 APRIL 2008
The English Department of Kultur Primary School would like to invite you to the 12th ELT Conference which will take place on April 5, 2008. Deadline for registration and proposal is March 5, 2008. Please click here for more information.
ATILIM UNIVERSITY - 2ND ELT CONFERENCE- 19 APRIL 2008
The Preparatory School and Departmental English Language Studies Unit of Atilim University would like to invite you to the 2nd ELT Conference "Golden Implementations to Enable Learners'' Productive Skills to Flourish: Speaking and Writing" which will take place in Atilim University Campus on Saturday April 19, 2008. Deadline for registration is by the end of February 2008. Please click here for more information.
EDIRNE COLLEGE- ELT IN GLOBALIZED WORLD- 19 APRIL 2008
Edirne College is organizing an ELT Conference “ELT in Globalized World” on April 19, 2008. The Conference aims at reaching teachers around Marmara Region. For more information please contact Deniz Bozkurtlu.
MEV PRIVATE BASINKOY SCHOOLS 6TH ELT CONFERENCE - "HEY TEACHER! KEEP YOURSELF UP-TO-DATE" - 12 APRIL 2008
The English Department of MEV Private Basinkoy Schools’ 6th ELT Conference will take place in MEV private Basinkoy Schools Conference Hall on April 12, 2008. Deadline for registration is March 21, 2008. Please contact Oksan Yagar for more information.
MIMAR SINAN SCHOOLS- 3. SCHOOL-HOME COOPERATION CONFERENCE: "LANGUAGE THOUGHT"- 26 APRIL 2008
Mimar Sinan Schools’ “3. School-Home Cooperation Conference” will take place on April 26, 2008. The conference will question "Is language a reflection of thought, or is thought a product of language?”. The theme of the Conference is “Developing Children's Language and Thinking Skills". The deadline for registration is February 29, 2008. Please contact Selda Mansur for more information.
CANAKKALE ON SEKIZ MART UNIVERSITY 5TH INTERNATIONAL ELT RESEARCH CONFERENCE- BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE IN ELT- 23-25 MAY 2008
COMU’s 5th International ELT Research Conference will take place on May 23- 25, 2008. The theme of the conference this year is "Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice in ELT". The registration deadline is April 29, 2008. Deadline for proposals is February 22, 2008. Please click here for more information.
THE 12TH INTERNATIONAL INGED ELT CONFERENCE- PUTTING THE BEST FOOT FORWARD, OCTOBER 23-25, 2008
The 12th International INGED ELT Conference named “Putting the Best Foot Forward” will take place in Eskisehir on October 23-25, 2008. For more information please click here.
FLORYA COLLEGE- ELT CONFERENCE- PARTNERSHIP FOR PROSPEROUS PERFORMANCE- MARCH 22, 2008
Florya College is organizing an ELT Conference which will take place on March 22, 2008. The topic of the conference is “Maximizing Learner Performance”. Deadline for registration is March 10, 2008. The deadline for proposals has expired. Please contact Belgin Öğrek for more information.
BEYKENT SCHOOLS- THE ELT CONFERENCE- 29 MARCH 2008
The English Language Department of Beykent Schools is organizing an ELT Conference on March 29, 2008. Details about the content and the deadline of the conference will be coming soon. Please click here for more information.
KULTUR PRIMARY SCHOOL- EXPLORING ELT TRENDS II- RESPONDING TO INNOVATIONS- 5 APRIL 2008
The English Department of Kultur Primary School would like to invite you to the 12th ELT Conference which will take place on April 5, 2008. Deadline for registration and proposal is March 5, 2008. Please click here for more information.
ATILIM UNIVERSITY - 2ND ELT CONFERENCE- 19 APRIL 2008
The Preparatory School and Departmental English Language Studies Unit of Atilim University would like to invite you to the 2nd ELT Conference "Golden Implementations to Enable Learners'' Productive Skills to Flourish: Speaking and Writing" which will take place in Atilim University Campus on Saturday April 19, 2008. Deadline for registration is by the end of February 2008. Please click here for more information.
EDIRNE COLLEGE- ELT IN GLOBALIZED WORLD- 19 APRIL 2008
Edirne College is organizing an ELT Conference “ELT in Globalized World” on April 19, 2008. The Conference aims at reaching teachers around Marmara Region. For more information please contact Deniz Bozkurtlu.
MEV PRIVATE BASINKOY SCHOOLS 6TH ELT CONFERENCE - "HEY TEACHER! KEEP YOURSELF UP-TO-DATE" - 12 APRIL 2008
The English Department of MEV Private Basinkoy Schools’ 6th ELT Conference will take place in MEV private Basinkoy Schools Conference Hall on April 12, 2008. Deadline for registration is March 21, 2008. Please contact Oksan Yagar for more information.
MIMAR SINAN SCHOOLS- 3. SCHOOL-HOME COOPERATION CONFERENCE: "LANGUAGE THOUGHT"- 26 APRIL 2008
Mimar Sinan Schools’ “3. School-Home Cooperation Conference” will take place on April 26, 2008. The conference will question "Is language a reflection of thought, or is thought a product of language?”. The theme of the Conference is “Developing Children's Language and Thinking Skills". The deadline for registration is February 29, 2008. Please contact Selda Mansur for more information.
CANAKKALE ON SEKIZ MART UNIVERSITY 5TH INTERNATIONAL ELT RESEARCH CONFERENCE- BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE IN ELT- 23-25 MAY 2008
COMU’s 5th International ELT Research Conference will take place on May 23- 25, 2008. The theme of the conference this year is "Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice in ELT". The registration deadline is April 29, 2008. Deadline for proposals is February 22, 2008. Please click here for more information.
THE 12TH INTERNATIONAL INGED ELT CONFERENCE- PUTTING THE BEST FOOT FORWARD, OCTOBER 23-25, 2008
The 12th International INGED ELT Conference named “Putting the Best Foot Forward” will take place in Eskisehir on October 23-25, 2008. For more information please click here.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Guardian Latest TEFL Articles
Here are a selection of the latest stories from the Education Guardian:
UAE college teacher wins innovation award for English course
A "ground breaking" vocabulary course for female students in the United Arab Emirates was named the winner of the new international category of this year's British Council English language teaching innovation awards.
UAE college teacher wins innovation award for English course
A "ground breaking" vocabulary course for female students in the United Arab Emirates was named the winner of the new international category of this year's British Council English language teaching innovation awards.
Emma Pathare, who works at the Dubai Women's College, won her "Elton" for developing the vocabulary course, which helps elementary English language students with Arabic as their first language get a better understanding of targeted words.
Read on…
What will 'free' conversation cost?
Students have been enthusiastic adopters of technology that offers cheap and easy online language practice, but teachers are still to be convinced about its commercial promise.
In January the British Council went on to YouTube, the popular video sharing website, to announce its plans to develop a web-based English language teaching site for young people that will harness "VoIP" technology.
Few of the council's target audience will need VoIP explained to them, but for those who are less computer-literate "voice over internet protocol" is the technology that allows users to communicate simultaneously - or synchronously - by voice and video via the internet.
Read on…
What will 'free' conversation cost?
Students have been enthusiastic adopters of technology that offers cheap and easy online language practice, but teachers are still to be convinced about its commercial promise.
In January the British Council went on to YouTube, the popular video sharing website, to announce its plans to develop a web-based English language teaching site for young people that will harness "VoIP" technology.
Few of the council's target audience will need VoIP explained to them, but for those who are less computer-literate "voice over internet protocol" is the technology that allows users to communicate simultaneously - or synchronously - by voice and video via the internet.
Read on…
Language school run by Italian fascist leader
A popular language college in London is controlled by the leader of an Italian neo-fascist party who has links to the British National party, the Guardian has learned.
CL English Language, a college in west London that teaches hundreds of foreign students each year, is controlled by Roberto Fiore, leader of Forza Nuova, an extreme right-wing party.
Fiore, who once said he was happy to be described as a neo-fascist and who is an old friend and mentor of Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP, was appointed as a director of the college more than two years ago and became sole director in August last year.
Fiore, who once said he was happy to be described as a neo-fascist and who is an old friend and mentor of Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP, was appointed as a director of the college more than two years ago and became sole director in August last year.
Read on…
Shock education tactics split South Korea
The incoming president wants all school subjects to be taught in English and to bring back emigrants to help take a nation to fluency by 2013.
A far-reaching overhaul of South Korea's English education system announced last week by Lee Myung-bak, the country's newly elected president, has caused consternation among teachers and provoked a major political challenge even before his official inauguration.
The incoming president wants all school subjects to be taught in English and to bring back emigrants to help take a nation to fluency by 2013.
A far-reaching overhaul of South Korea's English education system announced last week by Lee Myung-bak, the country's newly elected president, has caused consternation among teachers and provoked a major political challenge even before his official inauguration.
The five-year plan to radically change the way English is taught in schools, including a call for all subjects to be taught in English, is being backed by a $4.2bn budget. But even the offer to shift the cost of teaching children from increasingly burdened families to the state-school system has been met with scepticism from parents who see it as increasing competitiveness in the education system.
Read on…
Read on…
Thursday, March 13, 2008
What Role do Job Sites Play in Bad TEFL Jobs?
Katie, the lamentably retired TEFL Logue blogger, discussed the issue of whether or not TEFL job sites contribute to the proliferation of the poor conditions that exist to such a large degree in our industry/profession. As I’m going to add my thoughts on this matter, I’ve pasted the blog entry below:
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The topic of ESL or EFL job sites as the cause of the tefl world’s woes comes up every now and again. Should job sites take responsibility for screening job ads? Should they remove them if there are complaints? And are they responsible for the proliferation of “lemon” EFL jobs if they don’t?
Well, no, to the last one.
These are hard questions to answer – to the first one, given the global nature of EFL work, I think it would be impossible in practical terms to screen jobs well enough to make any difference, and if it could be done, would leave us only with a small selection of schools that could provide whatever the site required.
And it wouldn’t solve the problem of bad employers anyway, as school staff – not just teachers – come and go. I think the fact that a variety of ads are available for comparison is a huge benefit to EFL teachers, and the existence of multiple sites is much better than the existence of one all-powerful one.
Should job ads be removed or refused if there are complaints? I think there is a fair enough argument for this, if the complaints are well-documented and presented, and especially if they are from different sources. One difficulty is obviously that it is hard to ensure the veracity of a complaint (i.e. that the teacher is telling the truth): in a field so based on Internet exchange of information, there are plenty of reasons which a dishonest person might manufacture a story (to get back at someone, to hurt a competitor). Another problem is that a truly “bad” school can just lie to get around whatever restriction there is…advertise with a different name (or no name) and alternate contact information. I don’t think this happens frequently, but a school bad enough to merit a serious complaint is exactly the kind of school that would lie to get around a given restriction. Claiming that jobs are screened could very well lull people into a false sense of security.
The moral of this post, I suppose, is that I don’t agree that job sites somehow play an accomplice role to schools from the dark side – keep your wits about you when searching and use more than one site. Think hard about accepting a job in any form other than in person, and check out the questions to ask at an interview while you’re at it.
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Given the recent tragic events in Korea, I felt this was a pertinent time to revisit this issue. A lot of you who read the blog also frequent the forums and are therefore are familiar with the reasons why I set up the forums. Basically, I was disgusted with the way that another forum, Dave’s ESL Cafe, conducted its business. Let me explain…
While I agree with certain points that Katie raised, namely that 1) it’s impossible to screen schools effectively if you‘re accepting paid adverts from all around the world, and 2) any complaints made by teachers are always going to be purely subjective (yes, sometimes teachers ARE in the wrong) and not entirely reliable, I believe that TEFL jobs sites could raise the bar significantly and easily and indeed become more profitable in the process.
Let me return to the dear old ESL Cafe; the main culprit in this sorry business. Dave’s ESL Cafe remains an incredibly popular resource among the TEFL community, indeed, it was suggested to me as a source for finding job openings way back when I did my CELTA. The number of job openings advertised on the site is remarkable and a huge source of income for those running the site (I’ve heard rumours that Dave Sperling no longer runs things – please confirm). What disgusted me, eventually causing me to set up ELT World, was (and continues to be) the practice of censoring any information about bad schools that were paying advertisers. Katie made a good point about bad schools merely slithering around attempts to name and shame them, but when you’re actively promoting a policy of denying people who use your website access to information that would enable them to make a better decision about whether or not to take a job, you’re effectively working in partnership with the cowboys: by condoning their practices, you are to blame for their behaviour. Are other sites as shoddy in their approach as the ESL Café? Maybe. What’s for sure is that this isn’t helping to improve our industry/profession and is, sadly as we’ve recently seen, may be putting people’s lives at risk.
I don’t know the details of Bill Kapoun’s contract, who arranged his accommodation or how he got his job, but this case highlights the fact that too many places are not treating TEFL teachers with the respect that should be accorded to any human being.
So, are ESL job sites to blame for unsavory schools? No, these places wil exist as long as human greed remains. However, the blatant, greed-fueled encouragement that unscrupulous businesses receive from the likes of Dave’s ESL café definitely ain’t helping matters.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Finding jobs in the UAE
Thanks once again to the fabulous Mishmumkin, who posted this account of finding jobs over on the United Arab Emirates forum:
Finding jobs in the UAE
I’ve come across a lot of questions from CELTA and cert TESOL holders seeking work in the UAE. The UAE is no longer an undesirable country in which to work. Gone are the days of little to do and see. Dubai, in particular, has assumed the role as the Hong Kong of the Middle East. As the high-end hotels, restaurants, and active nightlife have emerged, employers in the Gulf no longer need to tempt prospective employees as much as they once had to. Furthermore, since more qualified candidates are interested in working in the UAE, the general scene is more competitive.
Finding jobs in the UAE
I’ve come across a lot of questions from CELTA and cert TESOL holders seeking work in the UAE. The UAE is no longer an undesirable country in which to work. Gone are the days of little to do and see. Dubai, in particular, has assumed the role as the Hong Kong of the Middle East. As the high-end hotels, restaurants, and active nightlife have emerged, employers in the Gulf no longer need to tempt prospective employees as much as they once had to. Furthermore, since more qualified candidates are interested in working in the UAE, the general scene is more competitive.
Image courtesy of www.fotosearch.com
Is there academy work there?
Very little. Berlitz tends to hire locally as opposed to paying to bring employees over. This saves them a lot of money on labour cards, visa sponsorship, airline tickets, and accommodation. I interviewed with them when I was still living in Dubai. They could not afford to offer me more than 7000 dirhams/month, and no accommodation allowance would be provided. If you are planning to survive in the UAE, you MUST have an accommodation allowance or an actually flat/villa provided.
You might also see jobs posted for The Princeton Review aka Score Plus aka Linguarama. Score Plus is the local name for the Princeton Review. Linguarama is another business of the same owner. Last time I checked, these jobs did not include actual accommodation-simply an allowance (which was not enough to find a decent flat in Dubai at the current rise of housing rental costs). Teachers who’ve worked for this operation have complained of being exploited-forced to work extremely long work weeks on contracts that were seemingly contradictory to UAE labour laws.
There are other small language academies, but almost none of them seek employees from overseas. As I mentioned with Berlitz, it’s cheaper to hire the individual already sponsored by a spouse. Unless your spouse already has a contract in Dubai, I would strongly discourage anyone from just buying a ticket to the UAE and hoping to land work once there.
Where can I work if I want to teach K-12?
Since there is so little academy work that one might find in other countries, that leaves only a few opportunities. Most decent K-12 teaching opportunities go to the qualified teachers. If you are interested in teaching K-12, there are a handful of schools that will hire. Choueifat (SABIS), with five locations in the Emirates, targets non-qualified teachers, with or without a CELTA and/or experience. Their packages run around $18,500 USA/year and include annual airfare, shared accommodation (often on the school campus), and summer salary. I’m not going to sugar-coat this system: teachers are overworked, unappreciated, and generally not trusted. It is, however, likely to be the best paying package for someone seeking a K-12 position without the proper qualifications.
An alternative to Choueifat might be Al-Itihad School(s). The School for Research Science has also hired non-qualified teachers in the past, but typically looks for experienced teachers. Dubai American Scientific School is another one to try, as are the Dubai National School(s). I interviewed w/ Dubai National School a few years ago at TESOL Arabia and found them to be unprofessional and restrictive. Partway through the interview they handed me a list of rules, asking me to take a few moments to read over the rules before deciding if it was a good fit. Clearly, it was not!
I would expect most of these schools’ salaries to fall in the range of what Choueifat offers. Liveable? Well, if your accommodation is provided, then yes, it is liveable. If you love the nightlife and fine food, this salary won’t yield much in the way of savings, but this all depends on which emirate you end up in. Dubai is really the easiest place to burn your cash. If you end up in Ras Al Khamaih, Fujeirah, Sharjah, or Al Ain, I would venture to say that you can actually save a bit of cash each month if you don’t drink away your paycheck each weekend.
University positions for ESOL teachers?
There has been much criticism of Abu Dhabi University and IAT (Institute of Applied Technology) who have both hired candidates w/o the MA TESOL.
Aside from the above-mentioned, almost all university positions (Higher Colleges of Technology, UAEU, Zayed U, American University of Sharjah, American University of Dubai, etc.) go to MA TESOL/Applied Linguistic holders or perhaps some DELTA holders w/ a good bit of EAP experience. I have heard of the random cert holder with LOADS of relevant experience landing a lower paid position with the Higher Colleges of Technology (multiple campuses around the UAE), but this is not the norm. I have seen this demand for the MA ebb and flow over the past 5 years, depending on supply and demand. Loads of experience and the DELTA night yield a job offer if the climate is right.
If you really want to gain experience in EAP at the university level, I would suggest nearby Oman. The money for MOHE (ministry of higher education) contracts goes much further, and Oman is such a culturally rich country in comparison to her neighbours.
Learn more about teaching in this country and add your comments to this discussion at the United Arab Emirates forum. Also, subscribe to David's English Teaching World by Email.
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