I taught English in Belarus!

TEFL qualified Gemma Toovey found struggles and triumphs when she opted to teach English in Belarus, a  lesser frequented part of the former Soviet Union. I asked her more…

1)      What are your first impressions of teaching English in Belarus? What is the first thing you noticed? What’s the part you have found most challenging?

Like lots of cultures, Belarus takes a much more ‘relaxed’ approach to work, especially where there are foreigners and therefore visas concerned. My pay arrangements were slightly…improvised. I didn’t really have any idea what I was going to until I arrived and met up with the director of the school. Nothing dangerous but just a little unnerving for a Brit who quite likes to know what’s going on…

There wasn’t really much support or training offered as to how or what I taught;  no resources, colleagues or on the job training.

Having said this, there is something great about being the only native English speaker these students had ever met. I clearly did things in a different way from what their education system had taught them to expect from such a course, and their appreciation of that was clear to see. A really nice rapport developed over the course of the semester and there wasn’t one student I wasn’t sad to leave when the time came.

2)      Was it hard to find and fix up a job?

The way things are done is very much still word of mouth and someone who knows someone…and most of my work emerged that way once I was in the country. The initial contract which enabled me to get a visa was arranged through an existing contact I had. International organisations like International House would probably be the best bet for securing a visa and getting into the country.

3) Can you give me an idea of a typical working day?

My week consisted of two lessons in a primary school teaching 7 year olds from scratch, two lessons at an IT company doing advanced conversation practice with businessmen and women, two evening classes each with two groups of young adults at intermediate and advanced level, and one free conversation class for any of the language school students who wanted to come. It was a bit of an odd working day, but left me lots of time to plan lessons and also meet up with friends. I definitely didn’t feel overworked, but could’ve taken on private students or probably other classes if I had needed the money.

4) How did you find your students? What is the biggest challenge in your teaching and where have you already seen success?

My students were great – they were the real plus of being there. One group especially really adopted me and in the classic Belarusian way, went out of their way to make me feel welcome in their country. They worked hard, but once we had built up a good rapport, I think they really enjoyed the lessons too, and made them enjoyable for me. The kids were the only challenge as far as teaching was concerned – it was my first experience with children and my first experience with low levels, and I still look back and slightly wonder why I ever said yes!

5) If there is one piece of advice you could give to someone coming to Belarus to teach, what would it be?

You have to be thick-skinned to cope with the initial frustrations and the fact that nothing seems straightforward. But it is so worth it; once you get to know them, the people are the most generous and open I have ever met.

Find out more about Belarus.

Why not share your experiences, struggles and joys about teaching English in a largely forgotten location below?

Wish you were here? EFL teacher Anne Lowe in Korea

If you are looking to escape this country to teach English abroad, Korea is definitely worth considering. Korea offers some of the more stable TEFL contracts around to native English speaking graduates, including round-trip airfare and paid accommodation. There are also plenty reputable recruitment agencies enabling you to fix up something secure in advance.

New teacher Anne Lowe has recently started teaching in Korea and I asked her to share her first impressions and recommendations for living and teaching there:

1) What are your first impressions of Korea, Anne? What is the first thing you notice? What’s the part you have found most challenging?

My first impression of Korea is that it is so different from what I’m used to back in the United States.  To the writing on the buildings, to the neon on every single building, to the faces walking by–nothing is familiar.  It’s all new and exciting.  The first thing I notice is that there are more people packed into a much smaller space than I’m used to. Real estate is at a premium, so nearly all the buildings have businesses occupying them; the most challenging part is being stared at by everyone.  I’m in a smaller town and they aren’t used to foreigners, plus I do kind of stand out with my lighter hair and eyes.

2) Where are you working and how did you find your job?

I found it through a recruiting company; OK Recruiting.  My recruiter, a woman named Bonnie, was a fantastic help through the whole process. I interviewed with three schools (through her company) and received job offers from them all; I picked my favourite and here I am.

3) Has your TESOL qualification helped you finding work and in the classroom? If so, how?

My TESOL qualification was definitely a big help in getting a job.

It fleshed out my resume since I don’t have any previous classroom experience teaching English.  In the class, it has helped some, but on-the-job training really can’t be beat.

4) How do you find your students? What is the biggest challenge in your teaching and where have you already seen success?

With a few exceptions, my students have all been wonderful. There are always some kids that have no interest in being there, whose parents are forcing them, but they challenge me to really work and draw them out in class.  The most truculent students thus far are the teenagers.  With them, the surest method is to be patient, take none of it personally, and try and make the lessons as relatable to pop culture as possible.  My greatest success lies with those students who are around ages 11 and 12.  They retain the enthusiasm of their youth but they are much more capable of understanding and being understood when they speak English, which really knocks down some barriers.

5) If there is one piece of advice you could give to someone coming to Korea to teach, what would it be?

Everyone says you don’t need to, but for heaven’s sake: make some attempt to learn the language.  If nothing else, learn how to say hello, do you speak English, thank you and goodbye.  Koreans are incredibly forgiving when it comes to foreigners not speaking their language but that first attempt always makes them smile and gets them talking.  Classroom phrases shouldn’t be necessary (all the students should understand simple commands such as “repeat,” “sit down,” and “write”) but it might not hurt.  Above all: speak slowly.

Could you see yourself teaching English in Korea? Are you already teaching there? Share your experiences below:

The decline and revival of the English teaching industry in Japan

It’s true that the financial benefits English teachers in Japan have been able to demand have decreased consistently over the past twenty years, particularly following the burst of the bubble economy in the 1990s and the Great Recession in the late-2000s. Few companies will now cover the full cost of your airfare to Japan, and contract bonuses are rare.

Neither has the situation been helped by the collapse of English language teaching chain schools Nova in October 2007, and Geos in April 2010, which contributed to a glut of English teachers in Japan. This state of affairs, along with the continuing recession, lead to lower teacher turnover, as teachers faced the prospect of not being able to find other (better) jobs either in Japan or their home countries.

It hasn’t all been an unrelenting decline, however. The strength of the yen against the pound has risen dramatically over the last five years, which, although bad news for Japanese exports and those visiting Japan, is good news for expats sending money home. In September 2006, £1 cost ¥221. In August 2011, this price has dropped to ¥127, effectively increasing the relative value of a Japanese salary by 80%.

Furthermore, a recently introduced law stipulating compulsory English lessons for elementary school children, along with a significant number of native English teachers leaving Japan (although it seems the majority of those who left were expatriates from other Asian countries) after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami has to some extent reset the balance between the supply of and demand for English teachers in Japan.

There were shortages of certain food items as people engaged in panic buying in the first few weeks after the earthquake

The effect of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami

There have also been suggestions (here and here, for example) that now, more than ever, Japan needs English language skills, although we should perhaps reserve some skepticism for both individuals and organizations who attempt to convey the notion that English language teaching in a post-tsunami Japan is some kind of heroic deed (unlike the deeds of those directly involved in the relief effort).

About two weeks after the earthquake and tsunami, a friend who had left Japan before the disaster asked me whether she should come back in order to take up an offer to work for Westgate (one of the few companies who do provide airfare).

This was my response:

The official line of the British Foreign Office is that they’re advising against all unessential travel to the north east of Japan and Tokyo… in Kanagawa we’ve had a blackout roughly every other day since the earthquake, but only for two or three hours a day – enough to make your life inconvenient, but not in any way dangerous. Food shortages are still a problem in some parts of Japan – particularly milk and bread. However, my local supermarket was back in stock for both of these items today, and the supply chain seems to be slowly getting back to normal… As for radiation, again, the official line is that outside an 80km radius from the power plants, the increased levels of radiation being detected are no risk to human health. TEPCO seem to slowly be making progress with the leaking reactors, although they say it could take weeks or months to repair completely.

Electricity saving measures are in effect in many parts of Kanto

Five months on, and the situation is much improved – at least in areas not directly affected by the tsunami. The supply chain is back to normal, and despite the ongoing ‘setsuden’ (electricity saving measures) most of the infrastructure in Tokyo and immediately surrounding regions is operating at near full capacity (it will be a long time before the same can be said of some areas in North East Japan). Although radiation worries are always there in the background, people are generally getting on with their lives, whilst trying to take all reasonable steps to limit their exposure to harm.

An incredible country in which to live and work

Japan is still – and will always be – an incredible country in which to live and work. Although the availability and financial reward of English teaching work is not what it once was, there are still plenty of rewards – financial, cultural, personal, and emotional – to be had by those thinking of teaching English in Japan. In fact, the real question is not what you can take from the experience, but what you can give back.

If I were to go to China, I wonder if the TEFL trade would still be booming? It has been reported that a massive 300 million Chinese people are learning English, which surely makes it the highest number of English learners in any one country in the world.

The BC report

Remarkably, the latest reports are showing that the English market continues to thrive in China. A report made by the British Council into the growth and future of ELT in India and China has resulted in a positive outlook. The demand for teachers in China is still not being met despite the fact that companies and local governments are keen to increase the number and quality of English language teachers.

Who’s learning in China?

Where does this market exist? Understandably, business English is the hot commodity in China as internationally minded companies try to improve their standing on the world scene. It has been reported that English is no longer a desirable skill in job candidates – it’s essential.

EL Gazette reports that it’s not about business English only. The majority of learners in two regions of China cited ‘personal development’ and ‘interest in English’ as their reason for studying the language. The demand for teachers of young learners is also increasing as schools and parents try to develop English skills in their children from a young age. It’s clear, then, that ESP (English for Specific Purposes) is a key part of the China TEFL industry.

TEFL China: recession-proof

A press release on the BC website concludes by saying that ‘the EL market [in China] is seemingly unaffected by the global economic downturn; in fact it may well increase the importance of learning English as competition for jobs becomes more intense.’

This blog continues with an overview of paid teaching positions, but again I’d like to request any teachers who are working or who have experience of TEFL in Africa to get in touch with us using the comment box below. Ta!

Paid TEFL jobs

If you don’t want to give up your earning potential and would rather make enough money to at least live independently (you hedonist – how do you sleep at night?), then you might want to look at paid teaching positions in Africa.

Finding salaried positions in Africa is a decidedly challenging task. If you confine your search to some of the “richer” countries, such as Morocco and Egypt, then paid TEFL jobs can sometimes be found on the usual sites (Dave’s ESL Café etc.). Paid work in the heart of Africa, however, is not as readily available.

Universities and international schools

Maybe the internet is the problem. Maybe there are TEFL jobs out there, but they are not showing up online. If you can narrow your search down to the country you want to teach in, then a smart move is to start by looking at the universities and international schools for that country (follow the links for directories of schools in Africa).

The BC

The British Council is an ever-useful source of information. They have centers in countries across the continent . British Council schools have courses in a variety of subjects, but most notably in English. Vacancies can be found on their website, or you can contact centers directly. It has to be said, however, that although courses and school are plentiful, vacancies with the BC seem to be few and far between.

English in South Africa

The EFL industry in SA is still trying to find its feet in many ways. Reports from the frontline indicate that the kind of network of teachers that leads to development programs and conferences that exists in most other area in the TEFL world does not exist there. Teaching materials are not as readily available as they are in countries where TEFL is well established.

Having said that, there are many opportunities in South Africa (compared to other parts of Africa) for English teachers. These jobs involve teaching students from a variety of countries who have come specifically to study English.

Indeed, there is something of a recent phenomenon of students traveling from all over the world to study English in Africa (attracted by the opportunity to live in such a fascinating place as well the lower tuition fees, no doubt). India has seen a similar kind of influx of English students from diverse countries.

Useful links

SAET – useful site for English teachers in South Africa

ELT Africa – some interesting blog pieces on Africa

The British Council – schools across Africa

Finding information on teaching in Africa has been a demanding task. Apologies if any of the information on this page is incorrect. It would be great to hear from some teachers who are working in Africa, either as volunteers or as paid employees, or from past teachers. Please leave a comment below!

ESL and EFL in Africa

English language instruction in Africa takes on many forms. There are the outright EFL (English as a foreign language) positions in, among others, Arabic and French speaking countries. Then there is English as a Second Language (ESL) in countries where English is the major language, but is not the mother tongue for many.

Also, you have teaching positions in state schools in English speaking countries (Nigeria, Kenya etc.). These roles are very much like teaching in an English primary school… albeit in equatorial Africa. As such, there are positions as teachers of subjects other than English.

Volunteer positions

As Bono and Geldof keep informing us, Africa is a very poor continent. Naturally the cost of living is often lower than other parts of the world, but salaries are commensurate to that. That’s if you get a salary at all. Opportunities to teach English as a volunteer seem to be far more common than paid positions.

Volunteer work requires something from you. But it might not be as altruistic as you think. Although a willingness to give of your time is essential, you might find that you break even from the venture, or even make something from it.

There are many schemes that demand an up-front payment for volunteer positions, often of a considerable amount. However, a little more research reveals that there are many volunteer positions that will provide accommodation and board for free, sometimes even with a small stipend for personal expenses.

Some volunteer organisations

So, what’s on offer in terms of volunteer work?

VSO - pretty much the benchmark, as far as volunteer organizations are concerned. Their programs for English teachers are demanding, but also rewarding. See the website for more details.

IFESH – The International Foundation for Education and Self-Help is a reputable organization that sends teachers to various parts of Africa. Their programs are well worth investigating if you want to volunteer as a teacher in Africa. Unfortunately, it is only available to U.S. citizens.

Idealist.org – an all-encompassing website for potential volunteers. Advertises positions across the world, not just in Africa.

Volunteer Abroad – advertises a variety of positions, including this volunteer teaching program in Sudan.

Paid positions

In Thursday’s blog, I’ll be looking at paid teaching positions in Africa and rounding up this piece. It’d be great to hear from anyone with experience of teaching in Africa. If you can offer corrections or further information to the above, please leave a comment below!

On top of that, Japan has taking every possible precaution against the swine flu – my local university was closed for a week after a student contracted a very mild form of the disease. As an extra measure, people everywhere are wearing those face masks that – as far as I can tell – have no practical effect at all.

The second year of teaching

Back to teaching, though. I wrote some time ago about the common adage that one’s first year as a teacher is the most difficult. Well, the second year has certainly kicked off with a bang. My teaching hours have almost doubled over the last few weeks, which means preparation time has skyrocketed too.

I now have an even greater variety of students, too, with businessmen, university students, recreational learners and other more random categories of learners, taking classes with yours truly.

The benefits of variation

I like the thrill of a challenge, and there’s a lot to be learnt by teaching a variety of students. It’s always wise to keep a cool head, though, and remember what your goals are as a teacher instead of getting bogged down in methodology and professional practice.

The goals, then:

1.      Help people to learn English

Some useful advice

I’ve also picked up some useful bits of advice/information recently that I’d like to share with you.

• Try not to digress too much in lessons – sub-topics come up all the time, especially when looking at new vocabulary. Focus on the aims of the lesson rather than meandering.

• Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know – I was recently stumped by a grammatical question in the lesson – a relatively simple question, at that, which made it more embarrassing. However, it’s good practice to admit you don’t know and offer to explain the term after doing some research.

• Pairs/teams shouldn’t always consist of the same people. Students have a tendency to stick together, but it makes for a better class atmosphere if you pair people with new partners when doing tasks, or even encourage people to swap seats every lesson.

That’s the latest from Ben’s crazy world of TEFL. Check back soon for tips on planning lessons properly.

The people

One thing I have always liked about Japan is the people. Speaking generally, Japanese people are perhaps quite different to how you imagine. While teaching, I have met some very warm, and down to earth people. Particularly in the region where I live (Kansai), the sense of humour is also very strong, being a mix of nonsense, self-deprecation, and lively story telling.

Working with such people is a lot of fun. My conversation classes are enjoyable because I get to converse with people who can teach me something too. We always have a good laugh, and tell stories about our home countries.

Japanese pizza?

Finally, Japan is a place where generosity is common. Before Christmas, one group of my students invited me to have dinner with them – an all you can eat okonomiyaki and beer festival!

Okonomiyaki is a local food that is often called Japanese pizza, but is actually nothing like pizza. It’s more of a savoury pancake that is fried with all manner of fillings – usually pork, cabbage, bean sprouts and noodles are thrown in the mix (depending on regional varieties). I can’t tell you how good it was! Add several bottles of one of Japanese finest beers – Kirin Muroka – and a classic evening was underway.

Generally speaking…

As a nation, Japan has some great characteristics. The lack of crime (particularly petty crime – organized crime is still a problem here) is a sign of the respect that people show each other in day to day life. The countless galleries, concerts and gigs show a people who are imaginative and artistic. The plethora of international restaurants and foreign goods stores belie a mindset that is open and welcoming.

Wherever you are teaching, I urge you to enjoy the culture of your country!

Overview

One thing the Middle East has become known for in TEFL is high paying jobs. These can mainly be found in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other countries on the Persian Gulf. Along with high salaries come high demands, though, and an MA and years of teaching experience are often prerequisites when applying for jobs in these countries.

Turkey, Egypt and Morocco are perhaps the easiest way in for newbies. Employers often only require a university degree and a basic TEFL qualification.

Many employers in these regions offer housing along with the salary, which is particularly advantageous at first.

Cultural overview

Culturally, many areas of the Middle East are as different to western culture as you can get. For example, many countries list there job vacancies along with gender classifications as female teachers may only teach female students, and male teachers can only teach male students.

This kind of culture extends beyond the classroom, too, affecting your daily life in numerous ways (such as some countries operating a no-alcohol policy). A flexible and dedicated person can thrive in such a culture, though, so if it is something you feel capable of coping with then it is nothing to balk at.

Job search

Finding a job involves a lot of research, mainly done from the comfort of your own home. Internet searches on sites such as ESL Employment, TEFL.com, and BAYT.com should throw some vacancies your way. Dave’s ESL Café is, as always, a mine of useful information.

Are you teaching in the Middle East? Want to share your experiences with us? Leave a comment below!

The criteria

I’m often asked why I came to Japan, and there were two reasons: 1. I’m very interested in Japanese culture, and 2. I knew there was a market for private English teachers here having done some research and asked some fellow teachers about the matter. Therefore, I’d recommend doing some serious research into not only where the jobs are, but also how easy it is to live and work in certain places. When you have narrowed down your choices by the criteria of job availability and other practical reasons, ask yourself which of the remaining locations appeal to you personally.

Do your research

Living in a new country isn’t to be taken lightly. You can’t hide away in a bubble. If you want to thrive, you have to integrate. What do you know about the culture and people of your target country? Ask around on TEFL forums and travel websites about living in that country. Gather as much information and advice as you can so that you know what the potential pitfalls are, and how best to get set up there.

How an employer can help

One teacher I spoke to about this matter said their employer had been incredibly helpful in this matter. They provided detailed information on living quarters, the culture of that country and arranged for all of the smaller details of relocating to be taken care of. If you are serious about a job in a new country, ask for all the information and advice you can get from your employer. If the company is worth working for they will help you out as much as they can.