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Finding a job THE BEST JOB GUARANTEEUnderstandably, one of the main concerns for people moving abroad is whether they will be able to find a job and whether they will be able to get legal. What better guarantee than having a certificate that is instantly recognised by all language schools around the world? With a Trinity CertTESOL, your options are not limited. The certificate will get you a job at any school whether they offer their own in-house course or not, which is not always the case the other way around. Within the Czech Republic, it is not possible to gain a residence visa without a work permit. This work permit must be organised by the school hiring you so ALL schools will take care of this. By having the choice of working at any school, you are also able to choose to work for the school that you believe will offer you the best conditions and support. Job guarantees from other courses change, but the Trinity CertTESOL always carries international recognition. Even you only plan to teach English for a year, it remains with you as a valid qualification should you wish or need to return to teaching in the future. Want to read more?Trinity CertTESOL recognition What do we do in the Careers Department?Living and Working in Prague Working in other parts of the world FAQs about finding a jobOur graduates talk about their jobs Our graduates talk about their jobs and the benefits of Trinity CertTESOL
What do we do in the Careers department?You can expect the following from our careers service:
Comments on the careers service from former trainees.Veronica Fortune Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, February 2007 Career Services was awesome at helping me out. Sean started giving us advice right from the start of classes. He was incredibly helpful with editing our resumes and giving us lots of information. I have met a lot of people, while teaching in Korea, who are amazed at the help I was given. Their TESOL course didn't give them anywhere near as much help as I received. I had originally planned on staying in Prague, but changed my mind after talking to another student, and decided to look into Korea. Sean started helping me find information about Korea. I've now been working here for two years and plan on staying one more. After that contract is finished I'll be contacting the careers service again. Elisabeth Houghton Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, June 2007 I found the careers service at Oxford Tefl invaluable when searching for a job. They have a useful noticeboard which is updated with new adverts and, importantly, a lot of contacts in Prague and with the TEFL world at large. The graduate newsletter that is sent out is useful not only for jobs themselves but also advice and learning about other peoples experiences. During the course itself, the careers service will advise you on how to make your CV look right for TEFL application and provide you with a lot of places to send it too. If you want to stay in Prague, because Oxford TEFL is so respected, they have employers that want to actually come round and talk to the graduates. I started work the day after I finished the course and I couldn't have done it without the help of the careers service. Darren Large Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, July 2007 I passed my Trinity cert TESOL last year at Oxford TEFL Prague. After a break of 4 months, I decided to return to Prague and gain some teaching experience. Oxford TEFL were instrumental in helping me find a position. Basically, as soon as Sean had forwarded my CV to all the language schools, I was inundated with interview requests. I also received lots of advice about the different types of jobs available. I would say that this school gives excellent post course support and I would (I have) recommended it to others. I have now been teaching for 3 months and I'm really enjoying working and living in Prague. Carolyn Reed Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, October 2007 One of the more pleasant surprises about my time at the Prague school was finding out that they deliver on their promises. Not only did the staff provide helpful assistance on resume writing but they also actively worked to help us find jobs. For those of us wanting to stay in Prague, they invited schools to come in and make presentations. The school representatives signed up people for interviews on the spot. Oxford also sent out our resumes to other schools so that they could contact us directly for interviews. I did not send out one resume on my own, had so many interview requests that I was turning them down, and ended up with 4 good offers to chose among. Each of these offers originated with some action taken by the Oxford staff. Wayne Smith Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, November 2007 I've been trying to catch you for a while now but keep missing you. Just an update. You posted a job some time ago for a position at Gymnasium Jana Nerudy. There has been an American girl doing the job of Native English Speaker for 3 years. She was an Oxford TEFL graduate too. I went for three interviews, and I have now got this job starting in September. It is right up my street because they prefer innovative lessons rather than lessons from books. In addition to a good salary, I will be paid for all holidays, will receive 4500czk a month tax free towards my rent, and will get a share of the monthly bonus given by the Kraj. It tends to be a minimum of 1500 and up to 3500 for each teacher. The two months summer holiday is also paid. They have also offered me a separate contract from their own budget, to run workshops for the Czech teachers, so all in all a brilliant move for an old bugger like me. Summer is as a DOS in Tralee in Ireland with excellent pay in Euros. (Wayne has since notified us that he was offered a permanent contract with the school on 7th May 2009)Living and Working in PragueOVERVIEW The Czech Republic is a small country in central Europe (and the Czechs prefer "central" as a description to "eastern") sharing borders with Germany to the west, Poland to the north and Slovakia and Austria to the south. It is famous for its beer and the fascinating capital city Prague, a major centre of culture, business and tourism. However, there is plenty more to discover: mountains and rivers, beautiful countryside, medieval castles and spa towns, vineyards, weird rock formations … The Czechs are sometimes perceived by foreigners as a little reserved at first, and service with a smile is not always guaranteed. However, beyond that initial reserve they are friendly and hospitable, and keen to interact with foreigners. As well as beer and sausages, sports and outdoor activities are very popular, especially volley ball, hockey, skiing, hiking, cycling, swimming and canoeing. TEACHING ENGLISH There is a well-established TEFL market. Most foreigners choose to work in Prague for a wide range of employers from large private schools who will help with visa applications and accommodation to one-person agencies who pay cash, and everything in between. There is a lot of work for those wishing to teach young learners, students and others requiring general English, but the majority of work is in-company and, as with most other places, this means your timetable is likely to include early morning and evening classes, often with little in between, and require you to travel around a bit. There is a general preference for native speaker teachers, so non-native speakers have to be a bit more determined to find work. Teaching a language other than English can be a way in, then making sure everyone knows you are willing to teach English as well - be prepared to do last minute substitutions and wow the students until your employer finally realises that you are much better than most so-called 'native speakers'! Another option is to teach in a state school. These jobs are a little harder to come by. They require a BA in English or Applied Linguistics and applications need to be received before the end of April. It is not unusual to be working in tandem with a Czech teacher e.g. he or she may teach grammar while you focus on speaking and other skills. In smaller towns and cities free or subsidised accommodation, travel, Czech lessons and other assistance is often provided. The smaller the town, the less likely you are to able to get by on English alone (and the more likely you are to learn Czech!). Czech students tend to be motivated, like a bit of a challenge and have a good (occasionally somewhat dark) sense of humour and fun. Many teachers socialise with and become friends with their students and other locals. HOURS AND PAY New teachers can get a full timetable, especially if they work for one of the larger schools, but it is also common to have a few hours at one school, a few at another and so on. Try to keep the number of employers low, so you don't drown in paperwork. Pay in Prague is around 200 - 250 Czech koruna (see www.xe.com for current exchange rates) per hour. By 'hour', I mean 60 minutes; often the unit quoted is 45 minutes or 90 minutes, so when you have a job interview, make sure it's spelled out exactly what rate you're getting. Typically you'll earn around 15-20,000 CZK a month which, after rent (probably around 7000 for a shared flat at the time of writing) and tax (around 25%), does not leave you a whole lot of disposable income - enough to live reasonably comfortably, especially if you like beer which is high quality and very cheap, and to go on an occasional trip. If you are entrepreneurially minded and prepared to put yourself about a bit, you can pick up private classes and other work to supplement your income. Work like writing and proof-reading can be quite lucrative. Outside Prague pay is lower, but so is the cost of living. Also, you are more likely to be housed, fed, driven around, clasped to the bosom of the family and so on. It is not unusual for teachers to be relatively better off on a lower salary outside Prague. ACCOMMODATION Accommodation is not usually difficult to find, but the initial outlay can be substantial, especially if you find it through an agency who will require a fee in addition to the usual one month's security deposit and one month's rent in advance. Places outside the main tourist centres will typically provide accommodation, and some schools in the major cities (Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Plzen, Liberec, Olomouc and Hradec Kralove) will also go to some lengths to help you. BEST TIMES TO LOOK FOR WORK September and January are the main hiring times. Large schools start recruiting as early as April for September. There is something of a hiatus in August, but less so than in many other European countries, and there are jobs in summer camps. There is a fairly high turnover of teachers and, in Prague at least, it is usually possible to find a job at almost any time of year. RED TAPE Established schools help with work and residence permits. There are a lot of teachers in Prague so to some extent this affects how far the employer is willing to go to help you out, but there is also competition for the best new prospects, so it's worth shopping around a bit if you're lucky enough to be coveted by several schools. Similarly, schools outside the capital may be willing to work harder on your behalf simply because their need is greater. Getting legal is easiest for EU citizens, and next easiest, in approximate order, for US, Canadian and Australian nationals. The process is bureaucratic and usually requires you to supply your birth certificate, an original copy of your qualifications, criminal registry extract and other documentation. It is relatively straightforward for EU citizens. For non-EU citizens the most reliable route is to secure employment with a school which will guide you through the process. Established schools will have staff and procedures in place for this. In the first week of the course, we include a presentation on how to obtain a visa and the possibility of professional consultation. At present, due to the economic climate, applying for a business license is not recommended as the Czech government is reluctant to grant them. Back to top of pageWorking in other parts of the worldThe following are TEFL websites, publications and resources I would recommend to help you with your job search: www.englishjobmaze.com has a section called "Countries at a Glance", which provides you with extremely useful country specific information and worldwide jobs listings FAQs about finding a jobWhen is the best time for me to look for work?This varies from country to country. Generally speaking, in Europe the academic year runs from October to the end of June although hiring takes place year-round in Prague. Most recruitment is done locally so you need to be here and actively looking with the prime hiring time being mid-September. The second best time is after the Christmas holidays. In other parts of the world starting dates vary: January in Japan, March in South America. Our graduates find work at all times of the year. What if I'm a non-native speaker of English?Some schools will have policies whereby they will only hire native speakers due to client requirements, but good English and a prestigious TESOL will usually be more important. Typically there is more demand for a non-native speaker in their country of origin. Germans are used to being taught English by German natives, for example. An advantage for non-native speakers is that they can offer another ’useful‘ language. A French graduate from Oxford Tefl was employed by a language school because of her ability to teach both English and French. Below are some experiences from non-native speakers who did the course: Lenka Zerolova Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, February 2009 - SLOVAKIA
First of all, with the time distance of 4 months since I took the course, I don't regret it at all :) and still highly recommend it. The course is very helpful not only for native speakers who have never taught but also for non-natives with some teaching experience, which was my case. The tutors at Oxford TEFL are very professional and gave me lots of inspiring thoughts for teaching English, including various methods of teaching single skills (listening, grammar, writing, etc.), which I've been using a lot since I got back from the course and continued with teaching in Slovakia. Besides the teaching staff, my classmates were absolutely perfect too and inspired me significantly, since our different cultural backgrounds resulted in various approaches to teaching a foreign language, which I find really interesting. And last but not least, the majority of Oxford TEFL staff as well as participants of the course are usually native speakers of English, which simulates the environment of an English-speaking country perfectly, and thus might feel like a very intensive English course for us-non natives at the same time :) As for the job prospects, from my point of view as a non-native speaker who goes on teaching in my home country, it seems it's really an advantage to have the Trinity CertTESOL Certificate. Since then, I have applied for plenty of teaching positions in Slovakia and I've always been successful. Moreover, interviewers at language schools are really amazed when a non-native speaker has such an experience and certificate and I think it speaks for itself. On the other hand, I've been looking for a teaching job in Spain for quite a time, but haven't been successful yet. It certainly needs much more effort to break through among other candidates if your first language is not English. However, I hope nothing is impossible, so I'll keep on trying. Jander Soares Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, August 2008 - Aimores & Mutum, BRAZIL
I started my own language school here in Brazil 3 weeks ago. It was a dream that came true. I've been teaching English and Portuguese for about 6 years now but I never really felt confident about starting my own language school. English is my second language. I always felt more confident teaching Portuguese. But everything changed after I went to Oxford TEFL Prague to do my TESOL course in July last year. The course was fantastic, full on, great teachers and tons of assignments. It certainly gave me the confidence I needed to become a better teacher and consequently gave me the confidence to start my own school. I'm doing the Young Learner Extension Course Online and I'm looking forward to doing the Diploma. If you want to teach in my school drop me an email: janderkns@gmail.com Our website will be up and running soon: www.ispeak.me. I also posted a short video on YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5OA1W4na2s A special thanks to David, Sean and Andrea for their teaching and support. Anette Igel, Trinity CertTESOL. Prague, 2003 - Brno, Czech RepublicBeing a non-native teacher I can tell you a bit about my experience: I was actually lucky, after finishing the course in Prague I applied at IH Brno, but of course they didn't have any jobs left. That was in August, so I started looking around Brno and went to a few different schools with my CV and everything. In the end I had 3 interviews and two job offers when IH called me to tell me that they had a job for me as someone had turned down the contract. That's how I got a job in Brno. Two more schools offered me a job by the way. The point is, it's much easier to take all your papers, go to the place you want to work, don't tell them straight away your non-native but let your command of English and your papers plus personality speak for you. Sydney Villalta Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, September 2005 - Istanbul and Bursa, TURKEYI have been working in Turkey for the past year and have learned a thing or two about the demand of English teachers in the region. I've been living in a small city called Bursa, two hours away from Istanbul and have had the chance to travel and meet personnel from other schools and cities, locals and foreigners. When it comes to Turkey you can find work at many institutions, private schools or language schools at any time during the year, although it is highly recommended of course to do so before the end of summer. Istanbul for one, seems to be the city where most of us foreigners are anxious to find a job and stay at least for the year all schools ask for; mainly for it gives us the chance to enjoy its picturesque streets and world famous places. What some of us don't know at first is that it is quite expensive to live there, even for the locals. What we also don't know is that Turkey has many cities, which are just as beautiful as Istanbul and offer job opportunities to many teachers, even those who don't have the experience, but posses the disposition and willingness to acquire it. Cheers and my best to our Prague instructors. (Sydney now lives in Bursa, round the famous Taksim Square. He has been in Turkey for the past three years.) What if I haven’t got a degree?A few countries, notably Japan, and some schools, will only employ teachers with a university degree. In most parts of the world your Cert.TESOL is sufficient. What if I’m a more ’mature‘ teacher?We have many trainees from a wide variety of ages. Maturity and experience is more often than not a desirable quality. For example, experience in the workplace can be a decisive advantage when teaching in-company classes. You have most likely acquired transferable skills which can give you an edge. One of the problems many employers will be familiar with is younger teachers who are still adjusting to the demands and responsibilities of the work-place. An experienced adult who has learned how to prioritise work, reliably fulfil their responsibilities and make life as easy as possible for their employer, can be a very attractive prospect. See experiences from Wayne Smith and Carolyn Reed (above), and from Annette Gray, Kate Jackson, Freeda Watson, and Brett and Nonie Campbell (below). What if I don’t speak the local language?Occasionally, some schools like the teacher to know the basics of the local language when teaching kids classes (for discipline purposes) and/or low levels. This is not going to be a problem in the majority of countries as the whole point of the TESOL is that you give your lessons only in English. On the other hand you will be expected to make efforts to learn the language of the country where you work! What if I’m a non-EU teacher?In Western Europe you will have extra challenges to overcome when seeking work, as it is not easy for non-EU citizens to get a work permit. However, in many countries there are not enough EU teachers to meet demand, and many of our non-EU graduates are successful in finding work. Our graduates talk about their jobs and the benefits of Trinity CertTESOLThe Trinity Cert. TESOL is recognised worldwide. It is not just for those who want to travel and experience other parts of the world; many of our former trainees have found it highly practical on returning from their travels, e.g. to the UK and the USA. As well as opening doors to employment opportunities, it can be used to gain university credits towards degree and masters programs. Even those who move out of teaching, or decide after the course that it is not for them, will often tell you that the course was an enjoyable and enriching experience which increased their skill set and self-confidence. Below is an edited selection of experiences from graduates of the course. We have a great many more on file - so many that it is difficult task to decide what to include as a representative selection. During the course we will pass on any which may be of particular interest to you. In the meantime I hope these will give you a flavour of the world of possibilities which Trinity CertTESOL can open up to you. Kirsty Ware-Lane Trinty CertTESOL, Prague, August 2006 - Ho Chi Minh City, VIETNAMHi Sean. I've just finished my year with ILA in Vietnam and overall, it was awesome! Vietnam is the place to go if you want to save some money - its very easy to do and you can still live like royalty! And, it's always hot! The Vietnamese people are the friendliest I've ever met and I did not want to leave (only did so because I have plans that involve being in Europe). It's not as scary as people think - a little culture shock but if you just accept the country for what it is (mostly beautiful although HCMC is noisy and heavily polluted) you'll be fine. (Kirsty has since returned to Vietnam and is enjoying her second year with ILA; she says they are one of the most reliable schools to work for in Ho Chi Minh City.) Lee Hitchen Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, December 2005 - THAILANDHi Sean, good to hear from you, hope you are well and enjoying all the benefits Prague has to offer! If you want an update, I taught in Thailand for two years and then moved back to the UK and became a technical writer and training co-ordinator developing drilling technology courses for Kuwaitis and Libyans, to which I used my TESOL training to my advantage (English obviously being the second language for the students). I am presently working in Saudi Arabia as a mentor to petroleum engineering graduates to enable them to become drilling rig managers. I work on a 2 month on/1 month off basis and I am back living in Thailand. I find that I still use my TESOL training when communicating with my trainees, and I found it was an all round excellent experience for me to study at Oxford TEFL. If you have any further queries or questions please don't hesitate to contact me. Many thanks Sean, and good luck with your latest endeavour. Osman Bekir Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, August 2006 - Bangkok, THAILANDHi Sean, how have you been? Hope all is well. I'm sorry I haven't been in touch, but I have been extremely busy recently. Anyway, not sure if I told you, but despite showing a strong preference for trekking out to South America, I eventually ended up in Bangkok, Thailand. I have been here for approximately a month and all is well. I am working with kids for a company called 'Fun Language', plus I do evening lessons with a Japanese company (bored middle aged business men)... Ben Castledine Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, April 2007 - Moscow, RUSSIAMoscow is great, my job is pretty good. I have my own apartment and everything and the expat lifestyle is pretty good. Now there is a lot of work going but it depends on what you want. I work as a private tutor for a nine year old boy which means I spend a lot of time just speaking English with him. I also teach a lesson everyday. There is a large element of supervision and if anyone says Nanny I will get angry. We prefer the term 'Manny'. The family is great and they actually want to see their child improve. They provide everything and I live in the city, which is great because this city has it all, although keep in mind, at a price. The metro is fast, cheap and you can get everywhere pretty easily. The pay is good which is important considering the cost of living. Gavin Lucas Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, September 2007 - Depok, INDONESIAGavin here, I have just been in Indonesia a week now, teaching at English First, Depok, just outside Jakarta. It's hot, smelly and the traffic is chaos, but I half expected that so it isn't that much of a bother. Just taught my first few full classes yesterday, and am about to have an old browse through Jeremy Harmer's 'How to Teach English' before today's classes. The hours are great, 2pm-9pm, meaning plenty of lie-ins and not having to get up at the crack of dawn if you have been out. The school itself is fantastic, have gone hand over fist to help me out and make me feel welcome, and thus far I only have praise for them. They are sending me to Singapore Thursday morning to get my Visa, not a penny coming out of my own pocket, it's great. The students are all ages, from 5 right up to 50, and studying for various purposes. Isha Singleton Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, August 2008 - SOUTH KOREAI have been in South Korea for 3 months now. My experience so far has been positive. I got my job through a recruiter whom I met over the net through the website Oxford TEFL Prague suggested. I was able to schedule an interview before I left Prague, but I did not leave for Korea until a month later. Most of that time was spent on paper work. At my job I work with children ages 7 to 12. It's an after school program in a public elementary school. Normally, I work from 12 pm to 6 pm; but in the month of January, we have a special schedule, because the students are on vacation. I teach about 120 students in total. Class size ranges from 7 to 16 students. Their level ranges from beginners to advanced beginners. There are no advanced students. The textbooks are in English. Also, I have a lot of autonomy in how I teach my lessons, which I enjoy very much. I think that the students' English has improved a great deal since the program started. I have a teaching partner who is very helpful. She studied in the U.S., so her English is very good. She also was shocked by their level, so students' levels probably vary by school. Ellisa has done a lot of work in getting the after school program up and running. She also helps translate things for me and was a lot of help in getting my paperwork done. All in all, it was worth it. It's nice to be employed and I like my job. I like living in Korea. It's cool not seeing any westerners for several weeks at a time or hearing any English when you leave home. It's something different. I want to stay for another year. Amanda Zengel Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, July 2008 - Gwangiu, SOUTH KOREAHey! I hope you are well. I just wanted to update you on how things are going in South Korea. I've been here two months now and I'm all settled in. I live in Gwangju, a city of 1.5 million. Everyday I ride the bus to a small town, Damyang, to teach at an all boys public middle school. My city is awesome, I have no problem finding anything I want and most people speak at least a little English. My school is cool, I don't have my own classroom but there are two "English" rooms that I teach in. I am scheduled to teach seventeen classes a week, plus three workshops for teachers and administrators in the school district. The thing is though, I've only had one full week since I've been here. This week I only taught six classes! I have tons of days off and days when I get to go home early. It is a great job for teachers just starting out, because you have a lot of time to think about your lessons and evaluate how they went. I teach from two text books, which are horrible, so I supplement with worksheets and games. Gwangju has a large expat community, and I've met tons of people and traveled around Korea almost every weekend. If any other students are interested in coming here, feel free to give them my e-mail! Russell Minshull Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, October 2006 - Manchester, UKI have somehow landed a well-paid, full-time TEFL job in Manchester teaching the 'Callan' method, which I know very little about. So if anyone can enlighten me on it I'd love to hear from them! Josh Tompkins Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, October 2006 - Istanbul, TURKEYHi Sean, this is Josh Tompkins in Istanbul, Turkey. I've been teaching at a school called English Time here since mid-February and it's not a bad school. Istanbul is a great city and I'm really happy I came here. Cheers and my best to our Prague instructors. Claire Schneider Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, July 2008 - Tel Aviv, ISRAELHi! I miss you guys, and Prague! How are you? And the trainees? And the students, and of course, how is pub night? I promised to tell you how things are going, and I am also looking for some advice, so I figured it was a good time to drop you a note. I'm still in Israel, in a suburb of Tel Aviv called Shoham. I've been giving private lessons and making a pretty decent amount of money (80-100 nis an hour, which is about 35 USD....not bad at all!). There are a lot of opportunities in the private EFL teacher/tutor market here, but nearly all of my students are high schoolers whose parents have hired me to help their kid(s) prepare for the English Bagrut test. The Bagrut is a subject test which all high schoolers have to pass before they graduate, and all students are required to take the English Bagrut. In other words, the English classes in the high school are directed towards passing the Bagrut, rather than fluency. For this reason, I have worked a lot out of students' school workbooks. I loved creating my own materials as a trainee, so all these pre-fabricated materials were probably good in the scope of my development as an instructor; I feel like I have a lot more balance between structure and creativity. There is a reading comprehension section of the English Bagrut called the "Unseens," and most of the students struggle with it, so I've spent a lot of time on reading exercises (pretty funny, considering that I dreaded teaching reading comprehension as a trainee). The workbooks and reading comprehension work has helped me to be much more confident in my abilities than I was a few months ago, and I'm proud of my improvements. Annette Gray Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, May 2006 - Cairo, EGYPTHi David, sounds like you are expanding with great strides. Hope you find the right person. Things are interesting here in Cairo - working with the students is great fun as they are keen and interested and funny. I also have an adult class consisting of two South American nuns who work here in the school, and one of the Arabic teachers. The nuns have been studying classic Arabic for three or four years, and now want English for work in the school. We also have a bit of fun with various intricacies, and it's nice to keep my hand in with adults. The website and on-going info from Oxford Tefl seems to be pretty unusual in TESOL schools. It's great - congratulations! Jane Powley Trinty CertTESOL, Prague, September 2007 - SENEGALDear David and Sean I must still be on my Oxford TEFL time as it is 2:55 a.m. and I'm not in bed yet! It has been a hard "come back" this past week as we are in the hottest part of the year. I would love to be back in Prague! Thank you so much for all of your hard work during the September course. One thing I told the moderator was that we were never given the impression that we were just group number 9 of the year. From day one we were welcomed into the school and treated as welcomed guests. This week I will be making my plans how to proceed with an English program at my study center. The British Institute here has a very good English program and I would like to go and visit their facilities and see how they run their program to get some ideas. I'm looking forward to my books to arrive that I mailed from Prague. Thank you both for your notes. Sean I keep looking at the job opportunities even though I'm not looking for another job at this time, it is still fun to see what is available. I feel like a whole new world of opportunity has been opened up to me. David, thank you for sending my grades, they are just as I thought they would be. Fiona Hanley Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, November 2006 - Dublin, IRELAND
Ahoj Sean! I still receive your weekly emails that comfort me like a young infant in a wee cradle! And even though I somehow find the time to wallow in that mellifluous glow, I never actually reply or drop you a line or update you on what I've been doing. This is Fiona by the way. Irish girl, curly red hair, did the course October '06. Well I've been home in Ireland since last September trying to string some plans together while also teaching, teaching, teaching. I was lucky enough to find E.F. I'm sure you know these guys. They're a huge corporation and are apparently one of the oldest English schools in existence. I've found it a really good place to work. The teachers are amazing, inspiring people and the students are really decent and interesting. I'm on the move again at the end of the summer; to Edinburgh of all places! I'm heading back to do an MA course in Cultural Studies, but I'll still be teaching so I'll let you know how that goes. Hope everything is going great in Oxford, I hear Vinny is keeping you all in check these days ;). I miss Praha dearly, and of course all the Konvikt crew :) Shanti Marthaller Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, June 2006 - Kiev, UKRAINE
Hi Sean, how's Prague treating you? Everyone here in Kiev is doing well, preparing for winter to come. My boss at American English Center is looking for new teachers for anyone who is interested. The pay is good, and I believe this is a good place to work if you are just starting to teach. Kiev is a very interesting place, and there are lots of opportunities if you look for them. Carrie Dieringer Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, August 2006 - Skalica, SLOVAKIA
Hey David, very nice to hear from you. Thank you so much for helping me out with this; I really appreciate it. And it's great that Kristina is going to write the letter in Slovak, it saves me that extra step of having it translated. I'm working for MK Language Centre http://www.mkcentrum.cz/ in their Skalica, Slovakia location (a small historical town right on the Czech border). The school has two locations, in Skalica and also in Hodonin, CR. Each school employs one native speaker to teach all levels in company and public courses. I'm happy here, it's a great place to start teaching - very personal, the pay is good, cost of living is low, and a lot of cool places are not too far away (Vienna, Budapest...). It is a bit isolating of course being the only native speaker but you make local friends. Kristin Kaefer Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, May 2006 - Belgrade, SERBIA
I am still in Belgrade....I actually just got married last week! So things are going well. I stopped teaching after last June, and now I'm planning our departure to the states. But being in Belgrade has been great.....really an interesting city and there are some pretty good teaching opportunities if someone looks around. Scott Haller Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, July 2007 - Szczecin, POLAND
Hey Sean, I just wanted to say happy holidays to you guys and also thanks again for everything this summer. Things in Szczecin are going really well. This is apparently the flagship Bell School in Poland, and everyone here is extremely helpful, great teachers, great resources, and it's been a blast so far. Hope you guys are all doing well. Casey Rothwell Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, July 2007 - Erfurt, GERMANY
Hello everyone at Oxford TEFL! It's been a year now since I've done my course and I still miss Prague! Anyway, I've been living in Germany for a year and am leaving in August. One of the companies I work for is looking for replacement teachers. The company is called E.L.T. (English Language Trainers). I am located in Erfurt, Germany, but they also have positions in Halle, Germany. It's a very well-organized company and a great place to work. For anyone interested in a teaching job in Germany, please e-mail your details to jobs@elt-co.com, also feel free to e-mail me with questions. Paras Shah Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, July 2007 - Hamburg, GERMANY
Hey Sean, hope all is well...just wanted to say hello from Germany...I am teaching here just north of Hamburg in Kiel. I arrived about three weeks ago and started a day or two after I landed (so it has been a bit hectic nonetheless). I am working on a freelance basis, but I am guaranteed at least 20 hours per week according to the contract. Currently, I am working close to 40 hours (primarily because of my IT and Finance background). Most of the work I do is for HSH Nordbank and HDW (with the bank, I deal with IT infrastructure and Global Markets) and HDW I deal with a lot of engineers and technical writing. All up my alley (since that was my major in college). I am enjoying it and the best part is that I am making good money. I also wanted to say thank you for helping me out throughout the year, I appreciate you taking the time out for me. Claire Gough Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, July 2007 - GERMANY
Hi Sean, hope you're well. I think that almost 90% of the English teaching jobs here in Germany are freelance positions. This is ok but you have to sort out all your own taxes at the end of the year so it's worth paying for a tax advisor as all the documents are in German and it seems to be quite a confusing system. As well as the 20% tax, you have to have private medical insurance (this is the law here) and I think it's up to another 20% that you have to pay into if you plan on staying in Germany for more than 2 years. Most wages start at between 12 and 16 euros but it is quite difficult to find positions here because most schools are quite small. For example of maybe 10 schools I sent my CV to in Prague I heard back from probably all of them but out of the 10 here I heard back from one so I was quite lucky really. Almost everywhere requires a degree, a TEFL qualification, 2 years teaching experience, intermediate knowledge of German and quite a few that I've seen also a driving licence. It's hard and you need A LOT of money to start up here. Most apartments ask for 3 months rent and a month up front in advance and if and when you do get a job you can expect to be working at least 6 weeks in hand. It's not impossible here but it's difficult. Tim Shetler Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, June 2006 - Brno, CZECH REPUBLIC
Hi there Sean. If the timing was a bit different I would try for this, but I'm teaching until the end of June. Still at Brno English Centre which has turned out to be quite a good place to teach. I'll be staying on for my third year. After that, well... it'll probably be time to try my hand at something else. The second year has been easier than the first, but I know there is still a lot of improving left to do. Sometimes it's just about reminding myself of the basics. One of the best pieces of advice I've gotten around here was not to wait for feedback from formal observations but to watch the students themselves for clues about how well things are going. Kate Jackson Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, March 2006 - Brno, CZECH REPUBLIC
Hi Sean, great to hear from you. Thanks for sending the list of websites...that is most helpful. I am actually teaching in Brno at Mendel University. The course is voluntary for students, but I have quite a few who attend regularly just to increase their English skills (most have had several years in school). It is a bit challenging at times to think of exercises that aren't too goofy for PhD level students. I also have a smaller conversation group that is really fun and learn as much (or more) from them than they do from me. Ryan Nelson, Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, August 2008 - Liberec, CZECH REPUBLIC
I have finished my third full week at Swallow School of English and I am really enjoying it. The staff consists of 20 teachers; 14 or 15 are full-time. Everyone is wonderful, down-to-Earth and very helpful. (I am the only new teacher, so I ask a lot of questions.) The majority of the classes are conducted in-house with about 1/3 of the classes performed off-site. The school also offers free Czech lessons which will begin next week. The classes are great with a wide variety of students. I have some teenagers, a couple of groups of pomaturitni students, one-on-ones with business adults, a young brother and sister class and I am teaching a famous (in Liberec) actress who performs in all of the local theatres. It's all very exciting and the students are excellent. I am having a blast here and there is so much to do. Yes, the city shuts down a little earlier than Prague, but there is still enough action. As you know, Liberec is a university city, so there are plenty of students around having a great time. And, of course, there is "the nature". It is really beautiful here. You can pick any direction from the town hall square and just walk. Within 15-30 minutes you are in the forest, or in mountains, or quiet, vast fields and definitely out of the city. There are bicycling, hiking and skiing trails everywhere. There is a zoo (the oldest in Czech Republic), botanical gardens (also the oldest) a nice museum and Jested mountain. Thanks for a great course and give my regards to the rest of the Oxford TEFl staff. Freeda Watson Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, April 2008 - Jicin, CZECH REPUBLIC
Hi Sean, Just wanted to say hello and let you know how I am getting on here in Jicin. I've been teaching here now just over a month and I really like it. I'm the only Native English speaker although I share some classes with Czech teachers who speak English, my classes here are varied. I teach approximately 28 lessons per week which comprise Young Learners, Juniors, Adults, one-to-one and In-Company. They are all very interesting students. I travel twice per week to teach In-company so I have the use of a car. There are about 15 teachers with the school but not all are full-time as myself. Here we also have teachers who give classes in Russian, German and Spanish. Jicin is a small town which is 1 1/2 hours by bus from Prague, also known as Cesky Raj (Bohemian Paradise), the shops here close earlier than in Prague but pubs, restaurants stay open until late. "The Nature" here is beautiful, you can walk in any direction and find some really amazing places of interest to visit. Molly Weisse-Bernstein Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, August 2006 - Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC
Prague was a great place to start teaching English. After the TEFL course I had made friends and was pretty familiar with the city so finding work and doing my job well was all I had to focus on. And Prague is a relatively easy city for foreigners. There's a HUGE expat scene which is nice and there's very little expectation for foreigners to speak Czech (thank God). Because Prague has a huge number of TEFL training schools and language schools most Czechs get newbie teachers. And for whatever reason (or number of reasons) all of my students had such ridiculously low standards that I impressed them simply by showing up with any kind of plan. It was very surprising. Although my students were all quite happy with me I felt like I could've (and should've) pushed them a lot harder. As they say, hindsight is 20-20, but I did love my students and love teaching. Allison Bedor Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, August 2005 - Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC & Oxford, UK
Started by going to Japan and teaching for NOVA (www.teachinjapan.com); didn't need a TEFL certificate at the time, this may have changed however. We were there for 16 months, then came to Prague, did the TESOL with you. I worked for: Glossa, Ulrych, Language House and some private classes and Tom worked for Tutor and some other privates. All of those schools were fine to work for, we were quite happy but definitely in the black more when we had more privates. In England I worked for OISE for a bit as a teacher and now I work for Regent Language School Oxford doing client services/sales and some teaching and Tom works for Trafford publishing as the European Operations Manager. Lauren Champs Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, November 2007 - Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC
Hi David and Sean, hope you're both well. Just wanted to email you to let you know that I've decided not to stay in Prague next school year and in fact I'm going back to the UK tomorrow. Several reasons for it but really just decided that Prague isn't where I want to be next year. I've had a great time here and thanks to both of you for all of your help. Haven't decided what I'm going to do next but I'll figure that out back in England, no rush :-) St James were fantastic - really look after their staff, quite reasonable pay and supportive DOS and ADOS. At the end of the semester, I felt like I was really valued and my hard work appreciated. From all the people I've talked to, I think St James and Bell are good schools to work at. Grant Maxfield Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, August 2007 - Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC
I've been working at Threshold Training Associates for about six months and from what I've experienced and heard from other teachers it seems like a pretty good employer. Pay seems to be at the higher end for starting teachers. The new DOS (Kate is gone) has been responsive when I have asked for help. It is the standard run around in-company classes but they have done a fairly good job getting me classes blocked together, and I never have classes that last for less than 90 minutes. All of the office staff seems to know my name, embarrassing because I don't know most of theirs. The teacher center is well run, I have never had trouble getting a computer or table space to plan classes or do time sheets. The computers they have are rather slow, but they do supposedly have wifi, I've never tried to use it. The office manager, Tereza, is incredible. (She organized a pub night on Mondays). They are serious about getting teachers legal too. They pay 2000 crowns for a license to be able to hire teachers without work permits. I got yelled at because I was slow getting some forms in because they didn't want to pay it again. Probably a good thing because I have a tendency to procrastinate. Brett and Nonie Campbell Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, March 2008 - Harbin, CHINA
Nia Hao Sean and David, Happy New Year to you both. Hope this finds you well. Nonie and I have completed our first semester here in Harbin. We've had a wonderful time. We lucked out and both taught a conversational English course to grad students. This allowed us to plan our lessons together and we then taught the same lesson to all of our classes. We each taught 7 classes (105 minutes) with most classes averaging 30 students. Kind of large for conversational activities but thanks to your great lessons, I believe we were quite successful with lots of pair and small group work. The university (Harbin Institute of Technology) provided no curriculum. Their directions were "Do whatever you want". We were able to get up and running fairly quickly, using many of the tips we gained at Oxford. This is starting to sound like a commercial. The students were a dream to teach. Many of them had never held a conversation with a foreigner before, so in the beginning were quite shy about speaking and most started their conversation with "I am sorry, my English is very poor", when in fact it was quite good. They were attentive, friendly and eager to learn. We have enjoyed working for HIT, a small institution with about 45,000 students. The pay is considerably lower than what we could earn at a private English school but the hours of work are about half, with evenings and weekends off. Excellent time off too with a great number of paid holidays. Our last classes ended on Jan 2 and we are off till Feb 23. Gives us plenty of time to explore. Our one bedroom, self contained apartment, provided by HIT, is on campus and is very comfortable. HIT has been very supportive and is always arranging outings for us. Nonie had the misfortune of breaking her arm when she fell in class so we can attest to the excellent Chinese medical care. She is fine now and I don't have to tie up her shoes any more. We chose HIT as they came recommended from several sources. They've lived up to their reputation. Lucasz Drzycimski Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, August 2006 - Jinan, CHINA
Hi Dave, it's Lucas from Poland. Got a favour to ask you for - would you mind including the school I'm currently working for in your next grad mail and putting a note on your board? It's English First in Jinan, China. We desperately need new teachers. The starting date is ASAP. The school provides accommodation, plane tickets, a good salary (you don't get paid per hour, which is good if classes are cancelled or postponed), working visa, and is very helpful with many different kinds of troubles (trust me, I got into many :) We teach all sorts of levels (even kids that are 4) and have some classes in public schools (great experience, cause you get to teach a group of 40/50 students....hilarious:). I'd be really grateful (the next Konvikt round's on me, when I visit Prague:) Donald Bolduc Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, August 2007 - Zhuhai, CHINA
I am in Zhuhai, China now. I've been here for 3 weeks. It's a good place to live. I am really enjoying it so far. I am working for a school named TPR. The bulk of the work is youth classes on the weekend with a few adult classes during the week. It is really testing my classroom management ability! Fortunately for me, I have befriended an experienced five year veteran of Chinese youth classes who has been generous with his help. The school tells its prospective employees that it will train them, but the training is pitiful. You are practically on your own, but if you tell them you need help they will arrange more "training" for you. I didn't ask. I think it would reflect badly upon a new teacher. Anyhow, other experienced teachers have been rather helpful. Most of the staff here are really nice. Liz de Reeder Trinity CertTESOL, Prague, August 2007 - Cluj, ROMANIA
I miss Prague, especially Oxford classes. One really REALLY hip thing that is happening to me here in Romania is that every single day at work, even at the Kindergarten, I am actually using stuff we did in class. So much of the teaching English stuff applies even to 2, 3, 4, and 5 year olds. My peers and boss are impressed with me and I'm impressed with me, too, considering theoretically I have no idea what I'm doing. But each time I give a lesson, it's successful and I file the materials away to use again! I've had a blast creating my own materials for the kids - and instead of just coming up with something fun and attractive to make or use, my materials actually have a point. I even spoofed my Materials Assignment and did the same kind of thing but with the TL as the number three. It worked out awesome and the kids thought it was cool. |
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