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Thanks! Yes I have been looking at the needed certifications. One of the nice things...that may help is I used to teach in a group setting, it was psychiatric but nonetheless it was a teaching scenario, requiring topic selection, presentation and group participation. Thanks for your help.
In some places, (Latin America) as a native speaker, you won't be teaching in group settings but mostly one on one or one on two. I have never taught a group bigger than 6. I think for groups your management skills will come in handy. I had to really teach differently in the group of six than how I normally teach one on one. However, if you teach one on one classes your psychology skills will come in handy too. Sometimes I feel as if I am an unlicensed therapist. Not sure how it would be in Asia but teaching here in Brazil and when I taught in Mexico, you students start to tell you about thier personal life and ask your opinion. I have even told them that whatever they say doesn't leave the room. Well I guess I charge almost as much as a therapist here so they might as well kill two birds with one stone.
In some places, (Latin America) as a native speaker, you won't be teaching in group settings but mostly one on one or one on two. I have never taught a group bigger than 6. I think for groups your management skills will come in handy. I had to really teach differently in the group of six than how I normally teach one on one. However, if you teach one on one classes your psychology skills will come in handy too. Sometimes I feel as if I am an unlicensed therapist. Not sure how it would be in Asia but teaching here in Brazil and when I taught in Mexico, you students start to tell you about thier personal life and ask your opinion. I have even told them that whatever they say doesn't leave the room. Well I guess I charge almost as much as a therapist here so they might as well kill two birds with one stone.
They might find it comforting to know that your not from their culture and won't judge them based on "cultural/social norms." I have been hearing mixed things about teaching in Asia. I guess there is some scamming out there and those that don't get paid what they have been told etc. Thanks for your input. I really appreciate it.
I have the same handle over there 'Tiger Beer' - on both the Korea Forums and the World Forums.
A good Japan one is gaijinpot.com.
Thanks! That helps a lot. My Grandfather had some of the most amazing Japanese art and collectables from his travels and years as a Japan Airlines Pilot. I saw a few online possibilities at Dave's Cafe. Maybe I'll try that first and get my feet wet.
Thanks for the information. It is great to have a site that answers so many questions at once.
South Korea sounds like a good choice. If I was going to do it again, now, I'd lean towards South Korea. Their economy is hotter than Japan's, though Japan still leads GDP-wise. They're actually on mainland Asia, so traveling in that area would be a bit cheaper, more convenient. Japan feels quite isolated sometimes. Their written language is so much easier to learn and read than Japanese (hiragana and katakana are easy, but the kanji are a pain in the a$$). Their pop culture (film, tv drama, pop music) is eclipsing Japan's. You won't have to worry about radiation tainted food, water, and other products as you would in Japan (though you could choose not to worry about that). I think they also experience far fewer natural disasters. China makes me nervous personally. Their health regulations still seem to be at industrial revolution-levels and they still have a control-freak government.
The only catch I've heard with South Korea is to be careful with which companies you work for. Their government ties your work visa very closely to the employer, unless this has changed, so an unethical employer could exploit this. Also, some people may be more visibly anti-foreigner than Japanese, though I've also heard people there are easier to socialize and make friends with.
South Korea sounds like a good choice. If I was going to do it again, now, I'd lean towards South Korea. Their economy is hotter than Japan's, though Japan still leads GDP-wise. They're actually on mainland Asia, so traveling in that area would be a bit cheaper, more convenient. Japan feels quite isolated sometimes. Their written language is so much easier to learn and read than Japanese (hiragana and katakana are easy, but the kanji are a pain in the a$$). Their pop culture (film, tv drama, pop music) is eclipsing Japan's. You won't have to worry about radiation tainted food, water, and other products as you would in Japan (though you could choose not to worry about that). I think they also experience far fewer natural disasters. China makes me nervous personally. Their health regulations still seem to be at industrial revolution-levels and they still have a control-freak government.
The only catch I've heard with South Korea is to be careful with which companies you work for. Their government ties your work visa very closely to the employer, unless this has changed, so an unethical employer could exploit this. Also, some people may be more visibly anti-foreigner than Japanese, though I've also heard people there are easier to socialize and
make friends with.
Thanks for the tips. South Korea sounds lovely. I have been watching youtube videos of new teachers in South korea and it sounds very nice. Some are quite comical....trips to foreign grocery stores can be quite hillarious. Yes...I am concerned about unethical practices. I will be watching that closely. I was also pleased to learn that my son could come with me. I was not sure that I could do this for that reason. They can adjust your living allowance so that I would be paying for the dependent. He will be 16 next month...thankfully he is not small anymore.
Like Tiger Beer, I have been teaching English abroad (EFL) for quite a while.
My personal opinion on steps to take if you are American:
1) Choose which area of the world interests you;
2) Find out if Americans can get work visas;
3) Take a CELTA course (easy to google)--it's one month and the most recognized entry-level qualification out there;
4) Go to Dave's ESL, TEFL.com, or other teach abroad sites to find jobs, learn more about how teaching is in other countries, etc.;
5) Apply.
The best package deals in EFL are probably: South Korea, Vietnam (pays surprisingly well), and Saudi Arabia. However, Vietnam is a smaller market, and Saudi Arabian jobs generally require either years of experience or a Master's degree.
Remember: In terms of salary, take into account cost of living. For instance, jobs in China might only pay $1000-$1500; however, in many cities that is more than enough to live well and save.
Like Tiger Beer, I have been teaching English abroad (EFL) for quite a while.
My personal opinion on steps to take if you are American:
1) Choose which area of the world interests you;
2) Find out if Americans can get work visas;
3) Take a CELTA course (easy to google)--it's one month and the most recognized entry-level qualification out there;
4) Go to Dave's ESL, TEFL.com, or other teach abroad sites to find jobs, learn more about how teaching is in other countries, etc.;
5) Apply.
The best package deals in EFL are probably: South Korea, Vietnam (pays surprisingly well), and Saudi Arabia. However, Vietnam is a smaller market, and Saudi Arabian jobs generally require either years of experience or a Master's degree.
Remember: In terms of salary, take into account cost of living. For instance, jobs in China might only pay $1000-$1500; however, in many cities that is more than enough to live well and save.
Good luck.
Thanks! That helps a lot. I have been reading about saving money. It's amazing how cheap things are in S Korea. It would be nice to be close to the ocean
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