Spendthrift's Guide to Teaching ESL Abroad. Benjamin Jelen
Spendthrift’s Guide to Teaching ESL Abroad
The Complete Guide to Teaching English Abroad
Benjamin Jelen,
Copyright © 2013 Benjamin Jelen, Rosanna Joy Hetrick
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior consent of the publisher.
The Publisher makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any commercial damages.
2013-03-23
Dedication
To My Family, who has always encouraged me to follow my dreams, even when they were unclear.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to Rosanna J. Hetrick for her help and advice in editing this document for publication.
Introduction
If you bought this book (or if someone bought it for you) that means you’re probably considering teaching English abroad (or they are trying to get you off of their couch in the basement.)
Congratulations! You’re well on your way to a possibly exciting and rewarding career. This book is written with new teachers or would-be teachers in mind, however all teachers may benefit from certain sections especially the sections on career building, and advancement, developing resumes, interview tips, and how to make and save money abroad. I assume absolutely no experience on your part with the field itself, or industry acronyms. It is meant to be a first look and field guide to get you hired, get you into the country of your choice, (and hopefully) get you out of the country again in a productive way. This is not a book about teaching techniques or style. This is a book about how to find and select a job which will suit you well, and match your lifestyle- and have fun doing it!
This text was compiled from my own seven years of experience becoming a professional educator. I have traveled the world, and had a great time (and sometimes not so great time) doing it. I hope that you find this book insightful, and will be able to use it as a reference manual to guide you on your way and avoid potential pit-falls that you many become trapped in when starting out in the industry.
How to Use this Book
If this is your first time teaching English, or if you’re setting out to find your first job, then I suggest reading through this book and its entirety. This will give you a good scope and perspective on the possibilities that are out there; things that you should consider before making any decision before moving forward, and a sense of your own goals, attitudes and desires in regard to teaching English abroad. After your first read through the book, I encourage you to look back on certains as you move through the stages of finding a job, landing a job, and (eventually) leaving a job.
Background
A Snapshot of the ESL Industry
If you thought that teaching English was a smalltime industry, think again! Currently it is estimated that about 1 billion people worldwide are learning English. This does not mean that all of these people have access to professional training. However, in places where training does exist and is accessible, the figure “1 billion” gives you an idea of the relative demand for English education.
By far the most desirable English teachers in most countries are native speakers. They are the “gold standard” in many countries; receiving better pay, benefits, and general treatment than their bilingual non-native speaking colleagues working by their sides. This has less to do with science, and pedagogy, and more to do with perception of a product. People want to be taught by native speakers somewhere deep down. They feel that it gives them a higher quality educational experience, and access to culture, pronunciation, and other elements that are just not available learning the language from anyone else. Finally, learning from a native speaker in some ways indexes “privilege” and “luxury” to some people. The result, native speaking English teachers (often referred to by the acronym NES) are in demand!
As a native speaker of English, you are sort of like a movie star; you have the ability to walk into nearly any country in the world – and find a job. Just on your appearance and the sound of your voice! This is not to say that I’m encouraging you to run out to any country and try to get a job without qualifications; that can have disastrous consequences. What I mean to say is that at this point in history, you have the amazing opportunity which billions of other people dream of- unparalleled access and opportunity to the entire planet.
To people who don’t speak it, English is access to the stuff of dreams. English is money. English is social class advancement. English is a new car. English is the success of their children. English is the difference between being hungry, and feeding others. It is easy to forget that something as simple as the language we all speak naturally is a gift. It is a gift that should not be taken lightly and comes with a certain amount of responsibility on your part. Try and keep this in mind, by staying humble, and you will no doubt do well.
The social reality of teaching abroad described above is often missed by qualified practitioners and teachers within the English training industry. They prefer to think of their jobs in functional, linguistic terms; punctuation, relative clauses, and perfect tenses. This seems like common sense. After all, it is knowledge of these language structures and a vocabulary that lead students to acquire the language. However, if you just focus on these terms it is a lot like looking at individual trees instead of the forest. A good teacher is both knowledgeable and culturally aware of the reality of the student’s lives that they serve. In the end, as teacher abroad we must live in the “forest”.
In reading this book, I hope that I am able to guide you to your own “forest”.
Overview of the English Language Industry
The world of teaching English is divided into many different groups and subgroups; think of them as movies, or book genres. For a newcomer, it can be hard to understand all of the industry sectors and acronyms (let alone the qualifications needed to enter a given group or subgroup of the industry.) In this chapter we are going to look at the basic classifications of English instruction (known as ‘sectors’ from here on out). We will also examine what some of main industry acronyms mean and look at how to use them. Do not worry about learning all of these now! You can always refer back to this section later! The goal of this chapter is just to give you an idea of what is out there, and set your imagination spinning towards a future specialization or interest in English teaching.
General English
General English is just that, Basic English instruction. If you studied a foreign language in Junior High or High School, this is sort of what I’m talking about. Students are learning very basic things in general English classes; the alphabet, how to say numbers, basic vocabulary like body parts colors and different places around town. General English is often the first place that people start when studying English, and also the first place the new teachers start when teaching English. General English classes could be filled with children or adults and anyone in between. However, recently the worldwide craze with learning English has led these classes to be pursued earlier and earlier in life; especially among affluent societies and nations. The result is that most classes in this sector are directed at children.
General English Snapshot
The story is so common that it’s almost cliché – a new teacher, fresh off an airplane enters a class of 20 or 25 screaming five-year-olds who have no idea what the teacher is saying. The next one or two hours is an energy draining extravaganza of trying to both communicate with, and calm the