Teaching English as a Foreign Language

[paradoxbox]

I teach English in Japan and make something like 25$ an hour (The pay scale at my particular job is a bit wonky so it fluctuates a bit). Didn't need a degree or a certificate of ability to teach English or anything like that. That being said, it does take some experience to get and keep students. I've been at it 2 years and am just starting to get to the point where I can usually lock my students' interest in and be sure of having them come back for more and more lessons.

Teaching isn't really a skill you can learn from a course IMO. A teaching course wouldn't hurt but they're often not worth the money they cost unless you're teaching in western Europe or one of the other rare places where such a credential actually has any value.

[Rayallyn]

I was on my way down to Key West and the islands last fall but because of some physical problems I had to check into the VA Hospital in West Haven, CT. Ended up checking out University of New Haven where I studied English in the eighties. They accepted all of my credits from back then and also some from another college. I will be going for my Master's in English and Education and plan on taking several Spanish language courses while there. That way I hope to accomplish two things - Teach for a few years, get a bigger boat and then teach ESL and pick up some work when cruising.

[OaklandSailor]

Hey guys, you might want to poke around here, which is a great resource I discovered some months ago. For those of us who love to teach this might be something of a rosetta stone for earning while cruising.

Best,
OS

Dave's ESL Cafe

[SaucySailoress]

I have a Bachelor of Education, and just did a TEFL diploma too (not really necessary, but might come in handy for employers who don't know what a BEd is!), in the hope that wherever we moor up for a while there will be a chance for me to earn a few bucks. At least, that's what Skipper hopes...

It'll be interesting to find out who has taught at which port towns, and what schools were like etc...

[David M]

From what I have read in many of these threads is that countries generally don't like foreigners in transit coming in and making money off the locals. They much prefer that locals make money off the locals. The money stays in their community this way. That seems to be the way many of them see it.

[barnakiel]

I would also think teaching foreign languages to cruisers. But, strange as it may be, only some cruisers are interested in. So how do you get to know a new place if you do not speak the language??? After all it is such a minor effort - if we speak French, English and Spanish then each next one is just a bonus.

I will wonder.

b.

[MarkJ]

We stumbled across an ad here for English speaking people to have fun with local kids and teach them English in a Summer Camp for a few weeks. We thought we could spice the budget a bit for the sake of 3 weeks work.

So we emailed for the contract....
US$630 for 50 lessons = $12.60 per 40 min lesson
The contract said payment only at the end and 'unprofessional' teaching standards would result in pay being withheld. But they weren't advertising for professionals!
Also was a slight visa problem. Can you guess? Yep, no work visa.
Checking another website it shows that a Turkish work visa costs about US$600


LOL

So. You work illegally, for jack ****, and with the chance of seeing none of it.

Finally, we would have to put the boat somewhere to leave it for 3 weeks!

Anyone still willing?


Mark

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

... for jack ****...

Well, not quite. But not a lot of dough either.

The visa thing I had the same problem in Australia - got a job offer but the only way to convert my traveler visa to a work visa was to fly out, get the visa from abroad, then fly back in.

About the only country that allowed me to work and swap visas was NZ. The pay was half of what you called the jack ****.

b.