In a couple of months I will have completed a CELTA course (+ TEFL Cert.) I'm also trying to learn Polish .... and at some point would like to join the 2 together. I fancy working in the US, and I know there are Teaching positions available. However, I wonder what the demand would be for someone to have a background, or at least some level of understanding in the Polish language.
Can anyone tell me if there is much demand for this? What avenues are available for future reference? any suggestions for planning?
I was teaching ESL/EFL at university in the US. It was a section of the university which operated courses for its foreign students and also offered courses to a broader audience. We had students from all over the world. It was really interesting and fun. The requirements fro teacher were a degree in ESL/EFL or a university degree (of any kind) with CELTA/DELTA plus at least 2 years experience. Strangely enough I was the only American teacher in an English language school in American. The school had trouble finding qualified teachers.
Also when I was living in NY briefly I checked out teaching ESL/EFL there too. There were a lot of private school and also some course organized by the government. They also had a lack of qualified teachers and for some specific courses requested teachers with qualifications who also could speak a foreign language, Polish was one of them but mostly they were looking for Spanish.
The actual jobs were pleasant and interesting. The problem was the contract and the pay. No guaranteed hours (no students, no job), hourly wage averaging 15 bucks an hour, no insurance which for me is the most important.
What always gets me is this 2 years experience lark ...
I have a honors degree, diploma in managment, tefl, and soon to be CELTA, but don't have any experience! I'm starting to become the professional student. Don't get me wrong I also have over 10 years working full time, but not within teaching. So how do I get 2 years experience if they are already looking for experienced teachers?
Sorry for sounding so exasperated .... maybe its a case of taking that 15 bucks an hour with no insurance job?
I would try to count anything and everything you can as "experience". You can include the time you spent in front of the class while completing your certificates. Is it possible to get some tutoring hours at your local school or university? I think the university where I was working would have hired me even without the experience (although they said it was required) but the NYC school definitely would not have because the classes were so large and diverse.
