Advice on Teaching English in Poland

Even if you were a confident and proficient teacher of grammar, much depends on the opportunity you have to present that. It's frustrating to just be picking up scraps before the school year really hits full flight. Still, free time to do other things :)

It's good to get some private teaching in.

What does Callan mean?

It's the name of a 'method' that focuses on communication in English. It's outdated, but it's a catch-all term in Poland to the 'direct' method - have a look at

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_method_(education)

What's your e-mail address? I'll send you the materials so you can have a look :) It's not the greatest thing ever - but for a new teacher who wants to get used to the ropes, I can recommend it. The nice thing about it is that it gives you a gentle introduction to the classroom so you can try new things out (a good school will let you experiment!) while still being able to return to the 'method' if it goes badly wrong.

(the other thing is that you definitely don't need the CELTA to teach it!)

True! However, in my 3 years at Callan, I met people who had already received their CELTA qualification. It's useful and restores discipline. I didn't have it easy there and got a bare pass but I'm happy about that. Years of getting high passes in degree exams and for what? For very little really.

If you are confident in your abilities and are prepared to self deprecate a little, that's a start!

For f's sake Seanus will you quit with your pro Callan b.s.

Look it's a crap system if you have any creativity and experience or good training in teaching a language. It's out of date and completely impractical in terms of realistic communication.

I did it for 2 years and it served to train me more than it served to help students acquire the language- and my delivery was considered damn near perfect by the students and my bosses. But guess what? I realized that it has more drawbacks than what it can offer.

Go volunteer at your local whatever. Take your CELTA with a trainer (or more often the case trainers) who has a good reputation as this will make a huge difference with what you come away with. Take it seriously and if you can only manage a pass C then you didn't take it seriously enough. Then take what you can get your first year and build a reputation.

You can make money here but for the most part you will either prostitute yourself, i.e. teach every waking hour of your life here (some do and have boat loads of cash) or take teaching so seriously that you can have people start bidding wars over your time. I've done both and now I do neither cause I really don't want to be doing esl for very much longer.

Keep in mind if your lessons are crap you better have a really good act prepared to keep people emotionally attached to you (I know at least one charlatan who specializes in this-makes me wretch) or people will start to cancel a lot and then just drop off- this happened to me when I took on more classes than I could effectively deliver (sucks to admit it but it's true) so if you can't give something prepared then scale back until you got the preparation bit aced.

Have a nice day

End rant(:

Actually, he's not very pro-Callan and can probably tell you in ten million ways where it fails.


I don't think anyone's arguing with the fact that it's out of date. But a good school will encourage creativity with it - and if it's used for the foundations of learning, supplementing it with proper grammar teaching - then it's actually not terrible for complete beginners. But this does take talent from teachers - and good teachers will let students speak freely and not insist that they stick rigidly to THE METHOD.

Of course, bad schools will stick rigidly to it - with the subsequent consequences of being absolutely terrible. Different things for different people.


Which backs up our point - it's fantastic for new teachers to get to grips with the teaching environment. And more to the point - if you're doing it solely for money, then Callan can actually be better for the teacher than traditional lessons because of the comical lack of preparation needed.


The thing is that he'll be coming mid-year and won't have lots of schools to pick and choose from - he'll be looking to get whatever he can. In this circumstance, working in a Callan school just to get to grips with things is not a bad idea at all. Yes, it's rubbish - but it crucially should allow you to experiment with things before you start in a 'real' classroom.


Which again, if you're talking about solely money - it's much better to teach Callan and have no preparation for 45zl an hour than it is to teach traditionally (with lesson prep) for 50zl an hour.

so your argument boils down to that it's better to do it wrong than do it right. OK, gotcha.

I know the system inside out, I know all about being creative with the method, you obviously missed the part where I wrote it has more failings than what it offers learners. And I write this with complete confidence as well.

If the point is to get something out of it for oneself then great, go on and have at it. It simply doesn't deliver on its' promises to the language learner and for that reason I feel compelled to denounce it.

'right' in Callan's world was written from the perspective of someone who had learnt from teaching soliders, who were used to the idea of discipline and respect. That approach won't work for Polish students, that much is certain.


I don't think anyone is disputing this - but from the point of view of the teacher, it has benefits. And it does depend on the learner - there are people who simply want to get to a basic communicative level in a short period of time - not *everyone* wants to sit the CAE exam.

Ultimately, it's good for people who want a crash course in the language. It's useless for those that actually want to become fluent, and it's useless for those with time to dedicate to the craft. But for those who want to just come twice a week and learn enough to communicate, it's not actually bad at all.


What language school does deliver? This is subjective as hell - particularly as so much depends on the individual. I know one woman who uses Callan as the basis of her learning, who supplements it with grammar and uses every class as an opportunity to learn more. It works for her, she's highly motivated and crucially, Callan lets her monitor her own progress in the language.

One thing is certain though - Callan itself is much, much better than the 'new' methods being derived (ripped off) from Callan in Poland.

wow if only that was the definition the rest of the esl world used. A beautiful attempt but only when you confine yourself to such limitations as Calla presents.


here we're talking about a method though aren't we?


I agree with you in a way but I really think other approaches give the teacher much more overall, they just aren't as easy to fall into as the role of Callan "teacher."


Let's not use exceptions to try and make a point, we all know exceptions to general truths.


I wholeheartedly agree with you on this point.

It's probably the only way to actually define it - as a method that's suited for people who can unquestionably obey what's presented to them. As I was saying previously, the better schools will mix it up a bit and make sure that people understand what they're mindlessly saying - but those schools that strictly demand '30 paragraphs revision, 2 readings, 2 dictatons and 5 paragraphs of new material' are nothing but meat factories - with the corresponding absolute lack of customer satisfaction.


Not arguing there at all - it's not a terrible option to have available, but it should just be that - an option. The schools exclusively using it (and using no other material) are nothing but crooks, in my opinion. But then again, what can you expect when Callan themselves promote the fact that you can open a school with nothing but one book and some chairs?

Pro-Callan, LOL. I dunno how you got that impression. It has very little relevance to the real world and is of little practical value out of the classroom. It's a joke. What I found was that the students I met in the streets would throw a Callan question at me and have a laugh. The whole thing was about acting and the boss here even said so.

I'm glad that I teach a fair bit of grammar now, get some return on my investment in teaching. Callan was about quick presentation of grammar but now I systematically go through it in SU.

I'm not happy that I spent 3 years there but I'm onto other things now.

I sent a letter to several schools and only heard back from one. I did send the letter in English, so perhaps there was a language barrier, although I would imagine that someone at a language school would know the language they are teaching. Maybe they just thought I was showing off? Seriously though, how tough is it to find a teaching job in Poznan?

I come from Essex and lived in London,Wales and north yorkshire,All my friends and family say im a cockney, But i have a job as a native English speaker,(not a teacher)that seems the best way to get your foot in the door,Then see where it takes you,

.

Popems, stick in there. I did the same and you got one more response than I did. I'll resend them in Polish I think as I know enough. They want your skills in getting bums on seats but don't wanna go through all the hassle.

Don't expect an answer, English schools here are shockingly bad at answering e-mails. Your best bet is to come here and see the schools themselves - if you can turn up, freshly qualified and willing to work, you'll find the hours. Certainly at that time of year, natives will have gone home after 2/3 months of the Polish winter and so you'll have opportunity there.

The one thing you have to do when coming here is make sure that your paperwork is all in order - essentially, you'll have to start your own business here (it's easy!) in order to get the residence card as schools are notoriously funny about getting work permits. But don't worry about this just now ;)

I second that, you have to get in their faces like I have done. Even then, they will try and fob you off with this and that. Do what you have to but it won't be easy :(

The Polish winter is no problem for me. It is colder and there is more snow where I am from.

Hey can you follow up on the part Delphi about starting your own business... I have heard that is the best way to meat visa and tax rules. Due you just hirer a lawyer or is it a clear process... I hear horrors about red tape in P-land. I am an American so if I finally came over I think I would have to do this to legally stay and work.

cheers

We do just that for people - lindenia.

You don't *have* to do this, but it can often be the easiest way to secure employment as many people don't want to have the hassle with work permits. As for how difficult it is - if you get someone who knows what they're doing, it's no hassle. You don't need a lawyer, but I'd recommend getting someone to assist. (I would say that, wouldn't I? ;))

delphiandomine

Delphi
This link is the best thing I have got off forums in regards to the issues of teaching and getting started. Now that I am a bit older I am more looking to stay within the rules...

Ok... next question best city to get started... I am thinking CELTA in Krakow and then a mid size city. Biggest thing for me is community... ie a place to make a few friends and be able to earn enough Z after awhile to pay the bills. Thinking Pozan or Wroclaw could be a good place... Krakow is to overrun with drunk tourist most evenings (at least that is what I observed in August). Any tips?

I doubt it, There is so much competition in Krakow for jobs that the average wage for teachers is way below what you could get else where. Unless you have bags of experience then celta and other qualifications really dont push up your pay much.

dtaylor5632

Good point and I have got the feeling the market is a tad crowded at the moment. Reference to Krakow was just for the training; would look to a mid size city elsewhere in Poland or even over in Hungary. At this point I still have a paying job and a few other things to do first so looking 2011 and maybe the market will be in better shape by then. What are other cities you might recommend from your experience so far? I am a native speaker (American).

Wroclaw would be easier than Poznan for a 'first timer' - Poznan tends to operate a bit more on the 'old boys network' principle than most other Polish cities. Wroclaw is also much more set up for the foreigner than Poznan - but it does depend what you want, as Poznan is much more charming than Wroclaw due to the lack of British "tourists".

If you do the CELTA in Wroclaw, you should have no problem finding a job - you would have the benefit of being able to hunt for employment there, and the IH Wroclaw course has a good reputation from what I'm told.

Either city is recommended really - though Poznan's public transport is superior to the transport in Wroclaw ;)

Any questions, feel free to ask.

delphiandomine
Thank you for the information. As I get closer to a decision point I will hit you up further. I had read previously that Wroclaw was the new Krakow....

Katowice is fine for a first time option. It is quite a big city and has a sizeable expat population. The city centre is a bit ugly but you can get round that.

LOL. So what you are saying that despite a tougher market for new teachers Pozan has more charm than Wroclaw. Will see what happens. Though I do like the idea of of doing IH CELTA in Wroclaw. How is the winter in Pozan? Any difference in pay between the two places or cost of living?

Seinus thanks for the tip on Katawice... I had passed through the downtown a couple of years ago and yes was a dump. But I did see a very pretty girl or two.... so maybe....

i am currently starting Cert Ed here in Warrington but plan to go to Poland after it (and maybe before for summer camp or something). My wife is from Wroclaw, I am hoping to get position as native speaker and also am learning Polish anyway which may help me (i hope). any ideas on how i can get to do summer camps teaching english as native speaker as experience) in the summer time. I will be in Wroclaw over Easter.

I've posted this on another thread, but seeing as it's directly related towards teaching, I've created a new website which should help you out if you're after general advice about how to find a teaching job in Poland.

teachingenglishinpoland .com

I would welcome any feedback, good or bad about the website. I created it as on the other forum that I frequently post on about teaching in Poland a lot of the same questions get asked over and over, so i though a one-stop shop might be useful.

It's an impressive website but please allow others to present an alternative reality. For example, qualifications. So much nonsense has been written generally about this and I know for a fact that there are those here without the required quals. Well short, in fact!

And it's been mentioned on the website that you don't "need" qualifications. However, through my own personal experience having worked with many students, companies and schools once they find out a teacher has no qualifications it doesn't end well.

It would be naive to think that no-one has been successful without qualifications. If would also be even more naive to think that most schools will hire you without one.

Thanks for taking the time to read the website though :)