English qualifications to start Teaching English In Poland. Is degree of some sort needed?

What about a TESOL Diploma?

A TESOL Diploma is usually accredited too. It just depends on the requirements of the school. My advice 2 u would be 2 scout out schools that u r interested in and check out what they want. Otherwise, u may find urself throwing ur money down the drain.

I am an English native speaker and teacher from the US.
I have been teaching English for 7 years in Mexico and Asia I am going to go to Poland with My half Polish 7 year old son and my Asian Wife to teach English.

can I find work and cheep housing in Poland?
What is the cost of living and I don't have a TEFL or degree of any kind just a lot of OJT.
Will I still be able to make a living in Poland?

Are you sure you're a teacher?

So far from what I have read, is that a lot of you think that one version or another is better. Our opinions on this are irrelevant. It is what the school prefers to use to teach. All that a teacher can do is to provide the accent so that those that are learning can distinguish the differences.

Not only that, how can any of you determine if one of the students that you have will actually immigrate to an English speaking country? If that person wants to immigrate to Britain, then teach them British terminology instead of American. Once the student leaves the school system (graduates) it is up to them to learn the differences between British, American and Canadian.

If a person expresses interest in wanting to know the differences, then they can be taught after school. Or you can provide them the direction needed to find the material on their own. For there might be a website that may have this type of material on it for ESL students to download and learn on their own time.

Jul 7, 09, 22:11 - Thread attached on merging:
Teaching English in Poland requirments??

I have decided to teach English as a foreign language. What I want to know is if I need a degree and what age is preferred to teach.

A degree isn't compulsory, but it helps.
Age-wise, anything over 21 and you'll be fine. I'd say maturity and professionalism was more important than what age you actually are.

Is it possible to do this at 18?

If a school is desperate, yes. But it won't be easy - would you really take an 18 year old seriously if he was trying to teach you something? Of course not - and this is what you'll have problems with.

I've looked at your previous posts and I'm sorry to say, but it's very unlikely that you'll be able to find a job here teaching.

Unless you've already got a support network in Poland, I'd strongly recommend against considering coming here until you're older.

Or a native speaker, judging by the mistakes above.


I'd like to have a go at Singaporean English... particularly to see people's faces when you try and explain that "Do you want a beer or not?" is actually the polite way of asking things :)


I'm still not convinced by this. My ex used to moan that I wouldn't teach her English (though tbh she wasn't really as interested as she made out), but I kept telling her that I'm not a teacher - just because I can tell you how to say/write something, doesn't mean I can always explain why - that's what teachers are for, and anyway, I don't think I'm a good teacher. Or is TEFL teaching completely different?

As far as I can tell, a lot depends on your working environment. Some environments recognise that Polish speakers that learnt English will always be able to teach something using Polish as an aid if needs be, whereas other schools of thought seem to think that native speakers with no Polish can do so. I know some people will argue that a good teacher will be able to explain it solely in English, but I don't believe it's possible.

I'm not a grammar teacher and don't pretend to be one - and I have a deal with my school where the choice is mine as to what I teach grammar-wise and what I don't. I've settled into a routine where Polish teachers will teach it initially, but I can reinforce it after it's initially been learnt.

If their level of English is high enough, it should be possible. Though I agree you'll make yourself understood better if you explain things in Polish.

A little Polish helps for clarification but English should be used.

of course it's possible, that is the basic tenet of up to date TEFl methodology, how do you think teachers with multilingual classes manage?

True enough that. I had to use English with beginners whilst doing my CELTA course. They were from so many different nationalities that I was hardly gonna break into Farsi, Spanish, French and Arabic at the drop of a hat.

Marek

The "English Isles"? Would that be the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Dogs? More than just the English live in the British Isles or the Anglo-Irish archipelago, as some call it ;-)

No it wouldnt be enough. You need to get a CELTA or CertTESOL. Avoid the cowboy schools who employ native teachers just because they are native!!

You've been warned!

Not all are cowboys - for a start, many schools in smaller areas just don't have the luxury of demanding that a native comes qualified - getting a native in the first place is difficult enough. There may be a point in the centre of big cities, but outside that, it's a different story.

That's generally true but there's truth in both sides.

Nov 1, 09, 20:47 - Thread attached on merging:
Teaching English in Poland

I am english and my partner is polish, we have been living in england now for a few years and want to try our luck back in Poland. For me it would be hard work to land a job as my Polish is very limited and not good enough for a day to day job.

We were talking about me becoming a native speaker at a school close to her parents, now is this a realistic thing for a englishman who speaks very little Polish or does anybody have a good advice about what qualifications if any i would have to get?

Thanks in advance.

Hey!,

If you want to teach you need to look into doing your CELTA, this is a qualification to help you teach, any school with a slight reputation will demand you have CELTA, if you put it in search, you will find plenty of info. As a native speaker normaly the only job open to you is teaching but it depends were you want to go because most schools have teachers already for this year!. Were are you thinking of moving to??

read this: cambridgeesol.org/exams/teaching-awards/celta.html

and this: eslbase.com/courses/celta

No. I MUST intervene here. This is personally something I have never quite understood. I am American and speak English quite well thank you! While I'll admit that British-English CAN sound lovely (sometimes), that there is just as much "diversity" in British-English as in American.

I heard a reference to gangster rap, Rhode Island rubes, and everyone knows about the deep South. But I have lived in England and MOST of the people I came across in my daily life butchered the English language more than any one of my friends back home, innit!? (I'm from New Jersey, and NO I don't sound like Tony Soprano) If anyone has ever heard someone from the Manchester area speak then they'll know what I'm talking about. (but you may not know what THEY are talking about).

I'm planning on moving to Poland this summer and aspire to teach English. Am I to adopt a British accent and walk in to an interview sounding like Noel Coward?? ;-)

true


good point, I actually love Manchester accent, but I like all accents, so there you go.


I would not worry about it too much, just be yourself. I have met many Americans teaching in Poland and as long as they were good teachers, they did well. Good luck!!!

It always amazes me how the British teachers posting on PF compete with each other. I guess there are more Brits on the teaching market then Americans in Poland, which could be a good thing, no?

Well that's not quite true, you can pick up American or British books, but indeed British English used to be preferred. It just sounds better than American.

I like the school in Warsaw called Combridge. I agree it sounds better than Hurvard. :)

Emigrate, not immigrate. I'm American. My books use British English, so that's what I teach, but when there's a difference between British and American English, I explain both. Neither is better and they need to know the differences.


Not true at all.


To whom? My students prefer American English to British English because they say it's easier to understand when spoken. Americans don't swallow consonants like the British do. Their words, not mine.

Generally, I think it's fair to say that beginners prefer American English, while more advanced students tend to move towards British English. But really, it doesn't matter - as long as you have an open mind about the language. I know there is a perception that British English is superior though - I suspect our superiority complex has rubbed off on Poland ;)

One problem with American teachers is that they tend to be very ignorant about British English - I've always thought an "ideal" teacher would be American, but brought up in the UK.

I think the back of Swan's gives you the differences.

what do you mean?