ESL Teaching Jobs: What English Teachers Must Ask

Finding ESL teaching jobs abroad can be a scary and frustrating experience even for ESL teachers that think about where and how they want to teach. Trying to discover if a foreign English school will actually provide an ESL teacher what they promise can be the hardest part for an English teacher. There are some things that a new English teacher can do to push the odds in his or her favor.

Get Answers From the ESL School

Many ESL teachers cannot actually visit the English school in person before accepting the teaching job because they live in another city, country or continent. This means the foreign teacher must ask questions and expect good answers.

Most foreign schools use secretaries with intermediate English skills to hire English teachers. Trying to get answers regarding the English teaching job by phone is usually a lesson in frustration. Fortunately most of these secretaries have better writing skills. Sending e-mails with simple, clearly written questions is the best way to get information.

If the response is vague, unclear, contradictory or simply unanswered, the question may not have been understood. Reword the question slightly and try again. If the answer is still unsatisfactory do not sign a contract. Even if the school looks goods on paper and the problems are simply in regards to the secretary this is a serious problem. The secretary will be the main contact for English teachers, if he or she cannot answer simple questions any career at the English school will be filled with frustration. It is more likely that the foreign school is not above the board in the way it deals with ESL teachers. Either way avoid it.

Location of the English School

First ask how many campuses the English school has, what the addresses are, and if you'll be teaching and living at a single campus or multiple campuses.

Some ESL schools will have English teachers living at one campus and teaching at another campus across the city. Others may have teachers running from one campus to another with virtually no time stop for lunch, take a break or have a single delay. Even if the foreign school says that all the work will be done at one school, things may change. Another ESL teacher may quit or get sick, an English class may be changed, or the English school may simply lie.

By getting the address of each campus a quick search on Google Map can show how far apart the various campuses are. If the campuses are many miles apart this is a potential warning sign.

The address can also let ESL teachers find out if the location fits their needs. Some foreign teachers want to get away from the city and spend time with students, others want to enjoy the nightlife and culture of the big city. A map and internet search should let potential ESL teachers discover if their home campus is right for them.

If the addresses don't match up, or if the area is different from what the ESL school says do not accept the teaching job.

Talk to Their English Teachers

Unless the ESL school is very new, they should have at least one English teacher on staff. Ask to talk to them when looking for a teaching job. A phone call is best, but even email is acceptable.

While an English employee of the ESL school will likely sugar coat things, many of them will avoid outright lies. The head master or owner of the school or the secretary who desperately needs the job or is paid by the number of English teachers they get are more likely to deceive potential ESL teachers.

If the school refuses to provide an email or phone number for current or previous English teachers, potential ESL teachers should be very wary.

If the school agrees but provides only an email address, read any letters very carefully. If there are a number of grammar and spelling mistakes, words are used incorrectly or expressions are used incorrectly, the email is likely a fake. Some foreign schools have impersonated foreign teachers in an attempt to get new ESL teachers, but they use non-native speakers. These ESL schools must be avoided and any teaching job offers refused.

English Teachers Beware

When looking for teaching jobs, foreign English teachers must check everything carefully. In a foreign country contracts are often useless pieces of paper and even if an agreement is in writing it can be ignored. ESL teachers must ask questions and look for any lies, double speak and innuendo before accepting any ESL job. Even pictures of the campus and apartments for the English teacher can be faked.

English schools want to make money, some do it fairly others lie and cheat. No ESL teacher should think the foreign school is their friend until they've worked there for several months or more.