LEEDS, UK, November 15, 2008
/24-7PressRelease/ -- We've all heard the rumors. Schools that refuse to pay, schools that work you like a Trojan, even schools that expect you to pay them! There are a lot of crummy language schools out there and you'll want to avoid them like the plague, here's how to do it...
Turn the tables: A TEFL interview is as much about you finding out if the school is right for you as it is about the school finding out if you're right for it. Prepare some questions before the interview and make sure you ask them. You can find out a lot about a schools approach to teachers by asking a couple of simple questions. For example...
Does the school only hire qualified TEFL teachers?
Does the school perform regular teacher assessments to ensure teaching quality?
Does the school follow a set syllabus?
Does the school encourage student feedback?
Does the school have regular tests to assess student progress?
This may seem irrelevant but if a school doesn't value the people paying good money to go there then just imagine how it will treat the people who are being paid to work there! This is also a good time to negotiate your contract. Ask about rates of pay, sick pay, medical insurance, taxation, overtime, covering shifts and most importantly, find out whether the school adheres to the labor policy of the host country. Any reputable language school will have answers for these questions, but they're rarely set in stone so don't be afraid to haggle. In the TEFL world if you don't ask you don't get - so ask!
Work visas: If you're going to be teaching abroad you're going to need a work visa. You know that and so do the language schools you're applying to. If they won't support your application for a work visa then you need to find another school that will. Basically they're encouraging you to break the law and you certainly shouldn't trust anyone who does that! Having the right visa is essential, without it you won't be entitled to health insurance, legal protection or holiday pay and you'll probably be paid significantly less than TEFL tutors who do have a work visa!
Qualifications: You should be wary of any school that doesn't ask for some kind of formal qualification. Some schools ask for degrees, other just require a TEFL qualification, but they should require some proof that you are able to perform your duties as a TEFL teacher. No matter how desperate a school is for teachers they should always take time to check your TEFL certificate and ask for some kind of demonstration of your grammar skills.
You might want to ask how the school will support your professional development. Will they allocate time for you to shadow experienced teachers? Will they help develop your understanding of teaching techniques while you're working there?
Resources: It's easy to say that any reputable language school will have a selection of teaching resources (like handouts, card games, lesson plans, dictionaries and grammar books) but this isn't necessarily the case. These resources take time and money to acquire and if a language school has just started out then it won't necessarily have them yet. If they don't have such resources ask them why and question if they have any plans to build up a resources section in the future.
To help prepare you for the absence of resources in underprivileged schools you can take a Specialist Certificate in Teaching with Limited Resources, to learn more click here:
http://www.i-to-i.com/tefl/specialist-certificates-limited-resources.html.
The contract: Needless to say, when you get your contract you need to read it carefully. Make sure everything you agreed on is included and check that they haven't added any sneaky clauses. Don't be afraid to ask for a translated copy of the contract. This is completely normal and should be expected.
Research: The internet has changed the way we do almost everything and this is no exception. It's a great way to research your school to make sure it is completely reputable. Not only that but you can speak to people who have undertaken teaching placements in your chosen country and get a personal recommendation so that you know the school you're applying for has made a real impression on past tutors.
If you follow this advice then the chances are you'll have a problem-free overseas teaching experience that lives up to all your expectations!
For the month of November i-to-i is offering 20% off its 40, 60 and 100 hour online TEFL courses - to learn more visit: http://www.onlinetefl.com
For those looking for more resources and articles on TEFL courses visit: http://www.i-to-i.com/tefl-articles/ or call 800-985-4864 for more information.
Since 1994, i-to-i, has been the award-winning leader in volunteer vacations, TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) training and job placement abroad. Each year 15,000 people gain the TEFL course certification necessary to teach English overseas.
i-to-i offers TEFL courses online or over a weekend, locations for the TEFL courses include: Los Angeles, Washington DC, Denver, San Francisco, Boston. To learn more visit: http://www.weekendtefl.com
For more information call 800-985-4864 or visit http://www.i-to-i.com , for media inquiries please contact Alexia Nestora, http://www.voluntourismgal.com
Press Release Submission By PressReleasePoint(http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/)
Contact:
Alexia Nestora
i-to-i
Leeds, UK
800-985-4864
alexia@lassocommunications.com
http://www.i-to-i.com
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