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Teaching English in Japan/China/South Korea etc...

post #1 of 43
3/5/10 at 12:33am
Thread Starter 
I'm really interested in going to teach English some in Asian country (Japan being my first choice, probably followed by South Korea and then any others). I'll be 22, with a Bachelor's in English Lit with a minor in Professional Writing. I'm really looking for some information from people with knowledge and/or experience with this. I read all the previous threads on this subject but they're all old.

I need to know where I would apply for one of these jobs, standard salary and living situation and airfare, what type of things I can expect once I'm over there etc.

Any and all advice, websites to do research, etc would be greatly appreciated!
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post #2 of 43
3/5/10 at 12:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ArteEtLabore14 View Post
I'm really interested in going to teach English some in Asian country (Japan being my first choice, probably followed by South Korea and then any others). I'll be 22, with a Bachelor's in English Lit with a minor in Professional Writing. I'm really looking for some information from people with knowledge and/or experience with this. I read all the previous threads on this subject but they're all old.

I need to know where I would apply for one of these jobs, standard salary and living situation and airfare, what type of things I can expect once I'm over there etc.

Any and all advice, websites to do research, etc would be greatly appreciated!

http://www.eslcafe.com/

You should find all of your answers there.
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post #3 of 43
3/5/10 at 12:43am
I dont teach English professionally but I know enough that doing it in Japan is not a good idea. I mean you really really really gotta want to live here to do it, but you wont be doing much more than just living. The pay is shit for the most part and a lot of schools will fuck around with you. If you do, be prepared to be their bitch as they will provide a very small apartment and can cancel your contract whenever. Also if you dont speak the language you will really miss out/be reliant on the school. Basically, if you want to make a decent wage and still have a lot of fun, go to China/Korea they are paying decent money for teachers there and are in high demand. Japan's market for teachers has been long flooded, and unless you have previous experience and/or a teaching degree you will get stuck with a crap company making just enough to get by. Brian SD and Eason will probably have more to say on the subject.
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post #4 of 43
3/5/10 at 12:49am
@ratboy

i'm not an expert on the subject, but i thought the jet program was pretty reputable/paid decently?
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post #5 of 43
3/5/10 at 12:54am
I don't know anything about Japan, but the pay for teaching in China is garbage. I work for basically the best private (and pubic, but they'll pay you nothing across the board) company/school in China, and you'd be better off doing any other office job for the pay. I can make more because I have a lot of private clients, if you want to teach in China, being your own boss (and being experienced enough to do so) is the only way to earn any real money. This is assuming you don't have a masters or PhD, in which case you might be able to work for an international school, which is the best gig. In Korea, you'll make/save more money, but the hours are worse. You'll either be working 30 + teaching hours a week in a split shift at a private hagwon, or you'll do 22 hours at a public school with an 8 hour required working day even without classes. You're also more likely to have to teach kids, which I don't enjoy doing much compared to adults. I made good money in Korea working at a public school from 9-4:30, and I co-owned a private school there which I taught at 6 days a week, 2 hours a day. Obviously though, I didn't have any free time and it really burned me out.
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post #6 of 43
3/5/10 at 12:55am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ratboycom View Post
I dont teach English professionally but I know enough that doing it in Japan is not a good idea. I mean you really really really gotta want to live here to do it, but you wont be doing much more than just living. The pay is shit for the most part and a lot of schools will fuck around with you. If you do, be prepared to be their bitch as they will provide a very small apartment and can cancel your contract whenever. Also if you dont speak the language you will really miss out/be reliant on the school.
Basically, if you want to make a decent wage and still have a lot of fun, go to China/Korea they are paying decent money for teachers there and are in high demand. Japan's market for teachers has been long flooded, and unless you have previous experience and/or a teaching degree you will get stuck with a crap company making just enough to get by.
Brian SD and Eason will probably have more to say on the subject.

I'm willing to teach in any of those countries, just assumed (naively, perhaps) that Japan would be the best. Looking mostly for advice on generally what to do/expect.
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post #7 of 43
3/5/10 at 1:05am
Get all your visa documents, background checks, reference letters, transcripts etc. prepared notarized (if applicable) and scanned in digital form. It will save you a lot of time. Also, how about teaching in Europe? It may be a better experience for you, depending on your expectations.
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post #8 of 43
3/5/10 at 1:16am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eason View Post
Get all your visa documents, background checks, reference letters, transcripts etc. prepared notarized (if applicable) and scanned in digital form. It will save you a lot of time. Also, how about teaching in Europe? It may be a better experience for you, depending on your expectations.

I'm open to the idea of teaching anywhere, with a few exceptions. What countries in Europe do you know of that are actively looking for teachers? Keep in mind I have no teaching experience, and will not be obtaining a teacher degree (English/Writing). I've been operating under the assumption that these jobs are most often found in Asian countries (though I'm certainly not an expert).

I'm neither an expert or enthusiast of Asian culture, but I'd like to try something interesting after I graduate, and traveling far away and experience a completely alien culture sounds very interesting to me. I don't have my heart set on any place, so am willing to entertain all possibilities. Also, I really appreciate the advice everyone is providing.
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post #9 of 43
3/5/10 at 2:49am
Spain and some parts of the Mediterranean hired teachers, it's where I'd go if I wasn't getting my masters in HK. You could also teach in the shitty eastern bloc countries if you want, they're in a bigger need of teachers than most of Asia I think.
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post #10 of 43
3/5/10 at 3:23am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eason View Post
Spain and some parts of the Mediterranean hired teachers, it's where I'd go if I wasn't getting my masters in HK. You could also teach in the shitty eastern bloc countries if you want, they're in a bigger need of teachers than most of Asia I think.

I was under the impression that places like Spain wouldn't be looking to hire English teachers from the US, as there are many more speakers there than in these Asian countries, and the UK is just a hop, skip, and jump away. Like I said, I'd be interested in teaching anywhere I've never been, but the area would have to reasonably safe and I wouldn't want to go anywhere that's exceptionally cold.
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post #11 of 43
3/5/10 at 4:22am
There used to be a guy around the subway stations near my work place that passed out flyers saying, "Hello, business english" with a British-like accent. Didn't see him for a while but yesterday our paths crossed at the station and he was dressed in a suit. I'm guessing he moved up from passing out flyers to teaching. Probably had to "earn" his salary by getting people to join the school. If this sounds what you are willing to bear, there are job listings every week in the free paper here
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post #12 of 43
3/5/10 at 4:35am
what's the pay like for someone with a masters?
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post #13 of 43
3/5/10 at 4:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ArteEtLabore14 View Post
I'm really interested in going to teach English some in Asian country (Japan being my first choice, probably followed by South Korea and then any others). I'll be 22, with a Bachelor's in English Lit with a minor in Professional Writing. I'm really looking for some information from people with knowledge and/or experience with this. I read all the previous threads on this subject but they're all old.

I need to know where I would apply for one of these jobs, standard salary and living situation and airfare, what type of things I can expect once I'm over there etc.

Any and all advice, websites to do research, etc would be greatly appreciated!

Had a mate that tried Japan, and it didn't work out. Horrible working hours, long hours spent commuting for sub-standard pay. Came back with his tail between his legs.

Southern Europe also has an oversupply of English teachers and pay is also not great.
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post #14 of 43
3/5/10 at 4:52am
teachers iive pretty well in Vietnam. Ya, they mostly do the split shift thing, at ~15-20 per hour, as many hours as they want, with the days spent free and poolside. Most of them would make about $2000-2500 a month in a country where you'll live comfortably enough on 1500.
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post #15 of 43
3/5/10 at 5:24am
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Originally Posted by Teger View Post
what's the pay like for someone with a masters?

It's the same pay as without for a job you could get without one, but it will open you up to jobs that will only take Masters/PhD's, which of course pay higher. You'll usually need at least 2 years of teaching experience at a university level though to get a university position, which is kind of a catch-22. :/
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