ESL Lesson Plan

Carol,

John has most of the options you cited except for the Jet Program, which has a maximum age limit of 40. Also, he'd have to train before entering the Peace Corps; they no longer take untrained teachers.

His best option is indeed the CELTA. It is expensive even when done in the States (sometimes more so), but it's the best known.

John, you can get a job in some Asian countries without a cert if finances prevent the CELTA, especially given your classroom background. Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are good options to try.

If you then want to continue after a year, you should do the CELTA after your first year, unless your first school trains you well and they want you to continue.

Some schools will be put off by your age; some specify maximum age limits. Ignore them and keep trying until you find a quality school that appreciates your experience, maturity and potential. They're out there. Both of my stints were in middle age, and I'm happily seeking a third. Good luck!

Dear John, I applied online for a teaching job in central China in a university , got emailed the contract, signed and jumped on a plane to Shanghai. When I arrived the agent said the job was no longer available and he was sending me to teach children up near Inner Mongolia!! I have since found out that this happens quite a lot.
As for the TESOL course that I did in Australia -it wasn't worth the money, and as it was only a 5 day course it didn't prepare me for teaching. As you have a degree and teaching experience, I believe, you will have no trouble getting a job without the TESOL certificate.
Happily, I am still in China after 3 years, am teaching at a great school, where my salary is twice what I got paid when I started, paid on time and the people are lovely!
The Chinese know that a contract is sacred to Westerners, but they change them at will or completely ignore them, most contracts I have seen are totally without substance and would not stand up if taken to court.
If you don't want to move before lining up a job, I would suggest signing up with an agent in the country of your choice, get them to send you all the teaching details and when you get there, check out the school, talk to the other foriegn teachers (if any) and if signing up for one year make sure the contract states that it pays for your return air ticket, pays for your (mandatory) health check, you get your own private apartment with TV, phone and cooking facilities, bathroom (not all apartments have showers or baths) and access to a computer either in the apartment or at the school.
As for agents - 'some' agents will negotiate your salary with the school and for it to be paid to them (the agent) and then they send it to you - the thing is, the negotiated salary is about twice what you actually get paid, so while you do all the work the agent gets paid about the same every month for doing nothing. So make sure the school pays you directly.
Some people apply for voluntary work and the same thing happens, the agent gets the money and you do the work for a pittance.
Anyway, hope this helps and I hope I haven't put you off, but forewarned is forearmed. Best of luck.
Su

Hello there,
I am sixty two and have been working in China since I was fifty eight. Actually the last option is a very good one, you would get what ever accommodation is available, which could be a students dorm (they are ok) with basic wages - and as there are always drop-outs would probably be very, very useful. I know plenty of people who tour China in that way...and your experience seems very suitable, they'll snap you up and beg you to stay!
You will be amazed at how wanted and needed you will feel and be made to feel...
I am a bit miffed that you should consider fifty too old. I only started Uni at over forty, so maybe my age-span assumptions are all wrong!? I hope still to be working when I am seventy, though by that age, I might just try VSO..
R.F.

Hi John!

Old at 50? I don't think so ... ! CELTA is definitely the best, I did it at 54 and though I haven't yet travelled with it there have been many opportunities. Durban SA is one of the cheapest places to do the course I believe, I did it there and people had come from all over the world for that reason. Good Luck. G

Do you mean Durban, South Africa? Even if the course itself is inexpensive, you have to factor in travel and accommodation costs during the training period, as well as the loss of income and required bills at home for the month.

Is it still cheap that way?

Another thing to consider if you're in a position to take the CELTA (and it's best if you are), is that this is a certificate primarily for teaching adults. Cambridge U. does have the TEYL for teaching kids, which you may do a lot of in Asia, for example. But that's an extra cert on top of the CELTA, which is considered the first certificate.

A FEW training centers in the U.S. have begun including modules in teaching kids and business people within the basic CELTA. It's the one I really want.

It's not as good as having the TEYL or their business cert on top of the CELTA. But for someone going over for the first time, and especially if they expect to be teaching these populations at the outset, this would be an excellent way to go -- if you can afford the training first.

Yes, with your background you could get an initial TEFL job without the training. China especially has insatiable demand if you have an interest in that country. Pay there is low in comparison to S. Korea, Japan or Taiwan.

Hello,
I am forty six year old Nigerian residing in my country but would appreciate an advice as to how to quickly qualify to tech English to needy communities worldwide.
I ha a Diploma in Science Techno;ogy (Chemistry),a Post-Gradute Diploma in International Relations and Strategic Studies and about completing a Master of Arts degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. I head a local NGO involved in sustainable grassroots development. Thank you

For those considering teaching in China, let me offer the following advice:

1. Buy ticket to Hong Kong
2. Apply for 6 month China business visa, available overnight from numerous agencies
3. Cross the border, and fly or take a train to any city with a population over 3-4 million (as long as it's big enough to have an expat community) that takes your fancy.
4. Hang out at the local expat bar until someone offers you a job teaching English.

Hello. Thanks for the very supportive and informative blog at http://www.esl-lesson-plan.com. I have a question that I wonder if you could post for the masses. I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time in lesson planning. I'm wondering how much time others spend. I'm sure it ranges widely, but I wonder what the average is for, say, a 2 hour class. I'm an experienced teacher and still often spend more than 2 hours planning for a 2 hour class. This seems excessive to me. What do other teachers do? Can we
take a poll? How about, how much time for a class you've taught before vs. one you're teaching for the first time?

Thanks!

Kelly

Hi Cassam,

Although you seem to be highly qualified in many ways, I would still recommend that you look into getting a TEFL certificate (preferably a CELTA).

Many schools offering TEFL certificates will also help you with your job search, but you can also go online to find something:

http://www.eslemployment.com
http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/browse/education/tefl/index.jsp?
http://www.eslcafe.com

Hope that helps.

Carol

Hi Kelly,

Great question!

I would say that I tend to spend about 15 minutes of prep time per hour of class. Of course, if I've done the lesson before, it might take less time; if there is a lot of preparation involved (especially with fact-checking), then sometimes it takes a bit longer.

I'll set up a survey for the readers soon. For now, if anyone would like to respond, feel free to do so here!

Thanks again for the question, Kelly!

Carol

Dear Ms. Carol Rueckert,

I'm writing in reference to teaching abroad. I have 18+ years experiance in Early Childhood Development. Pre-Kindergarden children presently working in Oklahoma. I have my Associates Degree in Early Childhood Development, and recieving my 2nd degree in Liberal Arts in fall of 2007. I also have my Certificate of Mastery in Early Childhood Development. I'm continuing my education at a University for my Bachelors degree. To be able to teach abroad do I need to obtain my Bachelors? I noticed their are several other certificates needed before I could apply for any positions abroad? Correct? I'm a Mexican-American born and raised in the U.S.A. My parents are of Mexican and spanish descent, My second language is spanish which I speak fluently. What are the qualifications for teaching young children in countries like China, Mexico, Italy, and Spain?

Your prompt attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

De Anna :)

Hi De Anna,

Officially the requirements for teaching abroad tend to be a BA and a TEFL certificate, but in reality, plenty of people who have neither find jobs.

With your experience, I would guess that you would be able to find a job without a problem. However, I would look into doing a TEFL course (the CELTA is the best) as teaching English to non-native speakers will be different from what you've been doing. Some training schools also offer a 2 week course on teaching ESL to young learners, which you can usually take after you complete your CELTA or if you have enough experience, instead of a CELTA.

Check out this link for more information:

http://www.cambridgeesol.org/teaching/celtyl.htm

If you're interested in teaching young children in International Schools, then they usually look for teachers who have experience with International Baccalaureate programs.

Check out this link for more info on IB:
http://www.ibo.org/

Another thing you might want to do is to email a few schools that you might be interested in working for directly and find out if you meet their requirements, as every school is different.

It's important to remember that when schools advertise vacancies, they often list their preferences for teachers, but end up hiring teachers who don't meet all their requirements (especially in places like in China where demand for teachers is high).

Hope that helps! Let us know what you find out.

Carol Rueckert
Writer, ESL Lesson Plan