My last few posts have discussed some things to think about if you want to teach ESL abroad. Since I’ve spent a couple of years in Asia at this point, I’d like to discuss some of the opportunities that are available on this continent, particularly in East Asia. My next few posts will cover job opportunities in East Asia.
WHY ASIA?
One of the great things about Asia is that the demand is so great that they’ll consider just about anybody for the job. That being the case, there are some places, Japan and South Korea being two of them, that have higher standards in terms of where you come from and your background. They can have such high standards because they pay so well. Other places, such as mainland China or Vietnam, have lower standards due to the fact that the salaries offered there pale in comparison with Japan or South Korea.
Asia is a diverse continent. The continent as a whole stretches from Turkey in the west to Japan in the east. A massive continent that hosts half of the world’s population, you’d have to have a pretty good reason to not come out here at least once in your life time, if only for a visit. Asia is also host to three of the next major economies, those of Russia, India and China.
As for culture in East Asia, many have similarities between them, even in regard to language. What’s neat to learn about many of the cultures in East Asia is their historical depth. Although the region has been populated and developed for millenia, it has only recently seen modern development and industrialization. As a result, you can still find your Western comforts while witnessing the mixture of tradition and modernization. Keep in mind, teaching English is a form of this modernization as it is one of the tools many folks will need in order to attain a better life for themselves and their families.
And then there’s the adventure aspect. Many Western folks, particularly teachers, have re-located to southeast Asia and its neighbouring countries not just because of the opportunities, but because of the exotic-ness and adventure. Want to learn how to scuba dive, hike or climb a mountain, cook? East Asia offers much to the adventurous folk in addition to affordable cheap living.
GOVERNMENT-RUN EDUCATION PROGRAMS
There are three government-run ESL programs in East Asia:
JET – JAPAN
http://www.jetprogramme.org
This is a Japanese government-sponsored effort to allure native English teachers from all over the world into public schools and offices throughout Japan. I have heard very good things about the program and, in general, about Japan. This is probably the oldest program (running for over 20 years) and the one that started the whole push to bring “native English teachers” to Asia. The most basic requirement is to have a university degree. A TEFL certificate is helpful, though a CELTA or a DELTA will be more highly regarded. Furthermore, this program is probably the widest in scope in terms of accepting English speakers. Other programs only accept “native English speakers” but the JET program aims to bring in any qualified, fluent English speaker to Japan for a year-long contract.
EPIK – SOUTH KOREA
http://www.epik.go.kr
This is the one I went through. A government-run program that is often contracted out to recruiters and agencies around the world in order to bring in hundreds of teachers every year to be placed in the public school system. A few years back, the South Korean government acknowledged that they needed to learn English and so they instituted a program aimed at beginning English education in elementary schools. The requirements to get one of these jobs is similar to that of the JET programme, university degree and a TEFL certificate. The benefits of the program include one week orientation and training, entrance and exit airfare, accommodation, pension and bonuses. If you’re interested, they’ll even enroll you in Korean language classes so you can hit the bars and chat up some folks.
NET – HONG KONG
http://www.edb.gov.hk
Hong Kong has recently jumped on the bandwagon to lure English speakers to help educate their children. Though not as established as the other government-sponsored programs above, Hong Kong still needs more English teachers. Though I’ve never been to Hong Kong, the folks I’ve met who’ve been there say it’s a huge, modern city. I’m thinking that if it’s your first time teaching English, maybe Hong Kong wouldn’t be such a bad place to start. As with the above programs, you will need a university degree and a TEFL certificate to better your chances of finding a job.
And that does it for the government-run programs. Next, I’ll look at the greater East Asia area to give you a better idea of what it will be like to come on over and teach ESL.