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| Interested in Taiwan English schools? The English learning market is extremely large and ever growing in Taiwan. This kind of phenomenon is common in most Asian countries. Most major cities will have hundreds if not thousands of so called language schools that hire foreign teachers to teach their classes. While there are many different kinds of language schools in Taiwan, however, the majority of the schools are cram schools which offer classes for children after their usual public school education. Children make up the majority of people wanting to learn English and this is why cram schools are the most predominant. Students in cram schools are usually aged anywhere from six years to twelve years old. The classes are usually taught by one foreign teacher and many schools also hire a local Taiwanese teacher to assist. Class duration is usually two hours with most class work being very basic. Chain schools make up the bulk of English language cram schools. In many ways, chain schools are very similar to fast food restaurants. They all use the same name, material taught and books used are identical and students fees paid by students are identical. Teachers at these schools must simply follow the schools' teaching model. Not all English schools in Taiwan are identical or are run the same way, however, most of them are called chain schools. These schools have classes mainly for children, a clear and laid out teaching model is used and the classes run for two hours in the afternoons or evenings. Taiwan English schools are found all throughout Taiwan. TEFL jobs in Taiwan? Taiwan places great emphasis on English learning and parents send their children to English schools from a very early age. There are jobs in the teaching area available almost all year. What is it really like to teach English in Taiwan? Many people choose to work in Taiwan because of how easy it can be to get a job and the qualifications required to be an English teacher are easily met. It isn't always work with easy money, but you can make decent money as a teacher in Taiwan. Cram schools are where the majority of foreign English teachers are employed. The majority of classes at cram schools are teaching children because parents want their children to start learning English from an early age. The children are aged from six to about 12 years of age. Due to this, what you teach in class is usually fairly simple. This doesn't mean there aren't any jobs to teach adults, the majority of work in Taiwan for English teachers is teaching children. The requirements to be an English teacher are very easy. You need to have a recognized Bachelor's degree and you need to come from a country where English is the native language. So if you come from Canada, the United Kingdom, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa you already meet this requirement. If you are looking for TEFL jobs in Taiwan, then you will be glad to know that teaching English in Taiwan is easy. Provided you have a recognized three or four year Bachelor's degree and being from anyone of the English speaking countries above you will meet the requirement of most cram schools that are looking for English teachers. Can Anyone Teach in Taiwan? It would be nice if you could just rock up and apply for a teaching position in Taiwan without having to worry about any kind of qualifications, but this isn't the case and if you do this the English schools will simply just turn you away. Obviously, teaching does require you to hold some qualifications. However, the great news is that these qualifications are very easy and not too strict. You won't be able to work in a University or teach in a public school, but as long as you meet these basic requirements you'll be able to apply for most jobs and legally work and stay in Taiwan as an English teacher. The most basic of these requirements is that you be a native English speaker. Pretty obvious. Beyond this, you must also hold a passport from one of several countries that the Taiwanese Ministry of Education has determined as eligible to apply. If you come from Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, then you won't have a problem at all. Being a native English speaker and from one of these countries, makes you 2/3 the way of being eligible to work in Taiwan as an English teacher. The final hurdle regards your education. Unfortunately, you need to have had some kind of formal education and have graduated before you can teach. You must have a Bachelor's degree or an Associate's degree with TESOL or TEFL papers. Without either one of these, schools won't be able to apply for you to work in Taiwan and they will simply just turn you away at the door. Don't hold a teacher's license or a Bachelor's of Education? Don't worry! None of these are required at all to work in the majority of the privately run English schools. Just as long as you have a Bachelor's in any field, you'll be fine and able to teach English. Your major could have been anything at all and you'll still be able to teach. Majored in Science or Math? No problem. All that is required is that you have a Bachelor's degree, the field isn't important. However, if you don't have a Bachelor's, what you do need is an Associate's with some extra English teaching papers, like TEFL or TESOL. You won't need these if you have a Bachelor's but they are a must for Associate degree holders. If you meet the above requirements, you'll be able to apply for most of the jobs you see advertised online in Taiwan. Teaching English isn't that hard and the qualifications to teach children aren't too steep. What Hours Do English Teachers Work?Taiwan is an interesting place to teach English, and there are a wide variety of schools that would be more than happy to have you work for them. However, will you be getting hours that suit your needs? Most schools that hire foreign teachers in Taiwan are cram schools and they are usually open in the afternoons. There are plenty of other job opportunities for teachers, but most of them are located in cram schools or kindergartens. Why or what is your reason for thinking about moving to Taiwan? You might want a lot of hours or only a few and knowing the average hours a teacher works will help you make the right decision for you regarding where to teach. The minimum number of hours a teacher can work in Taiwan is 14 hours per week in order to apply for a work permit. This means that the majority of foreign teachers that come to Taiwan to work are doing at least 14 hours a week. They need to do this in order to be able to stay and work legally on the island. If you want to teach more hours, then don't worry it is easy. The majority of English cram schools that hire teachers have enough classes to usually give teachers 20 or so hours per week. These hours are spread out over five or six days and you'll typically be doing 4 hours a day. Expect to have to arrive a little bit before class but your actual teaching hours are around 20. This is what most foreign teachers work in Taiwan. If you want to do more than 20 hours a week, perhaps you need to save up or just want to make as much money as possible, then you have a few options. You can try to find a school that will give you a lot of classes or you may have to consider working at several schools. Depending on the city you are in, your school may be able to give you up to 32 hours a week. Don't expect this to be easy to find. Competition amongst English cram schools is fierce and many schools only have enough students to provide teachers with 20 to 24 hours a week. This is why you may want to consider looking for a second job at another school. This is a great way to supplement your teaching hours. Expect to work about 20 to 24 hours a week and anymore is usually unlikely unless you want to get a second job. The exact number of hours you get will be greatly dependant on the city you go to and also the kind of work you want to do. Cost of Living for Teachers in Taiwan?What does it cost to live in Taiwan? Can teaching in Taiwan provide you with the chance and opportunity to save money? The simple answer to this questions is yes, however, it really depends on what you are looking for in Taiwan. One of the biggest advantages of living in Taiwan is that of how cheap rent and food is. Rent, depending on the city you live in and size of the apartment, typically costs 5,000 NT to 10,000 NT per month. This means you can expect to pay no more than $100 USD per week on rent, and if you share it is possible that this could be as low as $50 USD per week. Food is also extremely cheap in Taiwan compared to many western countries. However, one needs to be careful here because food can be expensive, especially if you dine at the more upper class and high priced restaurants that cater to those looking for expensive or imported food. The best way to save on food is to eat the same food that locals do. This means you'll be eating Chinese food such as rice and noodles. A meal will cost you anywhere from $1 USD to $3 USD, again offering you the chance to save a considerable amount of your paycheck each month. Just about everything in Taiwan costs less than what many people already pay in their home countries. This includes gas/petrol to fill up a scooter, the price of internet access and monthly cell phone/mobile phone bills to name just a few. However, like any city, how much you save depends on the life style you want to live. If you like to go out every night, eat at the best restaurants and dress in the finest clothes, then you won't be able to save any money at all. Living on a budget in Taiwan doesn't mean living like a hermit, as the low cost of living allows you to save money and also be able to live comfortably. | |
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Latest page update: made by teachtw
, Mar 24 2010, 3:20 AM EDT
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