At present I am working at finishing the Specialist certificates on the 100 hour course. I am enjoying the course though having not studied formally for quite a number of years some parts are a challenge. As I am living in far North Queensland it is not possible to do the weekend course and gain the experience in the classroom evironment unfortunately.

Once i finish the course I am hoping to get a job in Japan, preferably around Tokyo, but I have heard that it is not so easy if you do not have a degree. i have had a number of management positions that involved staff training and Train the Trainer courses as well as very large involvement with Japanese customers in my last Tourism business.

If anyone can offer some advice as to the best way to approach the job situation in Japan i would appreciate it, thanks.

It is possible to get work in Japan if you are there first, my friend (also Australian) has just finished his contract here and is going back to Australia for Christmas, working in the fields for a few months to save for a trip to Japan, as he doesn't have a degree he will go there and travel for a few months looking for work. He has a brother already there in the same situation, No degree but has been able to find work.

If you want to get some classroom experience then visit some schools in your area that offer ESL and explain you are training to become a teacher and ask if you can watch some classes or teach some classes voluntarily, that can be a great way of gaining an insight into what to expect.

Not useful for your situation at present but if anyone else reads this post, If you haven't got a degree and want to work in Japan 3 years teaching experience can replace a degree for visa purposes. Another colleague at another school in the group also wants to work in Japan (He is British) and he has already been told this by several employers in Japan. He will be starting his 3rd contract here in Indonesia early next year.

I, too, have this problem, although I'm planning for Ecuador eventually, not Japan.  I did this course because I know plenty of people who've travelled in Spain and Portugal on TEFL and I didn't realise schools were asking for degrees until I started really looking at available posts in S. America.  None of my friends in Europe have degrees.  None of the sites I looked at when searching for the right course mentioned the need for a degree.  Is it really such a big hurdle that you need 3 years to make up for it? I'm 41 already!  I can't afford to volunteer.

I know how frustrating it is Alix, There are always ways to get around the degree program if you can search hard enough and make some contacts, You will often find having a little experience can go a long way!

If you want to volunteer without the cost try Vaughan Town or Pueblo Ingles, they are based in Spain and run English courses, each week they have a group of students who are part way through their course and take them to a 4/5 star hotel in the Spanish countryside and throw them in with a group of 'Anglos' to practice their conversation skills. I did it for 3 weeks before coming to Indonesia and it is 100% free, your only expenses are getting to Madrid (Ryan Air, very cheap), staying in Madrid before and after the program, any bar bills or personal expenses. They pay for your meals at the hotel, which is a HUGE buffet breakfast, 3 course lunch and dinner with table wine provided. You also get your own room at the hotel so no sharing or anything like that.

Good luck with your search and if you need my advice or have any questions let me know and I will be happy to help you!

Thanks, that sounds great, I love Spain.

Actually, I don't really know why I'm letting age worry me - my dad was 50 when he moved to Ecuador and then took up mountain climbing, went up Cotapaxi and all the other high peaks, and then started searching the jungle for lost gold. And he lived another 40 years! so anyone else my age feeling at all daunted, take heart, anything is possible.

Wow, I would love to do what your dad did and search for Jungle gold, I am interested in maybe working in Ecuador actually once my contract here has finished! just love the idea of 'Romancing the Stone' type adventure whilst teaching English! And you're very right, age should never be a factor if you feel fit then you probably are!

OK, let me wet your appetite a little more! 

On 16th September 1532 a Spaniard called Pizarro set up a supposedly peaceful meeting with the Inca king Atahualpa.  The Spaniards were lying though, and when Atahualpa turned up with with his unarmed warriors they were slaughtered and the king captured.

Atahualpa bargained for his life with gold.  Here the story gets a bit complicated. The king was murdered by Pizarro, and all the gold was hidden by the Inca general Ruminahui. It is still there. There have been many expeditions to find it but no-one has succeeded.  There is a map drawn by a Spaniard called Valverde who once claimed to have access to it.

Read 'Beyond the Ranges - five years in the life of Hamish Macinnes', and you'll see what you're up against!

Back to the original topic (sorry!) I've been checking out Pueblo Ingles and it sounds great for a cheap way to gain experience. From what I remember of Spain, it doesn't cost much to stay there, but is Madrid more expensive? I notice they also have a venue in Barcelona.   I'm also looking at a suggestion of starting off here in Bristol where apparently you can teach assylum seekers at the college.  

I've got over 90% in all my assignments so far and I don't think it's right to have to lose out to someone with a degree in a totally irrelevant subject who only wants to teach for the sake of travelling for a year or two.  No disrespect to those people, its a great idea, but don't motives count in job applications?

You have certainly wet my appetite! haha, I will see if I can find a copy of that book or get family to send me one from back home!

Staying in Madrid is pretty cheap, you can stay in a hostel dorm for 5-10 Euros per night or there are places that you can have a private room for around 10-15 euros per night and it is right next to Sol (main area in Madrid). Check out hostelbookers.com or hostelclub.com, I usually use hostelbookers as their site is easy to use and they don't charge commisions or anything extra 10% deposit then pay the rest at the hostel on arrival.

And just to let you know when I did my first round of volunteer work for Vaughan (1 week) I had only just started my TEFL, I actually finished it during my second rounds of volunteer work for PI (2 weeks in a row), You get free time in the afternoon for siesta so I just did some of it then as there was a good connection for my laptop at the hotel we were staying at!

Do tell me more about the story of Pizarro and Atahualpa's gold!

Hi,

I have recently completed Tefl course and  I am looking to get jobs in Spain.Originally I am from Bulgaria,but have lived and studied in London for 6 years.I hold University degrre in Teaching English to pupils age7-11 and have some experience at primary school.

Can you help me with some tips about Barselona or Madrid.

Thanks

Jeni

Hi Jeniya,

The best thing to do is look on Daves ESL cafe, That's where the best jobs are. If you want to work in Spain try Vaughan Systems (the people who run Vaughan Town) or Pueblo Ingles, same as Vaughan just different company. They are usually hiring year round and all you need is to be fluent in English and be able to legally work in Spain with a sponsor. I think Bulgaria is part of the EU that allows free trade and working so you should be ok. Having that degree is a HUGE plus for you as schools who don't require a degree will know that you understand the system of teaching very well indeed having studied it at university.

Vaughan and PI are both companies that do business English only, from what I remember, so if you want to go into a normal school then you could always try EF, they are the largest independent school in the world and always have vacancies. They are run on a franchise system and I would recommend you apply directly to the school rather than through the EF website as the schools are more lenient on who they employ. I am a prime example of this, I applied through the website and via i-to-i, EF said no as I did not meet the requirements to teach in Indonesia but i-to-i gave me a position at an EF school who accepted me. Same thing has happened again as I am looking into China, I apply at EF who refused and EF in China has offered me a position.

The best thing to do is go and volunteer at Vaughan or Pueblo Ingles and take a few days either side of the program to stay in Madrid or Barcelona, Take a list of schools and your CV and just hit as many as you can, drop in your CV ask to speak to the person in charge of recruitment and take it from there, some will say just leave your CV, others will be happy to speak to you! Just don't be scared of No, remember the more No's you get the closer you are to a yes!

Good luck and if you want any more specific information let me know.

Hi Robert, I'm new to i-to-i and just signed up for the message board.  You seem to have a wealth of information, and that is such a welcome relief...I do feel a bit isolated plugging away on my own, just my PC and me.  I see that you know a lot about Spain, and was wondering if you had any information about France?  I currently live in the South of France and am wondering what my chances for work are once my course is completed.  I don't have a college degree either, and am 42, but I am very fit and willing to do whatever it takes to succeed, even if that means moving to Paris.  Any information you have or perhaps other contacts I can make towards preparing for this venture is very much appreciated!  Thank you.

Yes that sounds great. I need experience without the cost as well. Im only 26 but I still cant afford to volunteer for 3 years

Ok, I think some people are a little confused about the 3 year thing I said.

To clarify 3 years experience is, as far as I'm aware, only for Japan if you do not have a degree they require experience instead

Hi CJanin, Welcome to Chalkboard!

Teaching English in France should not be a problem, do you want to teach in a school or private classes? If you want to teach in a school then the best way is to just visit some with a speculative CV and copy of your i-to-i certificate and take it from there, if you go private then try looking at some of the adverts from other teachers and charge what they are charging, In Paris I would expect to charge students 15Eur per hour upwards, I am not too sure about other parts of France, sorry.

For teaching in a school try visiting the French Embassy/consulate as they The Cultural Service who can assist you in finding work in schools.

Depending on the number of hours you work, I would reccommend taking on a few private students just to supplement your income and gain some extra practice.

Try also looking at agencies who deal with teachers, even if they are French teachers for normal subjects, math, science etc as they will sometimes have contacts even if they don't deal with TEFL themselves.

Working in France as a TEFL teacher I think you have an advantage, your age, I am aware that the French appreciate a teacher who is over the age of 35 as they are perseved to be more worldly and knowledgeable, and it will also help with classroom management as French students are more respectful to their elders.

I hope this helps and as always if you have any specific questions, just ask me and I will give you my best advice!

I'm glad they've started this chalkboard, it's really heartening to get this kind of advice Robert,

thanks

Thank you Robert, I hope you are receiving the recognition you deserve for being so very helpful and considerate.  :-)

The recognition is knowing that you find my help useful! :-)

Hi, I'm new to this group.  Just to let you know that India will let you volunteer to teach English without you holding a degree.  Granted it is in a volunteer capacity, but it would be worth looking into to get valuable experience. 

I know that the Pooja International Techno School in Andhra Pradesh are regularly looking for volunteers to teach English.  It is a new school with small modern classrooms, so the number of students would not be too large.  Students are very eager to learn English and English is also the medium in which all classes are being taught.

I hope that you get the experience and job that you want.

So glancing over this whole thread, it begins to look like this ESL teaching thing is very much a freelancer proposition. That taking a course may help your resume, but ultimately you have to be persistent and creative in approaching potential employers to hope to gain employment?

I simply can't afford to move somewhere to volunteer in hopes of eventually getting a job. If that's a necessary step, then maybe I should look towards teaching some of the recent Mexican immigrants here in Colorado?

Glenn

Hi

I haven't started anything yet - I have been wanting to teach English abroad for years and now I am finally free to do it - I think I am too old! I am 66, still fit and working here in AUstralia, but I don't have a degree and it seems that nearly every where the cut off age is 50 or 60. Is there anyone out there who is my age and has succeeded in getting work anywhere? Before I pay the money for the course I really want to know I can get work somewhere to make it worthwhile.

Thanks.

Ely

Hi Ely,

While you will be a little on the mature side for some employers, others will really value your experience. One country where you should have some luck is China - there's a huge demand for teachers there and you don't need a degree in order to get your work visa. You might want to check out this couple's story - they started teaching in China when they were much older than you: http://www.onlinetefl.com/who-tefls/retired-teflers.html

Hope that helps - best of luck!

Thanks Honor

Yes I had read that story - Mary was a retired teacher though which I think would have got her through the degree requirement. I note you said China was worth a try - however I note their work visa's are only issued to people of 60 or less.

I have had lots of experience on the ground in indigenous communities in Australia teaching administration, computing and retail skills but I am not feeling very hopeful about being able to do more than volunteer overseas on what I am reading generally.

Also does anyone have an opinion on whether it is worth doing Cert IV TESOL or whether the TEFL courses here are a really accepted qualification?

Thanks again

Ely