Page 16 - ELG1601 Mar Issue 434

ELjobs
Page 16 March 2016

Issue 3 | March 2016

New for 2016: Brand marketing, talent recruitment, student enrolment
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schools we recruit for Why good teachers can often miss out

ormally the kinds of

Nat the moment require
teacher qualifications such as
a bachelors of education rather Diane Jacoutot, who recruits Teflers for international schools, looks Lack of Focus
than just a Tefl certificate. Some teachers fail to secure
This is a function of the kind at a variety of factors that can trip teachers up in their search for a job international teaching jobs
of licensing that these schools because they appear to be flitting
have – there’s a difference between subjects and levels or
between schools that provide a impossible to get a standard simply don’t know much about
substitute for compulsory edu- work visa. the country or culture where
cation (eg all subjects using Teachers are currently in high they are seeking to teach.
the national curriculum) and demand in many countries. For International schools take a
schools that teach English as example, international schools big risk when they hire you. It
a foreign language only. That in the UAE grew by 60 per cent costs them money to sponsor
being said, most international between 2010 and 2014, with your visa, fly you out, train you
schools are dominated by host no signs of slowing down. As and support you. So it should
nationals, so they are full of a result, many teachers believe come as no surprise that they
English language learners. that getting the job they are want to minimise their risk, and
One issue that can affect EFL seeking will be a piece of cake. will want to know that you have
teachers in some countries is the However, the issue is that most thought long and hard about your
subject of their first or higher international schools require decision to become a teacher,
degree. Ministries of education Western-trained teachers with that you love your subject, and
have at times required English very specific qualifications. that you have really researched
teachers to have an English teaching abroad.
or applied linguistics degree. Inconsistent While there are clearly ample
While this makes some sense experience obstacles facing teachers looking
if you are hiring someone for Increasingly, international for jobs, there are strategies and
whom English is not their first schools are seeking teachers techniques that can enable most
language, as it verifies that the who not only have a good track qualified teachers to get the jobs
candidate has a proven and veri- record but also good references. they are seeking. The Edvectus
fiable proficiency in the English That means teachers who ended Learning Portal features 500 care-
language, for someone who is previous contracts under nega- fully selected articles, utilities,
from an English-speaking coun- tive circumstances may find new websites and documents enabling
try any degree taught in English, schools uninterested in hiring teachers to research what it is like
whether it’s science or history, them. Courtesy J Aaron Farr to teach in a different country and
requires proficiency. But many offering valuable advice. The
ministries require this for cer- Lack of experience Edvectus team focuses on per-
tain levels and jobs so it can be with international sonally matching teachers with
a blocker. curricula GLOBAL MARKET Teachers are in high demand in many countries but need specific qualifications the most suitable international
Around 40 per cent of all inter- school and is committed to never
Age and experience national schools use a variant of national schools cater mainly can be a problem, especially a strong northern accent and charging teachers any fees for
aren’t a match the UK curriculum. A quarter for host nationals and children when the school is hiring you teachers from the US with strong this service. n
Many EFL teachers aren’t use the US curriculum and about for whom English is not the to teach English. Most students southern accents have lost out to
aware that countries such as a fifth use the International Bac- first language. These schools aspire to speak English in a job applicants with more neu- Diane Jacoutot is managing
Egypt, Indonesia, Oman, Abu calaureate. Teachers who don’t want their expatriate teach- way that is broadly accepted tral accents. That being said, director of Edvectus interna-
Dhabi and China require two to have experience with a given ers, who cost them much time and easily understood, and the strong equal-opportunities tional teaching recruitment
five years’ teaching experience. curriculum can get locked out and money to select, hire and often this means English with- and anti-discrimination laws we agency with offices in
On the other hand, many coun- of jobs. sponsor, to be able to model out a strong regional accent of have in the West do not apply London, the UAE, North
tries in the Middle East and Asia the English language appropri- any kind. internationally, so prejudices America, Australia, New
have a maximum age, usually Strong Accents ately and be clearly understood We have had cases where can influence a school’s decision Zealand and Hong Kong.
sixty, after which it is practically Some 80 per cent of all inter- by their pupils. Strong accents teachers from England with with no legal recourse. See www.edvectus.com