Page 5 - ELG2210 Oct Issue 482

WELCOME . EDITOR’S LETTER

There’s a worldwide

English teacher shortage

theteam

If you’re in possession of a recognised TEFL MELANIE BUTLER,
certificate, you can pick and choose where to editor-in-chief,
started teaching EFL in
teach – provided there’s enough accommodation Iran in 1975. She worked
for the BBC World Service,
Pearson/Longman and
As the world has opened up post-pandemic, it’s seeing a drought when it comes to certain MET magazine before
professions. Certainly hospitality has taken a hit, as anyone in the restaurant or hotel business will taking over at the Gazette in 1987 and
tell you. It’s not just the UK, which is suffering from foreign workers leaving in droves after Brexit also launching Study Travel magazine.
came into effect, and it’s not just servers and chefs who are needed. The English language market Educated in 10 schools in seven countries,
she speaks fluent French and Spanish, and
has seen a massive dip in those who are prepared to get back in the game and teach in person. rather rusty Italian.
Countries as far apart as Australia, Malta and Canada are scrabbling around, trying to fill their melanie@elgazette.com
vacancies. Some of the situations are pretty tempting too. New Zealand, for instance, generally
offers reasonable rates of pay in some spectacular locations, which make for pretty compelling LIZ GRANIRER,
reasons to go there for a year or two. editor, has edited for
You could be forgiven In fact, if the idea of visiting the Kiwis parenting, travel and kids’
magazines, writes for a
for thinking there’s never and taking in the outdoor pursuits the number of print and online
country’s famous for appeals, do turn to
publications, and has
been a better time to be page 32 to find out what’s involved and worked on a range of
how to make it happen.
well-known consumer and
You could be forgiven for thinking
an English teacher and you there’s never been a better time to be contract magazines.
editor@elgazette.com
an English teacher and you wouldn’t be
wouldn’t be far wrong far wrong, but the shortage of teachers GILL RAGSDALE,
is matched only by the surge in student research news reporter,
numbers, which is having a negative effect when it comes to housing, particularly in Ireland. Its pull has a PhD in Evolutionary
Anthropology from
– aside from being a beautiful country with welcoming denizens – is that it’s both English speaking Cambridge and teaches
and part of the EU, meaning Ireland is particularly popular with Europeans, and it’s now bursting Psychology with the Open
at the seams when it comes to accommodation. Students – and teachers – are feeling the squeeze, University. She also holds
from being offered sub-standard housing to being overcharged. Find out more about this on page 6. an RSA-Cert TEFL. Gill has taught EFL in
the UK, Turkey, Egypt and to refugees in
It all leads on to the subject of native (NESTs) vs non-native English speakers (NNESTs) as the Calais ‘Jungle’ in France. She currently
teachers. While many non-English speaking countries still only issue work visas to NESTs, is it teaches English to refugees in the UK.
really that important to the students? A recent study has looked into this with some surprising
results (see page 14). CHARLOTTE DYASON,
This issue also contains the annual top UK language centre rankings. If you’re wondering senior sales, a graduate
where to teach, learn or choose an educational institution for a young person, it makes essential of Canterbury and
reading. You’ll also find information on which types of schools perform best and why, along with experienced education
in-depth looks into how the English language teaching landscape has been affected by the years marketer, Charlotte has a
of lockdowns and country closings. Turn to page 17 to get started. wealth of expertise and
knowledge to assist with
promotional campaigns.
LIZ GRANIRER, EDITOR info@elgazette.com, tel 020 3137 9119.
PHOTO ©N_CHADWICK IAN CARTER,
publisher, has a
Masters in Strategic
Business Management
(Westminster) and
30 years’ publishing
experience in the
professional and academic sector.
elgazette@media-shed.co.uk,
tel 020 3475 6811.

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Copyright 2021. ISSN 1368-2628.00

LSI Portsmouth, which scored well in the rankings
editorial@elgazette.com 5