The employment situation can be quite uncertain for newcomers to Greece and, therefore, many people choose to try to teach English as a for...
The employment situation can be quite uncertain for newcomers to Greece and, therefore, many people choose to try to teach English as a foreign language, full-time or part-time. You can generate a good income if it is your preferred career option, or if you want to do it in the short term until another career option occurs.
Qualifications and experience
There are many language schools or frontistiria in Athens and throughout Greece, to which you can apply to work. To get a job in one of these schools, it is not yet strictly necessary to have a formal education qualification as TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language). Often, all that is required is a university degree (in any subject) from a university in the United Kingdom or the United States. That said, if you are not sure of your ability to teach English and want to make sure you start on this line of work with the necessary skills, a course would be useful. It would provide you with some teaching theory, knowledge of English grammar (let’s be honest, many of us have never formally studied English grammar in great depth, although we speak and write English every day) and give you something valuable experience. teaching in a classroom, as this is included in most courses. When applying for a job, you will find vacancies that specify that previous teaching experience is required and others for which no experience is needed.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t speak much Greek. Native English speakers are often valued for other reasons, such as having what looks like an “appropriate” accent. Many people also swear by the approach of not speaking to their students & # 39; language, so they only listen to English throughout the lesson. You will find ways to make yourself understood. In my experience in language teaching, it can even be counterproductive if your students know that you speak their language well, since it is very easy to tempt them to speak Greek when they find it difficult.
To find a job
The teaching of English as a foreign language is widely published in newspapers and on the Internet throughout the year and, most often, from August to October. In addition to applying before in Greece, you can also go door to door around the frontistiria with your CV, again in the period from August to October. If you visit them in person, it is not recommended that you spend time doing this before August because schools often do not consider your recruiting needs long before the beginning of the academic year.
Payment and working conditions
The payment and conditions offered by language schools will vary greatly, so it is important to verify this in detail before accepting a contract. If time is on your side, it may be worth talking to several schools instead of taking the first job offered. In addition, if you work in a frontistirio, it is very likely that you work mainly in the afternoons and evenings, since it is when children and adults are free to take their lessons.
Earn extra money
Many people who teach English as a foreign language in a school also do private English and this can become a lucrative activity in itself. Working in a language school for a few months is a good way to meet students and announce the fact that you teach individual English classes, individually. It may be difficult to get the first ones, but then by word of mouth, you will get more if you do a good job: that great social network of mothers and fathers in the school career can do wonders! The ESOL exam system (English for speakers of other languages) of the University of Cambridge seems to be the best known and respected in Greece, many people who want to be taught privately are preparing to take a Cambridge exam or some other Type of exam. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the system: there is a huge amount of free information on the Internet, including lesson plans, tips, exam practice, etc. The exams that students usually take are the “First Certificate in English” (which many people still refer to by their former name: “Lower”), “Certificate of Proficiency in English” (known as “Proficiency”) and “Certificate in Advanced English “(commonly called” Advanced “). More information is available on the Cambridge ESOL website (www.cambridgeesol.org).
What private students want from you varies a lot. Some may want a conversation class, others may be starting on the Cambridge exam route and there will be some who are already at a very high level and may need detailed training on specific grammar or vocabulary points for a particular purpose, for example , Commercial English . And given these differences, the amount of preparation required on your part and the hourly rate you can charge probably also vary. I will end with a word about advertising. My experience has been that I paid money for two newspaper ads, which got zero responses! What worked well for me is local advertising: you must use your imagination. I put a card in the local stores and a small notice in the back window of my car and you can see people reading at each traffic light! Just be careful to receive calls on your mobile phone while driving, it is not good! As I said before, word of mouth should also work once you have your first lessons.
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