44 replies to this topic

[robertt]

Firstly, I’ll explain some of the acronyms that are used to describe the English teaching profession. EFL stands for English as a Foreign Language, ELT stands for English Language Teaching, TEFL stands for Teaching English as Foreign Language, and TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. For the purposes of this post they are more or less synonymous.

If you want to employed legally as a teacher of English in Turkey, you need to get a TEFL/TESOL certificate that includes assessed teaching practice. The key English language teaching (TEFL/TESOL) qualifications are the Cambridge CELTA (formerly Certificate in English Language Teaching English to Adults, but now – and don’t ask me why the abbreviation hasn’t changed – Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and the Trinity Cert TESOL (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).

Both of these qualifications have worldwide recognition, and the courses include the essential assessed teaching practice (TP), and can be taken intensively (usually four weeks) or part-time. Courses can cost around a £1000. For detailed descriptions of the courses, the syllabus, Frequently Asked Questions and a list of approved centres visit www.cambridgeesol.org and http://www.trinitycollege.co.uk. I read on another thread something about the grades on a CELTA course/certificate. These are Pass, Pass B and Pass A. The grade that more than 85% of course participants get is a pass grade and this is absolutely fine. I got a CELTA pass grade twenty years ago and survived to go and get a Cambridge DELTA and an MA.

There are a number of options if you are living somewhere like Marmaris or Isparta and can’t get to an approved CELTA centre in the UK. Visit the classified advertisement forum to find out about the CELTA course at the Izmir University of Economics which includes a very good deal on accommodation.

Embarking on a new career requires careful planning and you might want to be sure that TEFL is for you before spending £1000 on a course. One option, if you are in the UK, is to do a short one week introductory course to TEFL and get a taste of English teaching. Make sure demonstration lessons and/or peer teaching are in the programme. Alternatively, you could do an online course such as those offered by the British Council www.britishcouncil.org.tr . A word of warning though; an online course does not include assessed teaching practice and potential employers may not recognise it. An online course, however, may help you get a feel for TEFL and help your prepare for an intensive CELTA course later.

If you are doing a bit of teaching with no formal qualifications and are feeling your way a bit, or if you are out on your own somewhere, these two sites provide excellent resources, ideas and articles www.onestopenglish.co.uk and www.teachingenglish.org.uk. The ELT publishers’ websites (Oxford, Cambridge University Press, Pearson Longman and Macmillan) also have many free resources for teachers.

For information on work and residence permits for Turkey you should contact the Turkish Consulate/Embassy in your home country or visit the Turkish Ministry of Education (MEB -for schools) or Higher Education Authority (YÖK - for universities) websites.

[sunny]

Welcome to the forum Robertt and thank you for your post which I thought was very informative and helpful.
It's useful for prospective teachers to have all the various EFLs and TOEFLs explained and where they can find information about the various courses explained. It's a very good suggestion to try out a short course to see if teaching English is for you.
Too many people think that because English is their native language that they can teach it. Well I suppose a lot struggle through present simple, present perfect and past tense and so on, in some sort of fashion but hardly giving their students the best education. It's like trying to do brain surgery using a workshop manual.

In Turkey it is true that there are many dershanes that will take people without much by way of qualifications and do not apply for work permits but if you want to work at the better ones, which obtain a work permit for you, or teach in a private school or a university then not only will they be looking for a TEFL qualification but also a degree in English.
The pay for teachers compared to other countries is not high but compared to the wages of Turkish teachers and those in other professions it's not bad.

I used to lecture in a Further Education College in the UK and I have been a TEFL teacher for 18 years in Turkey and have taught in both dershanes and private schools (with work permits).

[Steve]

..i don,t know if this will interest anyone using this thread,but kusadasi is opening a new school..the are looking for teachers in english ,spanish ,and turkish,also they are looking for an administrator.. heres the link.... mozaikservices@gmail.com hope that is some help

[Ken]

Thanks for the info all, good luck Robert on getting the CELTA class together for 2009!

[robertt]

Thanks sunny ,

I started to understand those tenses you mention towards the end of my first year! Then, my certificate was pre-fixed "The preparatory certificate in.." meaning I wasn't a teacher yet and still had lots to learn. A short course like CELTA/Trinity is just a start. I agree it's best to do some kind of course leading to a certificate so that we do the best for our students.

The other points you mention are also important, pay and conditions, finding a reputable school where the paperwork is dealt with properly and the new teacher gets a degree of support. Hopefuly contributors to the forum can help here...

[robertt]

As this "Turkey"central, here are the other CELTA centres in Turkey. In addition to Izmir University of Economics, there are CELTA centres in Istanbul and Ankara.

The International Training Institute offers a range of courses including CELTA and DELTA. The website is http://iti-istanbul.com ITI offer the new modular DELTA which may provide a new opportunity for experienced teachers in Izmir as they are offering online and summer intensive options.

Britishside offer a wide range of ELT courses including CELTA. The website is http://www.britishside.com

In Ankara, Bilkent University School of English Language (BUSEL) has recently become a CELTA centre. CELTA is offered with full scholarship as part of a ten month employment package. A new brochure, also describing career paths for more experienced teachers, is available here http://www.bilkent.e...recruitment.htm

[Ken]

I just wanted to say "thanks" to Robert again... since he has agreed to monitor this new forum about teaching English in Turkey and offer advice to our members interested in the profession. I often get questions from people seeking information on this subject, and have to make several telephone calls and run around asking for favors from English teachers I know in Izmir to contact those who have sent me private messages or e-mails. It's great to have yet another expert among us who can provide accurate and frank advice... in this case, a teacher of teachers of English as a foreign language!

[benhalterci]

I just wanted to add something about the work permit subject. Yes, more reputable schools will apply for permits if their teacher is on a fixed contract. But the vast majority of teachers here in Istanbul do hourly work and they will not get work permits for that. Or they are teaching on a purely private basis. If the police chose to go round all the language schools there would be a lot of people deported or fined so obviously they turn a blind eye.

[sunny]

Another thing to be aware of - If you have made your life in this country and are working with a work permit, make sure that the school is paying all the premiums or when you go to a hospital for treatment or to a pharmacy to collect your medicine you might be refused treatment etc under SSK insurance.
Also when you come to retirement age you will find you haven't got enough payments and you will have to top it up yourself if you want a pension, meagre though it is.

UK citizens can pay into the Government pension scheme under the voluntary payment scheme. At the moment it costs about £340 per year. It is certainly worthwhile if you are going to live here for a long time as your pension can be paid into a UK bank and you can draw the money here and it is worth a lot more than a T pension.

[janh]

If you have several years of university teaching (any uni in the world recognised by YÖK) plus a TELF qualification you don't need a degree in English for a private university, it can be in any relevant subject. A Masters makes finding a job even simpler. You can check the profiles of teaching staff if you look at the website of any private uni. The majority don't have a degree in English.

[robertt]

Thanks Sunny. I neglected paying these voluntary contributions and have been trying to catch up with payments ever since. The new UK pension reforms make it a bit easier to qualify as the number of years needed to get a UK pension appears to have been reduced. http://www.thepensio...gov.uk/home.asp

Did you know you can check on Turkish social security payments here? http://www.sgk.gov.tr/wps/portal/tr I discovered one of my early language school employers (one I never anticipated would do this ) didn’t pay for two years 18 years ago (gone for ever) and another employer missed a quarter accidentally (finding out). Just need a social security number and someone Turkish to help (click on "çalışan" to start).

Robertt

If you have several years of university teaching (any uni in the world recognised by YÖK) plus a TELF qualification you don't need a degree in English for a private university, it can be in any relevant subject. A Masters makes finding a job even simpler. You can check the profiles of teaching staff if you look at the website of any private uni. The majority don't have a degree in English.

Yes, you’re right janh. For universities, a foreign language teacher needs a degree (in practically anything as far as I can understand ) and an “internationally generally accepted certificate” for language teaching. I think this applies to state or private institutions. I would also suggest that some private universities set their own "bar" and favour teachers with BA English and/or MA TEFL/TESOL and/or with university English language teaching experience. Others consider teachers with other qualifications and experience elsewhere. As you suggest exploring the websites reveals a lot about expectations and requirements.

Robertt

I just wanted to add something about the work permit subject. Yes, more reputable schools will apply for permits if their teacher is on a fixed contract. But the vast majority of teachers here in Istanbul do hourly work and they will not get work permits for that. Or they are teaching on a purely private basis. If the police chose to go round all the language schools there would be a lot of people deported or fined so obviously they turn a blind eye.

Thanks for the information on Istanbul, Ben Halterci. Better safe than sorry, just in case. Perhaps it's a cultural thing a lot of blind eyes get turned here . When I was at a language school, a long time ago, I recall being paid an hourly rate and guaranteed a minimum number of hours, 18 I think, as part of the contract. What can on-contract teachers expect in terms of a package (guaranteed hours, flights etc.)? I think in Izmir teachers get a flight every two years these days, though I'll have to check on things here.

I just wanted to say "thanks" to Robert again... since he has agreed to monitor this new forum about teaching English in Turkey and offer advice to our members interested in the profession. I often get questions from people seeking information on this subject, and have to make several telephone calls and run around asking for favors from English teachers I know in Izmir to contact those who have sent me private messages or e-mails. It's great to have yet another expert among us who can provide accurate and frank advice... in this case, a teacher of teachers of English as a foreign language!

Thanks Ben Densin. I wouldn’t call myself an "expert" (especially when it comes to the labour laws and work permits!!), but I’ll certainly try and help when I can.
Robertt

[benhalterci]

A couple of days ago I asked a school which is offering me hourly work if there was any chance of a work permit if I took a fixed term contract (when a vacancy arises) and they said they have never given work permits to their teachers. This is a big name school, with branches in other cities and countries and I was dismayed by their answer. Most teachers don't get work permits not because they are bad people and want to work illegally but because the school WILL NOT GIVE THEM ONE! I asked them why and he said (1) difficult, complicated and time consuming and (2) expensive. I said that I would pay for my own work permit and the legal fees but they avoided that suggestion.

[Jason]

Hi everyone, does anyone know how the current economic crisis has affected the demand for English teachers (hold on hiring, dismissals, etc) at dershanes, specifically in Ankara? I will be going to Ankara mid year, CELTA qualified (I have a commerce degree), but with no experience in teaching English (my background is in business).

Some first hand, front line information would be really helpful.

Cheers

[Lucid]

hello for ankara i cant say but in my area yes. i lost my job at the end of last year. my contract hadnt even ended but the private college was finding it hard to pay for my ss premiums etc. to cut a long story short im the only person i know - prove me wrong- that came here with the qualifications and all and asked for a work permit and got one. ironic thing is in less that a yr he couldnt employ me legally!! ie. the hours became less after summer and the ss payments - for health ins became too much for him to pay....its true it was not a big college but i also understand as i speak some turkish that parents felt the economic crisis as much as us at the end of last yr and also colleges - we were competitively priced yet parents chose to not bother or have english lessons at home privately with turks who speak enough english to teacher - for cheap. As for my work permit - it took months and was processed while i was already in turkey working - my theory is this though - my boss is AK party and has many x co workers from a military past actually in ministery of wk and education etc ... to cut to it we - he paid i cant remember! and we waited and paperwk came n went as did very odd certificates - even old school ones - mine!! and then i signed a million things but it all ended in the noter when i demanded he ended my contract officially and with a good reference as he was enclined to do otherwise as many do as they dont want to lose face and he happens to be the local noter translator too! oh that helped in the wk permit process and saved many 50 liras a time.....i haven been looking for ft wk eversince but only some dersanes offer weekend wk 10 lira maybe an hr and all different classes and all responsibility on you. there for im lucky as my fella found wk in a bank and pays the bills for now - after we marry doing private lessons 121 will be easier and as i see it yes most people seem to wk without wk visa and look what happens when you do get one - your job is no safer!!
good luck to people.......watch this space for my luck

how funny checked my spelling and it sucks!! i blame that on over a yr n a half in turkey!! im in a half way language zone....where both are rubbish....anyone else know what i mean!!!??.......
oh i was supposed to put abaout wages.....private lessons i was once told could get you 50 lira but im pushed to find a single parent who will part with that. ive no idea for cities but im in Mugla area and even though im qualified people are still as tight as hell....ive been asking around for wk in schools - devlet- gov. ones but my turkish is too poor to cope. i may be doing some hours for a local gov. funded evening and weekend class for locals - thats worth a look at if anyone wants ideas...
suits me - seems im never going to make big bucks even by turk standards here....but im not bovered!! ....god i dont miss south east london slang.....ARG

[benhalterci]

Sorry to weigh in late but here in Istanbul the teaching scene on the whole sucks. I only know one Language School who offers work permits and you have to work long hours there. The others flatly refuse and so unfortunately do the private schools who offer full time jobs (I mean schools..not language course schools). I have years of experience and found it very hard to get work and it is very expensive to live here so if you do not have your own funds as I did, you will have to have a fixed contract position and economise considerably.

[robertt]

Hi everyone, does anyone know how the current economic crisis has affected the demand for English teachers (hold on hiring, dismissals, etc) at dershanes, specifically in Ankara? I will be going to Ankara mid year, CELTA qualified (I have a commerce degree), but with no experience in teaching English (my background is in business).

Some first hand, front line information would be really helpful.

Cheers

Welcome to the forum, Jason. I agree with Chala and Ben Halterci on the effects of the current situation. It depends very much on where you are geographically, the parents' and other learners' ability to pay for lessons, and the school's willingness (or lack of) to do things properly. Often parents are aked to fork out extra money to pay for the native speaker teacher. As BH said earlier the complexity and cost of work/residence permits (I think it's the residence permit that costs) can put employers off, especially if they have never done it before, or if as Chala said, they don't know the "man in the right place". I asked a local (Izmir) DOS and found they are working with a couple of teachers less this year than last. Having said all that, staff turnover can be high in language schools and vacancies may a rise.

It's been 10 years since I worked in Ankara so I'm out of touch. There are four Turkey ads at www.tefl.com and both the Ankara schools make clear their conditions. One states the salary and says they'll deal with the work permit etc. The other states an hourly rate and expresses a preference for recruiting from within Turkey. Therein lies a further complication. As I understand things (and if the rules have not changed), initial applications for work permits have to be dealt with at the home country embassy so anyone recruited first time in Turkey has to go home to complete work permit formalites. Some schools therefore only recruit locally and/or avoid dealing with the work permit issue altogether which, as you can see from earlier, can be really frustrating.

Robertt

[Jason]

Thanks for the replies, I will let you know how it pans out. Cheers.

[Lucid]

interesting to hear. yea i had my own funds too at the start and as i said had to pay for much paperwk stuff myself to begin with until he chipped in and the ball got rolling. yes i to work many hours and that included my 8 stated in contract plus some very odd hanging around hrs and frankly even when there was no lessons i was being a secretary. my turkish is...erm limited so that was comic. it seems in my area i will not get a wk permit again or the chance of ft wk but can have odd hrs at weekends in dersane teaching random children and lessons. hey ho wks wk. Does anyone know of anyone who ever got deported for teaching without a wk permit??

i already had a residence permit for months .i just had to pay for the extra months that the wk permit exceeded the resident permit i already had which was aboout 4 months actually. İ had to pay that cost as my boss saw the residency as my issue not a work cost as he knew i was living here anyway.residency is about 600 lira as far as i remember for a yr.

[sunny]

[[...initial applications for work permits have to be dealt with at the home country embassy so anyone recruited first time in Turkey has to go home to complete work permit formalites]]

I believe people get around this by going to Rhodes, the nearest place with a Turkish Consul.

The Turkish system of only giving work permits to those who have contracts is very unfair because if you change jobs or lose your job, you are without a permit. It is only for that specific job the permit was given for. So, even doing private lessons is illegal!

[Ken]

Strangely enough, considering some of the negatives I've seen here about teaching English, some of my best friends in Izmir are English teachers, and not only do they not complain much about it, but it seems to me there is nothing else they'd rather do in life. Because of that, I had seriously considered it as well, because of all of the positive things I'd heard about it from them.