News for ESL teachers in Canada
Some interesting "2022" facts for new ESL English Teachers
The world has definitely changed since September 11, 2001, the 2008 economic melt-down, the 2011 Arab Spring, 2016 election of T dump, 2020 Woo Han Covid Pandemic and the current 2022 Ukraine Invasion.
Refugees are swamping countries in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and even Canada.
Bad News for ESL Teachers
Worldwide demand for in-person ESL English teachers has declined by 80%.
Worldwide requests for online teachers up 500%.
Marketplace exposes hundreds of individuals using fake certificates to get jobs, even teaching jobs in Canada. Watch the youtube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHTg5zzFEKE
Best estimate for fake certificates sold in the middle east to wannabe immigrants 200,00 and in North America to native English speakers to obtain jobs with fake credentials 100,000.
Number of Asian agents selling fake University certificates and degrees charged: 3. Yes Finally in Canada the OPP raided a very large scale Chinese forgery operation that specialized in Canadian University and College Degree sales to Canadians and foreigners.
Unfortunately Canadians who have worked years to obtain a coveted Canadian University degree will have their hard work diminished by the lazy, incompetent, screw-ups who obtain jobs using fake Canadian credentials and then mess up.
The value of Canadian University degrees plummets because of idiots and criminals using fake degrees and it makes life very difficult for real Canadian University degree holders to get jobs.
Cost of fake degree, TESL certificate, transcripts and special university hotline phone number to "verify fake degrees": $600.
Percent of worldwide ESL English language schools that are not properly registered, licensed or operating with illegal or unqualified teachers: 75%.
Older China campus grades scandal involves Douglas College. In the news reports the teachers were complaining that the Chinese partners were passing all students regardless of test results.
Being a new ESL teacher is difficult
Most North American ESL schools are marketing organizations. They like to sell their school as the best (in everything) to the international students. The schools like to present themselves as established, well organized, professional, with highly qualified and experienced teachers, proven curriculums, lots of resources and a history of happy students.
If you want to teach ESL in the competitive private school industry then you have to realize that as an ESL teacher you are part of a packaged commodity. Remember that most ESL schools pay for advertising, marketing, salesmen, agents, flashy brochures and have to travel to expensive international student education fairs to recruit students. ESL schools pay from 25 to 50% to get ESL students in the door.
For most ESL teachers to get a job in North America you have to have a combination of personal qualities, education and teaching experience. The ESL schools that try to cover 10 levels, 45 electives, activities, and self-directed programs are usually stretched because of budget restrictions. Many schools are on low-margin, high-volume operations programs and cannot afford to make hiring mistakes.
To be a successful career ESL teacher you can look at the stages most teachers go through. The start can be wonderful or ugly. It depends on your preparation. Many successful career ESL teachers tutored while they finished their university and teacher education programs. As a tutor you can really learn how to help a student. You can see their struggles and provide the solutions. The next step is the classroom. The leap from one student to 15 is major and requires all the theory and methodology necessary to operate as a classroom professional. You have to do this in person. Get the practicum supervision and corrections necessary to teach ESL professionally.
Experience can be gained in North America as a community volunteer, operating your own classes, team teaching classes, teacher observations, and tutoring.
Traveling internationally where experience is not required can be exciting and educational - however - one has to consider the dramatic life-style changes and risks which accompany these opportunities.
After 2 years of mistakes and corrections, continuing education, workshops, professional exchanges, brainstorming, team teaching, collaboration, students calling you wonderful, others not so happy - then many of the higher paying professional organizations consider you job-ready. Career ESL teaching in North America is not easy and not available overnight with most professional organizations.
New ESL teachers should take an internet tour of teacher white, grey and black lists, personal web pages and blogs to see good, bad and ugly teaching experiences.
May the force be with you.
Original post: http://www.eslincanada.com/english/teachinfo.php
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