QUALIFIED English teachers are in high demand – especially those who are native speakers.
Online sites such as www.jobisjob.fr and www.jobijoba.com have a host of opportunities; and often training institutions are able to provide additional information on opportunities.
Whether you are motivated by a desire to give something back to the community, or the aim of nurturing a whole new career, there are ample opportunities for English speakers in France.
A Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course provides a great grounding for those who wish to pursue English teaching on a professional basis, and according to the experiences of Vix Norris, Brenda Ford and Carolyn Evans, it is a worthwhile undertaking.
If you are not sure about taking a course initially, many schools welcome help from native English speakers, who can often run after school activities in English. Usually schools request that these lessons are not formal as such and the teacher will instead carry out activities such as cooking or craft work in English.
Alison Hart, 63, from Saint-Sulpiceles-Feuilles was able to use her experience as a teacher in England to run an English after-school club – part of the activités périscolaires at the local school.
“We looked at English menus, money, maps and photos of London, watched some DVDs and completed word-searches and crosswords,” she said.
“I’d like to think it gave learning English some relevance to the pupils, and it was nice to be able to chat to the teachers and compare experiences.”
Although some English speakers, particularly those with degrees, have found work teaching English without a specific teaching qualification, most schools will not employ teachers without an official qualification such as CAPES (certificate for teaching in secondary education) or equivalent.
However, for those wishing to teach in a private language school, or on a freelance basis, TEFL can be the ideal solution.
TEFL courses give participants the means to break the language down, looking carefully at grammar, as well as preparing candidates for their time in the classroom.
Vix Norris, 40, from the Eure-et-Loire took her TEFL course 14 years ago, at the American University of Paris. For her, it provided the grounding in grammar that she needed in order to teach language effectively:
“The course was full-time and very intensive,” she said, “literally covering every aspect of teaching English.”
The course ran for three months and provided an excellent foundation for Vix’s teaching career: “Since qualifying, I’ve taught in English in the business, financial and medical sectors, on a one-to-one basis, or in large group seminars,” she says. Although the course was extremely thorough, it did come at a price, about £3,000.
“But it was well worth it for me – and as the institution is well-recognised, it was a guarantee of work,” said Vix.
For others, a residential course is not an option. Mother of four, Brenda Ford, from Creuse, decided instead to pursue a qualification online as it was more convenient to work from home.
“I’ve always wanted to teach, however, I wasn’t able to further my studies after school and went straight to work.
Once we moved to France, I took the opportunity to retrain,” she said.
After researching TEFL, Brenda chose a provider called ITOI, recommended by a friend. The majority of the modules took place online; however, there was a weekend residential element, held in Bordeaux, to complete the qualification. Unlike the residential course attended by Vix, Brenda’s course was just £300, and she has since found work both at a language school and teaching privately to pupils.
“The course has been amazing for me,” said Brenda. “I have been teaching for almost three years.
“I manage my own diary and time and have never looked back.”
Carolyn Evans, 40, from Chiché in the Deux-Sèvres, already had a degree in English and French when she moved over in 2012. Knowing she would like to teach when she arrived in France, she elected to do a TEFL course in the UK before moving.
“I found an online TEFL course, with a coupon on a discount website,” she said. “I jumped at the chance and bought the course for just £49.”
The purely online course came in the form of 12 modules, which needed to be completed in a year. Despite the low cost, 140 hours of materials were provided. Carolyn was then required to sit online tests at the end of each module.
Using her qualification, Carolyn now has a permanent job with a company in Niort, teaching at businesses throughout the region.
“Most companies realise that English is an important skill in the global market,” she said, “so I work a lot with firms. In addition, many people choose to learn English for travel and personal growth.”
Although there are a range of different courses available, it is important to make a decision based on your particular needs rather than the price itself.
In addition, TEFL has no official regulator, so it is a good idea to choose a course affiliated with a reputable provider. Although all TEFL courses result in the same qualification, some providers are more respected within the industry than others. In addition, if your knowledge of grammar is not strong, it is best to choose a course with more intensive grammatical training.
TEFL courses organised by Cambridge and Trinity boards are well regarded, but it is hard to compare courses with no central body.
According to a spokesman from TEFL.org.uk it is also wise to choose a provider with accreditation from many different sources, “this will improve job prospects,” he explains.
Photo: Flickr/Woodley Wonder Works
