Teaching English in Taiwan
What is Life Really Like Teaching English in Taiwan
Perhaps you've had some friends who have moved to Taiwan to teach, or you have seen some websites online that talk about teaching English in Taiwan. Things aren't always as they seem, and some people make the move to Taiwan with aspirations of teaching English only to find that Taiwan wasn't really what they expected it to be. What is life really like as an English teacher in Taiwan? Why come to Taiwan to teach when you have so many other Asian nations that you can work and teach in. Taiwan, like any country, isn't perfect. However, you will find that Taiwan can be a great place to teach and live, if you are prepared to make a few small changes and adapt to a new way of life.
Teaching English in Taiwan means you'll be mostly teaching children. Is there no work for teachers who are looking at teaching adults or just don't want to teach children? Yes, there is, however, the majority of work is teaching children. There is a huge market in Taiwan that is driven by parents wanting to send their children to English schools to learn English. The majority of these students are aged anywhere from six to about twelve years of age. Because of this, most of the English schools are for children and the bulk of their classes are teaching children. That is where the money is after all. So, if you are looking at moving to Taiwan, you'll probably end up teaching children, at least at first. If you are determined enough or have some kind of extra qualifications, you may be able to work at a university, but at least at the beginning you should expect to be teaching children.
Most English classes in Taiwan run for about two hours. They typically have a short break, but this depends on where you end up working. Even though you are teaching children, there is plenty of book and written work that needs to be done. Taiwan students are trained from a young age that studying involves enormous amounts of written work which typically involves just repeating and memorizing words or patterns. Expect your classes to usually involve drilling students again and again. While some schools may be different in their approach, this is how the majority operate. You'll also typically have enough time to play a quick game with your class. This game is intended to keep the students interested and happy. It helps them to stay interested in wanting to learn English which makes it easier for them to remember what you are teaching. You'll usually work four hours a day, so you'll be teaching two classes back to back. These classes typically run from 4pm to 9pm, as most students are children they go to English class after their day at public school has ended.
Teaching English in Taiwan isn't for everyone, but it can be a great place to live and work, especially if you enjoy teaching and working with children. It isn't hard to teach in Taiwan and if you plan ahead and know what you are getting into, you really can make the most of your stay in Taiwan, and maybe even enjoy it :).
Teaching English in Taiwan means you'll be mostly teaching children. Is there no work for teachers who are looking at teaching adults or just don't want to teach children? Yes, there is, however, the majority of work is teaching children. There is a huge market in Taiwan that is driven by parents wanting to send their children to English schools to learn English. The majority of these students are aged anywhere from six to about twelve years of age. Because of this, most of the English schools are for children and the bulk of their classes are teaching children. That is where the money is after all. So, if you are looking at moving to Taiwan, you'll probably end up teaching children, at least at first. If you are determined enough or have some kind of extra qualifications, you may be able to work at a university, but at least at the beginning you should expect to be teaching children.
Most English classes in Taiwan run for about two hours. They typically have a short break, but this depends on where you end up working. Even though you are teaching children, there is plenty of book and written work that needs to be done. Taiwan students are trained from a young age that studying involves enormous amounts of written work which typically involves just repeating and memorizing words or patterns. Expect your classes to usually involve drilling students again and again. While some schools may be different in their approach, this is how the majority operate. You'll also typically have enough time to play a quick game with your class. This game is intended to keep the students interested and happy. It helps them to stay interested in wanting to learn English which makes it easier for them to remember what you are teaching. You'll usually work four hours a day, so you'll be teaching two classes back to back. These classes typically run from 4pm to 9pm, as most students are children they go to English class after their day at public school has ended.
Teaching English in Taiwan isn't for everyone, but it can be a great place to live and work, especially if you enjoy teaching and working with children. It isn't hard to teach in Taiwan and if you plan ahead and know what you are getting into, you really can make the most of your stay in Taiwan, and maybe even enjoy it :).
Am I Qualified to Teach in Taiwan?
Do you have the right kind of papers or qualifications to teach English? The answer to that question depends on what kind of teaching you want to do. If you are looking for the average or standard and most often advertised teaching position, then there is probably a 99% chance that you are more than qualified to teach children in Taiwan. However, you will have to be a little bit more than a native English speaker before you can apply to work in Taiwan. However, as already mentioned, these qualifications are easily met and most people don't have to worry about it.
To teach in Taiwan you must have a Bachelor's or an Associate's degree with TEFL or TESOL certification. What does this mean exactly? Well, if you have a Bachelor's, it means that you can teach English without the need for TEFL certification. You don't even have to have majored in Education. The specific field of your Bachelor's isn't important and you will have no problems applying for work in Taiwan. If you don't have a Bachelor's, you will need to have an Associate's with TEFL or TESOL certification. These requirements aren't set by the schools that hire teachers, they are set by the Taiwanese Ministry of Education. Without satisfying the above qualification requirements, no school in Taiwan will be able to help you to apply for the work permit and other papers that will make it possible for you to stay and work legally in Taiwan.
Beyond these two simple requirements, do you have to worry about anything else if you want to work in Taiwan? Well, yes. You must be a native English speaker and you must hold a passport from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. As long as you were born in either one of these countries and have a Bachelor's or Associate's with TEFL certification, English schools in Taiwan will be able to apply for you to come to and work in Taiwan. I think the majority of people under the age of 30 already would meet these requirements and probably have nothing to worry about.
To teach in Taiwan you must have a Bachelor's or an Associate's degree with TEFL or TESOL certification. What does this mean exactly? Well, if you have a Bachelor's, it means that you can teach English without the need for TEFL certification. You don't even have to have majored in Education. The specific field of your Bachelor's isn't important and you will have no problems applying for work in Taiwan. If you don't have a Bachelor's, you will need to have an Associate's with TEFL or TESOL certification. These requirements aren't set by the schools that hire teachers, they are set by the Taiwanese Ministry of Education. Without satisfying the above qualification requirements, no school in Taiwan will be able to help you to apply for the work permit and other papers that will make it possible for you to stay and work legally in Taiwan.
Beyond these two simple requirements, do you have to worry about anything else if you want to work in Taiwan? Well, yes. You must be a native English speaker and you must hold a passport from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. As long as you were born in either one of these countries and have a Bachelor's or Associate's with TEFL certification, English schools in Taiwan will be able to apply for you to come to and work in Taiwan. I think the majority of people under the age of 30 already would meet these requirements and probably have nothing to worry about.
What's The Average Weekly Working Hours For Teachers?
Teaching English in Taiwan isn't like any other job or career in the world. Not only is the working environment completely different to what most people are accustomed to, but you'll also discover that the hours you work are also very different. You can forget the idea of working 9 - 5 each day. Class hours in Taiwan are mostly held in the afternoon and sometimes on the weekend. You won't be working 40 hours a week and infact English teachers are by law only allowed to work 32 hours a week. So just how many hours will you be in the classroom teaching?
There are a lot of different kinds of English cram schools in Taiwan. Some are just for children, some have classes for teenagers and some for adults. Some schools offer classes for adults, teenagers and children. Regardless of where you work you will get a minimum of 14 hours a week if you are applying for your first job. Why just 14? This is the minimum that teachers can work in their first job in order to get all the papers that will allow you to stay and work legally as a teacher in Taiwan. 14 hours may not be enough and if you want more then it is possible, but be aware that depending on where you get work, 14 hours might be the number you start off on before you are offered more classes.
If you want more than just 14 hours a week, then the good news is that most schools offer more than 14 and usually give you around 24 hours a week. Depending on the number of days you work that will translate into about 4 to 5 hours a day. The legal limit you can work teaching English is 32 hours a week. This is clearly much less than the 40 hours most of us work back home, but the problem is finding 32 hours a week at one school can be very difficult. You may have to consider getting a second part-time job to compensate for the lack of hours your first school gives you.
English teachers in Taiwan do around 20 hours a week. Some work more than this and some work less, but the bulk of teachers turn up and teach about 20 to 24 hours of classes a week. If you need more then you may have to pick a school that can give you a full schedule or work in a city where there are a large number of schools. The other big question is how many hours do you want to work? It may be best to find a job that suits your schedule.
There are a lot of different kinds of English cram schools in Taiwan. Some are just for children, some have classes for teenagers and some for adults. Some schools offer classes for adults, teenagers and children. Regardless of where you work you will get a minimum of 14 hours a week if you are applying for your first job. Why just 14? This is the minimum that teachers can work in their first job in order to get all the papers that will allow you to stay and work legally as a teacher in Taiwan. 14 hours may not be enough and if you want more then it is possible, but be aware that depending on where you get work, 14 hours might be the number you start off on before you are offered more classes.
If you want more than just 14 hours a week, then the good news is that most schools offer more than 14 and usually give you around 24 hours a week. Depending on the number of days you work that will translate into about 4 to 5 hours a day. The legal limit you can work teaching English is 32 hours a week. This is clearly much less than the 40 hours most of us work back home, but the problem is finding 32 hours a week at one school can be very difficult. You may have to consider getting a second part-time job to compensate for the lack of hours your first school gives you.
English teachers in Taiwan do around 20 hours a week. Some work more than this and some work less, but the bulk of teachers turn up and teach about 20 to 24 hours of classes a week. If you need more then you may have to pick a school that can give you a full schedule or work in a city where there are a large number of schools. The other big question is how many hours do you want to work? It may be best to find a job that suits your schedule.
The Dangers of Online Degrees in Taiwan
Before you make any more to Taiwan to work as an English teacher, be sure that you have checked your educational qualifications to see if they can be used. The majority of foreigners in Taiwan work at cram schools where the requirements to teach are not too strict. However, this does not mean that anyone can apply using any kind of degree. Online degrees are just one example of the kind of degrees that are not accepted by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan and that means you can't use them to apply for work.
While many countries around the world allow you to use your online degree to apply for jobs, this isn't the case with teaching English in Taiwan. Online degrees can't be used to apply for work as an English teacher, no matter if it is in a cram school or a university. Some people are unfortunate enough to being the study of an online degree only to later find out that what they won't be able to use it once they graduate from the course. At this point they are stuck in the nasty situation of either finishing it and spending more money on something that can't be used in Taiwan, or stopping their studies and just swallowing the cost of the money they have already spent. Avoid this mistake by making sure your degree is recognized.
What's the best way to know if your degree can be used in Taiwan? The answer to this is very simple. Make sure you study on campus at a physical location. If you do this then it is almost certain that the degree you obtain from your university will be recognized in Taiwan. While not all universities around the world are recognized, if you study in the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa at a university that you know is legit, like a state or government run establishment, then you should have no problem with the degree and using it to apply for jobs once you graduate. Doing this will save you a lot of headache in both the short and long term.
If you want to make sure you have the best English teaching experience in Taiwan, make sure that your degree is recognized first. Don't think you can study and obtain and online degree and then use it to apply for work in Taiwan, you can't. Online degrees are worthless when it comes to applying for jobs and you should only do one if you have an interest in the field you plan to study or you want to use it for matters outside of working as a teacher in Taiwan.
While many countries around the world allow you to use your online degree to apply for jobs, this isn't the case with teaching English in Taiwan. Online degrees can't be used to apply for work as an English teacher, no matter if it is in a cram school or a university. Some people are unfortunate enough to being the study of an online degree only to later find out that what they won't be able to use it once they graduate from the course. At this point they are stuck in the nasty situation of either finishing it and spending more money on something that can't be used in Taiwan, or stopping their studies and just swallowing the cost of the money they have already spent. Avoid this mistake by making sure your degree is recognized.
What's the best way to know if your degree can be used in Taiwan? The answer to this is very simple. Make sure you study on campus at a physical location. If you do this then it is almost certain that the degree you obtain from your university will be recognized in Taiwan. While not all universities around the world are recognized, if you study in the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa at a university that you know is legit, like a state or government run establishment, then you should have no problem with the degree and using it to apply for jobs once you graduate. Doing this will save you a lot of headache in both the short and long term.
If you want to make sure you have the best English teaching experience in Taiwan, make sure that your degree is recognized first. Don't think you can study and obtain and online degree and then use it to apply for work in Taiwan, you can't. Online degrees are worthless when it comes to applying for jobs and you should only do one if you have an interest in the field you plan to study or you want to use it for matters outside of working as a teacher in Taiwan.
The Best Place For English Teachers In Taiwan?
Making the move overseas to work can be very daunting. This is primarily in part to one not being familiar with the new environment they are making the move to. If you are considering teaching English in Taiwan, then there is probably a very good chance that you feel this way. Unless you have been to Taiwan before and stayed for a prolonged period of time, you may not be familiar with the job market and which cities offer the most employment opportunities in Taiwan.
The easy answer to this is that if you want to live in the best city work wise, then you should consider Taipei and any area outside AND close to Taipei. Why is this? Well, a quick look at any job site will show that most of the jobs being advertised are for Taipei. You will also see a wide range of jobs being advertised. You are not limited to teaching English to only children and will also be able to find work teaching teenagers and adults.
This is in part due to most business and development being found in Taipei. Many adults in cities outside of Taipei do not need or rarely use English in their daily lives or careers. So, this means they don't have as much a need to learn English as someone working in Taipei. An adult working in Taipei may use English on a daily basis, or at least know that there are better paying jobs in Taipei for someone with an English ability. This in turn means that they are more motivated to learn English because there is a real reason.
Another reason for so many jobs being found in Taipei is because of the size. Taipei and the surrounding area makes up a fairly large chunk of Taiwan's population and it makes sense that where there are people there are the most opportunities. If you are thinking about coming to Taiwan, then you should at least check out Taipei because you'll find the best and most opportunities for English teachers.
The easy answer to this is that if you want to live in the best city work wise, then you should consider Taipei and any area outside AND close to Taipei. Why is this? Well, a quick look at any job site will show that most of the jobs being advertised are for Taipei. You will also see a wide range of jobs being advertised. You are not limited to teaching English to only children and will also be able to find work teaching teenagers and adults.
This is in part due to most business and development being found in Taipei. Many adults in cities outside of Taipei do not need or rarely use English in their daily lives or careers. So, this means they don't have as much a need to learn English as someone working in Taipei. An adult working in Taipei may use English on a daily basis, or at least know that there are better paying jobs in Taipei for someone with an English ability. This in turn means that they are more motivated to learn English because there is a real reason.
Another reason for so many jobs being found in Taipei is because of the size. Taipei and the surrounding area makes up a fairly large chunk of Taiwan's population and it makes sense that where there are people there are the most opportunities. If you are thinking about coming to Taiwan, then you should at least check out Taipei because you'll find the best and most opportunities for English teachers.
