Need for English teachers, editors, proofreaders?

[DougieT]

Hello!

I'm a former Teacher of English as a Foreign Language, currently living in California and thinking about picking up my teaching career again and coming to Finland to teach. (I've been working outside the field for about seven years now.) I have a Master's in TESOL (1993, from the Monterey [Cal.] Institute of International Studies), and several years of English-teaching experience overseas, first as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Central African Republic in the mid-80s, and more recently in Saudi Arabia, where I taught for six years (until 2001). I've also got advanced editing and proofreading skills, and would consider as well any jobs requiring the writing of articles, summaries, abstracts, reports, etc.

I've traveled widely and am keen to see what life in Finland might have to offer. I've never been there (except for a couple of hours at the airport in Helsinki)! Aside from that, the closest I've come was the ten days I spent in Sweden in the late 90s, which I look back on with fond memories.

I've just begun my research into teaching possibilities in Finland, and would greatly appreciate any tips anyone could offer on getting started there. What's the market like for American [non-EU] teachers? What are the best places to teach (universities, private schools, businesses), and best places to live (Helsinki, Turku, elsewhere)? I've lived in big cities around the world most of my life, and am possibly more interested now in exploring life in a less intensely urban environment. But, my biggest strength: I am flexible.

Anyway, thanks for reading all this! Looking forward to hearing from you ...

[Rosamunda]

Well, we are in a recession at the moment so I guess private companies will do what they always do and cut back on training

As a non-EU citizen you will have to secure an employment contract in order to get residency/work permits. That will be the hard part since the TEFL industry here is mostly made up of freelancers (this is so the language schools don't have to lay us off when the companies cut their training budgets). Nearly all the USA teachers working here (at least the ones I know) are married to Finns (in fact I cannot think of a single exception, and I know quite a few teachers).

With your qualifications you should be able to walk into any language school (the biggest are AAC Global (which is part of WSOY) and Richard Lewis). If you browse on this forum you will find all the names and addresses and even a few tips on the places to avoid. But,as I hinted above, you will be very hard-pushed to find the kind of contract that would enable you to get a work permit.

You might have a better chance trying the universities and polytechnics etc.

As for proof-reading, I have no idea. I assume those things are offshored these days. But the problem is still the same, that kind of work is done by freelancers.

[mrjimsfc]

You could check this one out. It's on the outskirts of Helsinki but still not "out in the sticks".

[Rosamunda]

You could check this one out. It's on the outskirts of Helsinki but still not "out in the sticks".

I seem to remember there was someone on here (or on the other forum) whose wife worked in that school. Anyway, it sounds like a good option. I wouldn't worry too much about all the "you must have...." "according to the decree bla bla" etc etc I know there are native English teachers teaching in schools in Finland who do NOT meet all those requirements. A masters in TEFL and lots of experience would certainly get a foot in the door. Of course there will almost certainly be applicants from inside Finland (I can think of a few off the top of my head), not many of these come up on offer. Getting the diplomas etc certified will cost you though.

There are probably some posters on here who have children in Vantaa International school (I don't).

[Rosamunda]

With your qualifications you should be able to walk into any language school (the biggest are AAC Global (which is part of WSOY) and Richard Lewis).

What are the reputations of these 2 companies, btw? Just wondering if their German reputations carry over into Finland?

Reputation for who? Customers? Students? Teachers?

WSOY just "bought" AAC Global so I guess they wouldn't have done that if the school didn't have a good reputation (or a healthy balance sheet). Not sure what the link would be with Germany.

As for Richard Lewis, it is a Finnish company. The Richard Lewis empire started in Finland. They have partner schools in other countries but the real McCoy is right here in Tapiola. These days they specialise in the Cultural Awareness stuff, but language training is still their bread and butter business.

I have never worked for either so I cannot give you any subjective insider information about working for them. I've heard they don't pay too well. But then again, who does ?

BTW... am going to PM you about a recipe book I have for you, if you want it.

[Rosamunda]

Most independent (freelance) teachers work for companies like Richard Lewis and AAC Global. Being the biggest, I guess they go for key accounts like Nokia etc. But as I said, I don't work for them. I know a few teachers who have their own students in small companies, but finding clients is hard work. Most teachers prefer teaching rather than doing the sales and marketing stuff. It's bad enough having to do all the bookkeeping and admin! The money is better if you can invoice direct to the "end customer" but it is harder to pull in all the hours you need. ideally, it is nice to have a mix: a few private students and then a few groups through a reliable school.

PM on the way (yes it's an allergy recipe book)

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

this is an old thread...but as P said it's dead at the moment for this type of work.

I wanted a quiet year this year and I got it! But not in the way I was hoping...Compaines are cutting back and of course, the first thing to go is 'pointless' training.

I would wait a year or so before sending applications. They will probably be trashed at the moment.

There is plenty of people who work without the qualifications but I know some of the bigger companies want more than an english teacher...They want people with business / financial / It experience etc etc as well as they have some knowledge of the students vocab needs etc etc. (It's stupid as anyone with that kind of experience wouldn't end up in this kind of job with the crappy pay and conditions).

but you could always try the polytechnics etc too. they are running as normal.

[Rosamunda]

There is plenty of people who work without the qualifications but I know some of the bigger companies want more than an english teacher...They want people with business / financial / It experience etc etc as well as they have some knowledge of the students vocab needs etc etc. (It's stupid as anyone with that kind of experience wouldn't end up in this kind of job with the crappy pay and conditions).

Wrong. I worked in a multinational computer firm for 20 years (in finance and audit) before I took voluntary redundancy and retrained as a teacher! So, teaching was a choice for me and I like the flexibility of being freelance and choosing when and where I work. The pay is quite naff, but I don't think I earn any less than a school teacher (for same hours) and because I have an Oy I am able to deduct my expenses (books, equipment, travel etc). I think it's probably easier to survive in Helsinki... I can work a whole day in the city and walk/tram between lessons ( I just turn down the hours that are too far from home). Also, the public sector plays a big part in TEFL in the city, which is keeping some of us busy even during the recession. Then all the universities, polys and the examination work (Cambridge, IELTS etc)

And let's be honest... with my level of Finnish I would have problems getting a finance job in a Finnish company, even if I wanted one. Quite a few of the teachers I know here in Helsinki have worked in "proper" jobs before coming to Finland, so they have the Knowledge .

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

Ok - Rephrase...Normal people wouldn't give up their job to do this.

Well, there is always exceptions to the rule.

What are these people you know? Finns or other?

You don't take classes out of the city? Don't you get that lovely, lovely, tax free KM money?

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

Quite a few of the teachers I know here in Helsinki have worked in "proper" jobs before coming to Finland, so they have the Knowledge .

I think that say's it all there...

[Pursuivant]

Well if you look at here for example, you can see all the open jobs with a magic word. Theres a couple of jobs in the boonies at polytechnics and colleges, and a few for business teaching. That one spam advert is not going to get you a RP.

Applications are invited for the position of Lecturer in English at Tampere University of Technology. A main duty of the position is the development and co-ordination of academic and technical writing, including grammar, rhetoric and style. The successful candidate

• will hold a Doctor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field
• will have language teacher qualifications with substantial TEFL experience
• will have developed relevant university-level teaching material, including online courses
• will have excellent ability in the English language

Sounds like something up your alley?


Mind you though, most everybody here in their 40's and younger have learned English in school, so the "market" is a bit different than someplaces people flock into courses - more of the "fine tuning" part and reading, writing and conversation skills. Which is that the people won't speak - not because they wouldn't know - they're thinking of the grammar to get the sentence out impeccably - the childhood traumas of everybody laughing and the teacher giving a minus point resurface - so speaking in a foreign language - a high school passed Finn usually speaks four languages - is a bit of an ordeal if you haven't used it daily so they rather not speak - at all - unless you give them a stick or carrot. Oh and if you go lecture into a college, just never ask "are there any questions" - Finns don't consider 15 minute silence to be a pregnant pause... nor is anybody going to take the front row seats uless they have to.

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

In TEFL what happens is you ask "Any questions?" and there's no answer....Then you say "Ok, let's pick up from last week...turn to page 43"....then all the questions start...the lazy fools!