Teaching English in Italy
June 17, 2006 6:25 PM Subscribe
Are there actually well paying (enough to support a family) English Teaching jobs in Italy? Euro MeFites, I'd love to hear from you. Much
Friends of a friend in Padua say that there is a demand for English teachers in Italy. Google reveals many sites selling TESOL and TESL courses for certs, but no actual job listings.
The wife teaches and is certified for ESL and has a Masters in Cross Cultural Education. I'm DOD but also have many blue collar skills. I've lived there before and would be fluent in Italian in a few weeks.
If we do this it will be in two years and we're willing to commit to three to five years service. (Yes, we're researching and planning way ahead of time.)
The questions:
1. Are there really jobs for certified experienced (foreign) teachers?
2. Is this feasable for a family of four? The kids would be 10 and 11 yrs old.
3. What is the best way to go about researching actual positions and contacting people in the profession there?
BTW, I've read previous AskMe threads but they mostly spoke about visas and temp jobs.
Thanks in advance.
Friends of a friend in Padua say that there is a demand for English teachers in Italy. Google reveals many sites selling TESOL and TESL courses for certs, but no actual job listings.
The wife teaches and is certified for ESL and has a Masters in Cross Cultural Education. I'm DOD but also have many blue collar skills. I've lived there before and would be fluent in Italian in a few weeks.
If we do this it will be in two years and we're willing to commit to three to five years service. (Yes, we're researching and planning way ahead of time.)
The questions:
1. Are there really jobs for certified experienced (foreign) teachers?
2. Is this feasable for a family of four? The kids would be 10 and 11 yrs old.
3. What is the best way to go about researching actual positions and contacting people in the profession there?
BTW, I've read previous AskMe threads but they mostly spoke about visas and temp jobs.
Thanks in advance.
Your wife might want to talk to these people.
As far as I understand, ESL / EFL jobs are not all that well-paying in Western Europe, but I don't have first hand experience. Right place / right time you just might luck out.
posted by Meatbomb at 11:53 PM on June 17, 2006
As far as I understand, ESL / EFL jobs are not all that well-paying in Western Europe, but I don't have first hand experience. Right place / right time you just might luck out.
posted by Meatbomb at 11:53 PM on June 17, 2006
Best answer: Are you sure you want to do this? I recommend a Google search on "foreign lecturers Italy" for some idea of employment conditions in the university sector for foreigners. Apparently this is not out of step with the experience in the rest of education or in the commercial sector, and -- although I don't have specific info on Italy -- TEFL schools are famous for their bad employment practice in every country that I know about (and your wife, assuming she is American, would be more vulnerable than Brits over her need for a visa and work permit).
If you decide to try Italy or another European Union country, note that your wife will be competing with lots of Brits because of EU mobility rules. On the other hand, some students actively prefer learning US English to British English. These are often business people, and it may well be worth your wife beefing up her experience and qualifications in this area before you go.
posted by Idcoytco at 4:30 PM on June 18, 2006
If you decide to try Italy or another European Union country, note that your wife will be competing with lots of Brits because of EU mobility rules. On the other hand, some students actively prefer learning US English to British English. These are often business people, and it may well be worth your wife beefing up her experience and qualifications in this area before you go.
posted by Idcoytco at 4:30 PM on June 18, 2006
Best answer: Any time I've ever looked at this kind of thing in Europe over the years, the number one hurdle was that almost every legitimate job I saw there had EU citizenship as a prerequisite.
There are jobs on offer here, as always (this is the non-Korea, non-China board at Dave's, not just for Europe). Tefl.com is a reasonable resource, as well, as I recall.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:07 PM on June 18, 2006
There are jobs on offer here, as always (this is the non-Korea, non-China board at Dave's, not just for Europe). Tefl.com is a reasonable resource, as well, as I recall.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:07 PM on June 18, 2006
Response by poster: Hey, thanks folks. I knew there had to be a hang up with this.
We had no idea about EU regulations but it makes sense to me.
So I guess as USians our other option would be DODDS. We'll check it out. This was very enlightening. Thanks again.
posted by snsranch at 6:10 PM on June 18, 2006
We had no idea about EU regulations but it makes sense to me.
So I guess as USians our other option would be DODDS. We'll check it out. This was very enlightening. Thanks again.
posted by snsranch at 6:10 PM on June 18, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Doohickie at 8:35 PM on June 17, 2006