Teach English Abroad
The Complete Guide
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Teaching English in the Middle East
The main draw for many teachers going to the Middle East to teach English is financial despite its colourful history, rich cultures and exotic allure. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE offer some of the highest TEFL salaries in the world combined with employment packages that can include accommodation and flights. With few overheads many teachers are able to save most of their salaries. However, this needs to be offset with the restrictions that westerners face with living in the region.
With the exceptions of Lebanon and a couple of other more liberal societies, westerners often have limited access to the culture and will need a period of adjustment. Without question, westerners do need to be very vigilant about following the extremely conservative laws of this region. Teachers are invariably confined to living in specific compounds for expatriates.
Personal security is another factor that needs very careful consideration. Anyone thinking about moving to Yemen or other areas with security risks where westerners have experienced trouble in the past few years is well advised to consult their embassy before starting any job search.
The best jobs for teaching English in the Middle East regarding pay and conditions are usually found in universities. Requirements do tend to be at the top end of the scale with most needing DELTA, a Masters or other postgraduate qualifications related to TEFL as well as teaching experience. Even vacancies in schools, both private and public, will ask for more than just a degree and standard TEFL certificate.
Private language schools are another major employer. Contracts are typically for a period of one year. It is essential to be clear about pay and conditions in the contract. Teachers should not be pressured into signing anything they don’t understand or haven’t agreed to.
Almost all countries will insist you have employment before providing you with working papers. Teachers are inevitably “tied” to their sponsor, so doing a background check on them and contacting other teachers is highly recommended. The Middle East is the one place for which prospective teachers almost definitely need to arrange work before arrival.
Finding work for the qualified and experienced should be fairly straightforward. The better paid jobs are advertised online or in international publications. Along with other key ESL locations abroad like Japan, Korea and China, there is a constant flow of advertisements for the region. If you are interested in university work regularly check their websites for vacancies. Agencies mainly offer placements for teaching in schools.
Casual work teaching English in the Middle East for the most part is not possible, although some teachers do supplement their income with private lessons. Plenty of research needs to be done to give you a clear picture of what life teaching in the region is really like.
See the Teach English Abroad - Guide to Countries for further information including individual country profilesfor the Middle East.
With the exceptions of Lebanon and a couple of other more liberal societies, westerners often have limited access to the culture and will need a period of adjustment. Without question, westerners do need to be very vigilant about following the extremely conservative laws of this region. Teachers are invariably confined to living in specific compounds for expatriates.
Personal security is another factor that needs very careful consideration. Anyone thinking about moving to Yemen or other areas with security risks where westerners have experienced trouble in the past few years is well advised to consult their embassy before starting any job search.
The best jobs for teaching English in the Middle East regarding pay and conditions are usually found in universities. Requirements do tend to be at the top end of the scale with most needing DELTA, a Masters or other postgraduate qualifications related to TEFL as well as teaching experience. Even vacancies in schools, both private and public, will ask for more than just a degree and standard TEFL certificate.
Private language schools are another major employer. Contracts are typically for a period of one year. It is essential to be clear about pay and conditions in the contract. Teachers should not be pressured into signing anything they don’t understand or haven’t agreed to.
Almost all countries will insist you have employment before providing you with working papers. Teachers are inevitably “tied” to their sponsor, so doing a background check on them and contacting other teachers is highly recommended. The Middle East is the one place for which prospective teachers almost definitely need to arrange work before arrival.
Finding work for the qualified and experienced should be fairly straightforward. The better paid jobs are advertised online or in international publications. Along with other key ESL locations abroad like Japan, Korea and China, there is a constant flow of advertisements for the region. If you are interested in university work regularly check their websites for vacancies. Agencies mainly offer placements for teaching in schools.
Casual work teaching English in the Middle East for the most part is not possible, although some teachers do supplement their income with private lessons. Plenty of research needs to be done to give you a clear picture of what life teaching in the region is really like.
See the Teach English Abroad - Guide to Countries for further information including individual country profilesfor the Middle East.