Teaching in France

Help, tips and advice in teaching English

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RobJames
Rising Star
Posts: 25
Joined: 10 Sep 2009, 18:01
Status: Teacher

Teaching in France

Unread post by RobJames »

Hi Lucy !

I hope you are well these days.

REF: France

I have already tried to search about this, but wondered if you can help me with these questions. 1) What French employers look for from an English teacher - what qualifications and experience do they want ? What qualifications can help get a job in France? (for the short or long term, I don't mind)

2) Is it best to search for jobs in person in France or are there any reputable websites?

I have lived in Brussels for a year so can get by quite well in French. I have two years of TEFL in China. I'm very grateful for your help as always. Rob
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Lucy
Top Contributor
Posts: 658
Joined: 13 Jan 2004, 15:09
Status: Teacher Trainer

Re: Teaching in France

Unread post by Lucy »

Hi Rob,

I'm very well; thanks for asking. Hope you are well too. It's good to see you in the forums again.

So, you're thinking of moving to France! I'm sure you'll be able to find a job with your experience and qualifications. However, the problem in Paris is that for every job, there are many applicants. Paris is a very popular place for people straight out of university or on their gap year. There are many private language schools and I'm sure you could get a job there; however these schools don't pay very well and they expect their teachers to travel a lot during the day. You may be asked to teach in-company for an hour in one neighbourhood and then move to teach an hour or two in another neighbourhood. Many schools don't pay the travel time or the time that you are waiting between lessons.

Of course, there are schools that pay better and offer better working conditions but the teachers in these schools tend to stay put so there are fewer vacancies. These schools often (but not always) expect more experience and qualifications. Universities pay well in Paris and écoles supérieures and écoles de gestion pay well but hire teachers for a few hours a week. They usually hire at the beginning of the academic year. Many new teachers in Paris teach in 2 or 3 schools until they get a full-time job in a place that suits them.

Sorry, I've talked a lot about my experiences without answering your question specifically. A CELTA is generally enough to get a teaching job in Paris. Good sites to look at are FUSAC (France USA Contacts: not limited to Americans) and Craigslist. Alternatively you can do a search for language schools. An employer in France will always want to meet the teacher; it would be a good idea to contact schools and try to set up a meeting with them.

hope this helps and please write in again if you want more info.

Lucy
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