| The employment situation can be quite | | | | Pay and conditions offered by language |
| uncertain for newcomers to Greece and | | | | schools will vary enormously, so it is |
| therefore many people choose to try teaching | | | | important to check these out in detail first |
| English as a foreign language, on a full or | | | | before accepting a contract. If time is on |
| part-time basis. It can bring in a good | | | | your side, it may be worth speaking to |
| income whether it is your preferred career | | | | several schools rather than taking the first |
| choice, or you wish to do it short-term until | | | | job you are offered. Also, if you work in a |
| another career choice pans out. | | | | frontistirio it is quite likely that you will |
| | | | be working mainly in the afternoons and |
| Qualifications and Experience | | | | evenings, since this is when children and |
| | | | adults are free to take their lessons. |
| There are many language schools or | | | | |
| frontistiria in Athens and all over Greece, | | | | Making some extra money |
| to which you could apply for work. In order | | | | |
| to get a job in one of these schools, it is | | | | Many people who teach English as a foreign |
| still not strictly necessary to have a formal | | | | language in a school, also do private English |
| teaching qualification such as TEFL (Teaching | | | | on the side and this can become a lucrative |
| English as a Foreign Language). Often all | | | | activity in itself. Working in a language |
| that is required is a university degree (in | | | | school for a few months is a good way to meet |
| any subject) from a UK or US university. That | | | | students and advertise the fact that you do |
| said, if you are uncertain about your ability | | | | private English lessons, on a one-to-one |
| to teach English and want to ensure that you | | | | basis. It can be difficult to get the first |
| start off in this line of work with the | | | | few, but then through word of mouth, youll |
| necessary skills, a course would be useful. | | | | get more if you do a good job that great |
| It would provide you with some teaching | | | | social network of mums and dads on the school |
| theory, knowledge of English grammar (lets | | | | run can work wonders! The University of |
| face it, many of us have never formally | | | | Cambridge ESOL (English for Speakers of Other |
| studied English grammar in any great depth, | | | | Languages) exam system seems to be the most |
| even though we speak and write English | | | | widely known and respected in Greece, many |
| everyday) and give you some valuable | | | | people who want to be taught privately are |
| experience of teaching in a classroom, since | | | | preparing to sit a Cambridge exam or some |
| this is included in most courses. When | | | | other type of test. It is worth familiarising |
| applying for jobs, you will find vacancies | | | | yourself with the system there is an |
| that specify that previous teaching | | | | enormous amount of free information on the |
| experience is required and others for which | | | | Internet, including lesson plans, tips, exam |
| no experience is necessary. | | | | practice etc. The exams which are most |
| | | | commonly sat by students are the \"First |
| It does not matter if you do not speak a lot | | | | Certificate in English\" (which many people |
| of Greek. Native English speakers are often | | | | still refer to by its old name: \"Lower\"), |
| valued for other reasons such as having what | | | | \"Certificate of Proficiency in English\" |
| is seen as a proper accent. Many people also | | | | (known as Proficiency), and Certificate in |
| swear by the approach of not speaking your | | | | Advanced English (commonly referred to as |
| students language, so that they hear only | | | | Advanced). More information is available from |
| English being spoken for the duration of the | | | | the Cambridge ESOL web site ( |
| lesson. You will find ways to make yourself | | | | |
| understood. In my experience of language | | | | What private students will want from you |
| teaching, it can even be counter-productive | | | | varies a great deal. Some may just want a |
| if your students know that you speak their | | | | conversation class, others may just be |
| language well, because they may be too easily | | | | starting on the Cambridge examinations path |
| tempted to speak to you in Greek when they | | | | and there will be some who are already at a |
| find it hard going. | | | | very high level and may need detailed |
| | | | coaching on specific grammar points or on |
| Finding work | | | | vocabulary for a particular purpose e.g. |
| | | | business English. And given these |
| Teaching English as a foreign language jobs | | | | differences, the amount of preparation |
| are widely advertised in newspapers and on | | | | required on your part and the fee per hour |
| the Internet all year round and most often | | | | you are able to charge will probably vary |
| from August to October. As well as applying | | | | too. I will finish with a word on |
| before in Greece, you can also go to | | | | advertising. My experience has been that I |
| door-to-door around the frontistiria with | | | | have paid out money for two newspaper ads, |
| your CV, again in the August to October | | | | which got back zero replies! What has worked |
| period. If you are visiting them in person, | | | | well for me is local advertising - you need |
| it is not recommended that you spend time | | | | to use your imagination. I put a card in |
| doing this any earlier than August because | | | | local shops and a small notice in the back |
| the schools often do not consider their | | | | window of my car and you can see people |
| recruitment needs much before the beginning | | | | reading it at every traffic light! Just |
| of the academic year. | | | | beware of getting calls on your mobile phone |
| | | | while you\'re driving - not good! As I said |
| Pay and working conditions | | | | before, word of mouth should kick in too once |
| | | | you have your first couple of lessons. |