Teaching English in France

Teachers' advice / France

French administration is fine as long as you get the paperwork right regarding things like residency and work permit; that includes any family. Tax and state contribution issues also need to be well in hand with both UK and France if you are to avoid double whammy or problems later on return to UK. Once you are 'pigeon-holed' in France it is hell's job to change it!

You will need to a) speak French and b) drive. France is a big country by UK standards and not all areas use much English or choose to, and that, along with the different working hours (early to early/early to late) and odd shop closing days/times can make working schedules and shopping trips a bit of a juggle, especially as they vary from region to region. I found north France (Paris included) more problematic with language than middle and southern France... but I spoke very well quite quickly; you will need to try to do the same so upgrade/refresh any skills before you arrive. Your family should also learn to drive and speak asap for obvious medical/administration and schooling reasons. We lived in a remote village with no English speakers so be warned - it may look idyllic on the TV but it takes some handling!

Take all documents on everything - often originals are needed so don't end up with social security, professional and medical stuff safely in an English high street bank vault!

Don't be fooled by the laid back attitude of the southern French; they can be quite inscrutable and that includes students and families of them.

Be prepared for a bit of old fashioned chauvinism - this is often a (rather good and deep) disguise as it is often 'maman' who really pulls the strings. Professionally it is rather male dominated but the minority of French lady professionals are very competent and tough; they have to be so treat them as real or risk earache and severe 'red-taping' on procedures otherwise.

Students are surprisingly 'primitive' quite often in English even though (allegedly) they learn English as a first second language in early school; as usual passive skills are often high and laziness rules OK viz homework and projects timeframes. Watch out for humour - it takes some very exotic forms in the south particularly where they often have a rather 'colonial' view of England and English teachers. Music often works well as a teaching vehicle... surprisingly poetry does as well. Politics and social life in other countries is cursory knowledge but stimulating with teen learners - the Royals can be both fun subjects and mystifying if too much detail is given or asked for.

Education admin is quite refreshingly traditional (committees, reports) but as a teacher you will have quite a lot of templated forms and procedures and (at higher levels) quite a bit of accountability for progress reports and real goal attainment. Not so 'cosy' as some English language schools for example... more real and demanding with the irritating French obsession with terminology exactitude which can be a problem if you do not speak French well; the usual concept translation problems.

That will do for now maybe. Social/family life issues vary from region to region so best to do thorough homework and visit the area if you are moving over as a family. Short term solo existence can be as 'business trip' mentality as you choose to make it; ranging from 'where is the nearest expat support group ie. pub... to 'I wonder what happens if' with phrase book and a big smile adventures. The second one is far more fun and near zero-risk believe me! France is not (yet) Papua New Guinea so the natives bite sometimes perhaps but do not chew!
Mike, 18/04/06
Finding ESL teaching work outside of Paris can be a challenge and it takes time to orientate oneself. Forget trying to find work between June and September as the summer holiday period is long and unless you have an interview lined up beforehand, you will need lots of luck on your side. However, I suggest you email your CV and letter of motivation (in French) to as many addresses as possible (try www.pagesjaunes.com) and above all don't give up, keep trying. There are jobs out there and you don't have to be bilingual, just very persistent. Bonne Chance."
Colette, 08/05/06
I live in Amberieu (small town half an hour outside Lyon) and I teach English freelance to adults. There seems to be a great demand for English native speakers, and we are thin on the ground outside the big cities in this part of France. My advice for anyone considering coming over to teach - go for it, if you are a good teacher you will have no difficulty at all in finding work and the quality of life over here is better than that in England (weather, food, open space, sports, culture etc etc) and it's the best way to improve your French, actually living in the country."
Wendy, 12/12/06
I have lived in France for 13 years and I think that it is not so much what you know but rather who you know. The French seem to focus on what qualifications you have (often without checking them) and if it looks good on paper that's what counts!

I am a nurse and have taught English for several years. I have just completed a specialised course in "teaching medical English" if anyone out there is interested to know more about that, do send me a mail." (contact Jane through eslbase)
Jane, 04/10/07
Guide to Teaching EFL in France
by Nadia Zehni

Living and working in a foreign country is never easy at first. I’ve just returned from a three month contract teaching EFL in central France and would like to share what I’ve learnt with others who plan to teach there.

EFL is extremely popular in France at the moment, especially within businesses. English is not introduced at school until quite late in high school so there is a lack of fluent English speakers in the workplace. Now with business growing in Europe, English is often the language needed to communicate with foreign clients (as well as German.)

While in France I worked for a private company teaching EFL to management, sales executives and administration. This is common place and there are several language schools offering workshops to different companies. (They are definitely in need of more EFL teachers so this may be an interesting avenue to explore!)

The following are a few things which I wish I had known before I left to France:

1) Taxes – I will not attempt to explain the French tax system to you (as it would be practically impossible!) About 23% of my salary was deducted in taxes which includes health and pension. I believe 1,300 euros is roughly the minimum gross salary per month so you can use that as a measure of how well you’re earning. (Wages in Paris will of course be higher.)

2) Medical – you will probably have to have a medical check up to ascertain that you’re fit to work. Once you are working you will be entitled to health benefits although you will have to pay upfront and be reimbursed later.

3) Cost of living – It is generally cheaper than the UK, possibly between 25%-35% according to some sources. Food is very reasonable and the French will often eat a full meal at lunch as opposed to a quick sandwich on the fly as in the UK. This will mean though that they will work extra hours to compensate for lunch breaks etc…

4) Property – French property are classified as T or F (which means apartment or house) with a number alongside it indicating number of rooms (plus kitchen and bathroom). For example a T2 could be a 1 bedroom apartment, with living area, kitchen and bathroom. If you’re only staying for a short period of time you may want to consider making a deal with a B&B or staying with a host family (which in turn will help you improve your French too!)

5) Private lessons – If you plan to give private lessons in your spare time (they are in great demand) in addition to your main job, you can ask for about 20-25 Euros per hour. I was lucky in that I lived with a family and in exchange for food and accommodation, I gave their 3 children English lessons every week.

6) Travel – Make the most of France when you’re there, it’s an unbelievably beautiful and varied country! Trains are relatively cheap and frequent. You get cheaper deals when you travel at certain times and days so keep that in mind when planning a journey. If you’re in the North of France near Paris you could also hop over to Brussels (2 hours) or Amsterdam (4 hours). You should definitely try to visit the Southern region of Ardesche. It’s a popular tourist destination, but well worth the visit especially in summer. The French (despite how people may stereotype them) are really friendly and know how to enjoy life. Working there will be an unforgettable experience professionally, socially and gastronomically!

Good luck!

Nadia Zehni has extensive experience teaching English as a Foreign Language in England, Malta and France. She is a regular contributor to EnglishForums.com, the world's busiest EFL community, which receives over 30,000 visits a day. It's an excellent resource for EFL teachers looking for information about grammar, phonetics, EFL jobs and teaching tips. English students on the other hand can learn English by posting questions and getting help from volunteer EFL teachers, as well as speaking with other learners. To benefit from this fantastic resource sign up for free at http://www.englishforums.com!
In France you will pay a lot of tax and many students will not be interested in learning English because the French government makes companies provide staff with English lessons. French people can also be quite rude and seem to enjoy it. It is best to move to France to find a TEFL job."
Paul, 18/10/07
France is very expensive - food, clothes and drinking in bars is very expensive, more expensive than any other country in the EU, it is much more expensive than the UK. Finding a place to stay in Paris which is where most of the TEFL jobs are is very very hard because most ads you phone are gone or at least 50 people will call in a day, it can take a month to find a place unless you get lucky."
Carl, 15/03/08
I have been working in France for one year now I would agree that it is the most expensive country in Europe. It is very hard to get private lessons and be warned French houses are not modern and are very dirty. They have primitive kitchens and most have not been decorated in years. In fact, I have never seen a nice French home and many do not have fitted kitchens or ovens."
Jenny, 22/03/08
France is more expensive than the UK unless you are buying a home, no it's not 25% cheaper! 6-8 euros for a pint of beer. In fact, you do not need coins in France because its hard to buy milk for less than two euros!"
Jonathon, 07/06/08
I am American but have been living in France for over 25 years. My husband is French, so I had no problems getting a work permit. If you want to do ESL for professionals, you probably can ask for a bit more if you are American. Of course it is harder for us to work here, which explains the shortage of qualified American English teachers. If you are planning on staying in France, I would recommend getting another job, training,etc. where your English language skills are necessary. Then as a second career, or perhaps if you have kids, want to work part-time, etc. doing ESL training . You get to meet great people, visit lots of companies, and learning is a win-win situation. Of course you will not make loads of money and there will be very few fringe benefits, so you have to know what you are getting into. But once you are known in this field, you will be able to work for higher paying agencies. Good luck!"
Jacquie, 02/06/09

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