MEMBERS SIGN IN | REGISTER | ADVERTISE | CONTACT 54267 members
Teaching English in Greece
Teachers' advice > Greece
teaching english in greece
"Over the last few months, there has been a lot of debate about the proposed
requirement for English Teachers working in private schools frontistiria) to
take exams in Greek language. This proposal still seems to be in limbo, as it
hasn't formally been withdrawn, but the Greek government has been informed by
the European Commission that the proposal contravenes European law. That aside,
the requirements for a foreign teacher to be hired at a frontistirio are
relatively straightforward. The employer applies for a permit (adeia proslipsis
allodapou) and the only documentation required in support of that application is
a certified copy of your college diploma and a certificate from the public
health committee issued after a medical including a blood test and chest X-ray.
To get a teaching licence to work privately or establish your own school is
rather more complex, and certification in Greek language is required for that.
Regional Directorates of Secondary Education are not always fully informed about
procedures, so it's often useful to contact the Ministry of Education in Athens.
Anyone interested in teaching in Greece is also welcome to contact us at
jobs@anglo-hellenic.com"
Posted by Peter, 21/01/08
"Greece is a wonderful country to visit and to stay for a while. The climate is
mild, the scenery everywhere is breathtaking, people are hospitable and they
know how to enjoy life. Very proud of their ancient and more modern history and
language, they will always tell you that "everything comes from Greek".
Teaching in Greece is another issue. There are job openings in Greece, usually
at the beginning of every school year, in September. As a foreigner, you can
only teach in "frontistiria" (private language schools). If you are an EU
national, getting hired is easier than if you are not. To teach in these schools
you need a teaching licence issued by the Ministry of Education. It takes a few
months to get it... or you might never get it. Knowing this truth, the school
owners hire certified TEFL/TESOL teachers holding a university degree even
without this licence. This has the inconvenience that you might find yourself at
their disposal, no protection, no insurance. The school owners do not arrange
for accommodation, but the people are nice and you will always find a place to
stay. The salary is between 6 and 800 euros per month. It's ok if you live
modestly. Usually English teachers teach private lessons to round up their
salary.
One detail: teaching in these schools means teaching for examinations
(Cambridge, Michigan and a national English examination called Kratiko), so you
need to know what these examinations are about very well.
Posted by Mihaela, 21/02/07
"It's heavenly to work on the islands, especially in Crete. The places not to be
missed are Herakleio, Ierapetra, Makri Yalos and Sitia. You can visit the
the Knossos civilization in Herakleio. It's HIGHLY ADVISABLE to have some basic
conversational knowledge in GREEK to move
around, otherwise you will be hoodwinked in broad daylight!"
Anonymous, 19/06/06
Teaching English in Greece - What Do You Need to Know?
Emmanuel Mendonca
The employment situation can be quite uncertain for newcomers to Greece and
therefore many people choose to try teaching English as a foreign language, on a
full or part-time basis. It can bring in a good income whether it is your
preferred career choice, or you wish to do it short-term until another career
choice pans out.
Qualifications and Experience
There are many language schools or
frontistiria
in Athens and all over Greece, to which you could apply for work. In
order to get a job in one of these schools, it is still not strictly necessary
to have a formal teaching qualification such as TEFL (Teaching English as a
Foreign Language). Often all that is required is a university degree (in any
subject) from a UK or US university. That said, if you are uncertain about your
ability to teach English and want to ensure that you start off in this line of
work with the necessary skills, a course would be useful. It would provide you
with some teaching theory, knowledge of English grammar (let's face it, many of
us have never formally studied English grammar in any great depth, even though
we speak and write English everyday) and give you some valuable experience of
teaching in a classroom, since this is included in most courses. When applying
for jobs, you will find vacancies that specify that previous teaching experience
is required and others for which no experience is necessary.
It does not matter if you do not speak a lot of Greek. Native English speakers
are often valued for other reasons such as having what is seen as a "proper"
accent. Many people also swear by the approach of not speaking your students'
language, so that they hear only English being spoken for the duration of the
lesson. You will find ways to make yourself understood. In my experience of
language teaching, it can even be counter-productive if your students know that
you speak their language well, because they may be too easily tempted to speak
to you in Greek when they find it hard going.
Finding work
Teaching English as a foreign language jobs are widely advertised in newspapers
and on the Internet all year round and most often from August to October. As
well as applying before in Greece, you can also go to door-to-door around the
frontistiria
with your CV, again in the August to October period. If you are
visiting them in person, it is not recommended that you spend time doing this
any earlier than August because the schools often do not consider their
recruitment needs much before the beginning of the academic year.
Pay and working conditions
Pay and conditions offered by language schools will vary enormously, so it is
important to check these out in detail first before accepting a contract. If
time is on your side, it may be worth speaking to several schools rather than
taking the first job you are offered. Also, if you work in a
frontistirio
it is quite likely that you will be working mainly in the afternoons and
evenings, since this is when children and adults are free to take their lessons.
Making some extra money
Many people who teach English as a foreign language in a school, also do private
English on the side and this can become a lucrative activity in itself. Working
in a language school for a few months is a good way to meet students and
advertise the fact that you do private English lessons, on a one-to-one basis.
It can be difficult to get the first few, but then through word of mouth, you'll
get more if you do a good job - that great social network of mums and dads on
the school run can work wonders! The University of Cambridge ESOL (English for
Speakers of Other Languages) exam system seems to be the most widely known and
respected in Greece, many people who want to be taught privately are preparing
to sit a Cambridge exam or some other type of test. It is worth familiarising
yourself with the system - there is an enormous amount of free information on
the Internet, including lesson plans, tips, exam practice etc. The exams which
are most commonly sat by students are the "First Certificate in English" (which
many people still refer to by its old name: "Lower"), "Certificate of
Proficiency in English" (known as "Proficiency"), and "Certificate in Advanced
English" (commonly referred to as "Advanced"). More information is available
from the Cambridge ESOL web site (www.cambridgeesol.org).
What private students will want from you varies a great deal. Some may just want
a conversation class, others may just be starting on the Cambridge examinations
path and there will be some who are already at a very high level and may need
detailed coaching on specific grammar points or on vocabulary for a particular
purpose e.g. business English. And given these differences, the amount of
preparation required on your part and the fee per hour you are able to charge
will probably vary too. I will finish with a word on advertising. My experience
has been that I have paid out money for two newspaper ads, which got back zero
replies! What has worked well for me is local advertising - you need to use your
imagination. I put a card in local shops and a small notice in the back window
of my car and you can see people reading it at every traffic light! Just beware
of getting calls on your mobile phone while you're driving - not good! As I said
before, word of mouth should kick in too once you have your first couple of
lessons.
Emmanuel Mendonca is the webmaster of
Greece Travel Articles - a source of interesting articles and information
about visiting, living and working in Greece.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Send to a friend
give some advice
Share this
resources for greece
TEFL jobs in Europe
TEFL courses in Greece
Teaching in Europe Forum
Travel information for Greece
English Language Schools in Greece
Learn Greek
Greece Lonely Planet
This is a guide to Greece that embraces its unusual attractions such as the
'rock forests' of Meterora and the tower settlement of the Mani. There is a
section that covers the art and architecture of Greece, while offering an
insight into contemporary Greece. Up-to-date ferry information is also provided.
DISCLAIMER
The views expressed on this page are those of visitors to this website, not of
eslbase.com. eslbase.com makes no claim as to their truth or accuracy. Please
see our full disclaimer for more information.
▲
