Teaching English in Poland

Teachers' advice  >  Poland

teaching english in poland

"Poland has high unemployment, as a result your boss always has the upper hand. It is a good idea to get a solid contract. The contract should include pay and number of hours per week. Many poorly run "English Schools" will guarantee high hourly wages but not the hours per week. This can be problematic, if you make any plans based on your salary."
Anonymous, 21/04/06

"Transport system in the city is wonderful - best is to buy a monthly ticket (ticket office at Plac Bankowy) for 66pln. This will enable you to use the buses and trams and metro trains for one month. 66pln is the equivalent of £10. Average cost of a flat is 1200 - 1400pln - just over £200 per month. You can get a very pleasant one room flat with kitchen and bathroom for that amount. Any more and you are being suckered. I have been working in Warsaw for four years - I have also spent one year in Slovakia. If anyone wants more information they can get in touch with me at gilgaskell@hotmail.com"
Posted by Gill

"Poland is becoming a popular destination to teach English, especially among those who don't want to follow the herd in Spain.

I taught in Poland for one year in a place called Lodz, which happens to be Poland's second largest city. Like many places in Poland, it was grey and drab, and had high unemployment. That said, Lodz has a university and important film school which attracts people from all over the world. On the good side, the school was well-equipped, students were highly motivated, demanding, but easy to get on with. At the time, I earned about 2,500 zloty per month, which is of course peanuts in comparison to British wages."
Stakhanov, 03/01/07

"Plenty of jobs available especially for a native speaker. Many employers will take you on a part time contract and allow you to work privately for extra money so long as you keep focussed. Most cities are equipped with reliable and cheap public transport and most young people will speak English if you ever require any assistance. As one of the biggest markets for ESL teachers it is a great place to start, however, to ensure you get a job it is a must that you appear in person for an interview, as much for your sake as for theirs."
Geoff, 21/01/07

"A wonderful place with wonderful people. The language is a pig to learn properly but help will be given if you try a little.

Food is sensible and large cities have decent supermarkets. Some really nice places to visit with mountains in the south and excellent sandy beaches in the north - especially good for the Summer. Something for everyone.

Some very good schools and some real cowboys too so be a little careful. Although the wages are poor by Western European standards native speakers should earn a more than decent wage by local standards. Some good schools will provide accommodation too possibly in lieu of part of your wages... well worth a visit!"
Anonymous, 18/02/07

"Honestly speaking, it is very hard to make a decent living in Poland as an English teacher, and since most of the cities were destroyed during WW2 and rebuilt by the communists, they are not too colorful nor pretty to look at. The people are generally rude to deal with too. I would suggest looking for work in the Czech republic or Slovakia... at least you will have beautiful towns to walk around in..."
Anonymous, 14/10/07

"Poland is a great place to teach English. I taught English for just under 2 years in a city called Wroclaw and I am very satisfied with how things turned out. There are lots of English schools in Wroclaw as well as in every other major Polish city. The people are very nice and the cities in Poland are extremely beautiful. Wroclaw's mix of classical and modern architecture is a pleasure to be surrounded with. Poland is one of the nicest countries in all of eastern and central europe but because of Soviet domination after WWII many people are unaware of its true beauty and the potential it holds for foreigners. Wroclaw offers a wide variety of activities for your spare time including rich nightlife, clubs, pubs, museums, galleries and sporting events. The city is equipped with effective modern transportation so getting around was never a problem for me."
Mike, 02/02/08

"Due to the large number of people who left Poland to work in Germany and the United Kingdom, Poland is actually experiencing a shortage of labourers so there are tons of job opportunities for outsiders, including teaching English. I was sponsored by a Polish community center in Chicago to go teach English in Poland. I had my TEFL certification so it was easy for them to find a position for me at a local English training center for adults. I really enjoyed my stay in Warsaw and I have already been contacted several times by my Polish employer to go back and teach full time. This is why I am currently doing my TEFL diploma. Poland is in high-demand for skilled English teachers. Although the place I was at likes to hire native speaking English teachers, I learned that those who speak some Polish are much more likely to land a job there because some programs are for beginners who barely understand any English."
Anonymous, 02/02/08

"I taught ESL in Gdynia - one of the three tri-cities; the other two being Gdansk and Sopot. Gdynia is a lovely city and is considered one of the "wealthier" cities in Poland (due to the shipping industry years back).

The private school I worked in was highly professional and very accommodating in the types of classes I wanted to teach. The salary offered was minimal, though higher than that earned by the native Polish teachers (bear in mind, I had only 1 year of teaching experience). I found the students to be extremely hard-working, eager to learn the English language well, and very respectful of their teachers. The students were a mix of young (and some mature), ambitious, students and/or up-and-coming professionals.

The locals were another story. Though I was there during 2001-2002, it seemed that many were still reeling from the years of post-communism. (Tourist guidebooks that claimed the 40-something crowd were considered the 'lost generation' offered me a clearer picture of why there was such disparity in attitudes between generations).

From stories that I've heard and my own experience there, I would highly recommend teaching ESL in Poland. As in any country you first work in, it pays to do some research on the school and to get a firm (and clear) contract. Poland can offer you a beautiful landscape in which to work and/or travel just as long as you are willing to accept the attitudinal differences in the generations of Poles who lived through the rigors of war that many of us have never come close to. Oh, and keep your valuables close at hand - petty theft is still evident even in broad daylight."
Lillian, 24/03/08

 Email this page to a friend