[quote=“Hongda”]One of the big problems is the use of the word, “Teacher”…I think if the term were changed to Language Conversation Coach, Language Conversation Tutor, or just English Conversationalist, this would give a much lower expectation to live up to then the image that most Asians expect from real teachers. Although then they would be considered much more overpaid then they are now.[/quote]Funny that. Some of the adult language schools describe their teachers as “consultants”, presumably because they think it sounds more professional than “teachers”.
I’m rather straightforward on this issue. You either teach or you don’t. If you teach, you’re a teacher.
[quote=“Hongda”]Let’s face it, most of the time when I ask someone what they do they kind of hmmm and haaaw, shuffle their feet and shamefully murmur…“I’m an English teacher”, so even they apparently know this title is not realistic. I often pat them on the back and say, “That’s ok man, I used to do that also”. [/quote]You won’t hear any shameful murmurs from me. I love my job.
[quote=“miltownkid”]Teachers (English Language Coaches) don’t get paid enough here to attract certified professionals. Only enough to attract “crazies.” The only reason certified professionals come here are 99% not related to teaching (girlfriend, interest in the culture, etc.)[/quote]Hmmm. Not sure about that. I know quite a few people with CELTAs, Trinity Cert. TESOLs, DELTAs and the like.
I suppose you might have been talking about people who are certified to teach subjects in state schools in their “home countries”. That’s not a professional qualification for EFL teaching, though. It may well be very helpful, but it’s not a specific professional qualification for EFL. There isn’t such a thing, officially, although the defacto ones at the moment are the Cambridge and Trinity qualifications. (MAs in TESOL and the like also come in handy but, again, they’re not “professional qualifications” for EFL).
[quote=“miltownkid”]English Language Coach Trainer Professioanls don’t get paid very much. They get paid a lot by local standards and in comparison to flipping burgers, but at the end of the day the wages here aren’t enough to get anyone to rip up their roots and come over (unless they want to, or they don’t have any ie. under 25.)[/quote]Well, that’s one thing. It’s a similar situation in many places though. You can be a well-qualified person teaching EFL in Spain or Greece and still not get very much money.