Are you an English teacher?

Work Teaching English in Taiwan
1

Do you or have you taught English in Taiwan ?

  • I teach English
  • I used to teach English, now I do something else
  • I used to do something else, now I teach English
  • I have never taught English

0 voters

OK so it has to be the most common question I get asked as a foreigner “Are you an English teacher?”, even those pesky foreigners themselves ask…

I find it tiresome and often humorous, talk about stereotypes… I never have taught English and hope I never will… not that I don’t respect the profession.

Anyway, it got me thinking what percentage of Forumsan’s teach or have taught English in Taiwan ?

2

Does the “used to do something else” need to be in Taiwan?

3

Ideally yes. I doubt too many would have taught English in their home country.

The “used to do something else” or “now do something else” helps to categorize those who originally came here to teach English and have transitioned to something else or those who came here doing something else and have transitioned to teaching English.

4

No I don’t teach english, but I could do with a few lessons. My grammar’s awful and I find I use the spellchecker more often that I’d like.

5

Looking at the results so far your on your own matie… No English teachers here :s

6

I used to teach English back home.

I didn’t teach English when I first came (i.e. that wasn’t why I came here.)

I do teach English now.

So did I used do do something and now teach English? Or do I teach English? :idunno:

aarrgghh!! this is all to hard for Monday!! :help:

7

This is just a guess, but it seems to me that if people come here for an actual or intended non-english teaching job, then the longer they stay the more likely they’ll get involved with the english industry at some point.

8

Not so sure i would agree with this, haver been here for 5 years, never been involved with the teaching side of things and no intention of ever doing so. closest i get is that some of my friends do teach.

9

If they came here for other specific business, eg managing companies, or specialised trade/abilities/knowledge, the probability of them turning to English teaching is slim.

However, if they came for a holiday, to learn Chinese, chase a girl, etc, and stayed longer than the original trip intended :smiley: then English teaching is a likely option.

I would tend to agree with you ln the latter group, but not the former group.

10

For someone who “never have” taught English you seem to have quite a gift for the language. Perhaps you should consider a career change. I’m sure you’d make a great teacher.

11

I’ve talked to a few people that have turned to teaching when they got laid off or were ‘in between’ jobs.
If this place was my long term home and I lost my job or quit, and needed some $$ for a while, I wouldn’t be able to work in McDs, Wait tables or Pump Gas as easily as at home…I think I’d be crazy to not go teaching until I got another job.

12

I agree. I would never want to teach full-time or do it as my main job, but I thoroughly enjoy teaching university classes for four hours a week in the evenings. I feel that it keeps my public speaking skills honed, and more importantly, I love watching the

13

For someone who “never have” taught English you seem to have quite a gift for the language. Perhaps you should consider a career change. I’m sure you’d make a great teacher.[/quote]

Thanks for the compliment, I am sure I make would a great teacher, but as I said previously not really in my plans.

14

What about those of us who came here primarily for the purpose of doing A and also taught English then, but who now do something else?

15

For the most part I see it as the opposite. As the time spent here increases I believe many foreigners transition from teaching to non-English teaching jobs. If you were to poll people who lived here long term & short term separately I would expect to see a noticeable difference.

I teach English
There are those that come here specifically to teach English, are passionate about the job and will continue to teach in their chosen career as long as they can.

There are those that come here to teach English temporarily, either backpacking around the world, taking a year off, earn a little cash, interested in the culture, etc. just passing through on their journey of life. Less passionate about teaching, more about partying.

I used to teach English, now I do something else
There are those that come here, the longer they stay the more settled they become, the more opportunities they see and a percentage transition to a non-English teaching job.

I used to do something else, now I teach English
There are those that come here with family or to study, ‘fall’ into teaching as a relatively easy well paying job.

There are those that come here with a non-English teaching job, the contract finishes or they part ways and ‘fall’ into teaching English as a stopgap. This stopgap leads to getting in a rut or becoming passionate about teaching and it becomes a long term career.

I have never taught English
There are those that have never taught English, do not plan to teach English.

16

You came here to teach English and now you do something else I guess would fall under “I used to teach English, now I do something else”,

Suppose if I wanted to be 100% correct I would have added “I primarily do something else, but have been know to dabble”

17

First this

[quote=“Connel”]Teaching English, going somewhere in life :loco: :notworthy: :bravo: :laughing: they do not belong together in the same sentance.

[/quote]

Now

[quote=“Connel”]I find it tiresome and often humorous, talk about stereotypes… I never have taught English and hope I never will… not that I don’t respect the profession.
[/quote]

Hmmm… are you sure about that last statement?

18

[quote=“Bassman”]Now

[quote=“Connel”]I find it tiresome and often humorous, talk about stereotypes… I never have taught English and hope I never will… not that I don’t respect the profession.
[/quote]

Hmmm… are you sure about that last statement?[/quote]

Dropped the disclaimer in as I was already getting flamed in the other thread. I’m still donning my flameproof suit & diving for cover down there.

19

For someone who “never have” taught English you seem to have quite a gift for the language. Perhaps you should consider a career change. I’m sure you’d make a great teacher.[/quote]

Thanks for the compliment[color=red]
,
[/color] I am sure I make would a great teacher, but as I said previously[color=red] [it’s] [/color]not really in my plans.[/quote]

You seem to have missed the back-handedness of this comment. I don’t think it was meant as a compliment. Comma splices or bad syntax not withstanding.

Must be nice to live in your world of bifurcation, Connel. If only everything could be so black and white, especially with things in which one has no experience. :unamused:

20

Yup, I do. I don’t know why you’re all getting so defensive.