GO EAST YOUNG WOMAN!
(TEFL EMPLOYMENT TRENDS FOR WOMEN IN EDUCATION)
It seems more and more spirited women are taking advantage of the economic opportunities available in English language Instruction overseas these days. Perhaps there is no place more evident than Asia given the rising middle class over the past several decades, to the point where there is a tremendous opportunity for professionally trained and EFL certified females in the elementary teaching profession in countries ranging as far and wide as Japan, Korea and China, to Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand and certainly across most of the Middle East.
Why Women, Why Now?
In the field of TEFL which is still, perhaps unfairly, male dominated, particularly in terms of administrative positions and leadership roles, it appears the allure of women as professional English instructors is becoming increasingly desirable, as employer perceptions for women working with younger learners becomes more and more the norm. Unlike women, men it seems, are more likely to “pack it in” and move abroad as “ex-Pats” in general, probably because of greater acceptance to do so as entrepreneurial breadwinners, while women may remain more reluctant because of family ties and child rearing duties than their male counterparts.
As birthrates in Asia rise and as women’s liberation and equal footing in the world wide workplace strengthens, more women seem to be less inhibited about increasing their income potential and quality of life, and therefore they too desire to travel abroad more than in the past. It would seem in a world which is becoming increasingly smaller and more connected, that women traveling for work is gaining greater acceptance and opportunities for working abroad are undoubtedly on the rise.
The increase in women in the EFL field, and as international tourists in general, may in part be due to increased disposable income for women due to economic equalization and because of the widely held conception that women are more nurturing (a trait which is recently gaining acceptance in a more old-fashioned “top down” educational learning culture) as important criteria for effective learning. In addition to their obvious child nurturing experience and capabilities, women are sometimes viewed as more reliable and preferable to their male counterparts when it comes to teaching elementary learners, or so it would seem, based upon the way in which positions are commonly advertised, specifying a preference for “young energetic English speaking female teachers.”
Perhaps this is due to the perception that women are seen as more "relate-able" when it comes to working collaboratively or that they appear to “take directions better” without questioning authority unlike men, who appear to be more likely to question policies and procedures. It remains debatable, but the common view appears to be that women are less likely to show up after a weekend bender of carousing and drinking oneself into a stupor, hung over and ill prepared for work when compared to men.
Increasingly, schools and businesses are showing signs that they want to employ female English Language Teachers, perhaps because they are finding, that working women are less risky in terms of higher turnover than male teachers and are more likely to exercise a greater sense of personal responsibility than their male counterparts. (Sorry guys, this is just the common stereotype working against us.)
Beauty Beware
But be forewarned ladies, in a culture where appearances are often an important prerequisite to success (for men and women alike) youth and “attractiveness” invariably can play a role in the practices of hiring and promotion. Therefore, it is not considered inappropriate or unusual to see advertisements in some Asian countries that include desired age, height and weight characteristics listed among the education and experience qualifications for women in certain positions, although this tends to be more of a factor in hospitality, secretarial and other “image conscious” industries, which may or may not carry over into the field of education. Much of this depends on the all too legal discriminatory practices of the supervisors and their managers across diverse regions. The same holds true for men in the military and law enforcement.
Teaching Couples
For this reason, often times teaching couples are seen as highly desirable, because a male teacher in a stable relationship, perhaps with a child or two can be seen as committed and “family oriented” which is a selling point to parents and their school community as they are viewed as more committed to the cause of child rearing and routine employment. Often too many dependents may be problematic if the school offers free or discounted tuition and housing, so smaller families are generally preferable. If a couple is unmarried or non-heterosexual, these too can sometimes have negative unspoken consequences, however each situation is different and depends on a multitude of variables including the “openness of the culture” and the manner in which these relationships are stated and maintained and how they promoted to potential employers all play a factor in acceptance.
Professional women increasingly finding that that Asia has plenty of goods and services to assist them in their daily living needs at a reasonable cost, be it health and beauty aids/ treatments, the purchasing of fashion and accessories, or the soliciting of personal assistants and professional services, as well as traditional nanny, laundry and housekeeping duties.
On average, it would appear that, men still earn more than their female colleagues in Asia, but that gap seems to be narrowing in the field of TEFL particularly for so called “Native English Speakers” (NES) over those of say secondary speakers of English employed as English as a Foreign Language instructors who are often brought in from countries like India or the Philippines when budget constrictions prohibit the hiring of a native speaker to fill various openings.
Whatever plan of action a male or female unemployed educator decides to take, in general, the more advanced certifications a TEFL or TESOL Teacher holds, the more opportunity they possess in terms of their marketability and increased number of employment options.
At Paradise TEFL, we strive to provide hands on practical Basic and Advanced certification at reasonable prices. Our advanced course provides additional English Language teaching certifications and is offered in tandem with our site courses in Chiang Mai and Krabi Thailand as well as Cancun Mexico and our special summer program in Portland Oregon, or as a complete series of online modules some with a virtual practice teaching option.
Additional opportunities lie in the field of TEFL training. In order to become a TEFL Trainer, you should have already completed a TEFL, TESOL or CELTA course first in order to be eligible and teaching experience is necessary. (Our Basic TEFL on-site program provides 2 to 3 weeks of hands on observed teaching practice to help our teachers to effectively develop their skills).
All courses are accredited and you will receive a certificate of completion, which is internationally recognized and accepted when you graduate from the course. Many of those who already have experience as TEFL instructors are finding that becoming a certified TEFL trainer is another opportunity and feather in their cap in terms of meeting the demand of TEFL instructors (who are leaving their home countries and working abroad) by teaching others how to teach TEFL effectively.
Graduates with these additional certifications have the advantage of substantially increasing their marketability and employment status. Improve your chances of getting a good job with a higher level of pay by enrolling today!
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