I've moved

Hi all, thanks for dropping by. To make things easier, I've decided to merge some of my blogs, which, including this one, can now be found at ELT World. I've been getting off my backsides and writing recently, so come over to the new URL and leave lots of lovely comments.

Classic Articles: Does your TEFL employer provide medical insurance?

In celebration of the upcoming release of the fifth edition of Horizons Journal, I've decided to revisit some of the classic articles from the first four issues. In this article, I examine the issue of medical coverage with the help of members of the ELT World forums:


'How well will you be provided for should you need urgent medical treatment?' I asked on the ELT World forums. Here are the responses of forum members from around the world:

Many of you seemed to have a pretty good idea of what would happen should you find yourself in trouble. 'Yes', exclaimed EFL Geek emphatically finding himself among the vast majority (71 votes - 83%) of you who are covered in some way should you need medical treatment. Only 15% (13 votes) of you stated that you weren't covered. All I can say about the 2% (2 votes) who didn't know if they were covered is that it must be nice to live in blissful ignorance! Several forum members explained the state health system where they are. Emma notes the situation in Greece:

'In Greece, although your employer has to pay your contributions over to the National Health Service, I'm not sure how good it is and most people have a top-up insurance, even though it is in the EU.'

MELEE, in Mixteca, describes how things are in Mexico:

'Mexico has national health, not the greatest, but if I had 3rd degree burns over 70% of my body, they'd treat me. Whether or not I'm close enough to a hospital that could handle that terrible of an accident is another story.'

Lozwich explains the situation when covered by private insurance in Bogota, Colombia, in comparison to Spain:

'I've been lucky (?) enough to have had two surgeries here in Boggy, both completely paid for by my insurance. I think they even paid for the rental of my crutches, and they definitely paid for some slightly radical treatment I had. I gave myself a second degree burn when I lived in Spain, and the "treatment" I received at the local hospital was awful. I got better treatment and follow up physio advice (I damaged tendons in my hand through the burn) from a couple of pals who work for the NHS in London. I think burns are not very well understood by many medical professionals, and think there's plenty of room for improvement on that front all over the world.'

Denise further discusses private health insurance, this time in relation to what one might find in the Gulf:

'I've only had minor issues and routine checks, but they've been nearly fully covered. I just pay 2 rials, which is about $5, and get way more drugs than I need for free. Typically, the doc says, "I'm giving you this pill to take three times a day, and this pill to take once a day, and this pill to take only if you're feeling really, really bad, and this other pill that you shouldn't take at all." Once you get into the system for the private hospital in Muscat, you get good care nearly fully covered. You just need a referral to get in for that first visit.'

The graphic, while reassuring, doesn't of course tell the whole story. Dmb notes, for example, that while his insurance 'also pays %80 of medicine. If I die however, I am only worth 15 grand ($).' Further research into whether or not we consider our coverage adequate may well feature in a later edition of the journal. Yaramaz, another resident of Ataturkburg, Turkey, describes her situation: we don't always appreciate medical coverage until we need it: 'Yes - but only since last September in my current job. Last spring, several teachers (including myself) were involved in a car accident on the way back from a company class. The owner of our school arranged ambulances to a private hospital and paid out of pocket for all tests and treatments and hospital stays and follow ups (one teacher had a double fractured pelvis). As a result of this accident, they added full private insurance to our new contracts - I haven't used mine yet, but am glad to have it. Public hospitals here are not very reassuring.'

A good point: if you're going to have to rely on what you can get from the state when faced with a medical emergency, be sure to find out what exactly that is likely to mean. Also, find out if your employer is going to support you or cut corners if they possibly can. Glenski exemplifies with a case from Japan:

'Health insurance co-payments are required by law in Japan. Just be careful about how your employer operates. If he counts only the hours you are in the classroom and it's less than 29 per week, he can legally call you part-time when he reports you to the tax authorities and therefore avoid making the co-payments.'

Let's round off with some very sound advice from Fat Chris in Japan, advice that will make more sense to you once you get into your thirties:

'If a job wouldn't offer me health insurance, then I wouldn't be likely to take that job. That said, if I am choosing between two jobs with Job A offering more money and a "lesser" health insurance policy and Job B offering less money and a more comprehensive health insurance policy, I may be more likely to take Job B. Having an adequate health insurance policy can't be emphasized enough. I am currently covered with life insurance thrown in as well.'

So, if you're accepting a job as a teacher, whether for the first time or not, think about how well you're covered in a medical emergency.

Use and distribution of this article is permitted subject to no changes being made to the content and appropriate hyperlinks/URL references in place.

English Teaching in Israel can be Immensely Rewarding

An article by Michelle Simmons


In Israel, the need for English-speaking citizens has recently risen to epic proportions. With this increase in demand, finding a job teaching English in Israel is easier than ever for foreigners who wish to head abroad.

Are you considering teaching English in Israel? If so, there are a few key things you should know before you begin your job hunt. The information below is designed to make the process easier and ensure that you're getting the best possible situation. Teaching English in Israel is an adventure... make sure it's not a stressful one by following these simple tips.

Getting certified

Many countries prefer their native-speaking English teachers to get certified in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) while still in their home countries. While this isn't a requirement in Israel, it will certainly help you when it comes time to finding a job.

Another requirement for teaching English in Israel is to have a four-year college degree. The subject is really unimportant; what matters is the fact that you have graduated from a college.

You must also consider becoming teacher certified in Israel. The TESOL organization in Tel Aviv is one of the most highly regarded English-teaching organizations in the country, and provides training for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. Approach the English Teacher Network in Israel (http://www.etni.org.il) for more helpful information. Once the Israeli teaching program is completed, you are almost guaranteed a teaching position.

Finding a position

The need for English speakers in Israel has grown so much in recent years that the language has become one of the most popular subjects taught in classrooms, from elementary level on up. You will find, however, that jobs are more prevalent in middle and upper class areas, where the level of education is higher and more students are expected to enter the business world.

In the same middle to upper-class areas, you will also discover that a large percentage of children are tutored privately in the art of speaking English. You may want to consider becoming a private tutor if working in the school system does not suit you. While pay may be lower and you won't have the benefits provided by a school or university job, you will be able to work more flexible hours, and some people much prefer the freedom of such a position over working for a school board.

If neither of these opportunities appeals to you, you may want to consider teaching English in Israel to adults. Many businesses and corporations in Israel deal with the Western world on a frequent basis, and employees who speak English is an absolute necessity. A corporation may hire you on a job-by-job basis, or even as a staff consultant, where you'll be expected to teach English to employees one-on-one or in a group setting.

What to expect

The pay you will receive for teaching English in Israel is considered rather low compared to many other countries with opportunities for such positions. You will have the option, as a teacher, to attend numerous teaching conferences and workshops, and doing so can greatly increase your value as a teacher and result in pay raises down the road. A resourceful teacher will take any such opportunities that come along and will learn quickly how to increase his or her worth on the job.

Most schools that hire you as an English teacher will offer teacher's housing, and you should take advantage of this situation particularly if you are located in a large city, where housing may be expensive and difficult to find.

Of course, you'll also be given vacation time and paid holidays while teaching English in Israel, and you should use your time off exploring the country and learning more about your adopted culture. Israel is a beautiful place steeped in history, and teaching English to Israeli natives is a unique experience that should not be passed by.



About the Author

Michelle Simmons is a contributing editor for ESLemployment, the leading job and resource site for the English Teaching Industry. Interested in receiving hundreds of English Teaching jobs listings weekly for free? To learn more visit Teaching English Jobs.

English to Lose its Place of Dominance?

So, we think English will be the all-dominant language forever, do we? Not bloody likely, if Nicholas Ostler is to be believed in his recent article for Forbes:

The status of English as an international language appears unassailable. It is simultaneously pre-eminent in science, politics, business and entertainment. And unlike any of its lingua franca predecessors, it has all this on a truly worldwide scale. There is no challenger comparable to it: Chinese has more native speakers, but every schoolchild in China now studies English. And India, set to overtake China in population by 2050, is avidly trading on its English expertise.

But English is not thereby immune to the principles of language survival. Above all, it is notable that beyond the 330 million or so native speakers, perhaps twice as many more use it as a second language. And this community of over 600 million second-language speakers, who make English pre-eminent as a world language, also make it vulnerable in the long term.

'If you want to call me baby...just go ahead now'

In 5,000 years of recorded language history, a few dozen languages have achieved the status of lingua franca, a language of wider communication among people whose mother tongues may be quite different. Spanish, French, Hindi, Russian and English have been lingua francas in the present age, as have been Latin, Quechua, Persian and Aramaic in the past. But this status does not come about by some utilitarian reckoning, or democratic selection. There is always a reason, be it conquest, trade, religious mission or social aspiration, which has selected a language to have this wider role, and that reason is hard to forget - and ultimately often hard to forgive.

This is seldom clear - at first - to native speakers. They naturally see their mother tongue as a simple blessing for the wider world. Pliny the Elder, writing in the 1st century AD of the then widespread use of Latin, boasted that it almost made the sky brighter; French author Anatole France (1844-1924) thought the French language was such a charming mistress that no one was ever tempted to be unfaithful to her. But neither language would have spread across Western Europe if their use had not once upon a time been imposed - by forces other than lucidity and charm...


Get working on those 'transferable skills' and preparing for an alternative career boys and girls! Read the rest of the article here.

Israel: 22 years of teaching

In Israeli higher education, there’sone general trend that is clear: increasing numbers of Israeli students are going on to some form of higher education. Israel has been creating a system of regional colleges to cope with the growing demand for higher education. There were 22 such colleges in 1999. Many students also attend foreign universities awarding academic degrees in Israel. These trends all contribute to the increasing democratization of higher education, enhancing the equality of education. In such a climate, a need for English language skills is clear. In this article, originally published in full at the excellent One Stop English website, Marsha Goren describes her experiences of teaching English over more than two decades.


Israel: 22 years of teaching

I am an American who has been teaching English in Israel for 22 years. My work is very challenging and rewarding as most children in Israel strive to learn English.

Last year I received a job in the gifted program at Ein Ganim Elementary School. It was the first year that the children in this unique program were at this school. My school is one of five schools in the whole country that offers this special project. Children that participate in the program come from schools across the entire city. I realized it would take a tremendous amount of effort and investment on my part. It was a learning process for everyone that the program includes.

Normally, according to the Ministry of Education, regular classes start to acquire English as a second language in the fourth grade. However, schools begin English in the third grade. Teachers teach the oral skills through games, songs, drama, and visual aids. The written skills are usually taught at a later stage after the reading stages.

The gifted program includes three classes: fourth, fifth, and sixth graders who study together as one unit from the third grade until they finish high school in the twelfth grade. Each class contains up to 25 pupils.

Israeli authors usually write the textbooks we use in Israel, although it is possible to purchase books at teachers’ centers from other publishers from almost anywhere in the world. Since parents have the responsibility of buying children their books, it would be too expensive to buy materials from abroad. Although many teachers purchase additional materials, it would be a burden on the parents.

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Visit David's guide to English Teaching for everything you need to know about teaching the English language.
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Regular classes in the fourth grade normally begin to acquire basic English at the age of nine, since it is mandatory to begin in the fourth grade. Teachers put a tremendous amount of effort into reading and writing skills. It usually takes a year.

Teaching the gifted children is so different from a regular class of children. After ten lessons my fourth graders were all reading fluently. Their capabilities amazed me so much that I began to teach the fifth grade curriculum and, believe it or not, at the end of the year they had also succeeded in completing that too! It has truly been a real joy working with them and I hope to help them advance as much as possible.

Gifted children are normally very creative and especially talented in their oral skills. I began to take advantage of these skills by using songs and drama. These are two excellent ways to encourage all children, especially gifted ones. They particularly enjoyed songs by the Beatles, and they acquired many skills through songs, such as vocabulary and grammatical structures. More importantly, they learned about different cultures through the music and expanded their horizons in many areas. I can even say their oral fluency improved tremendously.

At our school, children also have access to the computer and so do I. They love using the Internet and it has contributed so much to many of our lessons. As an English teacher, I feel fortunate that I am able to take advantage of the marvelous free lessons from onestopenglish and additional sites which are excellent and most effective. The knowledge that can be gained is endless, and at the same time a regular boring lesson becomes more enjoyable and delightful for the children.

The pay in Israel depends on the teacher's qualifications. Teachers are encouraged to attend workshops and this may contribute to enlarging a certain percentage of their salary. However, for the last few years there is a lack of English teachers and the Ministry of Education is trying to encourage people to enter the teaching profession.

Everyone is aware of how important it is to know English. The whole world revolves around English as an international language. Children should be given the opportunities to stay on their own paths of excellence. Since English is a very prestigious subject within the Israeli curriculum, it is vital to expose these children to a variety of opportunities for success.

It is my belief that this program for the gifted might become a tremendous asset to Israeli society and Israeli education. It has helped me to become a better teacher. I feel blessed in teaching such children.

Shalom and greetings from Israel.



Originally published in the One Stop English online magazine

http://www.onestopenglish.com/section.asp?theme=mag&docid=145862