Teaching English in the Mediterranean

By Susan Griffith

Turkey: Middle-Class Eager to Learn English

With its sights set on eventually joining the European Union, Turkish parents and young Turkish people are more eager than ever to promote the English language. Dozens of private secondary schools (lises) and a few universities use English as the language of instruction, and many secondary schools hire native-speaking teachers. Among the leading indigenous language teaching organizations (see addresses below) are Interlang, which employs about 50 native speakers in six schools, and Dilko English, both in Istanbul. Although Istanbul is not the capital, it is Turkey's commercial, financial, and cultural center, so this is where most of the EFL teaching takes place. For less competition, consider Ankara and other inland cities.

A TEFL qualification may not be a prerequisite for employment, but a university degree and a commitment to stay for a year usually are. Private language schools will expect you to work the usual unsocial hours. They may chop and change your timetable at short notice. At the same time, lises offer daytime working hours plus (sometimes onerous) extracurricular duties such as marking tests, attending school ceremonies, etc. Wages and working conditions often leave much to be desired. Teachers complain that the accommodations supplied by employers may be worse than mediocre and far from the workplace. Teachers have sometimes had difficulty collecting promised wages on time. But at least inflation has been controlled so that salaries should hold their value over a typical nine-month contract.

Egypt: Prosperous Residents Employ Private Tutors

Institutions like the American University in Cairo and the British Council have exacting standards for their teaching staff. At the other end of the spectrum, there are plenty of commercial language institutes, often located in the back streets of Cairo, that are less fussy. Many private secondary schools in Cairo and Alexandria offer large programs in English as a second language, some of which hire foreign graduates to work alongside certified teachers. In addition to the Sakkara Language school listed below.

In prosperous residential areas of Cairo like Heliopolis, Maadi, and Zamalek, anyone who can cultivate contacts may be able to set up private lessons. Assume you have no acquaintances among affluent Cairenes. In that case, you must advertise with notices written in Arabic and English or in the expatriate press. A more straightforward way to announce your availability might be to place an ad on the notice boards of the schools mentioned above.

The cost of living in Egypt is meager, so even modest wages go a long way. Most teachers enter Egypt on a tourist visa (which can be purchased at the airport) and then ask their school to obtain a work permit from the Ministry of Manpower and Training.

Morocco: English Gaining Prominence

Although Morocco is a Francophone country, English has gained prominence in academic and business circles. Ten American Language Centers in all the main cities (see below) employ several native speakers — some as part of a Visiting Teachers Program.

The Moroccan Ministry of Labor stipulates that all foreign teachers have a university degree to qualify for a work permit. Permits are obtained after arrival. Although knowing French is not a formal requirement, it is an excellent asset for anyone planning to spend time in Morocco. The hourly rate of pay is between $10 and $14. Net salaries for contract teachers are 9,000-11,000 dirhams per month. See Teaching English in Morocco for more detailed information.

SUSAN GRIFFITH is co-editor of Work Abroad and author of the book Teaching English Abroad. See Susan's bio for more information about her extensive bibliography or to purchase her book.