ESL Jobs Forum

[Chris78]

I have a Business Degree from a Canadian University and I am seriously considering getting into teaching. I called these guys :

Academy of Teaching and Training (Canada)

to get some info about the course prices and how it all works. My question is: I have a dual citizenship Canadian and Polish (2 passports so I can legally work anywhere in Europe). I've been in Canada since I was 10 years old ( hit 29..here comes the big 30..lol) and fluent in both English and Polish. I do have a little bit of an accent, some people can tell some can't. I understand there's been a lot of conversation about non native speakers and their problems of getting into teaching positions. What's your take on it all. I don't want to waste my time and money if I'm just gonna be shafted because of my almost non existent accent. Any comment would be greatly appreciated...

Chris

[renatka29]

Hey,

How is it going? I just wanted to let you know that I obtained my master's degree in ESL/EFL and English Literature in Slovakia in 2003 and I do have an accent (a slight one, but I do, and people can tell), and I have been living in the U.S.A. since 2001, but right after I got my master's, I found my first teaching job in the U.S. and have been teaching here ever since. Well, to make a long story short, I went from non-profit agencies to a university setting(IEP) in four years.

I often feel a little discriminated; I know that I will be interviewed by more than one person not because I'm incompetent, but because that's what they do with non-native speakers, but I can honestly say that I have been very successful so far. It's not easy, but its feasible.

Be confident, know what you want, and don't give up.