ESL Teaching Guide - Taiwan
Kitty - December 2002
My advice if you want to come to Taiwan is, whatever you do, don't find your job through the internet or an agency. Come here by yourself and look around for a job when you get here. This might sound a bit daunting but these schools are advertising overseas because no one already here will touch them (eg Hess, Kojen). They overwork and underpay you and threaten to get you blacklisted if you try to leave, scaring naive newcomers into staying. The better schools only advertise locally as people will go to them. Another piece of advise is come around Chinese New Year or September as that is when the new semesters start. More schools will be looking for teachers then, other times can be more difficult, especially the summer. Lastly, it's better to teach kids than adults as it pays better, and most of the adult schools aren't very good quality wise.Good luck!
Clare Rothwell - April 2002
If you are offered a job in Taiwan, either before or after you arrive here, don't sign a contract until you have spoken to or e-mailed a current foreign employee of the company to find out what you are getting into. I have made that mistake twice (I am a slow learner), and I have regretted it very much. One local company advertises paid holidays. They refer to national holidays, not a couple of weeks vacation a year, as some (particularly speakers of British English), might think.
Living in China: A Guide to Teaching and Studying in China Including Taiwan
Lonely Planet Taiwan
Culture Shock! Taiwan
Insight Guide Taiwan (Insight Guides)
Taiwan
Matthew - December 2001
Very High demand for English Teaching at the moment - But busiest during summer vacation - with many short term jobs for students looking for a summer job - well worth it. Many people make the mistake of finding a job before they come here - then find out conditions are usually much better if they came here on visitors visa then found work here and applied for working visa once arrived.
Pay can be 3x higher if you just invest a tiny amount in the Friday edition of one of the local English newspapers - average job pays around NT$600-700 - don't work for less than NT$500 per hour - Salary -around NT$54,000 per month is pretty good for around 24 hours actual teaching per week. Must have a degree or an O.K. forged one works well too.
