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TEACHING ENGLISH IN MEXICO
By Don Adams © Don Adams 2002

TABLE OF CONTENTS

HOW DO YOU PREPARE TO TEACH ENGLISH IN MEXICO?
TEFL SCHOOLS IN MEXICO
TEFL SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES
TEFL SCHOOLS IN CANADA
TEFL SCHOOLS ONLINE
TEFL CORRESPONDENCE COURSES
OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES
DESERVING OF ITS OWN CATEGORY
HOW TO APPLY FOR A JOB IN MEXICO
HOW TO CROSS THE BORDER
HELPFUL INFORMATION FROM MARK FARLEY
MISCELLANEOUS USEFUL INFORMATION
MONEY HONEY
TO BECOME A SUCCESS YOU NEED AT LEAST THESE FEW THINGS
FOR ALREADY SUCCESSFUL TEACHING PROFESSIONALS
YES, I KNOW SOME OF YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS

It may be true that religion is the last refuge of the scoundrel, but it's just as true that teaching is often viewed by some as the last refuge of the rudderless and unqualified.

As an undergraduate in a North Texas Cow College School of Education I had many classmates who were really going to be doctors or lawyers or engineers, but were working toward teaching certification just in case . At the risk of getting a bit evangelical here I advocate the position that classroom teachers should be those people who have a desire to teach, coupled with the requisite skills, training, abilities, and attitudes to allow them to be successful. I'm doing a bit of sermonizing here, and you'll see more as we go along, but you'll also get a true picture of much of what you need to know about teaching English and other subjects in Mexico. There are no free lunches, and no free advice, so the cost of tuition is paid here in the coin of attention to my sermonizing. It's cheap at twice the price.

Okay, you've decided that teaching English in Mexico sounds a lot more interesting than any prospect you have locally, so you're ready to head South to get a job. You need a guidebook my friend, and I provide it. Your job is to read it, analyze it, and take whatever action you deem appropriate. My job is to give you as much information as I can. As a teaching professional one of my concerns is that both instructor and student benefit from their classroom encounters, and to that end we look at your responsibilities, because in the end, that's all you can control. Do the best job of preparation and implementation that you're capable of and both you and your students will be successful.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE TO TEACH ENGLISH IN MEXICO?
Many folks feel that having spent a lifetime speaking the language, and earning a passing grade in high school freshman English automatically qualifies them to be a teacher in a foreign country. Here's good news for some of you. In a few places it does. There are any number of schools in Mexico where you can get a job based entirely on your ability as a native speaker. These are usually not places that you want to get involved with, though. Low pay, disappearing or non-existent paychecks, poor working conditions and facilities, high student and teacher turnover, and almost debilitating stress levels are commonplace. Both you and your learners deserve better. You need to develop a higher degree of qualification and competence, and there are a number of ways to do so. There are many schools set up to provide you with both introductory and advanced instruction in how to teach English. There's a veritable laundry list of certifications offered by these schools, and a confusing array of acronyms to identify the various certifications and skills. Here's a list of some of them.

Which school and program should you choose? A lot depends upon:

and various other factors germane to your personal situation.

Some schools have almost no entrance qualifications past determining if you have sufficient funds to pay tuition. I've seen high school dropouts earn ESL certificates, sometimes in the same class with college graduates. This is not meant to be a criticism since I've also seen some dropouts who were much better teachers than a lot of their better educated peers. However, I must stress the importance of gaining a good understanding of what is required of good language teachers, and most of these schools provide an excellent introduction to the field.

Which training school you choose may also be influenced by how much you have to invest, as well as how close or how far away a particular school is. Additionally, some schools have more restrictive entrance requirements, so you need to shop around. In some cases you can take a course via internet, from the comfort of your own home or the local public library, or even by correspondence. You have a lot of options, and I list a few for you, so check out any of these that look interesting. Costs, time, and qualifications vary so be careful with your selection. For the sake of convenience I refer to all schools as TEFL training facilities. This is only a partial listing and I neither endorse nor recommend any of them.

TEFL SCHOOLS IN MEXICO
Instituto Mexico-Americano de Cultura, A.C. Guadalajara www.spanish-school.com.mx
Vancouver Language Centre Guadalajara www.tefl-mexico.com
Via Lingua Guadalajara www.vialingua.com
International Teacher Training Organization Guadalajara www.teflteslmexico.com
TEFL SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES
International House Teacher Training Portland,OR and San Francisco, Santa Monica, and San Diego, CA www.ih-usa.com
Midwest Teacher Training Program Madison, WI www.mttp.com
Transworld Schools San Francisco, CA www.transworldschools.com
The Boston Language Institute Boston,MA www.teflcertificate.com
St. Giles Colleges San Francisco, CA www.stgiles-usa.com
Worldwide Teachers Development Institute Boston, MA www.bostontefl.com
School for International Training Brattleboro, VT and Northhampton and Boston, MA and Santa Fe, NM and San Francisco, CA and Chicago, IL www.sit.edu/tesolcert
TEFL SCHOOLS IN CANADA
International Language Institute Halifax, Nova Scotia www.ili.ca or www.celta.ca or www.TeachEnglish.ca
The TEFL Center Toronto, ONT www.teflcenter.com

TEFL SCHOOLS ONLINE
I personally don't believe that this is the best way to get your initial training but any training beats none at all, so if this is what fits your schedule and pocketbook just go for it. Once you've gained some experience you can also further your education via some of these sources. One caveat however; if you choose an online or correspondence program you need to arrange for some practical classroom teaching experience. Some courses require it, but others don't. Find a local language program where you can volunteer to assist the staff. In areas with high immigrant populations this will be easy. If you live in Whitebread, South Dakota you may need to volunteer in a local adult literacy program, or as a teacher's aide at one of the local schools. You may find a solution to the problem by looking on www.esldirectory.com. This site has listings of a great number of ESL programs worldwide where non-English speakers come to learn the language, so chances are you'll find one close to you. These places will give you an up close and personal look at working in the field, and will probably allow you to observe or volunteer. Regardless of what you choose, you absolutely must see how a teacher plans, prepares, and presents. It's more difficult than it looks.

TEFL CORRESPONDENCE COURSES

This may all be a bit confusing to you at present, but it's much easier to deal with befuddlement while you're still in your hometown than trying to figure it all out in an alien culture. Here are a couple of required resources for your introduction into the TEFL arena. Take time to gather as much information as you can and study it well.

Dave Sperling's ESL Café is a treasure trove of useful information and referrals worldwide. If you're seriously considering the TEFL field you need to know this site. Look in at www.eslcafe.com. There are links to hundreds of other sites which are very informative and up-to-date.

InterWorks has two publications that are invaluable in helping aspiring teachers understand what they need to do in order to survive in the Mexican TEFL/TESL market, as well as where to look for jobs. First is the Teach English in Mexico Employment Guide which includes a thirty minute video CD ROM that shows teachers at work in Mexican schools. The second is the Teach English in Mexico Newsletter. The monthly newsletter supplies names and contact information for employers in a great many towns and cities - you may not have heard of many of these places - and each issue highlights a different area. Each newsletter provides information about housing, travel, shopping, and a myriad of other tips to help you make a smooth and stress-free transition. An archived set of the newsletters is available on CD ROM and is a good place to get a feel for the country and the job market. Contact them at www.teach-english-mexico.com or e-mail info@employnow.com.

OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES
For those who have inquiring minds, which I sincerely hope means all of you, here are some sites for you to explore. When you go to the ESL cafe site there will be many more links, so you can productively surf for weeks and weeks.

DESERVING OF ITS OWN CATEGORY
The website of Southwold Primary School in the UK is at http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/southwold/links2001.htm. Visit this site for free:

Most places in which you'll be teaching will not provide access to a fraction of the information you can access at this site. Spend some time exploring what they make available to you, and use your own imagination and teaching skills to modify the materials to suit your particular situation.

I predict you'll soon consider this to be the single most important teaching resource you have. By the way, you can easily modify these lessons for adult learners. You should consider sending a note to thank these folks and let them know what you think of their site.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A JOB IN MEXICO
At some point you're going to have to submit a resume or a CV. Curriculum Vitae is the European way of asking "What have you done with your life and how are you qualified for the position for which you're applying?" If you don't already know the answers to these questions, you can catch up with those who do, and pass those who don't, by checking out www.englishcv.com.

Josef Essberger wrote CVs ,Resumes, & Covering Letters for folks who are just as lost as you. It's a downloadable e-book that costs about $15.00 US. You may be able to find much of the same information if you pay attention to the websites I laid out earlier, but I personally believe that this particular wheel has been properly invented. Many of the TEFL training courses also have a brief introduction to this skill.

You'll find that most employers in Mexico are going to want to see you in person before they will consider hiring you. That doesn't mean you won't need a CV, but many other factors will come into play and will be more important in some cases. Earlier I referred to the video which accompanies the InternetWorks Employment Guide. The CD ROM shows teachers talking about their personal teaching experiences down here and it also presents a good deal of information about what to expect at a job interview and how to prepare for coming to Mexico.

HOW TO CROSS THE BORDER
Before you get to that point though you need to get across the border. It's simple. If you fly in, the flight attendant will give you a couple of forms to fill out. Be sure to carry a pen with either black or blue ink, that you can easily get your hands on. One form will be an application for a Tourist Migration Form (Forma Migratoria Turista) or FMT. Tourist is the important word here. Do not write on the form that you're coming into Mexico to work. At this point you are legally a tourist.

Your future employer will take care of the legalities involved with hiring you and getting your working papers. When you cross the border you are merely a tourist. You need to know that the FMT is valid for a maximum period of 180 days. When you cross the border, if the Migración representative writes a number smaller than this on your form, ask if he can change it. If he says no, you can get it extended to a full 180 days once you get in the country, but you'll have to pay a small fee. I suggest you contact a few prospective employers or check with InternetWorks before actually heading to Mexico in order to avoid any costly or devastating surprises.

The second form is a customs declaration form. Both are printed in English so you shouldn't have any trouble understanding them.

If you walk across the border, drive your own car, or ride a bus, you'll fill out these forms in the Customs (Aduana) office. Let me warn you right now not to carry drugs or weapons, even a single bullet, across that border. If you take prescription drugs make sure you carry them in their original containers, and that you have a doctor's prescription to show the Customs representative.

Wherever you cross there will be a small traffic light on a pedestal. Step up when told to and push the button to see if the Aduanero will inspect your luggage. If the light shows red he will, if green, you get to go on your way. Usually. Before you even get to Mexico to look for a job what should you be aware of?

HELPFUL INFORMATION FROM MARK FARLEY
Here is a short interview with Mark Farley, author of the Teach English in Mexico Employment Guide and Program Director of the Guaranteed Placement Program which provides participants with a guaranteed job, access to a personal representative for up to a year, arranged accommodations in the area where you teach, teaching materials, and a few other helpful items.

DA: Mark, aside from the things listed above, how else are you qualified to offer assistance and advice to prospective teachers?
MF: I have taught in Mexico on and off for eighteen years and our company (InternetWorks) is in the 6th year of providing information and resources for those interested in teaching English in Mexico.

DA: Based on your experience what do you consider to be the most important characteristic of a successful EFL teacher?
MF: The most important quality a teacher should possess is enthusiasm. The teacher should be motivated to teach and have an intense desire to help others learn. It is also important to know grammar and to know how to present the material in a fun and exciting way.

DA: So what do you think are the minimum requirements for a successful teacher?
MF: You should have classroom experience. You should be confident and outgoing. If you've never presented material to a class, then you may find yourself freezing up. Schools in Mexico are looking for outgoing, motivated individuals who can take control of a classroom. Some schools have even suggested receiving drama students or theater majors, as they can be lively and they know how to communicate to an audience. This is not a job for the shy or quiet. If you have never taught a language before, it is a good idea to volunteer at a local literacy or ESL program. Schools in Mexico are looking for teachers with at least some teaching experience. Having a BA is important too if you plan to teach for more than a couple of months. It is a necessary requirement to obtain the work permit, along with other items.

DA: Are there personality types that might not be happy or effective as teachers in Mexico?
MF: Yes, again, if you are shy or introverted, then teaching English is definitely not for you. You must be a good communicator. Keep in mind what I said earlier - some schools have even requested theater majors. If you have a hard time getting your point across or being heard, then you are probably not a good candidate for teaching English in Mexico.

DA: How do you feel about the recent trend toward online TESL and TEFL certification courses?
MF: I feel that these can be effective if they are coupled with actual classroom experience. If the student can take what he or she learns online and apply it in an actual classroom setting (again, possibly volunteering for a literacy or ESL program), then I feel this can be beneficial for an actual teaching assignment. Live experience is always necessary as I have seen a few inexperienced teachers freeze up and have to return home as they were just too frightened or too shy to teach.

DA: What one piece of information would you offer to a prospective teacher?
MF: My advice to others interested in teaching in Mexico is to treat this as a serious endeavor. If you go there expecting to have a full-time vacation you will be in for a big surprise. Schools are serious about providing their students with quality teachers who handle the job with professionalism. Showing up to class like you are dressed for the beach is a good way to lose your job.

DA: Any other warnings for these folks?
MF: I would warn prospective teachers that teaching in Mexico is not as easy as they may think. It takes dedication, patience, flexibility, cultural sensitivity, and a lot more. It is not for everyone, and not everyone has all the necessary qualities to be successful.

DA: A couple of years back I ordered the archived CD of your newsletter and found it to contain an amazing amount of useful information. How and why did it come about?
MF: The newsletter was created to provide up-to-date information on teaching jobs in Mexico. And more importantly, it was developed to provide job information for destinations in Mexico less traveled. For example, we have uncovered opportunities in such wonderful places as Orizaba, Toluca, Xalapa, Colima, Morelia, Chihuahua, Poza Rica, Queratero, Zacatecas, Playa del Carmen, Los Mochis, and Cuernavaca - places that one might possibly discount as having a lot of teaching opportunities.

DA: I know you use teacher correspondents in the various areas to gather information but do you have other sources?
MF: We receive information for our newsletter in many forms. One way we receive information is from our teacher correspondents. These are teachers who actually work in the city they are writing about.

Another source is our roving reporters, of which we have quite a few. These individuals will visit a particular city and uncover every possible teaching job in that city. They will also locate inexpensive hotels and investigate local housing options. And lastly, we receive information directly from schools who have discovered our website and realize that we would be in a good position to assist them in locating quality teachers via our newsletter.

There you go. Mark offers a good overview of some of the more important considerations regarding teaching in Mexico. For more help you can to go to www.teach-english-mexico.com. Let's finish up here by looking at some of the things that will help you become a happy and effective EFL teacher in Mexico. Here are some suggestions that may turn out to be very important.

MISCELLANEOUS USEFUL INFORMATION
Get a passport. You don't need one to enter or leave Mexico but it's the single most important and useful piece of identification you can have. If you try to cash a traveler's check, rent a post office box, open a bank account, break a large US bill, or any of a thousand things you can't think of right now, you're probably going to be asked for your passport. It just makes life easier for you.

And register with the nearest US or Canadian Consulate as soon as you settle in and find a job. If something goes wrong on either side of the border and someone needs to contact you, or you need help, these folks will be better able to assist if they have some idea of how to locate you. Plus it'll make Mom feel better about you being in what she may look upon as a wild and savage underdeveloped backwater village out in the middle of God knows where.

Now I know that the thought of either teaching or learning grammar strikes fear into the hearts of many. Here's your cover. In the list of useful websites I gave you the address of the Cambridge University Press. There are a number of books there which will be helpful. One set that I find extremely useful is by Betty Azar. The primary text is Fundamentals of English Grammar and it has an accompanying Teacher's Guide for your use in teaching, as well as correcting assignments. The third book of the set is Chartbook A Reference Grammar- Fundamentals of English Grammar. These three books will get you through any situation that's likely to arise. I suggest getting them, or a like set, before you ever begin your TEFL training course because they reduce your stress level significantly.

Another book, easier to use than Azar's series but not as comprehensive, is Creative Grammar Practice - Getting Learners To Use Both Sides Of The Brain by Gunter Gerngross and Herbert Puchta.

Both of these choices provide you with lots of lesson plans and classroom activities. They can be ordered through your local bookstore, and are well worth the time and effort required to master them. If you're a bit hazy about phrasal verbs, adjective clauses, modal auxiliaries, and verb tenses you definitely need to invest in a good grammar book. Just to boost your anxiety level a bit, you need to know that some employers require you to take and pass a grammar test before they consider you for employment.

Also, just for fun you may want to pick up a book on idioms. I have an old copy of 101 American English Idioms by Harry Collins. The illustrations are by Mario Risso and they go a long way towards helping explain terms such as pay through the nose , kick the bucket, and bury the hatchet.

Those of you who plan to teach children or young adults might want to look on the Continental Book Company website at www.continentalbook.com.

They offer a variety of teaching materials, many with a Mexican slant. Another good source is www.deltasystems.com . If you wonder why I include all this information you need to know that although some schools supply you with a curriculum that they require you to religiously adhere to, many others welcome, nay, insist upon teacher input regarding lesson plans and presentations. You need to be prepared for either requirement. And you need to know that the individual schools usually insist upon retaining full rights to any lesson plan or classroom activity you develop.

Another thing you need to know is that some teachers must find private students so they can make enough money to survive. If you find yourself in this situation you'll definitely be writing your own lesson plans, so these books will be tremendously helpful. Be ready for any eventuality. Especially in regard to finance .

MONEY HONEY
You may look at teaching South of the Border as a great adventure, but as all of the world's great adventurers, from Chris Colon in 1492, on up to the astronauts of today will tell you, cash is essential to success. What's all this going to cost you or whoever's bankrolling the enterprise? It varies. As you research your options you'll find training courses ranging from a US $399 online course on up to nearly a couple of thousand dollars for a program that offers intensive small class instruction somewhere in Mexico. That's your first decision in regard to getting qualified.

Next you need to consider travel and job hunting expenses. As I said earlier, most employers are going to want to see you for a face to face interview before they offer a job. That means you need to get down here, as well as survive on your own money until a job is found. If you're short of cash I suggest you consider riding the bus, unless you're driving or find a really good deal on the airfare. It's inexpensive, easy, and comfortable. Just get to the border and someone will direct you to a bus station. Get a ticket on a first class or executive class bus, and get aboard with a small cache of snacks, bottled water, and small peso coins. There are many money exchanges, casas de cambio, on both sides of the border.

Once you arrive in the area where you plan to work you need to secure housing. In the interview Mark mentioned the city of Colima. As an example of housing costs, I recently saw some classified ads in the El Mundo newspaper offering student apartments for 700 to 800 pesos per month in that city. At the current rate that's about US $77 to $88. At my advanced age and carefully cultivated comfort zone I shudder to think about living in one of these, but I assume you're young and more flexible. A note of caution, however; you're not likely to find deals like this in the more popular and well-known areas. Some schools provide housing for single teachers so check it out before you come. You'll also find that young teachers tend to share housing quite frequently, so you may wind up moving into a place that a departing teacher is vacating. Where you choose to live and teach is a personal matter, but here's a referral.

In my opinion Colima is one of the cleanest small cities in Mexico, and an excellent choice for young teachers to consider as an introduction to life in Mexico. Colima is a university town so you have many of the facilities and entertainment venues that you won't find in smaller places. There's lots of acceptable housing, an active social scene, internet cafes, good transportation, excellent shopping, friendly and helpful people, a tiny gringo presence of one hundred or so residents, a high percentage of English-speaking nationals, a variety of language schools, many reasonably-priced restaurants, and both modern and traditional grocery stores. All of these make this an easy place to live and familiarize yourself with a new culture. Plus you get to live in a gorgeous and ecologically diverse area, and you can write to your friends back home that you work near an active volcano. And you're only a two hour bus ride from the beach at Manzanillo.

Regardless of which area you choose there are a few minor expenses you need to be aware of if you rent an apartment. Many furnished places have few of the amenities you're used to. Plan on buying light bulbs, cleaning products, personal items, possibly sheets and pillows, toilet paper, and groceries. You need to consider laundry expenses as well as some transportation costs for job hunting.

You need to budget some money for using a computer at one of the local internet cafes, and to buy a Ladatel phone card. Even after you get hired it will be a while before you see any pesos. At some schools you may even have to pay for making copies of your classroom handouts.

How much should you bring? Not much. How much will you need? That depends. Foggy enough for you?

Here's how I'd handle the money situation. Put as much as you can come up with in a US or Canadian bank and get a couple or three ATM cards. That way you don't have a lot of money on you at any one time, but you have access to cash as you need it. Keep the cards in different places so if one is lost or stolen, or if an ATM eats it, you have a back-up. If you have a third card leave it with someone at home who you can trust so if there's an emergency they can help.

And travel light. Remember that unless you have your own car down here you'll be schlepping your stuff around all by yourself. Do you really need to have to deal with umpteen pieces of luggage on top of all your other concerns? In most places the shopping will be easy so you can flesh out your wardrobe once you settle in. The little luxuries (or essentials, depending upon how fastidious you are) can all be found locally. This includes hair dryers, curling irons, make-up mirrors, etc. There are a few items you'll need. One of the absolute essential needs is enough money to get out of Mexico and back to your home North of the Border.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone but realistically, don't burn all your bridges on the way down here. Also, don't bring everything you own down here on your first foray into the country. Here's the fatality report from my TEFL training class of twelve people. Two went to South America and I have no idea how they fared. Three wandered around Central America for a couple of months until one returned to her home in Georgia without ever finding a job.

I have no clue about the couple, but he had a knack for picking up short-term employment in the area so I'm sure they did well. One moved to Guadalajara and is still a wildly popular teacher in that city. Another, who is married to a Hispanic man taught for awhile and then moved on to other things, and the rest went home without trying to find a job. You probably expected to find information here about the salary you can expect down here. Anything I write on that subject will be outdated as soon as this is printed.

To find accurate and up-to-date salary information you need to look at the www.eslcafe.com website job listings or the www.teach-english-mexico.com website for information about how to subscribe to the Teach English in Mexico Newsletter.

TO BECOME A SUCCESS YOU NEED AT LEAST THESE FEW THINGS

FOR ALREADY SUCCESSFUL TEACHING PROFESSIONALS
Some of you are degreed professionals with teacher certification and classroom experience in your home state or province. You have more options and better prospects than beginning teachers in most cases. You still need to get the TEFL training, but you already have a very qualified foot in the door. Here are a few sites you can explore to get a sense of what your options are.

You also need to look in the classified section of your professional journals. I served as president of my Texas non-union teacher's association but I read the NEA union publication each month, and I suggest you conduct your research the same way. See what everybody has to offer.

YES, I KNOW SOME OF YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS
Good, that means you're thinking. However, please don't contact me for answers to questions that can be dealt with on one of the websites I list here for your use. I understand that there are things that you may need help with; concerns that you may have about situations I don't address here; or some unusual deal that we can't even conceive of at present. Those interest me, and I'll help you if I can. Right now get busy with your information gathering and stay focused on your goal of coming to Mexico and becoming a popular and effective EFL/ESL teacher. Good luck, and if you find that you really need me, write to me at dondelmundo@yahoo.com

Don Adams' monthly column "The Other Side . . ." is the winner of the "Mexico Connect 2002 Readers' Poll" - "Best Series."