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Teaching English in Taiwan - Basics

Welcome to Taiwan! There are English teaching jobs ALL OVER the island, all year long, with lots of money to be made, and it’s truly a teacher’s market!

If you are thinking about coming to Taiwan, have a friend already here who is a teacher, or you aren't here yet, review the topics in our Taiwan Expat Forum, read postings in our forum, and try chatting with other teachers in our chat room to get more information from teachers already living and teaching English in Taiwan.

Come with enough money, US$1,000 - 2,000 to get you here and set up comfortably (don’t worry, you’ll earn it all back in spades because the cost of living is so low…some have been known to come with as little as $50 and find a job within 24 hours of landing at the airport!)

If you are concerned about arriving without a job, then go with one of the major chain schools (the pay is less but they have a good system to train you and you’ll be able to use the knowledge at any future job). Otherwise, do the search yourself when you arrive. English teaching jobs are plentiful in Taiwan and you’ll get the opportunity, and because it is a teacher's market, you have a chance to evaluate many and see where you’d like to work first without pressure and you can demand a higher wage to boot!

As a prospective teacher, it is highly recommended that you apply for a ‘Visitor Visa’ (see the 'Taiwan Visas' section) in your home country before you arrive because this type of visa will allow you to extend your stay in Taiwan without the need to leave on a 'Visa Run' after a couple of weeks. Additionally, most schools won’t require or force their teachers to apply for a work visa (although technically illegal) because it is a teacher’s market now with the high demand for foreign English teachers throughout Taiwan and Asia in general and they need teachers! Larger chain schools that are watched more closely by the government or jobs in fields outside the English teaching profession usually do require you to sign a work contract and apply for a work visa with the company in order to hire you (which requires you to work for the company for a period of a year or longer, although you may leave at any time but you will forfeit your visa and be forced to make a ‘visa run’ in order to return.)

Staying in Taiwan on a ‘Visitor Visa’ initially will give you some time to scout out a school, see how you get along with the students and staff, and get accustomed to living and teaching English in Taiwan before you decide to sign a long-term contract and take on more responsibility.

TYPES OF TEACHING JOBS IN TAIWAN

Bushibans

Learning English is a priority for almost everyone in Taiwan. English schools are appearing all over the island. Most of these are small, informal, and semi-legal schools known as bushibans.

These schools provide an ideal option for those seeking a short-term teaching position, because they have a constant need for teachers. To list bushibans would be pointless since they are quickly outdated, so those interested should check the classifieds in the China Post or the China News, as well as notice boards at the various Chinese language schools.

Many teachers find the informality of working for a bushiban attractive. Preparation is rarely required and often teachers are simply asked to read English to the students, who echo the words. These schools often pay in cash on a weekly or daily basis.

The disadvantages of teaching at a bushiban involve the inconsistency of the hours and the lack of professionalism. Bushiban teachers typically get one or two consecutive teaching hours each day at any given school, so they may be forced to rush all over town to make their next assignment. Also, bushibans are essentially entrepreneurial enterprises established by business people, so teaching techniques tend to be primitive, and as a result, students often learn little. Most teachers become frustrated and bored with their students' lack of progress and move on to larger schools. Be sure to check a bushiban out before working there; some are notorious for not paying.

Large English Schools

Working for a larger school offers a number of advantages. Big schools usually pay more generously than smaller schools, but even if they pay less, teachers are usually assigned several consecutive lessons, and spend more time in class and less time en route to the next bushiban. The larger schools are also more likely to have health insurance plans for those who are under contract and who have a resident visa and a work permit. If you qualify, most of these schools will automatically deduct taxes and health insurance fees directly from your paycheck.

Teaching at a bigger school is a lot like working at a "real" job. Teachers sometimes attend short training and orientation programs. They must also spend time preparing for class. Pay is usually on a semimonthly or monthly basis and teachers are usually asked to commit themselves for at least one year.

Private Tutoring

Private tutoring is preferred by teachers for several reasons, the first of which is pay. Taiwanese students, whether business people or highly motivated students, pay a tutor an hourly wage upwards of NT$594 (US$22) for personal instruction. Private classes typically meet at the home of either the student or teacher. Sessions can be quite fun and they are an excellent way to meet Chinese people.

The primary disadvantage to teaching privately is that it's hard to find students who are dedicated enough to show up regularly. To avoid wasting time and money, it is sometimes a good idea to [spam word detected] in advance for the next session.

Teaching Business People

Many businesses in Taiwan hire teachers so that their employees can learn English before, during, or after work. These jobs are harder to find, but generally offer better than average pay. Check the newspapers, ask around, and keep your ears open.

JOB SEARCH SOURCES IN TAIWAN

English-language newspapers are a good source of job information. Try the China Post and the China News, which contain daily job listings. Both papers can be found at newsstands and at convenience stores. For subscription information, contact the China Post at (07) 338-0393 and the China News at (02) 768-6002.
You can also check the bulletin boards at universities and language schools for notices for English teachers, or post a notice advertising your services. Other sources include the following:

Private Prep Schools

Morrison Christian Academy

This private missionary high school hires U.S. citizens with master's degrees (or occasionally bachelor's degrees) in the subjects they wish to teach. Contracts are for three years, and benefits include round-trip airfare to Taiwan for teachers and their families.

Teaching and/or international experience is preferred. The school can be reached at the following address:

Morrison Christian Academy
c/o Arthur L. Westcott, Superintendent
P.O. Box 27-24
Taichung, Taiwan

Taipei American School

TAS is a private elementary and high school with classes taught primarily by Americans. There are 100 North Americans on staff, and the school has a clientele of 2,000 students. Various subjects are taught, so applicants should inquire about teaching ESL or the subject of their expertise.

Applicants with a bachelor's degree, a teaching background, and some overseas experience are given special consideration. Benefits include round-trip airfare for teachers and their families, tuition waivers for children, paid semiannual home leave, health, life and disability insurance, and a retirement plan. Salaries are usually over NT$829,070 (US$30,170) annually.

Inquiries should be directed to:

Taipei American School
Human Resources Director
800 Chung Shan North Road, Section 6
Taipei, Taiwan
(02) 873-9900

Applications are due January 1.

Sending Organizations

Those who want to arrange a job before they get to Taiwan and are willing to commit themselves to one year of teaching should consider applying for a position through a sending agency or a larger company's hiring office.

These agencies and hiring offices screen, interview, and hire prospective applicants on behalf of schools in Taiwan. Most of these schools offer a decent salary, room, health insurance, and round-trip airfare to their hires.

English Language School International (ELS)

ELS hires Americans to teach at one of their several branch schools in Taiwan. They also offer a TEFL course that can be taken prior to placement. To apply, send a resume and a letter of inquiry. Indicate the city in which you are interested in teaching.

Requirements

* One-year commitment
* Four year or bachelor's degree
* Completion of a 130-hour TEFL program
* Native fluency in English

Preference is given to individuals with at least one year of EFL teaching experience.

For more information or to apply to ELS, you can contact them at:

ELS Language Centers
Attn: Director of Field Operations
5761 Buckingham Parkway
Culver City, CA 90230
(800) 468-8978

Hess Language School

Hess Language School has over seventy branches in Taiwan, including Han-Chia, Heh-Chia-Ren, Ho-Chia-Ren, Kaohsiung, Keelung, Hsinchu Chung Li, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, and a number of other cities and suburbs. This school's focus is on teaching children of all ages. Most teachers work from eighteen to twenty-two hours each week and contract to do private tutoring as well. Teaching experience, an education background, and knowlege of Mandarin Chinese are helpful, but not required. They recruit teachers by application to the appropriate Hess office and conduct telephone interviews four times a year from Taipei.

Requirements

* Four-year degree
* One-year commitment
* Native fluency in English

Benefits

* Assistance with resident visa and work permit before leaving your home country
* Assistance with travel arrangements
* Assistance finding accommodations
* Arrival assistance and cultural orientation program
* Starting salary of NT$400 (US$14.75) per hour for eighteen hours each week, and assistance in finding private students to tutor or other teaching opportunities on your own time
* Quarterly bonuses and raises
* Introduction to and training in the Hess Language Program

For more information and an application, residents of the United States and Canada should visit the Hess web site or contact the school directly:

Hess Language School
4 Horicon Avenue
Glens Falls, NY 12801
(518) 793-6183
Fax: (518) 793-6183, then press *51

Information is also available on Jobtrak, which is a service available through many colleges and universities in the United States.

Residents of Australia, Great Britain, and New Zealand should visit the Hess web site or contact the Taiwan office:

Hess Language School
Po Ai Road No. 83
Taipei, Taiwan
(02) 382-5439
Fax: (02) 382-0799

YMCA's OSCY Program

The Overseas Service Corps YMCA program (OSCY) places 25–30 teachers in local YMCAs throughout Taiwan. Preference is given to those who have had training and/or experience in TEFL, who want to learn about Chinese culture, and who have knowledge of or a sincere desire to learn Mandarin Chinese or Taiwanese. You need to be in North America to apply for this program, and interviews take place in the United States.

Requirements

* One-year commitment
* Four-year degree
* Native of an English-speaking country with a strong command of written and spoken language
* Strong interest in teaching
* Private tutoring is forbidden

Benefits

* Housing
* Medical insurance
* One week paid vacation after the first six months
* NT$12,000 contract-completion bonus
* Sponsorship for a resident visa
* Preparation of Taiwanese tax documents by the YMCA
* Airfare to United States on completion of contract
* Orientation and training
* Student loan deferment while abroad

There are nine YMCAs in Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Tainan, Chiayi, Chang Hua, Nantou, Taichung, Taipei, Taipei County, and Keelung.

There is an April 15 deadline for September 1 placements. For more information and an application, contact:

International Division
YMCA of the USA
101 North Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
(800) 872-9622

Taipei Teacher Brokerages

Teacher brokerages prey on naive, foreign teachers. Typically run by hostel managers, they offer, for about 20 percent of the first month's pay, to find jobs for newcomers. Behind the businesslike exterior, many of them do little more than check the newspaper and arrange an interview. Be wary. If you're already in Taiwan, save your money and find yourself a job.