Does anyone know about teaching English in France, either to adults or children ? I have got a Pgce for teaching secondary school kids, but not a 'Teaching English as a Foreign Language' one. I was wondering if it may be needed in France, if it's worth doing the course basically - has anyone any ideas or experience in this area please ? All your comments are appreciated.
Most (86%) French 'junior' schools now teach English for 30 minutes a week and to do this you will need to apply to the Inspecteur de l'Acaémie in your region and take a 30 minute exam known as a habilitation. Typically the maximum number of hours per week of teaching in a single school at this level is around 25 hours so most people seem to teach at two or more schools. I have no idea the earning potential in this group.
Moving up the age group to collèges or lycées the CAPES entrance examination is required. This exam is designed to weed out candidates who do not have the intellectual capacity or knowledge of English (and French) deemed necessary to teach in schools. The exam usually requires one years preparation either at university or by 'distance learning'. This is followed by a years teacher training and CAPES exam, the latter takes about 5 hours. This type of job typically pays around 1,760 Euros per month but I understand it is extremely demanding what with all the prep work etc.
If you want to teach at university then as far as I can make out it's the same as the above but you need to take the agrégation exam at the end, well it's actually three exams which last a total of seven hours. I have no idea what the salary is for this form of teaching.
Private schools are not so fussy apparently and can operate outside the government requirement's for state schools. These jobs can be found on the www.apne.fr website under formateur/formatrice although to be honest there are never that many jobs advertised on this website. My own region currently has only two jobs offered in total and both have nothing to do with teaching.
You could go through the yellow pages and approach private companies that teach enterprises. TEFL qualifications such as the CELTA will help you working in this type of environment. The wages are around 15 to 18 Euros per hour.
For more information read the article in this months (December 2007) Living France magazine.
Tourangelle wrote:Just to add to what Quillian said, I worked for many years teaching adults English. Work is easy to find in big cities. You say you have a PGCE, but you don't say in what. If it is a language, you probably wouldn't find a TEFL qualification opens any more doors. Companies who teach business English generally won't employ you full time, but on an hourly rate. However, you can accumulate a lot of hours. These companies may require you to travel or you may give the lessons in their offices. They tend to favour native English speakers over French people; it is seen as a selling point.Working in a primary school is a definite possibility, but shouldn't be seen as long term career option because the ability to speak a language is now one of the criteria in the recruitment of all primary school teachers, so they are aiming to do without the outside help.The capes is actually three five hour exams and then two one hour oral exams. Then the year's training. Having done it, it is no picnic, and you have to be really motivated. I could write lots more about the capes, but won't unless it will be useful.
Thanks for correcting me, I only answered because nobody else did and the 'facts' (I know there are sometimes errors) I gave were condensed from the LF magazine. Oher than what I read in the magazine I know little or nothing about the subject so it's great that somebody who has actually been through it has posted
I understand from a friend of mine who studied to become a teacher that the agrégation exam is actually exam's as well but I can't remember the quantity. He went further to say that if you pass, which is more of a selection system really, you don't know where you are going to teach. His problem was he was sent to a inner city school hundreds of miles from his home and he hated the school and the area. Apparently you don't get a choice where you are sent and most end up in inner city schools because that's where they need teachers most. Primary teaching is a bit more flexible he said. He now has a company selling high end bikes and parts which seems a shame after all the years he spent at university learning to teach but there you go.
Anyway to the OP, good luck and I hope it all works out well for you.
Tourangelle wrote:Quillian I wasn't correcting you except for the part about the Capes.
Sorry my words did not come over the way I intended. I appreciate that and I am greatfull for your correction .
And to be able to take the Capes, you need to have passed a licence first ( 3 years at university).
Frenchie wrote:And to be able to take the Capes, you need to have passed a licence first ( 3 years at university).
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