Teacher qualifications and pay — what to know when looking for a school.

There are so many option for English courses out there. How do know which to choose? Start by looking at the teachers.

Teachers are the most important part of any school. They are the heart and soul of a school. They are the people students spend the most time with. For this reason, they will likely know the most about the students and they will also have the greatest impact on student development.

When deciding which school to choose, it’s a good idea to ask about the teachers. Here are some questions you may want answered.

1) native or non-native speakers

Probably the biggest myth about English teachers is that native English speakers (NES) are better than non-native English speakers (NNES). There is absolutely no evidence to suggest this. On the contrary, there are advantages to working with NNES teachers. They have learned the language themselves so know how difficult it can be. They also probably know the grammar better than a new NES teacher who learned English growing up but never studied it formally.

A student may think they want a NES teacher because they want to learn a natural way of speaking. However, the reality is that NESs speak a variety of Englishes, e.g. UK vs US English. Not only that but students are just as likely to speak English with non-natives as they are a native speaker.

Don’t ever let a school convince you their teachers are better because they are native speakers.

2) qualifications

Qualifications are a better way of determining how good a school’s teachers are. Often, schools require teachers to have a certification in order to teach. There are special certification courses for English teachers where they learn how to plan lessons, how to deliver lessons, and about the English language. When a student chooses a school, they should ask if the teachers have certification.

However, not all certification courses are the same. Some are in-person and some are online. Some are issued by accredited schools and some are not. Some also include a practical assessment, meaning that the teacher training includes teaching practice with real students that is evaluated by the trainer. When asking about teacher certifications, it is best to choose a school with teachers who are certified by an accredited training center and where there was a practical assessment given.

Many teachers around the world have graduate degrees, such as a master’s degree or PhD. Graduate programs are great for learning about theory, but they do not always contain a practical assessment. Just because a teacher knows a lot about teaching, doesn’t mean they can actually do it well.

3) experience

Experience is another great way to determine if a school’s teachers are good. Some schools will hire new teachers and some will require teachers to have a few years of experience first. Experienced teachers are more likely to know more about English grammar and how to plan lessons. Because of this, they are better able to answer student questions and give feedback to students.

You should make sure that the teachers’ experience meets your needs. Just because a teacher has taught General English for 5 years doesn’t mean they will be able to teach Business English or exam preparation courses. These types of courses require special skills. If you are looking for a special type of course, make sure the school has teachers who have experience with those types of courses.

4) teacher pay

This is something that isn’t discussed often and that students never think to ask. The pay for English teachers is often very low. This is because schools have lots of other expenses such as building and administrative costs, and there isn’t much left over to pay teachers. It’s also because some schools consider teachers to be a dime a dozen. This means there are lots of teachers looking for work. If a teacher leaves because they don’t like the pay, they can be replaced very easily.

For this reason, teacher turnover is very high and many do not stay in the field for very long. This leaves schools with lots of new and inexperienced teachers. This also means that some teachers may lack motivation since they don’t feel they are being paid well enough to put in extra effort.

It’s unlikely that a school will actually tell a student how much they pay teachers, but it is worthwhile to look around until you find a school that pays teachers fairly. After all, happy teachers mean happy students!