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TEFL GREECE / TESOL GREECE
TEFL jobs Greece and a guide to teaching English in Greece
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| At a Glance - teaching English in Greece |
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| Overview - TEFL in Greece |
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Where better to start your EFL career than the birthplace of Western civilisation. The country boasts attractive countryside, islands with sandy beaches and blue seas, as well as mountains for the more adventurous who like to go hiking or skiing. Outside the cities there is a sense of travelling back in time when you visit the small villages. You’ll find Greek people are friendly and welcoming and will often sit with you for long periods in the cafes over iced coffee. Like much of southern Europe, Greece enjoys a ‘café culture’. Greek people are respectful, passionate about their football and are very hospitable.
Greece, like Turkey, is often a first stop for the new teacher as there is a large demand for English teachers. Therefore your search for work is likely to be a fruitful one. Teaching standards in the state sector vary so that school students attend extra private classes in many subjects, outside of regular school hours. This system leads to more teaching opportunities for the EFL teacher, particularly with younger learners. However, tired and bored students are often the result of all these extra classes. Parents wish to see results, which can mean pushing reluctant students through multitudes of exam material. Be prepared for some primitive facilities, with traditional classroom layouts and limited resources.
The good news for the new EFL teacher is that experience is often not a prerequisite for being taken on. Prospects are good for EU nationals with degrees and TESOL Certificates. As a result, many teachers get their first teaching experience in Greece before moving on. Alternatively there are many happy EFL teachers who have settled into the culture to make Greece their permanent home. Indeed, many have testified to enjoying the warmth of the Greek people, the lack of crime and leisurely way of life. Does it sound good to you?
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You best chance of finding work in Greece will be from May to September (except August, when it seems like everyone in southern Europe is on holiday). The school year ends in mid June and begins again at the end of September, so we see jobs appearing on Internet websites with more frequency from May onwards. The British Council has offices in England and Athens for information (although they do not always have a list of schools). There are many recruitment agencies that supply Greece, although interestingly you may have more luck obtaining a job on the spot as many positions are unadvertised and there is no central organisation with a list of job opportunities for the whole country. To do this you’ll need to be there at the right time; January and the winter months are also generally regarded as good times to be looking for work.
Go armed with all your certificates and dress to impress. A word of caution; even if you have obtained a position by informal means (meetings in English Language bookshops are common, for example) ensure you clarify all terms and conditions precisely. In the larger cities lists of schools can be found in the equivalent of the Yellow Pages, ‘the Blue Guide’.
The basic requirements are that you are a native English speaker that you possess a university degree. A TESOL qualification is important and although not generally required to obtain a teaching license in Greece, you will find it useful in overcoming the competition to find work. If you are a native speaker with a degree you may still be able to find work teaching privately (this is very popular in the provinces).
It is possible to teach on a tourist visa, which must be renewed on a 3 monthly basis, either by re-entering the country or by presenting yourself at the Immigration Office, where you must show that you are able to support yourself. The more formal way to go about teaching in Greece beyond 3 months is to apply for a teacher’s licence once you arrive. Then you may apply for a residence permit, but the process is very bureaucratic, so don’t hold your breath waiting for the paperwork to come through.
Pay and conditions do vary greatly. There are cowboy schools, but with care you should be able to negotiate yourself a fair deal. Salaries are sometimes quoted gross at an hourly rate but the average you should be looking for is approximately €650 per month (net) for 23 – 25 hours’ teaching. You do not generally get paid for their equivalent of bank holidays so monthly pay can vary. What you can expect are bonuses at Christmas and Easter and possibly summer plus 4 weeks paid holiday per contract, although some employers only give these once you have worked the 1st year of your contract. Contracts themselves generally run from September for 9 months. Your monthly salary will probably compare favourably with public and private sector employees, although they will receive 13 or 14 payments per year, whereas you will get 9 or 10. This all may sound attractive, but remember it is what the schools should provide rather than what they necessarily do. Nevertheless, once you are installed there should be ample opportunity for lucrative freelance teaching as a supplement (the going rate for freelance lessons is around 15 Euros an hour). It seems that everyone in Greece wants to learn English. Opportunities also exist for teaching Business English at companies or to small groups of adults, so consider the Global English Level 2 TESOL with business as well.
Many schools and agencies either help to find or actually provide accommodation. In the main cities, accommodation can be expensive and standards vary greatly. Greece can get very cold in the winter and heating (if it exists) is also something to budget for.
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Have you taught in Greece? Could you share your experiences with others on this webpage? If so, please email us at info@global-english.com.
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British Council http://www.britishcouncil.org/
British Council in Greece: http://www.britishcouncil.org/gr/greece.htm
Greek Embassy UK: http://greece.embassyhomepage.com/
Greek Embassy USA: http://www.greekembassy.org/Embassy/content/en/Root.aspx
Greek National Tourist Office: http://www.gnto.gr/
Need more info? Go here: Teaching English Abroad
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DISCLAIMER
These pages are for general information only and whilst every effort has been made to ensure information is correct, it is up to the individual to thoroughly investigate the conditions of entry to countries and the legal working regulations. If offered a job, please carefully vet all terms and conditions. Inclusion of potential employment opportunities does not in any way represent a guarantee of employment.
When travelling overseas, please refer to your government’s own advice on current conditions in each country. The British Foreign Office website is a good resource for travel advice. Please follow the link: http://www.fco.gov.uk/
If you find a broken link or if you have an experience you would like to share with others about working in a particular country, please email us.
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