Teaching ESL in Taiwan - What You Need To Know

Taiwan might appear to be a small, unrecognized island nation off the coast of China, but it has quickly become one of the most popular destinations in the world for ESL teachers. For those considering the move, there are obviously many things to consider, but my first tidbit of advice is to try and determine if you will actually enjoy living here! Spend as much time as you can researching the pros and cons of teaching in Taiwan to help you make an informed decision. I taught English in Taiwan for two years between 2007 and 2009 and observed many teachers who enjoyed it and others who did not. Most of those who did not either did not enjoy working with children or had little experience traveling and adapting to new cultures.

Let's Start With The Good.

When you first arrive, you'll be glad to know that most English schools in Taiwan will have a standard curriculum setup for teachers to start preparing lesson plans. While I found my initial training to be a bit sparse, it did allow me to quickly adjust to my new surroundings without having to build an entire semester's worth of lesson plans. Your primary task as an English teacher is to effectively teach the material in an interesting and entertaining manner, though over the course of a year, it can definitely be challenging to continually find creative ways to teach otherwise repetitive material.

Flexible hours. In Taiwan you can elect to teach kindergarten students (although technically illegal, almost every school ignores this law) in the morning and elementary students in the afternoon. A typical working schedule is 5-6 hours a day, leaving plenty of time to pursue other activities. Quick tip; Think carefully about what schedule works for you before signing a contract. It can be difficult to switch later!

The kids. If you enjoy being around children, you'll love Taiwanese students. They are very friendly and love to laugh and play. I taught kindergarten and, while at times I felt more like a glorified babysitter, I really did love the experience. Class sizes are also usually small, with only 10-15 students.

Salary and Cost of Living. During my first year in Taiwan, I received a monthly salary of $NT 52,000 which was more than enough to live comfortably. I rented a furnished studio apartment for $NT 8,500 a month - including utilities - and my monthly food costs usually came to $NT 8,000. The rest was for me to either save or spend as I please.

The Expat Community is very strong in Taiwan. It took me a while to discover, but one of my favorite weekend activities was Hash House Harriers. The concept of the group is kind of hard to explain, but basically it's a social drinking club with a running problem. Very fun and definitely worth checking out!

But Let's Not Forget The Bad.

Dealing with managers and the general work environment in Taiwan can be frustrating at times. You will be working for a private business, not a public school, and that distinction is important to keep in mind. Sometimes you will have to live with the decisions upper-management makes with regard to teaching standards--even if you don't feel they are in the best interests of the students.

It is also common for Taiwanese schools to require teachers to work additional hours for parent conferences, school plays, and holiday events. Some schools will pay you for these events; others will not. Check your contract carefully before you sign it.

It's also fairly common to work on Saturdays, although usually it is only a half day. If this is the case, you will generally be given an additional day off during the week. However, this may impact your ability to plan trips on some weekends.

Understanding Chinese is not required, but is definitely a plus. This is particularly true if you're teaching outside of Taipei where English is even less common. On the plus side, Taiwan is a great place to learn Chinese and acquire a valuable new skill.

There is definitely more to say on the subject of teaching in Taiwan, but for now, those discussions will have to wait for another post! I welcome your comments below and invite you to post questions/comments on our teaching forums!.