"Mr. Steve - please can I see a map?"
"Why do you want to see a map Abdullah?"
"To find place called Pluto"
"Abdullah, why do you want to know where Pluto is?"
"Because teacher screamed and is going to send me there. Is it far?"

A true story from Kuwait, highlighting one of the main problems in teaching English in the Middle East - totally losing patience with the unruly or unmotivated local adult student. It can be an easy thing to do, as students are effectively only present in your classroom for one of two reasons.

Either they want to be there, as they are keen to pursue their academic instruction as it is run in conjunction with their professional training, or alternatively, they are told to be there by their influential parents and have no real desire to achieve anything other than to disrupt the infidel's class at any opportune moment.

The successful trainer is obviously able to assert his authority from the very start, and the vast majority are able to overcome such problems, but occasionally, just occasionally, one loses it altogether. When one of our teachers actually slapped a student in his classroom, it prompted an OJ. Simpson-style dash along the highway to the nearest BA check-in desk.

It is due to problems like these that, apart from school teaching, it is unlikely that a young teacher with less than three or four years experience can expect to win a contract teaching adults in the Middle East. Arabs are great respecters of age, and a young teacher is best served by gaining his initial overseas experience in Europe or the Far East before venturing into the sands.

Once there, many teachers of English seem to stay in the region for years on end. They enjoy the benefits of a tax-free salary, a fair amount of which they can save due to accommodation, transport, tickets etc. normally being provided by their employer, and a general standard of living that most find very agreeable. A great bon homie exists between groups of expatriate teachers, and I have spent many an enjoyable evening in Saudi or Kuwaiti restaurants (normally re-labelled "The Sheiks Head" or The George and Camel") with seasoned TEFL teachers discussing the latest chapter of "You'll never guess what happened......"

But all is not always sweetness and light. Like every other kind of expat, teachers will always experience problems, albeit minor ones, and normally associated with their employer. Most seem to concern their accommodation, the standard of which can differ considerably from one contract to another, but it is pointless calling your recruiter 3000 miles away in London complaining that your television does not work (honest!) when maintenance can normally be arranged by your employer around the corner. Remember that they have already gone to considerable expense just to get you there and it is in their interest to ensure that all is well. It is important to employ a degree of flexibility on both sides.

Perhaps understandably, people can sometimes be wary of signing an employment contract with an overseas company but nowadays the unscrupulous employer rarely tries to recruit from the UK. There are far easier fish to fly elsewhere. Payment delays have also been well documented in the past, especially in the Emirates but if you have gone through an established recruitment organisation, you are less likely to encounter these problems. If the recruitment company has not been paid, it simply will not work for that client. At present, there are not as many opportunities in the Middle East as in previous years due to economic cut backs caused by the depressed oil price. The largest employer of teachers in the region, Saudi Aramco, have reduced their intake of students into their training centres, and this has had a knock-on effect on other industries due to the fall in Government revenue. However, opportunities are generally available at Military Colleges and hospitals, technical institutes and privately run training centres. Saudi Arabia still accounts for around 80% of posts, followed by Kuwait and then the UAE but as money becomes tighter, especially in the Emirates, more employees are looking to recruit their teachers from Egypt and Jordan at half the price. What they lose in quality and experience they gain in short term cost as unfortunately, price can sometimes be the determining factor.

This factor, however, could also produce a boom over the next few years. If economic predictions are to be believed, the price of oil is due to recover throughout the second half of the year. This should therefore give rise to an increased intake of students, along with the necessity to replace the teachers whose contracts could not be renewed. Most employers will still visit the UK to recruit the majority of their western teachers as many have tie-ups with British universities and examination boards. The concept of quality still prevails with many of the more reputable organisations as their students ultimately aim to conclude their studies in the UK or USA, normally sponsored by their employers.

So it is looking good for the future. But how do you find your first Middle East contract? You will have a BA degree supported by TEFL qualification, and a minimum of around four years teaching experience, preferably involving a stint overseas. If you are based abroad at present, keep in touch with the specialist recruiters by letting them know when you are due to return so that they can co-ordinate interviews on your behalf. Ensure that your CV is up-to-date, is clear and concise and should only be three or four pages long with any written references and copy qualifications attached if possible. As CVs are normally communicated through a fax machine, they should be typed on white paper and not double-sided. A short covering letter outlining your expectations and requirements can also prove helpful to the reader.

Prior to interview, ascertain as much information as possible from the recruiter concerning the post, terms and conditions, the prospective employer and the country that you hope to be working in. He or she should have been there and should be able to supply background information.

At interview, be prepared for questions such as: how would you deal with unruly students, being away from family and your ability to accommodate the cultural and social changes that you will encounter. A positive response and the fact that you have already considered these problems will count in your favour. Unlike the old days, you will not be going into a portable shed in the middle of the Rub al Khali, but into a professionally and socially established environment, working with other expat teachers who already have the t-shirt and will always be prepared to show you the ropes.

The majority of teachers seem to acquire the taste for it and go on to continue their careers in the region, utilising their new found knowledge and experience. Others have appreciated and benefited from the experience but at the end of the day felt that it was not for them. Nice to finally have saved that money for the house deposit though. And, Oh yes!, let us not forget the third category, those few who unfortunately lost the plot during the first act and now spend their days studying NASA timetables to distant planets. Say hello, to Abdullah for me.


Steve McAllister
Managing Director of Network Overseas

Article originally appeared in
Nexus magazine, April 1999 edition