TAIWAN

Thank you for your enquiry regarding EFL positions in Taiwan. The following information is the minimum recommended research prior to accepting a position it is strongly recommended that all applicants read this before applying/attending interview. If offered a position it is also recommended that you do further research more details are available online at http://www.shanetaiwanjobs.com/index.htm Due to visa requirements, candidates must possess a university degree. An original certificate is a necessary document required for the Visa process. Teachers are also expected to be qualified in TEFL with an accredited RSA/Cambridge Celta, Trinity Cert. Tesol or Delta (PGCE or BEducation qualifications are also acceptable as are some introductory TEFL qualifications). Further pre-service training and on-going support is provided upon arrival in Taiwan. The Ideal Candidate You are: Native speaker (born and brought up in a country where English is the first language) A graduate (with a full university degree) A UK / Irish / US /Canadian / NZ / Australian / RSA Native English speaker A qualified EFL teacher (training available for a limited number who have yet to qualify) Outgoing, enthusiastic, friendly, positive, sociable, energetic, hard-working, patient and professional Looking for a challenge Culturally inquisitive and eager to do something different

THE COMPANY Shane English School Taiwan (SEST) is a well-established and respected chain of EFL schools. SEST places a great emphasis on providing a good quality, good value, caring service to its students and as a result a high proportion of these students join through word of mouth recommendations and/or as a result of observing or participating in classes on a trial or demonstration basis. Shane English Schools have also opened in places such as Japan, China, Vietnam and the UK, with further expansion planned. Shane English Schools are members of the Saxoncourt group of companies. Other companies in the Saxoncourt group include: Saxoncourt ELT An EFL publishing company specialising in course books and other materials for children Saxoncourt Teacher Training A world-wide organisation offering a range of recognised TT courses. These include the Cambridge and Trinity certificate courses for new teachers, the young learners certificate and the training for Directors of Studies and overseas teachers of English. Nellies Discount Books A large EFL mail order book shop based in Tokyo. Shane Global Language Centers Shane has a number of centers which provide EFL tuition to students wishing to study for a period of time while immersed in the language and culture. These SGL centers are located in the UK. There are always opportunities for career and personal development within the group as well as within SEST itself.

THE SCHOOLS Taiwan offers a number of exciting possibilities for teachers who are interested in living and working in a fast moving Asian country. Throughout the year many different employment opportunities arise within the Shane organisation, and due to the diversity of these positions there is sure to be something for everybody. DTE Direct Teaching Establishments These schools are directly owned and managed by the Shane organisation. All schools are in the Taipei or Taipei county area (In Region Schools). Some are standard language schools and some are kindergartens Direct Line Managers are native English speakers. Teachers may teach students of any age and levels of students (from kindergarten to business) both in group classes and one-on-one. Franchise Schools These schools are owned and managed by Chinese nationals who have purchased a Shane franchise. Some schools are outside of Taipei/Taipei county (Out Region Schools) and some are in the Taipei or Taipei county area (In Region Schools). Some are in big cities and some are in more rural areas. Teachers may teach students of any age and levels of students (from kindergarten to business) both in group classes and one-on-one. Locations Taipei offers the Asian experience with the added comfort of knowing that other foreigners and western style restaurants, pubs and clubs are close at hand. There are over 60 full time teachers at the Taipei (In Region) schools. Due to the high number of experienced teachers in Taipei, new teachers have plenty of support both socially and academically. Teachers who love working with very young children may be scheduled some or most of their classes at the Shane kindergartens. These are rewarding and interesting places to work. Set just outside of Taipei City, the schools cater for children from the age of 3 upwards. Teachers work alongside a Chinese teacher although the only language spoken is English. The course has been designed by a kindergarten specialist from the UK and is project based. There are school buses for trips to places of interest and the schools themselves are fully stocked with all the necessary teaching materials, including sets of computers that the children use with specialist CD ROMs. Out Region Schools are spread throughout the island and generally have fewer teachers than the Taipei schools. Although a few of these schools are quite close to Taipei, the majority are over 1 hour South of Taipei by train, bus or plane. Franchise schools and the teachers who teach there, are managed by the Taiwanese owners, and they provide excellent opportunities for teachers to more fully immerse themselves in the culture and the language. Teachers at these schools generally have a close group of foreign and Chinese friends and they have good opportunities to get out of the city/town and enjoy the beautiful mountainous scenery that Taiwan has to offer. Since living costs outside of Taipei are generally lower, franchise schools may be a better option for teachers hoping to save more money during their stay.

THE STUDENTS Teachers at the DTE schools and Franchise schools teach students of all ages and abilities, from 3 year old children to senior business executives. Children are grouped by age with a maximum of 18 per class; adult learners are grouped by ability levels from complete beginner to advanced with a maximum of 18 students per class. The ratio of children to adult classes is about 80:20. All childrens classes have complete course guides and syllabus guides, which takes the pressure off teachers so that they can concentrate on simply teaching each individual class. Childrens classes with high numbers of students have Chinese teaching assistants to help with the correction of homework, monitoring of students and classroom control. Teachers who elect to teach at the Shane kindergartens will teach students in the age range of 3-6 and they study fulltime five days per week. THE COURSES Standard English Language Classes A standard group lesson meets twice a week for 90 minutes, with the exception of the very young children whose lessons are 60 minutes long. There are also special intensive classes where the children study up to 10 hours per week. All lessons are taught by native English speaking teachers, although with classes of 8 or more students, there is a Chinese Teaching Assistant. They mark homework, help out with discipline where necessary, and offer general support to teachers. They also keep the students communications book up to date (a record of progress in class). The childrens courses are based around a combination of texts tailored to the specific needs of Asian young learners. All lessons are taught by native speakers. The emphasis is on communicating in English, but all four skills are covered in each lesson. The general adult courses are taught solely by native speakers, and are based around Shane produced texts plus texts such as Listen First, the American English Interchange series, and the Headway series. Teachers design lessons tailored to fit each groups particular needs. Each group lesson uses one of the set text-books with additional supplementary material being supplied at the discretion of the teacher. Shane Kindergartens All courses have been prepared by kindergarten specialists, and use a project based approach, with comprehensive teaching notes for all classes. Students also follow reading and maths programs and these are backed up with interactive CD ROMs. The courses are designed to help develop the four language skills, as well as social skills such as sharing and taking turns etc. Other areas of development are gross and fine motor skills. Each class has a native English speaking teacher who works alongside a Chinese teacher. This is a team effort and both teachers use English as the communicative medium. THE MATERIALS All schools are fully stocked with the necessary course books. In Taipei head office there is an extensive library of resource books and non-standard text-books. All franchise schools have a selection of resource books although teachers are encouraged to bring a few favorites with them. Each school has a photocopier and a TV and video plus radio cassettes and in some schools sets of computers capable of using interactive CD ROMs. Many other teaching resources can also be found such as flash-cards, plastic realia, puzzles and games etc. THE SCHEDULE Work patterns can vary tremendously. Teachers have a regular schedule of five working days per week with Sunday and one other day off. Teachers generally work a minimum of 80 hours per month (most teachers average between 90-100 hours per month and some teachers may teach more than this), although this schedule can sometimes take a few months to build up. Generally, the same classes are taught on the same day each week but teachers may be in different locations on different days (e.g. school A on Mondays, school B on Tuesdays etc.). A typical language school schedule has classes starting around noon, with children in the afternoon, and older students in the evening, although a teacher may have lessons as early as 9a.m. There are also special winter and summer seasonal classes, which usually take place in the morning. Teachers at the kindergartens may start work at 9am but will usually finish earlier in the evening than non kindergarten teachers.

The schedule is designed so that teachers will generally see the same students, at the same location, at the same time each week. Occasional six-day weeks (to e.g. undergo additional training, attend social events for students or cover for absent colleagues) are necessary. The majority of teaching takes place in Shane English Schools. However some teachers may teach at non-SES locations (such as companies, universities, private houses, kindergartens etc). The school will try to organise as convenient a schedule as possible. It is unusual for teachers to be asked to travel for more than an hour and a quarter to a class or school (the average is about 30 minutes), although since the towns and cities can be very congested, delays are sometimes unavoidable. The teacher covers travel costs to and from work. CONTRACTS AND CONDITIONS Salary The basic monthly salary depends upon qualifications and experience although the usual starting salary is between NT$42,400 to NT$47,200 per month for the minimum of 80 hours teaching. However most teachers teach more than the basic minimum and therefore average salaries are usually in the region of NT$50,000 to NT$60,000. SEST also provide the outward flight plus performance related bonuses. For at least the first six months of the contract an hour bank system operates. This means that if 76 hours are taught in Month 1, then the teacher is paid 80 hours but the teacher is minus 4 hours in the hour bank. If 82 hours are worked in Month 2, then the teacher is again paid 80 hours but is now only minus 2 hours in the hour bank. If in Month 3 the teacher works 82 hours, then they wipe out the deficit of the previous 2 months. At the end of the six month period any hours worked in excess of the monthly average will be paid as overtime. If teachers are still in deficit at the end of six months they will stay on the guarantee until they have accrued a positive balance of hours. At this point any hours worked in excess of the monthly average will be paid as overtime. It is fairly normal for teachers to have shorter schedules for the first few months with the company and to work extra hours later on to make up any deficit. When off the hour bank system teachers will be paid for the actual hours worked, regardless of if they are more or less than 80. The Tax Situation All teachers who stay in the country for more than 183 days in a calendar year are entitled to a tax rebate. The actual amount of the rebate depends upon which month teachers arrive. Teachers arriving between the start of December and the end of June will pay 18% tax for the first 6 months (183 days) and then this will drop down to 6%. Teachers will be entitled to a tax rebate on all tax paid. Teachers arriving between the start of July and the end of November will pay 18% until the end of the following June and then this will drop to 6%. Teachers will be entitled to a tax rebate on all tax paid from January (Decembers salary since salaries are paid on the 10th of the following month) and the end of the contract period. The rebate can sometimes be as much as 1000 by the end of the contract, thus many teachers look on it a kind of compulsory savings plan. Head Office staff or the franchise owners will help teachers with completing the necessary paperwork. Holidays All teachers are entitled about 27 days of annual leave, including national and school holidays. Further holidays may be accrued under certain circumstances. Saving Potential It is always difficult to say how much a teacher can save during the first year of teaching in Taiwan since there are so many contributing factors; hours worked, location, rent, social life, trips abroad taken etc. However, due to tax rebates and bonuses and the fact that the last months salary is usually all savings (rent has been paid in advance), it is safe to say that almost all teachers leave with a minimum of NT$100,000. The majority of teachers leave with much more than this and some teachers have been known to save up to NT$250,000! GETTING TO TAIWAN 5

The school will reimburse the cost of a one-way economy air ticket to Taipei (Up to a maximum of NT$21,000). This fare is paid subject to the completion of the contract, and is payable in two equal instalments, once after 3 months and the second after 4 months. Teachers also have the option of not taking the flight reimbursement and instead their hourly rate will be increased by NT$20. ORIENTATION All teachers receive about one week of training in Taipei prior to teaching their first class (in some cases this may be shorter). This training is mainly aimed at the teaching of young learners and involves workshops on different areas such as the teaching of reading and writing, classroom control, setting up of activities and lesson planning etc. Teachers also observe existing teachers, teaching all levels and ages of students. The first week is often a difficult and disorienting time for teachers new to Taiwan, and the staff, particularly the Welfare Department, are very aware of this. Everything possible is done to make this initial period as comfortable as possible. Teachers are usually met at the airport and taken to their temporary accommodation. Teachers will also be accompanied for the compulsory health check, are helped with opening a bank account, and with all other things practical, such as completing the application for a work and residence permit. This assistance continues throughout the teachers time in Taiwan, including assistance such as accompanying the teachers to doctors if they fall sick and so on. Outside Taipei the school owners make the teachers welfare their responsibility, and invariably take very good care of their staff. ACCOMMODATION During the first week teachers will be taken to look at accommodation. In some cases accommodation may already be ready for the teacher. Flats are usually shared with other people, but everybody has their own bedroom. The rent is usually equivalent to about a quarter of the monthly salary although this depends on location, age and the amount of furniture. INSURANCE All teachers need to take out a private insurance policy that lasts for at least the first 4 weeks. All Taipei DTE Teachers must join the SEST insurance scheme upon arrival. Franchise teachers have the option of joining the SEST scheme or continuing with the scheme from their home country. All teachers also become members of the national insurance scheme after obtaining their work permit and ARC (Alien Residence Certificate). FURTHER TRAINING AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT Throughout the year further workshops are held which all teachers are invited to attend. Teachers will be observed during the contract period, either by a Senior Teacher, the Assistant Director of Studies or the Director of Studies. These observations are for support and teachers are involved in deciding which classes will be observed so that help can be given where needed. All observations will be followed up with a meeting and a full written report. Teachers can arrange further meetings at any time and there is always an academic manager available to talk to on the phone. CAREER DEVELOPMENT At SEST we are committed to providing development opportunities for all our staff and teachers. The Teacher Development Scheme (TDS) is part of our ongoing training for teachers and provides teachers with the skills necessary to becoming an academic manager. We also have a scheme (CTS Career Teacher Scheme) that offers financial support for teachers wishing to gain further qualifications. Wherever possible we try to recruit our academic managers from within our own schools in Taiwan. Many teachers have progressed to Senior Teacher and then on to ADOS (Assistant Director of Studies) and even DOS (Director of Studies). SEST has been very successful in providing other Shane operations around the world with academic managers. The top positions in China and Vietnam are initially filled by ex SEST teachers or managers and many more teachers have moved to both China and Japan as teachers or managers.

PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE Working in Taiwan requires teachers to be sensitive to what the Taiwanese consider Professional Appearance and this differs somewhat from our western ideas. As a professional company we are responsible for ensuring that the expectations of our students are met and therefore that high standards of dress and appearance are adhered to by all teachers whilst on company premises or on company business. All teachers should therefore only consider working for Shane English School in Taiwan if they are prepared to follow the Professional Appearance guidelines detailed below. Teachers would obviously not be expected to follow these guidelines outside of company premises or in their free time and many teachers arrive at the school and then change into work clothes immediately upon arrival. Clothing A fresh smart appearance is expected. Teachers should wear clothes and shoes that would be suitable for a city office. Men Shirt / tie / business suit / formal trousers / formal shoes Women Blouse / business suit / formal skirt / formal trousers / dress / formal shoes Sports-shoes, jeans, denim shirts, T-shirts, mid-riff tops, vest tops and clothing that reveals underwear are not acceptable. Teachers when scheduled to teach at the kindergartens may change into casual but clean and smart clothes (trousers and skirts are all OK but shorts/jeans are not acceptable) and will be provided with Shane T-shirts that must be worn at all times. Jewelry Unobtrusive jewelry such as rings and necklaces are totally acceptable provided they do not have sharp edges that may injure children unintentionally. This is especially important for kindergarten teachers who are in contact with the very young children all day long. Please also be aware that teachers have been injured in the past by young children pulling on earrings, and therefore studs are highly recommended over rings. Small earrings or studs are fine but any other studs or rings are unacceptable and should be removed whilst on company premises or on company business. These include (but may not be limited to); nose studs, eye-brow studs, tongue studs etc Tattoos In most parts of Asia tattoos are not seen as a fashion statement but more as a sign of illegal gang membership. Although this concept is now changing slightly it is still unacceptable for teachers to have tattoos visible and all tattoos should be covered. Hairstyles Hairstyles should be consistent with a professional office environment. Natural hair colours are fine but non-natural hair colours such as green and blue are unacceptable. Style is a little bit more difficult to define but if unsure please confirm in advance of a trip to the hairdressers with head office. Men with long hair need not shave it all off but would be expected to tie it back. Radical hairstyles such as mohicans and tramlines would not be acceptable.

In addition, potential recruits are strongly advised to conduct their own research on Taiwan and life in Taiwan BEFORE a commitment is made. All information is correct at the time of writing, but is subject to change (TB 25/8/10)