What is the Ultimate Language Learning App for Teachers Abroad?

Embarking on a journey as an international school teacher is both thrilling and challenging. Among the myriad of hurdles, breaking the language barrier takes center stage. ISC has highlighted two past blog articles related to this topic: Learning the Host Country Language and Locals’ Level of English and Find out what languages your host country speaks and the level of English spoken there.

What is a good way to learn the host country’s language then? Ling, the language learning website available here, emerges as the ultimate solution for educators seeking faster integration and effective communication with the locals.

Unlocking a Proven Track Record

In the realm of language learning, finding a website with the language you are looking for is sometimes a challenge. Other websites often don’t include the Serbian language for international educators working in Serbia. Ling does! Ling also has other languages like Albanian, Malayalam, and Latvian. Knowing this makes Ling the go-to choice for those who want to learn these hard-to-find languages. International school teachers aiming for swift and successful integration into their new communities will find in Ling a reliable ally!

Tailored Learning Paths for Swift Integration

Ling understands the unique challenges faced by international school teachers. The website’s adaptive learning system ensures a customized journey, acknowledging the diverse linguistic backgrounds of educators. With lessons tailored to individual progress, Ling accelerates the learning process, offering a faster route to language proficiency and seamless integration into the local culture.

Seamless Language Learning Experience

What sets Ling apart is its commitment to providing the ultimate language learning experience. For international school teachers living abroad, Ling’s user-friendly interface ensures convenience in weaving language learning into their busy schedules. The interactive lessons, individualized and motivating, guarantee a comprehensive grasp of the local language, empowering teachers to communicate effectively with the locals.

Ling, a language learning website for teachers

Accelerating Integration with Ling

Integration into a new culture goes beyond language proficiency. Ling, with its proven effectiveness, accelerates the integration process by making hard languages easy and joyful to learn. Ling does this by deeply understanding the cultures and languages their users explore. International school teachers using Ling not only learn to speak the language but also gain a deeper understanding of local customs, fostering meaningful connections within the community.

Unlocking the Future of Language Learning

Ling goes beyond the conventional language learning experience, ensuring that international school teachers not only survive but thrive in their new environments. Ling’s commitment to delivering results, coupled with its user-friendly interface and cultural insights, positions it as the ultimate tool for educators seeking a faster and more profound integration into their host communities.

For international school teachers navigating the challenges of a new language and culture, Ling stands as the ultimate language-learning companion. With a proven track record, tailored learning paths, and a commitment to delivering an ultimate experience, Ling empowers educators to break language barriers, foster meaningful connections, and accelerate their integration into the vibrant tapestry of their new surroundings. Discover Ling, your key to unlocking the future of language learning abroad.

New International School Essentials #8 – Check If Teachers Are Qualified

What reasons do parents think about when selecting a school for their children when they move abroad? Are there similar reasons why teachers choose to work at a school abroad as well? There are many different kinds of international schools and they are all in different situations. How important is finding out if the international school’s teachers are fully qualified or not? It could be beneficial to ask these types of questions at your interview before you make any big decisions to move or choose a school at which to work. So, how do you choose the right international school for your children to attend or for you to work at? This blog series will discuss the Tips for Selecting an International School.

Tip #8 – Are the teachers fully qualified?

This is not typically a concern with mainstream international schools, but it can be a concern with some newer schools and in certain regions of the world.

Some might say having qualified teachers from early years to secondary school is essential for an international school to thrive. Why then do some international schools hire non-certified teachers? Of course, there are many reasons why schools make such choices for their staff.

One reason is that qualified teachers are sometimes hard to come by in some (if not all) countries. Additionally, the more experienced teachers may not be considering positions at less established international schools. In some parts of the world, the pay is low. Being that certified teachers seek out positions that value their teaching degrees (that they have worked hard for), they might not even consider working at some schools where the pay and benefits are less than desirable.

Another factor that comes into play is timing. Some international schools get into “binds” every once in a while, and sometimes the best choice is to hire a less qualified (or not qualified) teacher to fill the position. That non-qualified teacher is just waiting for the right moment, when the stars align for them, to finally get that job at the nearby international school versus staying at the “language” school down the road. Also, when international schools are trying to fill vacancies for the coming school year during not ideal times of the year (e.g. the summer months or even May), they might not have the same pick of qualified teachers as they would have had back in January and February.

Even another reason that international schools hire non-qualified teachers could be related to money. International schools (especially for-profit ones) are always on the lookout for how to save money. Hiring non-qualified teachers can potentially save the school money as they can sometimes pay them less. If there is a pay scale at the school, they would most likely be at the bottom of it.

Do teacher certificates actually matter?

Many educators without university teaching certificates are the ones who are already living abroad. They may have moved abroad when they got a job at an English-language school or had an interest in “teaching English” in a foreign country. We are sure that there are some great English-language schools around the world, but most of the teachers at those schools would prefer to work at an international school; mainly because of the better pay and benefits. More established international schools though won’t consider them because they might not have the exact teaching qualifications that they require. The less established international schools might consider these less-qualified teachers though, especially if they are scrounging to find quality candidates to fill their positions.

You can indeed be a good teacher, even an excellent one, without a teaching certificate from a university. Experience in the field can equal quality teaching, and parents and other qualified teachers shouldn’t be so turned off by working with them. If you agree with that statement, maybe we shouldn’t be so caught up in whether an international school has an all-qualified staff. We all work hard to do the same job, it isn’t as if qualified teachers would work any harder at the school. On the other hand, it is important to honor the time spent when teachers do go and get diplomas in education. Many people with university teaching certificates have worked very hard to make teaching their career choice and not just a “job”. It can be a bit of an “unfortunate circumstance” and a downer when a qualified teacher shows up at their new international school to find out that their colleagues are all “English teachers”!

On our website, we have a specific topic in the School Information section of each school profile page that discusses the issue of which international schools have qualified teachers or not. It is called “Describe what kinds of teachers work here (local vs. expat, nationality, qualifications [or lack thereof], etc.) and staff turnover rate.” Our members have submitted 1600+ of comments and information on this topic on several different international schools listed on our website. Here are just a few of the comments and information submitted on this topic:

“About 65% North American, 20% European, and 15% local and other. All teachers are certified and have at least 4 years’ experience…”
– MEF International School Istanbul (180 total comments)

“The school has both Colombian and expat teachers. All of the expat teachers are North American and all are qualified teachers. The Colombian teachers are also well-certified. There is not a high turnover rate at the school. Many expat teachers, though young, stay three or four years and some have been at the school much longer…”
– Colegio Granadino Manizales (68 total comments)

“High Staff turnover. Probably 1/3 local hires vs. expats. The qualifications can be low. Many first-year teachers with no teaching degree. Most expats are Americans and Canadians. People do not stay here because the taxes are high, the frustration level with the administration is high, and the level of academic rigor is low…”
– American School Foundation of Mexico City (72 total comments)

“Mostly expat teachers, some qualified, some not necessarily. Last year we had around 15 teachers leaving out of around 70+. Nice place to work but they can struggle with staff retention. LGBT friendly…”
– St Georges School Madrid (20 total comments)

“Turnover rate last year was very low. This year is different with several teachers in the Secondary school being pushed out. The school pays on time and there are good benefits. Many teachers in the Secondary school do not have formal teaching qualifications but they have good subject knowledge…”
– Western International School of Shanghai (566 total comments)

If you are an International School Community member with premium access, log on today and submit your comments about the international schools you know about!

If you are not a member yet, make sure to join www.internationalschoolcommunity.com and become a part of our over 27600 members. Many of our current members have listed that they work at over 1200 international schools around the world. Feel free to send these members a message with your questions about an international school’s qualified or not-qualified teachers and get firsthand information about how the accreditation process is going for them.

10 Informative Member-Submitted Comments from December 2023

In our new blog series, we will give a review of the most informed member-submitted comments from a specific month. In this article, we look at ones submitted in December 2023.

We ask our members to submit comments that are detailed and full of useful information. With these informative comments submitted into our 68 comment topics about each school, ISC is the place to go to get the information you want, fast!

So here is the list for December 2023 that we thought stuck out as the most informative comments:

In general, why are people staying at or leaving this school

“In general, people stay for the bonuses given to staff who renew their contracts, the high salaries compared to other schools, and the friendly/supportive colleagues. People have left the school due to the long working hours, high expectations, micromanagement from administration, and behavior issues from students.”

Shen Wai International School (42 total comments) in Shenzhen, China.

What types of budgets do classroom teachers/departments get?

“A number of grade level and department budgets can be from DKK 40000-70000 a year. You make a list each year to give a good estimate of what your department will buy, and it is usually approved. Nobody is cross-referencing your list either, so you can basically manage the money how you would like. The team coordinator is in charge of the department’s budget.”

Copenhagen International School (429 total comments) in Copenhagen, Denmark

Describe the proximity of major airport hubs to the city center and give sample taxi, train, subway and/or bus fares to get there.

“To travel from the school to Aeroporto Afonso Pena, the Uber ride costs about 80 reais and takes approximately 45 minutes, while taking the bus is a more economical option at 18 reais, but with a longer travel time of about 2 hours at the rush-hour.”

International School of Curitiba (23 total comments) in Curitiba, Brazil

How do the school’s benefits compare to other international schools in the area/city?

“While the updated salary scale for 2023-24 does increase salaries and benefits for foreign faculty, ISD salaries remain lower than the nearby American International School of Dhaka.”

International School Dhaka (111 total comments) in Dhaka, Bangladesh

The average amount of money that is left to be saved. Describe the survivability for a family of four on one salary.

“I’m very impressed that the previous poster could save 2000/month. Perhaps their salary was higher than mine! However, I did save about 8000 USD in a year. And that is with a nice lifestyle (nothing crazy, but definitely nice, with holidays).”

Dwight School Seoul (61 total comments) in Seoul, South Korea

Explain how salaries are decided (e.g. is there a pay schedule? extra step for master’s degree? Annual pay raises? Bonuses?).

“In the past, there was a salary increase for a Masters degree. Unclear as to the process moving forward. No current salary scale with steps exists.”

Fundacion Liceo Ingles (Pereira) (87 total comments) in Pereira, Colombia

Sample prices for food, transportation, average hourly rates for a housekeeper, etc.

“A housekeeper is around 50 euros for a full clean. It costs around .5 euros for 30 minutes on public transport. The cost of food varies from grocery store to grocery store, with Spar seeming to be the most cost-effective if you purchase their branded foods. Restaurants also vary depe…”

American International School of Zagreb (52 total comments) in Zagreb, Croatia

In general, why are people staying at or leaving this school?

“People are leaving because communication is very poor especially from SLT to staff and parents. Lots of parents are very unhappy with how chaotic everything feels – this is having a negative impact on staff. Also, there is lots of uncertainty which is leading to teachers wanting …”

Colegio Gran Bretana (203 total comments) in Bogota, Colombia

Details about the current teacher appraisal process.

“There is a Professional Growth Process which is just a yearly goal setting with supervising admin. Admin will occasionally walk through classrooms but it’s a very casual and supportive environment.”

International School of Latvia (53 total comments) in Riga, Latvia

Languages of the host city and the level of English spoken there.

“In the tourist areas, some locals can speak pretty good English. But even in those areas, if you go to a random shop the store worker will just blankly stare at you with no interest in even trying to understand you. This was a recent experience of mine. In the end, I bought something, but it seems like a pain for her to sell it to me.”

British International School Hanoi (9 total comments) in Hanoi, Vietnam

Six lessons have I learned about Zambia

I recently moved to Lusaka, Zambia. This was my first time moving to the African continent. Everyone informed me that Zambia is a very safe, straightforward country to move to. Africa lite, if you will. English is widely spoken and the people are friendly.

Language

Lusaka, like many other cosmopolitan cities in Africa, is linguistically diverse due to historical, cultural, and geographical factors. Zambia, as a whole, is home to over 70 ethnic groups, each with its distinct language or dialect. As the capital, Lusaka is a central hub and attracts people from various regions and ethnic backgrounds for economic, educational, and administrative opportunities. Thus English tends to be widely spoken as the language of trade and business and is the official language. However, Nyanja and Bemba are the two most widely spoken indigenous languages in Lusaka, but not necessarily outside of the capital.

Weather

Zambia is a landlocked country in southern Africa with a diverse geography, however, the majority of Zambia is characterized by high plateaus and elevated areas. The Central African Plateau covers much of the country, with altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 1,400 meters (3,280 to 4,593 feet) above sea level. This influences the climate with slightly higher temperatures and lower humidity than coastal areas in Africa.

Technically Zambia has a wet and dry season. Wet Season is usually November to April and is characterized by higher temperatures and increased rainfall. It’s the time when the landscape becomes lush and green.

The Dry Season is usually from May to October. This season has lower rainfall, and temperatures can vary, with warm to hot days and cooler nights, especially in the winter months of June and July. My arrival in August was cold and I had to rush to buy a coat. However, by October we were experiencing temperatures upwards of 40° and I was thankful for the AC.

Adapt to the Pace

Life in Lusaka has a different pace compared to other countries. We had to learn to embrace the relaxed lifestyle and be patient with administrative processes. People often turn up to events or meetings at a time that suits them rather than a set time. Maintenance workers might turn up a day late and without the right tools needed. The job will get done eventually, and possibly need redoing a week later. But there’s no need to get upset about it. The cashier might be chatting with another customer for a few minutes before s/he has time to serve you but don’t forget the pleasantries of saying hello and asking how s/he is before getting the sale.

You’ll come across as rude if you do.

Crime

Zambia tends to be safer than many of her neighbours. Petty theft and bag snatching are the biggest issues. Don’t walk around the streets at night, avoid certain areas and be aware of your surroundings.

Don’t leave laptops or other valuables in your car as thieves will break your window and steal them.

Safaris and Wildlife

Enjoy a safari in Zambia for a unique opportunity to witness diverse wildlife. The country is characterized by extensive savannas, supporting diverse wildlife. National parks, such as South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi, and Kafue, showcase Zambia’s rich biodiversity and safaris and lodges are popular but expensive.

Be prepared to encounter giraffes, zebra, elephants, lions, hippos, and an array of bird species in their natural habitats and enjoy amazing sunsets at the end of the day.

Zambia is renowned for its walking safaris, offering an intimate and immersive experience with nature. Accompanied by knowledgeable guides, you can appreciate the smaller details of the ecosystem and surroundings.

6. Weekend Markets

Car shows, weekend markets and Christmas markets are a fun way to enjoy a weekend and are on almost every other weekend. Browse stalls of traditional crafts, clothes, paintings, furniture, plants, fruit, and vegetables, enjoy a gin or craft beer, listen to live music and order some braai ( an African term for barbecue or grill) but a braai is more than just a barbecue it’s also a social occasion and a sense of community.

This article was submitted by a guest author and ISC member who currently works at the International School of Lusaka in Zambia.

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