Russia - TEFL in Russia
If you are looking for another possible country to add to your list of places where to teach, Russia is the one!
Russia, or more technically the Russian Federation, emerged after the former Soviet Union (USSR) was dissolved on 31 December 1991.
It is the largest country in the world, spanning 11 time zones. Its population is small relatively to its size and unevenly distributed, with the majority of people concentrated in the European areas and the Ural regions.
Despite the cooling in relations between Russia and the West in recent years and President Dmitri Medvedev pointing the finger at the West for trying to push Russia behind a new "Iron Curtain" native English speakers are still in demand and most Russians believe a good knowledge of the English language is a passport to improving their job’s opportunities and general status.
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Where to Teach
English teaching positions are available not only at the academic level in state schools and universities but also in the private sector. Businesses - particularly those in the oil, tourist and services industry, favour tutors with a background in business or experience in teaching business English.
Private language schools dot the country, from Moscow to Novosibirsk to Saint Petersburg, passing through Vladmir!
Private English language schools employ a mix of local and native-speaker teachers.
Apart from general English course for kids, teenagers and adults, private language schools cater also for businesses and run in company business English courses.
The larger and better organized the school the more chances they will help you with your visa processing, accommodations, airfare reimbursement, health care, etc.
Although British English is preferred, there are still many jobs for American English teachers (and other variations).
Qualifications
The standard minimum requirements are a degree plus a TESL or TEFL such as the ICAL TESL/TEFL Certificate course. Being certified will make you more marketable and it will also, and perhaps more importantly, give you the basic tools to enter a new profession with confidence, knowing that when you walk in a classroom you will be able to make a difference.
However not having a degree or a certificate not always prevent one from teaching and there are unqualified English speakers who have been hired solely on the ground of them being native speakers - getting a visa to work in Russia without the right qualifications is becoming increasingly difficult however.
Having said all this, make sure you have all the correct paperwork as bureaucracy can be very complex and without all the details covered it may mean having to leave the country to get them fixed.
Pay & Conditions
Pay will depend on the kind of school you work for and the conditions there. Some schools will offer accommodation; this can lead to a salary of about 30 - 35,000 Rubles per month (1,000 USD, 694 EUR, 626 GBP).
If the school does not provide housing, then a salary of about 55 - 60,000 Rubles per month is more likely (1,950 USD, 1,354 EUR, 1,220 GBP). Housing can be expensive depending on which city you are living in so it's worth checking this out beforehand.
Some jobs will rise on this up to about 100,000 Rubles per month (3,100 USD, 2,153 EUR, 1,940 GBP).
Moscow is an expensive city to live in with food costing about the same as the US but eating out in decent restaurants very expensive.
Private Tutoring
Though potentially more lucrative, private tutoring requires a decent knowledge of the Russian language for you to be able to negotiate with clients, and the ability to network and socialize within your local community.
Rates for private lessons can vary from a minimum of USD20 to USD60 per hour if you are teaching a private group of employees.
Schools often offer their students the opportunity to have private lessons so you can always rely on your school to provide an opportunity for extra income. Obviously the hourly rate in this case will take into account the middleman!
