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Why is there a demand for English teachers? Singapore is a very wealthy and westernized city-state in which there is a considerable demand for qualified English teachers on minimum one-year contracts. Once a teacher does get established in a school, freelance teaching is widely available. While salaries are reasonably high, Singapore certainly isn't the cheapest place to live and work.
How do I go about getting a job? Candidates must have a degree in English and relevant teaching qualifications and have at least three years teaching experience. The foreign Recruitment Unit of the Ministry of Education in Singapore www.moe.gov.sg recruits teachers of English Language/Literature on two to three year contracts in secondary schools.The British Council at 30 Napier Road has a teaching operation which hires qualified teachers locally and can provide a list of language schools.
Do I need to learn/speak the language? It is not essential for you to speak the language, but it helps to know the basics.
Where do EFL teachers live? There is sometimes assistance in finding accommodation. A one-time board and lodging allowance will be given to improve the cost of lodging for the interim period after arrival in Singapore pending long term accommodation.
What is the food like? Singapore cuisine spoils the visiting gourmand in more ways than one - from a wide assortment of dishes from all around the world, to food choices for all budgets, Singapore's food scene has it all. No other Asian country has such a wide selection of food. For breakfast you can try nasi lemak, a Malay rice dish with fish; for lunch, chicken biryani, an Indian Muslim meal; then there's high tea colonial-style in the mid-afternoon; and finally, you can round off the evening with a sumptuous Chinese banquet.
What will I do in the evenings, on days off or on my holidays? The great skyscrapers of glass, steel and concrete are a testament to the nation's business acumen and its drive towards corporate and economic success. But there remains a wealth of traditional Chinese, Indian and Malay cultures, complete with fortune tellers, calligraphers, and temple worship. While working abroad, you will learn as much as the students who attend your classes. Spend a day at the mother of all amusement parks, Sentosa Island, where you will ascend on a cable car ride for a spectacular view. But save some energy to take in a drag diva cabaret show at the famous "Boom-Boom-Room." Yes, we are not joking, such a show exists and there is an establishment that goes by that moniker!
Safe? It's clean, well ordered, and law and order is completely under control. There is enhanced security at key civilian installations and extremism is all but unheard of. Religious or racial tensions have no place in Singapore and the government takes swift, decisive and severe action against drug traffickers etc.
How much does it cost to travel from the UK? Flights are £400 plus.
When is the best time to travel for English teaching jobs? Year round.
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