Qualifying Yourself in the Taiwan University Market
The majority of universities in Taiwan do not hire a large number of foreign teachers. Most of the schools where I have interviewed were hiring no more than 2 or 3 foreign teachers into already well-established departments staffed by local teachers.Recently, I have been told about positions for foreign teachers with master's degrees at national universities. These would be in departments full of local Ph.D.s, many of whom already have international reputations. In departments like these, teaching ability is very important. In rural Taiwan, where the pool of academically qualified teachers is small, experience in the classroom might be enough to get you an interview. From there, interpersonal skills and a strong showing in a demonstration class could be enough to land a job offer. In the larger urban centers, and especially Taipei, this won't be sufficient. Departments are looking for applicants who stand out. Extremely strong demonstrations of teaching skill such as an M.Ed or an M. TESOL with significant teaching experience at the post-secondary level are necessary. This is not the only way to get noticed though. Schools need a wide range of skills and other abilities may also be attractive. For example, a strong publication record in TESOL or other related areas is really good. Some teachers in my school have developed outstanding achievement as coaches of the English speech contest team or as instructors of academic subjects that they can instruct in English. Other skills that have received a lot of attention are Internet skills and knowledge of testing. The point is that if it's a job you want, then a lot of others also want it. Your application has to make it clear that you are outstanding in some aspect of teaching or scholarship.
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