- A Dream Come True

How would you like to be sitting in a street-side cafe with a cup of delicious coffee in front of you watching the Parisians pass you by? It would be wonderful to teach English in France, wouldn’t it? But, chances are, most everyone in France can speak English already, so there’s no way it can be done!

This is not exactly true, actually. While more people in France than, say, Japan can speak English, there are still opportunities if you want to teach English there. The only problem is that the jobs are pretty hard to come by. As you can imagine, the competition is pretty stiff.

Be An Assistant Teacher!

France has a program where they hire Americans to be assistant conversational English teachers in their public schools. They give you a pretty light schedule of teaching, rarely more than 15 hours a week. The pay is generous and the life is good.

The only problem is that they choose less than 2,000 a year. The good news is that not many Americans know about this program, so there aren’t too many applicants each year.

Sign Me Up!

Probably the biggest challenge is sifting through all the paperwork. It can be pretty daunting, and much of it will be in French! It’s a lot of work, but it will pay off.

The best source for information is your local French cultural center. If you are a college student, talk to the school’s French department. Most applicants for this program are students of French, so they will be able to help you get the things you need together.

Private Lessons

Another option for teaching in France is to teach private lessons. For most teachers, private lessons offer a little extra income on the side. With private lessons alone, it’s tough to make a living.

There are companies that specialize in providing English lessons, but these are especially hard to get a job with. Your best bet would probably be to go over with an assistant teacher program and make connections while you are there.

A few things that will help you get a good job teaching English in France are:

- At least a little French under your belt. If you have some familiarity with French, this will help a lot. People who go to France to teach and don’t bother trying to learn the language don’t survive very well. Study a little before you go, and it will be a big help to you.

- Some teaching experience or credentials. Most people who teach English overseas are not originally English teachers. In fact, teaching overseas is a great way to get a taste of teaching and decide if you like it. You can always volunteer to teach a few English classes at your local library or community center. A little experience can go a long way, and you can always put it on your resume when you apply.

Teaching English in France is a dream, but it doesn’t have to be just a fantasy. Every year, Americans go to France to teach and soak up the culture, and you could be one of them!