Prague is becoming one of the most popular destinations, next to Asia, for Expats searching for a change of pace and an opportunity to live and work in Europe.
Prague is a goldmine for English teaching jobs, anything from nursery schools to massive language schools scattered throughout the city.
Why Prague? Because unlike its’ neighboring countries to the West, the Czech Republic has a legal system that is the most sympathetic to non-EU residents during the work visa application process.
After passing my TEFL certification course and getting hired at IJV I was helped with every step to obtaining my legal working documents to ensure a smooth transition to my new life in Prague. This made starting the new school year as stress-free as possible considering I then found myself surrounded by new people in a new country and a new job.
Teaching in Prague is unlike anything I could have imagined. It is more than just grammar lessons and pronunciation drills. It is a combination of cultivating fun, professional relationships with your students of various nationalities and backgrounds as well as exploring the language and personalizing lessons to suit each class’s needs.
As an English teacher at IJV I have many different types of English lessons every week. The first are post-secondary classes where students from enroll to improve their English for a daily 10-month intensive course. In June they are able to take the Cambridge exam appropriate for their skill level to earn a certificate.
I also teach private lessons, focusing on conversation or grammar revision. IJV offers 10-week public group courses which are organized by conversation level. We are able to create a relaxed and welcoming environment for those looking improve speaking skills for a short-term commitment. In addition to courses at IJV each week I travel to various businesses around Prague for company courses. These courses range from 1-6 students for either 60-90 minute lessons per week. They have allowed me to help the students improve their English with a business or general language focus.
Overall, being an English teacher at IJV is an exciting and enriching way to gain good experience in a professional work environment.
It is a lot of hard work and takes serious commitment and dedication from the teacher, but seeing the student’s improvement throughout the course of a year is the best reward imaginable.
Many people think of being an English teacher in Prague as an easy way to simply travel and bum around Europe for a certain amount of time. And although I have been able to travel to different countries during my stay in the Czech Republic, some of my best memories come from the classroom.
