Bushibans in Taiwan

Bushibans are before and after school programs in Taiwan where student get extra student in certain core areas. Footprints staffs bushibans that hire English teachers to teach ESL to students ranging from elementary to adults. It should be noted that teaching students kindergarten or younger is currently illegal in Taiwan. It should also be noted that if you teach adult classes in a bushiban setting you will likely be required to work split shifts as these students are primarily available before and after regular working hours.

Kindergartens and Pre-Schools in Taiwan

It is illegal to teach English in kindergartens and in pre-schools in Taiwan. Many schools still try to hire teachers for work in these types of schools and they go so far as to set up elaborate alarm systems where if an inspection occurs the receptionist triggers an alarm that sounds in the teaching area and the teacher then heads for the nearest fire escape and takes the day off.

What is most strange about this is that it is common knowledge that these alarm systems occur and in many cases the people required to do the inspections have had their kids in a similar program. Learning English starts very young in Taiwan and those the snooze and miss out on early opportunities for their kids often feel they are depriving their child and they feel like their child will fall behind if they don't do what everyone else is doing. Competition in all facets of education in Taiwan is fierce.

The commonly understood reason for this legislation is that the Taiwanese want to protect the younger people from cultural imperialistic imposition resulting from exposure to English at too early an age... interestingly, there are some places where you can get English lessons played through a headset to an unborn child in a woman's pregnant belly...

Anyone care to debate this point or provide more information? Please feel free to comment away in our Taiwan Forum section.

Public Schools in Taiwan

Public schools in Taiwan will only accept certified teachers to teach in their programs. There are some public schools that will hire teachers on their own and they have been known to lessen the requirements somewhat to accept teachers from different backgrounds but in most of these cases the teachers are not able to get a proper teaching visa. Visas issued to teach in a public school require you to be a certified teacher and your teaching license has to be current.

Footprints offers placements in public schools in Taiwan once a year. Please review the job information listed for these public school jobs.

Private Schools (not private language schools)

There are a good number of private schools in Taiwan. Like private or charter schools in other countries, often the education, facilities and faculty are a bit more prestigious or comprehensive in these schools. Private schools in Taiwan are often located in the major centers and they are often very selective about who they hire. This is often a good place for teachers in year two or more of their experience in Taiwan or at least after you have a bit of teaching experience behind you, whether from Taiwan or another country.

Universities and Colleges in Taiwan

Footprints does not currently offer job placements in universities or colleges in Taiwan, we do offer adult only teacher jobs in buxibans in Taipei, Taichung and Kaosiung.

Corporate Training Programs

If you have more information about corporate training programs please let us know. EMAIL: webmaster@footprintsrecruiting.com