Teaching EFL in Malta

Every week I receive ten to twenty e-mails from people enquiring about teaching at AClass Academy of English. This is great and I am very please we have already got our name out there. The only problem is that many people do not know what is required to teach English in Malta. The rules are quite strict and regulated by the EFL monitoring board which was set up by the government to regulate the industry. If I am not mistaken we were the first country to do this and other countries have expressed an interest in our system.

To apply for a Teaching Permit which is at present renewable on a yearly basis but may change soon you need:

1. An A-level in English at grade C or above or the EFL monitoring board equivalency exam which is held twice yearly.
2. A TEFL certificate from a recognised provider (minimum 60 hours)
3. A clean police conduct record that is no more than 3 months from the date of application

It is assumed that you can work legally in the country. Getting a valid work permit is a whole different ball game and can be quite tricky since the government tries to safeguard the local job market. You would need to have a valid reason to get a permit such as expertise in a highly specialised field.

Once you have all this sorted out you can start applying to schools locally. The best time to apply is in April/May as Director of Studies are gearing up for the summer season.

If possible, apply in person and bring copies of your relative certificates with you. Try to call ahead to schedule an appointment. Mondays and Fridays are usually busy times at school so aim for some time mid-week.

If you apply via email make sure your letter is not full of grammatical errors or the person reading it may not even give you a second chance. Make sure you get the name of the school right or if you plan on sending out an email to lots of schools send the emails separately so it is not so obvious. Also, do make sure you look at the school's website before going for an interview.

Once you get an interview make sure you relax and be yourself. Typical questions might be " What teaching experience do you have?" and " What would you do on a Monday morning in a pre- Intermediate class on their first day at school ?"

Don't be afraid to take your time or to say you are unsure. Honesty is the best policy.

If possible have a few questions of your own. This shows you have come well prepared and take initiative.

Statistics recently published by the government revealed that the industry hires approximately 1,304 teachers. Out of these most (91.4%) were on a part-time basis. If you want to see all the statistics available go to this link for the pdf Malta Statistics Office.