Introduction to Best places to teach English in the Middle East
Whether you’re looking to develop a career teaching English as a foreign language, looking for professional development for a related career track, or simply keen to experience a new culture and people, teaching English in the Middle East can be a great place to realize your goals.
The Middle East has some of the most hospitable and friendly welcoming people you could ever hope to meet and there are a fascinating history and culture to this region.. It helps that the food there is great as well!!
So where exactly in the Middle East can you teach? And which areas are better for which aspects of teaching?
Teaching English in the Arabian Peninsula
The first Best places to teach English in the Middle East is the Arabian peninsula can be the first port of call for some people as they look for teaching roles – there is a big demand for quality English teachers in Saudia Arabia (although perhaps less so in Oman and of course there is currently a conflict raging in Yemen).
The jobs are generally very well paid here too which is a big plus, but usually they are looking for teachers with the relevant qualifications and at least one to two years of previous teaching experience. So while it can be an attractive area for qualified, experienced, teachers, it probably isn’t the best place for new teachers to start their search.
Teaching English in the Gulf Region
The Gulf Region – that’s to say countries like Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE etc. offer many of the same benefits as Saudi Arabia because these tend to be wealthy economies with a high demand for English teaching. Again there are pros and cons to consider in this region as before – for one thing the summer time temperatures here can become excessively hot with the thermometer regularly surpassing 50 degrees centigrade.
This means that going outside during the day is rarely possible during the height of summer which is not exactly the best way to explore a new environment.
Teaching English in the Levantine Region
In our opinion, the Levantine Region is the best area to teach English in the Middle East. For starters, there is a huge demand for English teachers but not so much concentrated wealth, so there are voluntary roles to allow teachers to begin to find their feet on a new a career path and the cost of living for outsiders is not excessive either.
Additionally, if you are keen to learn Arabic while you are living in the Middle East, the Shami dialect spoken in the Levantine region is the most widely recognised throughout the Arab world and thus probably the most useful one to learn (depending on your own personal goals).
Finally, while the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula can be quite restrictive in terms of local customs, Lebanon, Jordan, parts of Palestine and Syria (before the civil war) are closer to Western culture, so there is not such a culture shock when you first visit one of these countries.
Tips for the classroom
One thing to remember wherever you go is that your classes will almost certainly be monolingual – that is to say everyone in the class will be able to speak Arabic. It’s thus crucial to engage your students in the process of learning English so that they don’t slip back into their native tongue during lessons. Additionally, bear in mind there may be certain cultural factors to bear in mind (such as the relationship of respect between the teacher and the classroom) when teaching in the Middle East, that might not apply in Western countries.
Teaching English in the West Bank (Palestine)
Finally, the last Best place to teach English in the Middle East is The Excellence Center in Palestine which offers two teaching programs for those who want to develop their teaching skills, discover a new culture, and have a fantastic social experience while doing. The Excellence Center in Palestine is a language school and training center which seeks to develop the skills of Palestinians in the local community to help them meet the challenges of life.
The Teach English, Study Arabic program gives volunteers the opportunity to volunteer as an English teacher and learn Arabic, while the Teach for Palestine program is for more experienced English teachers who can bring previous skills and experience to the table.
Both programmes include accommodation, food and various trips both in the city of Hebron and further afield in the West Bank. The West Bank is home to much of the Holy Land, including the biblical sites of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho and the Dead Sea. In addition to these historical places, you also have the beautiful Nablus, the lively Ramallah and Hebron itself, where you have the chance to see first hand the Israeli Occupation and its effects on the Palestinian people.
Volunteerto Teach English in Palestine
The city itself of Hebron is completely safe for foreigners, but we understand volunteering in Palestine can be daunting and we do all we can to make volunteers comfortable during their time here. For more information about both programs, you can visit our website or read volunteer testimonials and feedback on Go Overseas and Go Palestine to see if the programs on offer would be a good fit for you personally.
We look forward to welcoming your application for the Teach English, Study Arabic or the Teach for Palestine internship with us here at the Excellence Center at some point soon in the very near future! We hope you enjoyed reading the Best places to teach English in the Middle East article. Should you have any questions, please contact us.
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