What are International Schools?
For an international community, an international school delivers an international education. They’re usually available in big cities and cater to children from both expat and host country families. Families from the United Kingdom often send their children to British international schools, but there are also international schools affiliated with other nations, such as the United States, France, and Germany.
The International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) developed a list of criteria for defining international schools in 2009:
The education of students may be transferred to other foreign schools.
There is a population that is on the move (more so than in state schools).
The student body is multicultural and multilingual.
Pupils are typically educated using a global curiculum.
The Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and the Council of International Schools (CIS) are responsible for accrediting schools globally (CIS).
Schools aren’t picky about who they admit.
The primary or bilingual language is English.
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What kind of curriculum do they use?
An globally recognized curriculum is one of the most defining aspects of an international school. The English National Curriculum, the International Baccalaureate (IB), International GCSEs (IGCSEs), and the International Primary Curriculum are all examples of this (IPC). ‘This makes it simple for students to move from one overseas school to another or return to a UK school,’ explains Colin Bell, COBIS’ chief executive. It also implies that any tests they take will be transferable to other countries.
Disadvantages of International Schools
International schools, like all other schools, have their downsides. The population is relatively transitory, which is one of the dangers. Pupils change schools often, and youngsters may have to develop new acquaintances on a regular basis. There may also be a considerable turnover of employees, with instructors pursuing their dream of teaching in another nation before returning home.
Although foreign schools provide opportunities for students to encounter individuals from many cultures, they may not be as entrenched in the local culture as they would be at a public school. They may lose out on learning about local culture and language acquisition.
Parents and students may struggle with the ‘pushiness’ of instructors and other parents, both in the classroom and during extracurricular activities, at certain foreign schools.
It might be challenging to get into an overseas school. Other good institutions have significant waiting lists, and some require students to pass an admission test and/or an interview to get admitted. Fees may be exorbitant as well; some institutions are non-profit, while others are for-profit, and a more expensive education does not always imply a better one.
While teaching quality may be excellent, keep in mind that foreign schools often hire instructors without a formal teaching certificate, such as a Bachelor’s degree in education (BEd) or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) (PGCE). This isn’t always an issue — in the United Kingdom, independent schools and academies are permitted to hire untrained instructors – but it’s something to keep in mind.
Another possible snag is that if your company pays for all or part of your child’s education, you may be forced to choose from a restricted list of authorized schools, reducing your options.
Types of International School
Original International Expatriate Schools
Most people imagine a Canadian school with a Canadian curriculum and Canadian students taught by Canadian instructors when they think about teaching abroad – a Canadian school with a Canadian curriculum and Canadian students taught by Canadian professors… but in a country that isn’t Canada. These are mono-nationalistic international schools, which means that the majority of the students, parents, staff, and curriculum represent just one country, regardless of the school’s location. This sort of school was the sole type several decades ago, when foreign relocation was a rare occurrence, however it today represents the lowest fraction of international schools accessible.
Because Original Expatriate schools are generally well-established and well-known, having been among the country’s first foreign schools, they often charge fees at the top of the regional range and hence provide job packages to instructors in the top quartile. As a result, they are often oversubscribed, making it difficult for students to enroll and professors to find work.
Requirements
To teach at an international school, you must first fulfill the host country’s Ministry of Education criteria, which vary by country. Some countries have maximum and/or minimum age restrictions for normal work visas, while others may demand that your teaching qualifications reach a certain level and that you have a bachelor’s degree in the topic you want to teach overseas. Many instructors depend on Edvectus to assist them understand where they may and cannot be considered for teaching jobs since rules vary by nation and often change year to year.
In addition to the national standards, an Original Expatriate school would normally prefer at least 5 years of recent, uninterrupted full-time teaching experience in a comparable high-quality school employing their curriculum. Original Expatriate schools will look for recent professional advancement as well as up-to-date teaching techniques, excellent teaching references, and demonstrated academic outcomes. It’s vital to keep in mind that these colleges often get a large number of applications and are frequently adamant about getting what they want.
Broadly International Schools
In places with a big population of expats from all over the globe, certain international schools exist. Thousands of expats from hundreds of different nations live and work together in countries like China, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Hong Kong, creating the ideal environment for Broadly International Schools.
International schools, in general, serve parents and children from a wide range of countries, and they prefer to recruit multi-cultural instructors. While they do employ a foundational curriculum, it is often changed to meet the demands of their multi-ethnic student and parent population. At break time, you’ll notice a rainbow of various races and many different languages being spoken throughout a Broadly International school, but the medium of teaching is nearly always English.
Requirements
Broadly International schools would commonly demand at least 2 years of recent post-qualification teaching experience in the topic and at a level that is appropriate to the position on offer, in addition to meeting the Ministry of Education and visa criteria of their host country. They will search for scholarly, culturally tolerant, and adaptive instructors with a demonstrated track record of teaching the topic they want, although they may be more flexible and broad-minded in accepting teachers who have experience with a curriculum that is not the one they provide. Teachers who have inflexible views about how a school should appear, how things should be done, and what is culturally appropriate would struggle in this kind of school, which needs them to deal with students, parents, and staff from all over the globe.
International and Bilingual Schools
The biggest and fastest-growing section of the international school scene is local international schools. Local International schools primarily serve the people of the host country, but they follow an international curriculum and teach in a language other than that of the host government’s public schools. Bilingual schools also serve host nationals, but they vary from Local International schools in that they follow the host country’s national curriculum, but provide a large amount of it in English.
Many foreign instructors begin their careers at Local International or Bilingual schools owing to the sheer quantity of them, thus it’s crucial to know how they compare to other kinds.
Local Foreign and Bilingual schools, more than any other form of school, reflect the host culture in which they are headquartered, allowing international instructors to get immersed in the local culture and establish local friends. Teachers are frequently invited to holiday celebrations, learn the language more quickly, and assimilate into the lifestyle more quickly, but they must also adhere to local customs more strictly, and the school environment and ethos may more closely reflect the host country than the international curriculum.
Teachers at local international and bilingual schools should do extensive study on their new country’s culture to ensure that they are well equipped for cultural immersion. Because school procedures, from hiring practices to material ordering, are often reflective of the host country’s culture rather than the culture of the expatriate teacher, we recommend these schools for teachers who are open-minded, comfortable with change, and both personally and professionally adaptable. The school is the hand, and the instructor is the glove, as it is with all foreign assignments. This implies that rather than expecting a school to change for them, the teacher must understand and adapt to the culture of the school. Teachers that succeed in doing so will have a better knowledge of their host country as well as a successful teaching career.
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Requirements
Local Foreign and Bilingual schools are frequently the most flexible in terms of pre-requisites, yet they must fulfill Ministry of Education and visa standards, just like all international schools. Some schools will welcome self-assured Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) and provide them with the structure and support they need to get their teaching careers off the ground. Others may need additional expertise. Because this is the most diverse group of foreign schools, there is a wide range of requirements and services available.
All Local International and Bilingual schools want to hire teachers who have some experience teaching English Language Learners, and teachers who don’t have that experience should take advantage of the courses available on our learning portal, which will help them understand the challenges and common techniques that can be used.
Local International and Bilingual schools are not often suitable for teachers with dependent children, both because they may not integrate well into the school and because the lower fee structures may not pay enough to support an entire family, and they rarely provide family housing or free school fees for teachers.
State Schools
With a keen interest in educating their pupils for a globalized future, several foreign governments have taken the brave step of establishing bilingual streams inside their state-funded schools. Teachers with a Western education may be employed for a number of jobs, including teaching English as a foreign language, counseling local teachers on best teaching techniques, and even running a school as the Principal or Head Teacher. Roles may be classified into the following categories:
With a keen interest in educating their pupils for a globalized future, several foreign governments have taken the brave step of establishing bilingual streams inside their state-funded schools. Teachers with a Western education may be employed for a number of jobs, including teaching English as a foreign language, counseling local teachers on best teaching techniques, and even running a school as the Principal or Head Teacher. Roles may be classified into the following categories:
Language Assistant
Many nations use untrained instructors, frequently native English-speaking university graduates, as Language Assistants, which is by far the most common sort of position. Their job is to model proper English speech and use it under the supervision of a competent host country instructor.
Language Assistant jobs are often best suited for those with only a non-education-related degree or TEFL certifications, or those who are not certified or qualified to teach in a public school in their home country, though most foreign governments would gladly hire qualified/certified teachers as well.
Salaries are often lower than what a certified/qualified teacher may make in other parts of the country, however they frequently have a compensation structure that rewards training and experience. Benefits packages may include some type of housing support and a flying allowance, but due to the transitory nature of people drawn to these positions, they often pay out only once certain time and performance conditions are reached.
These positions are ideal for TEFL certified instructors or teachers who do not have formal teacher training or certification in their own country. Japan and Taiwan are two nations that have implemented such programs.
English Teachers
Instructors who are trained and accredited to teach English in their native countries in the Early Years (Kindergarten/Nursery), Primary (Elementary), or Secondary (Middle /High School) levels may apply for positions as English teachers overseas. Because English instructors are responsible for their own classrooms and lessons, having suitable teacher training is more crucial than for a Language Assistant. Some nations have English specialist instructors in every year group, while others only have specialists in Secondary or High School.
Instructors who want to be considered for these positions must be qualified and certified in their own countries, and governments may only choose teachers who have been trained in certain nations that they believe are a suitable fit for their own state systems.
When compared to other employment at international schools nearby, the salaries for these occupations are frequently extremely excellent, and the educational and experience criteria for these roles are fairly demanding. Governments often need at least 2 or 3 years of meaningful whole-class teaching experience after graduation. In certain cases, TEFL certifications are needed in addition to initial teacher training, including requirements for the kind and quality of the TEFL certificate provider. Brunei and Abu Dhabi are two nations that have these sorts of programs.
