In-Company English Instruction in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

As the economic transformation of these new EU nations continues, more and more Czechs and Slovaks will need to learn to speak English in order to get by in the international business world. By the same token, Czech and Slovak companies must stay competitive, which means they must maintain well-trained and knowledgeable staff. Consequently, more and more companies are requiring their management teams to study English. And as more foreign and international concerns invest in the two republics, the demand for employees who can speak English is increasing even more. Many companies are responding to this trend by offering English-language instruction to their employees. Some contract with language schools, who provide both the instructors and the teaching materials. Others hire teachers independently.

The amount of money you can make depends on whether you find the position yourself or get it through a contract arrangement with your school. In the former case, you will have to rely on your negotiating skills to create a well -paying teaching position. A little research into what private schools charge their students combined with an understanding of general wage and salary ranges for private teaching should prove to be instructive. A quick glance at the pay ranges quoted above should get you started. Settling on reasonable compensation for in-company teaching will depend on what exactly is expected of you by the company. Your wage or salary should be commensurate to both industry standards and your specific ESL teaching job description. Know what the company expects before you accept a position. Some firms will ask you to not only teach, but also to proofread and rewrite documents in English and be the onsite English expert for any employee to go to when in need of help.

On the other hand, if you work for a language school and not for the company directly, then you will likely be paid your normal hourly wage. In this case, you won’t have to worry about negotiating anything.

In-company teaching jobs are hard to come by if you seek them out on your own, but they often pop up in the Prague Post classifieds or on the www.expats.cz job forums.