ESL Teaching Guide - Vietnam

Authentic brick oven pizzas available Da Vinci's Pizza

Population: 82 million
Language: Vietnamese, Russian, French, Chinese, English.
Religion: Buddhism, Taoist, Confucian, Hoa Hao, Caodaists, Muslim and Christian minorities.
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +7
Dialling Code: 84
Electricity: 220V, 50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric
Currency: The currency of Vietnam is the Dong. (Currency code: VND)

Breakdown of schools:
Private Language Schools - General English, Business English, TOEFL prep, IELTS. This is by far where the most opportunities exist.

Universities - General English, IELTS, TOEFL & Cambridge PET.

State Primary & Secondary Schools - General English, English for Younger Learners. You may be sweating in these schools, as the classrooms generally don't have air conditioning.

Apollo Education and Training
Asian Institute of Technology Center in Vietnam Language Unit
Australian University Studies Program - AUSP
British International School
Cleverlearn Ho Chi Minh City
EF English First
ELS Language Centers
Golden Key Language Center
Hanoi International School
ILA Vietnam
Language Link Vietnam
Lotus English Town - LET
Nong Lam University Center for Foreign Studies
Oxford English UK Vietnam
Saigon South International School (SSIS)
The Education Company
The International School of Ho Chi Minh City
United Nations International School
Vietnamese-American Training College (VATC)

Audio Slideshows in Vietnam >>
Law teacher in Vietnam	Children's teacher, Craig
ESL Audio Slideshows and videos in Vietnam >>
Classroom with Ms. Hanh	Interview with Tom	Interview with Richard	Interview with IES director
So, for these series of videos below we had a little bit of fun. This was from an awards ceremony for students at a local language school in Vietnam. This is an annual event, and generally a big deal for parents and the students alike. If you're teaching at most any school, you are likely to be asked to attend this annually.
Westlife comes to Vietnam!	A little bit of Vietnam culture

Teaching overview in Vietnam:	Vietam has a high demand for teachers. HCMC leads the way in terms of availability of teaching jobs. The busiest period is from May through December, with the summer months being the busiest for private language schools. For the most part, almost all the schools pay on time. Additionally, the government appears to be cracking down on 'rogue' schools after the sudden departure of a Singaporean based language school, SITC, which picked up and left one day leaving students and teachers high and dry. Vietnam's society also places a great amount of respect in teachers. Society admires teachers and generally students come to class respectful of the teacher.
Cost of Living Index:	Fairly inexpensive to live. Wages allow for very comfortable living and ability to save money. A flat will run $300 - $400 a month. Renting or sharing a room can be had for as little as $100.
Teaching Salary Range:	$12/hr - $16/hr are the norm. Teaching salaries can be as high as $25, and corporate work is available. Unlike other teaching jobs in Asia, there is quite a bit of freelance opportunites and contracts, while available, aren't as common.
Advantages:	Very decent salary for the region. Society places high value on teachers. If you don't like contract, this is the country for you.
Visa Information
http://hanoi.usembassy.gov/fbvisainfo.html

Teacher Stories in Vietnam

Name	Country Teaching	Q/A	Resume?
John Kalish	Vietnam	My first teaching experience in asia was in Vietnam, ho chi minh city. I think the school was called Viet My. It was 8 years ago.	Inactive
Brett Nelson	Vietnam	I first arrived into Hanoi, Vietnam in January 2003. I was on my way to teach in Hai Phong. I came alone into Hanoi, found the old train...	Inactive
Interested in posting here? Simply fill out this questionaire, and if you're seeking a position in Asia, send us your resume - we'll post it free of charge.