Ageism My career as an ESL teacher has spanned 15 years. It...

AGEISM I'd like to add to Peter's letter and confirm the scenario he described; as I'm experiencing the same. My career as a TEFL Teacher had been only ten years, as I started at the age of fifty, when I still was accepted as an English major teacher at Chinese universities...and after that, I got accepted also at ///english training centers in different provinces of China, to teach young learners, until I became obliged to leave China for South Africa, my homeland, due to terrible difficulty to again apply for a work permit, at age fifty nine. I don't know whether this is only an Asian phenomenon, bu it's definitely REAL, Peter.

Peter and Johannes, Experiencing a similar situation here in Thailand. The initial Temporary Thai Teachers Cert. is a rolling 6 year certification, renewable every 2 years, for 3 times. However, Covid killed about a year and a half of mine. So, having taught for 4.5 years here my 6 years are up. And in order to earn the necessary Post Graduate Certificate in Education to petition the MOE for the necessary Full-time Thai Teachers License for the next 5 years. They are giving some extensions, but it's extremely difficult to get the MOE to authorize them. And the schools don't even know that it's a possibility. So they are being lazy about asking for the extensions. They would rather hire less experienced, new arrival teachers.

To Peter, Also, I am 54y.o. and am experiencing the same difficulties lately. I left a low paying but gratifying university teaching position in Dec. 2022. I took a few months off to do something else and am now finding that a lot of the teaching jobs are going to nonNES teachers who will work for much less. Parents and Schools want qualified, experienced teachers. But don't want to pay higher salaries. And since Covid, everything is more expensive. There are no cost of living increases or travel allowances or relocation assistance. But they expect us to shoulder the burden of financial responsibility for moving and stupid, free demo. lessons. I refuse to do them if they are not local. The language schools are insane about free visits.

I can verify the same. I have had 3 schools in 2022-2023 lie and cheat at almost every turn. Jobs in China now all go to 20 something girls with blue eyes and a nice butt...experience and credentials don't apply to them, and they haul in 30k+ if they look good in jeans....it's a racket teaching here now.

This is sadly true. A colleague of mine was forced to retire from a school in China. It is an ignorant concept shared by many Asian schools. However, some schools in SE Asia do not always practice this age discrimination. It is hit or miss with schools there. In the USA, some districts are adopting this STUPID NES concept schools which are destined to fail! Ludicrous.

This is a trend that exposes the lack of professionalism in the TEFL industry, an industry that seems to seek out and attract Barbies and Kens who wish to enjoy a gap year in an exotic locale, rather than people who view teaching as their lifetime vocation, and take their profession seriously.

Similar. I'm 57 with 19 years experience. A decade ago, if I got the interview, I got the job; not so much these days. Employers want that level of experience - but in a 30 year old.

Sorry to hear this, and I know it's true. I am only in my 30s, but am already seeing posts for female teachers under 30. I have older female teacher friends who have been discriminated against, one in her 40s and another in her 50s. It's best to go home to your own country after 45...they will be more gentle with you and probably more appropriate anyway. Asian culture is much more ageist to women, but sorry to hear about this, to men too!

This may be going on more now than before, as I taught with a lot of older teachers in Taiwan. I think it's just become more competitive. Young adults can't make it in the States so head over to Asia to pay off their student loans. However, I'd blame the parents rather than the schools that hire; I've seen so many parents pass over capable ABC or CBC teachers in favor of a 'western' face.

I had no problem finding jobs in China when I was in my 40s. I got hired out of the USA at age 42 to work in Guangzhou. Then I worked at two different schools in Shanghai at age 44, and 46. My age was never an issue, but it could be that I looked younger than my age. Now I am teaching in the USA and my age is no issue at all. My school in Miami and my school in Austin routinely hire teachers in their 50s. I'm 55 now and want to teach abroad again. It's a bit soothing to see that these comments are about China, because I do not want to teach there again. I am preferring to go work in Europe or Latin America, where I hope ageism is not a as bad.

Yes, I am 55 and getting the same thing with the age requirements.

Totally agree and am and have experienced the same its difficult to get a job in your later years, ok ím 64 but fitter than most people i know younger and an active teacher , I got kicked out of china after 25years because of age same in central Asia now have a job fortunately, but its terrible. Would love to actually teach again. Take care all

I have been told that I am overqualified which is the polite term for too old. I have noticed that many schools want a certain age and look to keep parents happy. Given that I teach in universities, this is rather strange. I am past the age for work visas in many countries so I am keeping a watch on specific areas. For example, in the Marshall Islands, where I have worked, they don't care about age at all.

Yep, 52 here and former Musician "It's a young man/womans game" was/is the saying and never would I have thought it would apply to being a Teacher in 2025. In Asia you can get away with being in your 40s, for a while. University level isn't the problem but all the money (Education Industry) is in the lower levels and us older folk aren't suitable for that. Mix this in with an utterly, disillusioned generation of 20/30 somethings from the Western World heading to Asia etc or working Online and it's grim to be over 50, if you're in the Edu-tainment Industry.

It's true that there is a lot of ageism, so rather than 'fight' it, go where your skills and experience are valued :) I've been a teacher in Burma (Myanmar) for 13 years (off and on between teaching in Lao PDR). If you are an experienced teacher and are not older than 110 years, then you can find a well-paid job in Myanmar :) I'm going on 67 and soon to start my latest teaching job in Shan State, close to the beautiful Inle Lake.

Only to the point in some countries there is a mandatory age limit by law ( I was told this when applying for China for example). Other than that, some ( more progressive in my opinion) respect experience and quality over quantity. Keep trying. Iraq maybe? Good luck

Yes I too have encountered this and I’ve got certifications out the wazoo! It’s the world we live in.

I experienced no ageism in Kazakhstan, where I taught while over seventy. TEFL ads for Turkey do not ask about age, so maybe age is not a factor there. Mexico has a law against age discirmination, but many ads require birth date to apply. The EU is supposed to prohibit ageism, but I worked in a government office where a better qualified but. older German was passed over for a younger German, with explicit mention of age as the factor. Germany used to have a mandatory retirement age for government workers, but I don't know if this is still the case.

AGEISM Research visa requirements and typical retirement ages for each country where you want to work. I worked until my late 50s in an IB school in South Korea and until 64 at universities in Saudi Arabia. Note that it helped to have years of experience, certifications in ESL, Special Needs, and MRT plus a PhD in Education, which is highly prized in both South Koea and Saudi Arabia. Egypt and Turkey do not have age limits but the pay is fairly low. I recommend investing well and looking toward a permanent retirement home in a place that you love.

HI, You say your schools in Miami and Austin regularly hire older teachers. I am trying to get a job in Austin. Can you give me more details about how you got your job in Austin. Was it teaching English to ESL students? I am predominantly a math teacher, but would gladly teach ESL if it meant I could get to Austin. Did your nationality play a part in being offered the job? (I'm guessing maybe you are a US citizen?) Thank you for your response.

Lucy T. summed it up when she wrote, "It is because they are cheaper and more likely to take bad conditions and bad pay." Schools and companies would rather hire and train a fresh face than take on an experienced teacher. They're willing to take risks with young hires that have a certain look because costs are rising, and their competition is also charging less. Also, our teaching competition is getting younger, as the job market seems to be flooded with 30-somethings already with certificates, degrees and experience that we have in our 40s and 50s. I'm 49, and was recently passed over by a recruiter filling public school ESL alternate teacher positions! And I have a Masters in Ed. and a CELTA.

Yes, I am experiencing the same.

Hiring young people makes a lot of sense. They are vibrant, easy-going, connected to current trends, and if I were a student, I would enjoy having a young teacher too. Even now, I naturally connect well with younger people. I enjoy their energy. Teaching was not my long-term career path. However, for a few months after graduating from Uni, I worked as a high school teacher. At that time, the age difference between my students and me was less than seven years. Now I am 58, but I am still extremely active and full of energy. I speak Chinese, Icelandic, French, and other languages, swim and ice skate and my life has always been dynamic. I am a globe-trotter, an explorer, and as an EU and Canadian citizen, the world is my playground.