Let's Work Together    Who is ALC?

The American Language Center was established in 1994, out of a desire to elevate the quality of English language study available in Taiwan. We are a private center, offering after school English language instruction to K-12 students.


Our Philosophy
In Taiwan, there are many economic and educational advantages to learning English as a foreign language. For this reason, Chinese students study English for many years in high school and often use English texts at the university level. Unfortunately, they may never have the opportunity to use English in practical situations.

At ALC, our aim is to introduce English and an awareness of western cultures to Chinese students at an early age. Foreign teachers play an important role in this process. As an ALC teacher, your responsibility is to create a learning environment in which students are able to use English in everyday conversation. We teach both conversational and written English. For younger students, we focus on conversation. For older students, an equal emphasis is placed on conversation, reading and writing.

A Reading-friendly Environment- SCORE
Library services for children have never been as important for children and their families all over the world, as they are today. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to find a quality children’s library with English literature in Tainan City, Taiwan.

Therefore, we decide to build one.

By doing so, we hope to provide students with a nice and cozy environment, enabling them to apply their English in a reading-friendly space. In addition, as an ESL teacher, you will also find an abundance of children literature for your students and teaching.

The Taiwan Experience

About Taiwan

In the beginning, even the simplest tasks can be a chore. You may find yourself wondering, "How do I get to the post office when I can't even read the street signs? And once I'm there, how do I ask for ten airmail stamps?" Fortunately, many Taiwanese speak at least a little English and before long you will feel comfortable in your new home. Living in Taiwan. you will have the opportunity to participate in many aspects of Chinese life. Your contact with parents, students and friends will broaden your understanding of the people and the culture. Classes in Mandarin, calligraphy and t'ai chi-chuan are readily available. If you are interested in seeing the Taiwan countryside or in meeting more people outside the city, you can easily take a short trip to the mountains or the beach. Travel around Taiwan is convenient and inexpensive.

To read more about the culture and experience of living in Taiwan, please visit the Travel in Taiwan Monthly web site.

About Tainan City

ALC is located in the southern city of Tainan, about four hours south of Taipei. Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan and the most traditional of the large cities. It was the capital of Taiwan from 1663 until 1895, the time of the Japanese occupation. Tainan is full of places of historical interest. These include Anping Fort, the site of Koxinga's defeat of the Dutch invaders, and Confucius Temple, the oldest of its kind in Taiwan.

Although Tainan has a population of about 620,000 people, it retains a small town flavor. The people here are very friendly and being a westerner you will receive plenty of stares and "Hello's". The Chinese people have a great deal of respect for foreigners, and you may find that they insist on treating you like a guest. You will often receive invitations to see the sights of Taiwan or to go out for a Chinese meal.

You can easily get around Tainan on a bicycle or motorbike. The local university is about ten minutes from ALC and getting from one end of the city to another takes only thirty minutes by motorbike.

The Weather

Tainan is situated just below the Tropic of Cancer. Summer weather is hot and humid with temperatures in the 80's and 90's. In October, the weather gradually begins to cool off. The coldest months of the year are January and February. Buildings in Taiwan contain no heating, so a warm sweater and jacket are necessary then.

Teacher Training

Upon arrival in Taiwan, ALC teachers undergo two weeks of orientation and training. The first week consists of sitting in on classes and becoming familiar with our materials and method of teaching. The second week begins by teaching in tandem with an experienced ALC teacher. We have found that practice teaching is the most effective way for new teachers to identify any questions or difficulties they may have. During this period, you will be instructed in class preparation, presentation, classroom management, teacher effectiveness and the particular obstacles faced by students learning English as a foreign language.

In the final days of training, you will prepare and teach classes on your own, but in the presence of a supervising teacher. At the end of each class, the supervising teacher will offer comments and suggestions.

ALC teachers are provided with an organized curriculum of books, games, flashcards, slides, tapes, tests and various outside materials. Class size does not exceed twenty students.

Chinese Language Study

80% of the Chinese in Taiwan are Taiwanese Chinese, which means that their family has been living in Taiwan for approximately 300 years or longer. Although many families still speak Taiwanese at home, the official language used in the government and schools is Mandarin.

The local university offers instruction in Mandarin at their Chinese language center. Students at the language center receive ten hours a week of one-on-one instruction. For those who prefer greater flexibility in choosing their instructors or in determining the amount of instructional hours per week, private language tutors can easily be arranged.

The Teaching Contract

We'll go over the contract, including pay scale, bonus, and vacation during the interview.

Directions to ALC

View Larger Map

Qualifications& Responsibilities

Qualifications

• Native speaker
• Bachelor degree
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Flexibility

Responsibilities

• Teaching students of a variety of ages
• Attendance at meetings

Application Procedure

A. Please submit the following documents to                     
     jobs@alc.com.tw 
      (allow 3 business days for an initial review of the documents)

1. Cover letter

2. Photo
3. Resume

4. ALC Preliminary Interview Form  


B. Preliminary interview 
1. A brief (10-15 minutes) preliminary interview will be performed via Google Meet.

C. Second Interview (full interview)
1. The Second interview (1 hour) will be onsite if you are in Taiwan  or    via Google Meet if you are currently abroad.
2. Please bring your passport, diploma, certificates, etc.
3. The second interview will include a teaching demonstration       (teaching materials will be provided).
4. We will discuss your ALC teaching contract.
5. ALC Full Application Form (PDF)