Mate, you are right. TEFL has had a bad name for a long time. There are some decent / good schools / companies and many decent / good teachers, but the lack of regulation, amateur management and low income means most talented people tend to move on sooner or later. I feel the real problem are the dreggs who stay and inherit positions of responsibility. I say "inherit" because they dont necessarity merit them

If you think China is bad, you should go to Thailand. The Thai EFL scene must the scrap heap for the dreggs of world education. If you work in Thailand, you come to the sad realisation that you know more than the DOS or the Centre Manager and I only had 6 months experience in Poland and a TEFL certificate.

EFL is a pathetic pseudo-professional low income second rate industry offering limited horizons and will always remain so until the mighty Yuan finally knocks Uncle Sam of his premier perch and then it will be demoted to obscurity as MFL or CFL take over.

Bob