This is an internet based International House review. Detailed information about International House in Malaysia is needed by teachers around the world. International House is a Language Institute in Malaysia and it’s in need of ratings. Ratings and comments will help other teachers learn more about International House. If someone was interested in teaching in Malaysia, would this school be a good place to start? Is International House a great place to work or is it in need of improvement?
Name of School: International House
| City: | Country: |
| Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia |
| Admin Contact: | Admin Contact Email: |
| Type: | Site Admin Notes: |
| Language Institute |
Overall Quick Rating: 
(9 votes, average: 2.89 out of 5)
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My experience at IH-Malaysia is really positive. There was a new ADOS recently and he is great- really supportive of the teachers. The work week is no more than 20 teaching hours a week with half days on Fridays and NO weekend work, unless you choose to do private tuition. There has been a lot of teacher turnover in the past, but there is a good core group now, with lots of mutual friendship and helpfulness. Yes the accomodations are far outside of KL, but very close to the train and in an area with a beautiful park with a lake. The condo itself where teachers stay has a tennis court, huge swimming pool, little restaurant and a convenience store, plus a little workout gym. The only bad thing is that accomodations must be shared with one other person- and that flat mate can make or break this whole experience.
Limkokwing, where we actually teach is full of very creative, artistic students from all continents on the planet and the students are delightful.
The pay is not great, but enough, and at least they due pay, unlike my prior job in Thailand that found all sorts of excuses to rob you of your paycheck.
My experience at IH Malaysia has not been positive. For one, I was billeted in a condo in Cyberjaya which is a boring and articficial little ‘town’ where there is nothing to do and no-one to meet. Some teachers are located in Kalana Jaya which is a little better as there’s a supermarket and a cyber cafe nearby, but there’s still very little going on in terms of a social scene. Also, if you live in Kalana Jaya you are at the mercy of the university bus which you can only catch at 5:30pm each day and which takes you home through the rush hour traffic and this really prolongs your working day.
IH Malaysia itself I found depressing. The ‘staffroom’ is a dark, downstairs room that feels really cramped. Staff morale is extremely low and any comlaints you have about the running of the place fall entirely on deaf ears. This is not entirely the fault of the acting DOS as she has been gagged by Tan Sri Limkokwing, the dictatorial president and creator of Limkokwing University to which IH is attached (controlled). In terms of pay arriving on time, my check was delayed three times and when I complained I was dismissed as a crank. When I accepted the job and asked to see the contract I was told that they don’t let employees see contracts until they arrive. I took a leap of faith and trusted all to be well and fair with the contract (more fool me). When I arrived the contract – which, being in Malaysia, I had little choice in accepting – was a contract with Limkokwing University that contained no mention of International House. BEWARE OF LIMKOKWING. He is a ‘businessman’ first and foremost and does not give a damn about teachers. If a student complains about any aspect of your teaching, IH, in accordance with the ethos of Limkokwing, will haul you into the office and call your professionalism into question. Now, if you’re a white native speaker and willing to speak up for yourself you can usually get round the student’s criticisms. However, I know of one teacher who was of Indian appearance (but still a native English speaker) who, due to a student complaining that they couldn’t understand his accent, had all his classes instantly pulled without anyone coming in to observe or fully investigate this student’s grievance. I really did think that what happened here was a case of a student seeing a non-white face and reaching the conclusion that he/she wasn’t getting value for money, and IH just went along with it.
There is also something of a divide between the western and local teachers in the staffroom. One reason may be the massive disparity in wages. Malaysian teachers only receive half the salary of western teachers (the pay’s not great even for western teachers). Another reason is that, given the fact that if you put your notice in you will be cheated out of your final payment with all kinds of tax complications, a lot of westerners who may have formed friendships with local teachers in the past find that they have to break contract and run away with their final check. They therefore don’t give notice and cannot say goodbye. This has meant that Malaysian teachers have felt let down and betrayed. But the sad fact of the matter is that Limkokwing has created a situation to which contract breaking is the only recourse.
If you are considering working at IH Malaysia I would warn you to be careful. There is no guidance upon arrival and the mangagement team is inexperienced and under-qualified. That said, some people like it (or, rather, they are better able to close their eyes to all the inequality and double standards going on around them. I couldn’t).
Yes,any one interested in teaching in Malaysia, would this school be a good place to start…