Job Discussion Forums

john123 · Joined: 29 Jan 2012 Posts: 83

Dear all,
Despite having an MA in ELT, which I did full-time in Birmingham, UK, it has come to my attention that I am not 'Diploma level' qualified and thus cannot become an academic manager (at least in the eyes of the British Council). Indeed, I had teaching practice on my MA but it was not observed by a 'fully qualified' character (see description below from the BC).

The Council pushed me in the direction of the Cambridge exam people, though I cannot seem to locate anyone in Poland. Does anyone have any clues about this one? Or contacts who can inform me?

I work for a company where I can have my classes observed.

Regards.
John.B.

'Diploma level:
MAs in ELT/TESOL or related subjects (provided they meet the requirements above). Where the teaching practice (only) criterion is not met, a teacher with this qualification may provide evidence that he or she has undertaken at least five hours of systematic observation of lessons by a fully qualified academic manager or teacher trainer.'

Master Shake · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1202 Location: Colorado, USA

Hi John,

This is a tricky one as I take it you don't work for the Council now, correct?

Are you interested in working as academic manager for the BC in Poland? I'm pretty sure that almost all of these jobs go to people who already have significant experience working for the BC.

I think you have to go through Cambridge or the BC as only they will count as fully qualified in the Council's eyes.

delphian-domine · Joined: 11 Mar 2011 Posts: 674

From what I gather, your best bet would be to pay a teacher trainer from one of the CELTA courses to observe you for five hours. You could probably just pay them for a day of observation and training - you'd then get evidence from them and (especially if it was conducted by the BC themselves) - you'd have the benefit of getting it done by one of the boys.

Seems odd though - I wonder how they define "fully qualified academic manager/teacher trainer". Your best bet is to ask them for clarification on this - what qualifications do they expect academic managers/teacher trainers to have?

john123 · Joined: 29 Jan 2012 Posts: 83

Thanks for the replies.

I do not work for the British Council, and am not really interested in working for them.

Having read some bits on one of the Council's pages, my Boss, who has a Diploma in TESOL and is thus 'TEFLq', has concluded that he could observe me, document it on a official looking piece of paper - and that will solve it. I don't think it is as simple as that. I must call the BC in Warsaw.

Yes, well a "fully qualified academic manager" should be someone who has had this darn 5-6 hours observed teaching, plus DELTA, Dip or an MA. There may be other combinations too. My largely theoretical MA does not cover it, and the teaching practice which the institution organised at a local college was not observed by a member of university staff. The vacant chap whose class I took over for five hours was the only person who knew what I was doing in the classroom.

I suspect the idea of paying one of the boys to come and observe me might eventually happen.

delphian-domine · Joined: 11 Mar 2011 Posts: 674

Master Shake · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1202 Location: Colorado, USA

john123 · Joined: 29 Jan 2012 Posts: 83

Before I returned to Poland at the end of last year, I must have applied for about 200 jobs in the UK. Two interviews. Several of the institutions came back to me stating that because I had not had this ruddy observed teaching practice, they could not take my application further.

Amazing. I think most institutions back home think in BC terms (TEFLq). I managed to get some EAP work without TEFLq, but I believe universities are beginning to jump on the bandwagon looking at some of the adverts in the summer. No doubt schools in Poland will latch onto this soon.

So, in a nutshell, I would rather be a TEFLqer than not...