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Newbie requesting opinions

 
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jimtheclarkster



Joined: 02 Jun 2004
Posts: 5
Location: St Louis

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 8:49 pm    Post subject: Newbie requesting opinions Reply with quote

Hello,
I am considering a career as english teacher in SEA. Money will be rather tight for me, would taking the TEFL course at Stamford Institute in Songkhla affect my hiring potential, if say I planned on going to Vietnam after one year in Thailand?...

Can anybody provide me with feedback about this program?


Thanks
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Gringo Greg



Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 264
Location: Everywhere and nowhere

PostPosted: Sat Jun 05, 2004 7:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, the course is cheap and any certificate course is better than none if you are a new teacher. Do you have a degree? I can't really give any feedback on the course, but Bruce's TEFL International runs a course called PELT for a little less cost and since you do it on your own time and he even sets you up in a job for the training you actually get paid more than the cost of the course. That to me sounds like a better value. At least worht a check, click the link at the top of this very page(he is an EslCafe sponsor)

I haven't heard anything about Stamford's Certificate program. It might be good, it might not be good. I am in Hat Yai, but I really don't know any people who have taken the course. Stamford runs an agency that sends teachers out to schools all over the south and as an employer they have an ok reputation. (I know of three teachers who taught there and were happy).

I hope this helps.
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jimtheclarkster



Joined: 02 Jun 2004
Posts: 5
Location: St Louis

PostPosted: Sat Jun 05, 2004 1:58 pm    Post subject: Thanks Reply with quote

thanks for the advice..
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Gringo Greg



Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 264
Location: Everywhere and nowhere

PostPosted: Sun Jun 06, 2004 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I might also add that if you want to pay a little cheaper price but you still want the advantage of a supervised program, Text and Talk offers a great program. Check them out. Their certificate is recognized by the Thai Ministry of Education and they do quite a bit of promotion.

And here is the kicker: They run courses in Vietnam as well. It means you have on the ground reognition of the course in Vietnam.
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jimtheclarkster



Joined: 02 Jun 2004
Posts: 5
Location: St Louis

PostPosted: Sun Jun 06, 2004 2:14 pm    Post subject: Thanks........GG Reply with quote

Thanks again...decisions decisions.....

If I may ask you another question...These new degree requirements for foreign english teachers ---are what?-- my degree is a BS in Chemistry--will this be kosher?

Appreciate the advice..Jim
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kenkannif



Joined: 07 Apr 2004
Posts: 550

PostPosted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 6:52 am    Post subject: Yes! Reply with quote

You'll be fine mate. In a lot of ways a science degree is preferable to an English degree (if it's not in teaching) as schools are gagging for science teachers as a lot are now offering bilingual studies in science etc. and there does in my opinion seem to be a slight shortage of EFL/ESL science teachers.
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Gringo Greg



Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 264
Location: Everywhere and nowhere

PostPosted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lots of jobs at good wages for science teachers. That would be right up your alley. when you heading over?
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AsiaTraveller



Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 908
Location: Singapore, Mumbai, Penang, Denpasar, Berkeley

PostPosted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Malaysia has recently made the (belated) decision to teach all math and science in English, after decades of a disastrous policy of all-Malay teaching. So the country is in the process of beefing up its English instruction, especially in science and math. Maybe it can recover to the very high levels it once had when English was the standard medium for much of the education system.

You could contact a relevant group in Malaysia (science teachers? NGO for education?) to enquire about any possibilities.
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jimtheclarkster



Joined: 02 Jun 2004
Posts: 5
Location: St Louis

PostPosted: Sat Jun 12, 2004 5:12 am    Post subject: Hi Asian Traveller Reply with quote

That sounds interesting, I am a bit concerned about the anti-american sentiment from the muslim population...not that I begin to support the Bush's f***ed up policies...

your opinion?
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AsiaTraveller



Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 908
Location: Singapore, Mumbai, Penang, Denpasar, Berkeley

PostPosted: Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was in Malaysia recently (well, only Kuala Lumpur), and the anti-American sentiments are basically government-sponsored and government-to-government.

Individual Americans are still respected and understood as NOT necessarily supportive or represntative of their government's actions.

The Malaysians are tremendously friendly. The endemic racism (Malay vs. Chinese vs. Indian) is something you quickly become aware of in economics, education, and politics. It sometimes lurks just beneath the surface, but it's always there.

In a couple of Malaysia's outlying (northern) states, the local-governing Islamic party PAS has tried to implement quite strict laws. They are quietly backtracking from these after recent defeats in elections, but PAS still controls those two states. It is in these states (close to the Thai border) that anti-American sentiment is stronger than elsewhere.

All in all, I think Malaysia is a great place for EFL/ESL teaching because of its ready-made English language heritage (courtesy of British colonialism) and its newly rediscovered need for English as the standard medium of primary and secondary instruction, at least in science and math.
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