Job Discussion Forums

mitsui · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki

Now my ex-boss has been asked again about the Statement of Service and about my club experience. Well, I guess that is a good sign.

mitsui · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki

Got an interview next month.
Two questions.
First, can the date be changed? I start work in Japan on the 9th of January.
Second, what is the written test like?
Thanks.

Jmbf · Joined: 29 Jun 2014 Posts: 663

bule_boy69 · Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 158 Location: Jakarta

Jmbf · Joined: 29 Jun 2014 Posts: 663

bule_boy69 · Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 158 Location: Jakarta

metopia · Joined: 20 Jul 2016 Posts: 22

I want to join the NET scheme.

I have a BA in English Lit, a CELTA, and over 12 years' experience in ESL with around four of those in secondary schools.

Of the qualifications I lack, I decided to go for the teacher cert.

1. They ask for a PGDE. What is the difference between a PGDE and a PGCE?
2. Is there a preference for a cert from an institution in England over Scotland?
3. Will I need to complete my post-training probationary year before I will be considered?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

yurii · Joined: 12 Jan 2017 Posts: 106

metopia · Joined: 20 Jul 2016 Posts: 22

1. Initially, I found that PGDE was just the Scottish equivalent of England's PGCE.

Subsequently, other sources informed me that a PGDE in England is the step between the basic cert and the Masters.

I work in a secondary school in the UAE and I met someone who claims that he did the PGDE in England but I'm still a little confused by it - as you can tell!

Useful to know that HK considers those as the same.

2&3. I want to work in a public school in HK with the possibility of an international school later.

I would be doing a cert in English Lit. although I guess I would not be able to count my first year in an HK school as aprobationary year as I would be teaching ESOL.

In the long run, it seems like a more versatile choice and it doesn't look like there are any bursaries to do teaching cert in ESOL. I would like to hear your views on this.

Actually, I'd quite like to do a teaching cert, extend it into a Masters in Education, do a DELTA and use those credits toward an MA TESOL.

Perhaps a little overambitious!

metopia · Joined: 20 Jul 2016 Posts: 22

Oh and thanks Yurii!

yurii · Joined: 12 Jan 2017 Posts: 106

metopia · Joined: 20 Jul 2016 Posts: 22

Cambridge has bursaries of up to 15000GBP for students taking the cert in English Lit. I don't think I'll be eligible for it due to time spent outside the country.

Therefore I would do the PGDE in Scotland. Only 1820 GBP if you are Scottish!

The DELTA or Trinity Diploma are the minimum EFL requirements for the SNET scheme. It is possible to get a job without this qualification but it would need to be a PGCE/PGDE.

So really if I'm going to try to do the SNET, I would need either a DELTA or a PGDE. A PGDE would put me much higher up the payscale as you can see from the link to the site.

If I do a PGDE it would have to be English Lit. I am trying to avoid staying in the UK for two years but yes it might be the only way...

yurii · Joined: 12 Jan 2017 Posts: 106

Ah sorry yes, when I did the PGCE I thought the bursaries were only for shortage subjects or maybe it was rather that the bursaries for the non-shortage subjects were quite small, considering the expenses you will incur: 9,000 GBP, no salary for a year, accommodation etc. When I was doing it for my subject they were offering 25k for people with a first class honours degree Shocked

metopia · Joined: 20 Jul 2016 Posts: 22

Hi Yurii,

1.I should have said 'the bursaries I saw via the Cambridge website'.

Yeah - standard Gov. ones I guess.

2. For non-Scottish? Probably around the same cost as it would be in England: 9000GBP or so. (I am Scottish.)

3.

yurii · Joined: 12 Jan 2017 Posts: 106

1 You should check out this page and chat live explaining your situation to see if you are entitled to a bursary: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/contact

But I think their whole bursary system is flawed. Let's say you get 20 or 25k, you still need to find the 9,000 GBP to pay the university as they pay the 25k in instalments. I found it quite stupid and inefficient; why don't they just take the 9,000 out of your bursary and pay the uni directly? Someone said oh you can take out a loan, but if you have enough to cover the PGCE from the bursary it's a bit silly to take out a loan. Anyway...

Btw, have you heard of School Direct? I was offered a place with a school in England and almost almost accepted. Basically some School Direct schemes aren't full PGCEs, but mine was. Essentially you stay with 1 school for your placement, rather than doing 2 equal length placements and this school has more of a say in things (with a regular PGCE it's the uni who has more control).

I liked the sound of this system, as I'm sure you know as a teacher, the longer you stay in a school the more respect you get/better relationship with the kids. The one I was offered was basically all the placement time in the same school except 4 weeks in which you were sent to a school in their network.

Not sure if you know how it works on a PGCE but generally unis send you on 2 placements and 1 school is a bit challenging and another more middle classy. And, in theory it could be a long commute away.

3. Oh sorry missed that, but still I think a CELTA would cover it. Though if you do want to get into adult education a DELTA is highly valued.

4. Yep, the interviews (at least the ones I did) were really mentally tiring and very intensive! I'm sure you're aware of this, but you might get asked why you're doing a PGCE if you've been abroad so long, so you might have to tell some porkie pies and make them believe you want to return to UK for the long-term!