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Is a state teaching cert equivalent to a CELTA or TESL?

 
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carrma



Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 7
Location: United States

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:49 pm    Post subject: Is a state teaching cert equivalent to a CELTA or TESL? Reply with quote

I am an ESL teacher in the United States. My Kentucky teaching certificate has TESL K-12 on it. I also have a Masters in Teaching. I am currently in my 4th year teaching ESL. Since I have these things, do I still need any of these TEFL or CELTA or TESOL certificates that I keep reading about? Is what I have considered equivalent? I am interested in teaching abroad I just need to know if my documents are good enough for a work permit/VISA.

My certificate also has Middle and Secondary Social Studies on it.

The ESL endorsement on my certificate took me two semesters of university classes totaling 14 or 15 graduate credits plus we taught summer school at a newcomers academy as a practicum.

Someone tell me if a copy of my Kentucky teaching certificate (or the original) is acceptable for teaching ESL abroad. I am most interested in teaching in Asia or Latin America.

Thanks everyone!
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CELTA and equivalent certs are 30-day entry-level qualifications. You are far beyond these. Yes, you have enough for good jobs in most regions.
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carrma



Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 7
Location: United States

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Spiral,

What exactly constitutes a good job? I don't feel ready to teach university. I am still pretty young. I would probably want to begin teaching kids, maybe like 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th graders. What kind of good jobs exist for these age levels?
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My experience is in Europe and North America, so I can't really answer your question as regards Asia or Latin America. I'm sure others with expertise in those regions will be along soon.

The general answer regarding 'good' jobs if you don't want to work with adults is probably going to be international schools - these are schools where core subjects are taught in English. They more often seem to need maths and science teachers, but language would/should be in some demand as well, I'd think.

It's not that common where I work that native English speakers teach in public schools (state-run) abroad. Those schools generally employ locals to teach language.

You might also try posting in the General Asia and General Latin America forums below.
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fraup



Joined: 27 Dec 2004
Posts: 91
Location: OZ (American version)

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some places are now requiring "certification in your home country" in order to teach elementary students. CeBIT in Malaysia comes to mind.
You're very employable. I'd look at international schools as they pay well. In some countries, teaching children pays more than teaching university students. (IMO, it's harder as well.)
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spanglish



Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 742
Location: working on that

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Uni teaching is easier than kids! You'd get paid lots more in Colombia to teach at an international school, though.
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carrma



Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 7
Location: United States

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks again.

Another question:

If my certificate is ESL K-12 and Middle and Secondary Social Studies, does anyone know if these international schools expect you to teach what you are certified in or does the fact that you're certified at all mean you can get into a school and teach whatever? Like could I teach grade 3 even though I can't in the US. Could I teach art, or 5th grade, or math or whatever? You get my point. I'm sure there isn't a blanket statement answer for all situations but for anyone who has taught at one of these places, please share your experience and let me know what they let you teach and what your certificate was in. Thanks again!
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tttompatz



Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

carrma wrote:
Thanks again.

Another question:

If my certificate is ESL K-12 and Middle and Secondary Social Studies, does anyone know if these international schools expect you to teach what you are certified in or does the fact that you're certified at all mean you can get into a school and teach whatever? Like could I teach grade 3 even though I can't in the US. Could I teach art, or 5th grade, or math or whatever? You get my point. I'm sure there isn't a blanket statement answer for all situations but for anyone who has taught at one of these places, please share your experience and let me know what they let you teach and what your certificate was in. Thanks again!


The answer to your query is country, school and program specific.

In some countries it won't matter.
In some it will.

In some schools it won't matter as long as you are certified as a teacher.
In other schools, usually for accreditation reasons, you can only teach what you are "qualified" to teach.

If you want to branch out or work EFL (as compared to ESL) then look at government schools in Taiwan (decent remuneration package - often better net at the end of the month that you can manage in the states), Hong Kong's NET program, some of the better international or bilingual schools in Thailand/Malaysia or some of the listings in China.
(again, in ALL CASES, look at the NET savings per year and not just the gross earnings; on a salary of $25k-$30k per year (plus benefits like severance/contract completion bonuses, airfare allowances, housing, etc.) you can SAVE up to 70% of your income per year and still live a pretty comfortable lifestyle in many parts of Asia).

.
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carrma



Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 7
Location: United States

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very informative.

I'm not sure I understand how EFL is different from ESL besides the name and I am guessing the certificate it requires.

How is the job itself any different from the others in practice? Do I need to know the native language or something?

Most importantly, does EFL require a teaching certificate like mine? Am I qualified to do it? And is it better than the alternative?

Anyone else who wants to chime in with any advice on what they would do in my situation please do so. I just started this whole process and many of you I know are seasoned veterans.

Thanks again everyone.
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AGoodStory



Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 738

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

carrma wrote:
Very informative.

I'm not sure I understand how EFL is different from ESL besides the name and I am guessing the certificate it requires.



One teaches ESL in an English-speaking country, as you did for four years in Kentucky. EFL refers to teaching English in a country where English is not the first language--it is a foreign language. (Thus the "F" in EFL.) So you will not be "teaching ESL abroad." Unless, that is, you mean to go to Australia, or Great Britain, or Ireland. Wink

One of the biggest differences is that ESL students tend to be more motivated, since learning English is a matter of survival for them. They are also immersed in English when they leave your classroom; EFL students may not speak or hear it until their next class. For both of those reasons, ESL students may progress much more rapidly.

Another difference is that all of the students in your EFL class in Asia or Latin America (for example) will probably share a common L1. This is less likely in an ESL class, but may sometimes be the case, depending on the location and situation. When a number of students have the same L1, it can be more challenging to get them to use English in class.
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carrma



Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 7
Location: United States

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well that makes sense.

So the international school thing is 50-50 as to if I would be allowed to teach in one in something I'm not actually certified in.

EFL schools are everywhere and I am allowed to to that.

University is something I'm not sure I can do. I have TESL K-12 and a masters in teaching. Does that qualify one to teach uni?

Also, if you teach uni, is there a syllabus and curriculum materials provided for you? What about at a language school for kids? How much do you have to invent yourself?[/b]
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jpvanderwerf2001



Joined: 02 Oct 2003
Posts: 1117
Location: New York

PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

With your creds, I would totally look into international schools. They tend to pay more than universities in most countries, generally allowing a pretty nice quality of life no matter where you end up.
Google international schools + the country you'd like to live in, and you'll be golden.
Some will want IB experience, but I suspect most will overlook that with your quals and certification.
Best of luck.
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 3:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

carrma wrote:
Well that makes sense.

So the international school thing is 50-50 as to if I would be allowed to teach in one in something I'm not actually certified in.

EFL schools are everywhere and I am allowed to to that.

University is something I'm not sure I can do. I have TESL K-12 and a masters in teaching. Does that qualify one to teach uni?

Also, if you teach uni, is there a syllabus and curriculum materials provided for you? What about at a language school for kids? How much do you have to invent yourself?[/b]

Really depends. Each place is different. I started teaching at a uni when I was 22. I just had a BA at the time. I'm at my third uni now and have two MAs.

For the syllabus and curriculum, again, it depends. Some places have them, others don't. Some are flexible, others are strict.

As people have said before, look into internatinoal schools.
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