Job Discussion Forums

[thomas_pynchon]

I have an MA Applied Linguistics & TESOL from Leicester, and just became aware of the DL ban in effect for the past year in the ME. I'm wondering what I might do about teaching in the ME in the future? I'll try to outline a few background details here, and any thoughts or related experiences would be appreciated.

Not so keen on going to Korea, but yes that would be an option.

I could do a one month CELTA, or DELTA, starting next month, 1600USD in Bangkok (where I am now). Unrelated Bachelor degree + CELTA, as far as I can see that would put me at the bottom of the pecking order.

Next Sept 2015, I am planning to do either a post-baccalaureate in education with K-12 certification in BC, Canada, or a Masters degree with K-12 certification in Toronto. That would give me the option to teach at an Int'l School (possibly in the ME), or perhaps in the Northern parts of Canada, or to teach as a distributed learning teacher in Canada.

I see that the better jobs in the ME seem to be for people with CALL/e-learning backgrounds and curriculum design, areas which seem to be growing very quickly, perhaps a good area to invest in?

Also, I have just completed a degree equivalency done by WES (World Education Service) in Canada, which is an internationally recognized standardization of what your degree would be equivalent to in Canada. I have the forms with grades, GPA, and courses listed. And TESL Canada is doing the same thing, providing me with a certificate (level 3 permanent) which is another effort to create an internationally recognized set of standards for TESL degrees and certificates.

And again I do also have a letter from Leicester 'attesting' that the campus and online delivery is equivalent.

Any thoughts on directions or what might be some possible options would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[veiledsentiments]

By DL, do you mean distance learning or an online degree? Saudi doesn't like them. In the UAE, the Ministry of HIgher Education has no problem with them. Oman used to accept them; are you saying that this is a new rule in Oman?

I doubt that most countries in the ME cares what Canada (or anywhere else) chooses to recognize as equivalent to some other degree. If they say they want a related MA - all done on campus - that is what they want. And yes, a new CELTA on top of an unrelated first degree will put you at the bottom... and likely only able to find any positions at all in Saudi.

My advice would be to go for the K-12 certification which would open up both International Schools everywhere and jobs within Canada.

VS

[thomas_pynchon]

Thanks VS! Yes by DL I mean distance learning. Is there a distinction made between online and DL in the ME? My program required that I be teaching classroom at the time as many assignments required learning theory 'applied' to a teaching practice. I have 25 pages of detailed assessment of all assignments, and from my previous employer two classroom observation reports and over 3000 hours of certified teaching to adult learners.

Anyways, that is good to hear about the UAE, I'll see what I can come up with and post back to that forum.

[MuscatGary]

I don't think distance learning degrees are an issue in Oman. However Masters degrees are not recognised for pay purposes until you have 4 years post Masters award experience.

[thomas_pynchon]

Hmm, yes well I'm sure they do make exceptions in certain cases, we're not all bad apples, and it probably would be best to see where the rule is written and how it is defined.

A few years ago in Thai an offensive video appeared on utube and so utube was banned and blocked from being accessed in the country. Shortly after utube pointed out that you could block specific videos, you don't need to kill the cow to get the milk, or some such analogy...

[thomas_pynchon]

[veiledsentiments]

The MA+4 is a rule of some of the Ministry jobs - apparently Muscatgary's Ministry. It is not true of SQU or most private colleges.

I just checked some current ads and TATI says 2 years experience and Hawthorne says 3 years... so that is not confirmed unless we have some teachers hired lately who had less than MA+4 and didn't get credit for their MA from various employers.

VS

[MuscatGary]