Job Discussion Forums

[ktolliver]

I am planning to come to Prague for a TEFL qualification in the next few months. I need some advice.

I am an American citizen, so I believe not having an EU passport eliminates a lot of job possibilities in Western Europe for me, though I would eventually like to end up living in Germany. However, I am very flexible when it comes to where I might be living in Europe. I have visited Western Europe frequently and lived in Germany back in 1987-1990.

I have a BA in English and have spent the last 10 years in the computer industry, so I have IT and business English experience. I have also written and taught IT coursework. In addition, I have experience in private tutoring of school children.

I have done a lot of Internet research on TEFL schools, as well as in this forum, and it appears that Prague is one of the best locations for that for an American.

Here are my questions:
1. Do I really have a good chance of finding a job in the Czech Republic without an EU passport?
2. Is CELTA the best qualification to get?
3. Which TEFL school is best? Here are some schools that my research has turned up as being reputable. Can anyone give me opinions on any of them?
CELTA schools:
Cactus Language
Windsor
Caledonian (I've seen good and bad reviews)

Non-CELTA schools:
TEFL Prague
TEFL Worldwide Prague
Intesol

4. I am leaning toward TEFL Prague or TEFL Worldwide Prague, but they dont' list CELTA on their web sites. Would it be a big disadvantage not to have CELTA?

5. When a school "guarantees" a job, is that generally true? I realize it may not be in the city of Prague, but that would be ok with me. Also, when a school promises "lifetime job assistance", is that really true as well? Can the school help me get to Western Europe if I want?

6. Any other advice is welcome.

I'm very excited about this plan, but it's also a very scary prospect. I think I might be looking for some reassurance as well!

Thanks!

[spiral78]

You should still have a good chance of finding work in the CR, even as an American. It's true that EU member citizens are may be given preference on occasion, but if you are properly certified, have a strong CV, and a professional appearance and demeanor, you should be ok.

For Prague, CELTA won't make too much difference- the good schools are aware of the better 'generic' training centres, like TEFL Worldwide, and know that their grads are well trained in the basics.
'Job guarantee' usually means that the school will promise to give you contacts to line up interviews, except at Caledonian, who hire their own grads for their own schools. As you mentioned, that might not be in Prague, and you should note that there are many schools in the city offering work/pay conditions comparable to Caledonian.

As for getting a job in Western Europe, the training centre can't get you around the hiring laws! But the strictness of laws vary from country to country, and with the right contacts you will have a better chance of finding a situation. Germany should be doable...though the job market's not exactly optimal there just now, I think.

[Andare]

1. I wouldn't worry about finding a job. It's true that most schools prefer EU citizens but there's still plenty of work, especially if you're flexible about where you're prepared to live.

2. I think CELTA is the best qualification to get simply because - along with the Trinity - it's the most widely recognised around the world. You don't need it to get work in Czech but it'll come in very handy if you intend to make anything like a career out of teaching.

3. I work with two people who did their CELTA at International House Akcent. Both said the course was great. I don't know much beyone hearsay about the rest.

4. Not so much in the Czech Republic as both schools have their own contacts for placing graduates. It might affect you later if you want to work in another country.

5. Don't know enough to answer this one, though both of the people I mentioned in answer 1 got their jobs at my school vis Akcent.

Hope this helps a little. Good luck.

[stephabee]

I can't answer most of your questions but wanted to say that I'm taking the course at TEFL Worldwide Prague in August. I've been talking to the lady who organizes the school for a couple of months with questions and she has always been *very* helpful. Of course, I haven't taken the course yet, but based on her responses to my questions, I have high hopes.

PS - My plan has been to find a job teaching in Poland, but I've been told after spending a month in Prage to be prepared to give up on the Poland idea!!

[Hamett]

I had the same excellent experience with TEFL-Prague too.
They always answered my questions usually within a few hours (sometimes even very late at night).
I'm interested that TEFL Worldwide does this too though.
I know that I am going to upset the barrel cart here but I have heard some rather negative first hand reports about TEFL Worldwide in Prague.
I'm sure they are mostly unfounded but actually one of the complaints was infact the amount of time that TEFL Worldwide got back to answering questions AFTER THE COURSE FEE HAD BEEN PAID: quite a long time.
There was another complaint about the lack of real teaching hours.
As I say, I am just hearing this first hand off a guy I know who took the course. I'm sure TEFL Worldwide are as good at responding to questions before and after payment.
I was in fact going to go for the TEFL Worldwide course but chose instead to opt for the TEFL-Prague one.
Got to admit, I'm a bit nervous. I graduated from TEFL-Prague on Friday and I've got my first teaching job starting tomorrow.
I had a dream last night that I was naked in front of my students (to their horror!
Btw, Spiral, I have noticed that you talk quite alot about TEFL Worldwide and at the most odd times of the day. I'm sure it must be exhausting for you at 4:15am and then at 9:15am!
Got to hand it to you for yer dedication!

[spiral78]

Currently writing from the Great West(where I live about half the year, when I'm not in the CR), so the times aren't so horrendous as they seem. It's also been suggested lately that I'm getting 'ubiquitous' - so it sounds like I'd better get a life! Actually the issue for me is that I've got great internet equipment in my classroom, and as I'm stuck there for long interim periods between classes, Dave's is always tempting me as a break from my current reality.
As for TEFLWorldwide, I observed their first course and so can speak from first hand experience on the quality of the course overall.

[janus]

Hey Spiral: the "ubiquitous" was supposed to be a compliment--hope you didn't take it the wrong way! I just noticed you've given a lot of good, 'on-topic' advice to a lot of people, which I'm sure is appreciated by several times more people than actually get around to thanking you....

[spiral78]

gee, thanks! it's nice to hear a kind word now and again. it seems that we go thru a negative kind of wave now and then on the forum, and even well-meant words are sometimes interpreted negatively. maybe it was the winter blues.
cau

[ktolliver]

I want to thank everyone for their responses. This is an exciting step for me and I want it to work out right. Feel free to post any other info you might have about these things. Maybe we can all meet up for one of those cheap beers when I get there. Thanks again,
Karren

[ktolliver]

Are there any other CELTA schools in Prague besides Akcent IH? I have decided to go for the CELTa since I want eventually to teach in other than the Czech Republic. I can't find any other CELTA schools on the web besides IH.

Is it just me?

Karren

[janus]

Karren: I was looking for other CELTA schools in Prague also, and haven't found any. I'm curious from your posts why you haven't considered any of the Trinity schools. There are at least 3 in Prague that I've heard of. I think they're considered the equivalent to the CELTA for employers in other countries b/c they're both recognized by the British Council. Have you (or anyone) heard any negative things about the Trinity cert courses? I was thinking of taking one this summer, so just curious....

[ktolliver]

janus,
No, I haven't heard anything negative about Trinity certs. I guess I just saw CELTA mentioned more often in my research and settled on that one. However, I'm always open to suggestions - I would be interested to hear if anyone else has good or bad things to say about the Trinity cert and the schools in Prague that provide it. Which school were you thinking of? I am also going to do some more online research on it.

Still listening...

Karren

[ktolliver]

Ok, I've done some more homework. I have determined this:
Only CELTA course in Prague: Akcent IH
Trinity Cert. schools in Prague: Windsor, European Language Centres, Osford House College, Academy of Prague Schools, Passport TEFL

My question now is, does anyone have any experience/opinions on these schools? All the prices, housing and details are more or less the same, according to their web sites.

Since I would like to apply this week, can someone give me some feedback? Thanks to you all.
Karren

[sciphoto]

Have you heard of Next Level? I don't know if you have applied yet to these other schools but I am a recruiter/graduate from Next LEvel and we have a $200 discount for any applicants who list a recruiter as a reference. My name is Ben Rosenzweig. Email:[email protected]
www.nextlevelprague.com is the website. Check it out if you have any questions. They were really good when I was there in August 2004. I had a job lined up throught them before I even graduated and they have lots of great resources and contacts all over Prague and the Czech Republic.
Good luck to you!
Ben Rosenzweig

[stillnosheep]

Unfortunately apart from accredited Celta/Trinity house courses other so-called EFL or TEFL certificates are recognised by nobody except for the companys that issue them and so are of no use for anything except obtaining jobs within that company - with the singular exception of the certificate offered by Mr Rosenzweig's ex-employer's which also offers you the chance to recruit others to the organisation and profit thereby.

It used to be called Pyramid Sales.