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Which to take - TEFL, CELTA or other?

 
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taoist80



Joined: 18 Feb 2012
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 2:27 am    Post subject: Which to take - TEFL, CELTA or other? Reply with quote

Hi everyone, new forum member here. I've been reading a lot of posts on this board, and this seems like a great community.

A little background about me: I'll be moving to Colombia (Bogota) this summer and getting married to a woman there (I made my first visit to Bogota last month).

I've noticed that a lot of teachers on here have gotten the CELTA certification.. my question is, is this cert the only one that's accepted/acknowledged by ESL employers in Colombia? Would a TEFL do, and/or has anyone on here gotten a different certification and gone on to teach English in Colombia?

Have some of you gotten your certification in your home country (I'm from the U.S.) before heading to Colombia? Any recommendations of the best way to go about I apologize if this question has already been answered, but I didn't see a thread that did so.

Thanks a lot - I look forward to getting to know everyone here better.
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spanglish



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

PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What is your professional experience, what is your educational background, what types of students would you like to teach (kids, teenagers, adults), what type of employer do you envision/imagine yourself working for, how long do you think you'll teach, will teaching be a full time job or a side thing for extra money, will you have to support anybody with your salary, how long do you anticipate being in Colombia.....?

Answer these questions and we'll be able to help you more...

Short answer: get a CELTA at International House or the British Council or get a Trinity cert elsewhere. Don't get a generic or online cert.


Last edited by spanglish on Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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CarolinaTHeels



Joined: 03 May 2011
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are getting MARRIED to a chick you have only physically seen a handful of times if not 1 time?!?!?!?!
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taoist80



Joined: 18 Feb 2012
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Spanglish. My education level is an Associate's degree (not in education). I haven't taught before; my background is in disaster work, and a number of other fields. I plan on teaching for a while - minimum 3-5 years, if not longer.

Yes, teaching will be a full time job, and ideally I would like to be able to support my girlfriend and her little boy with my teaching income, but she'll be working as well so it's not an absolute necessity. I plan on settling down in Colombia, probably living in Bogota for one or two years and then moving somewhere quieter.

A trinity cert is three certifications in one course? Thanks again.
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taoist80



Joined: 18 Feb 2012
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry, forgot to add - after reading a number of posts on here about the pros and cons of teaching college, high school and younger, I believe I'll prefer teaching adults at an institute.
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Gregorio



Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 105

PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Taoist,

You might want to think about how you are going to pay rent and insurance. Working at an institute does not pay well and you would have to supplement your income with many private lessons if you wanted to support a wife and child. At least your fiance is working, but I've never heard of a Colombian woman supporting her man financially. Where I live, on the coast, the man is expected to pay for everything all the time, especially if it's a gringo/local relationship. That has been my experience and why I don't date Colombiana's anymore.

I should stop sounding so negative on my posts, but I just want people to understand that Colombia is not cheap, or an easy place to make a living unless you have a really good employer.
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spanglish



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

PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 12:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I absolutely agree with Gregorio. An institute job will give you enough earnings to support yourself alone and have a little pocket money, no more.

I don't want to butt in to much on you private affairs, taoist, but you should realize that Colombia is an incredibly utilitarian culture. Taking advantage of others is expected and accepted by many in the general population.

Your girlfriend may be a great person. The quickest way to tell that will be to see how much of your financial resources are flowing to her or how much of hers are flowing to you. If she's definitely not profiting from the relationship and has a great, supportive family then she may be a keeper.
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spanglish



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

PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 12:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd recommend you get a CELTA in Bogota or Medellin and start working your way up the ladder. International House is a good first job and from there you can move on to colegio or university teaching.
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taoist80



Joined: 18 Feb 2012
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

She's a keeper. That's why I'm marrying her. Thanks for your advice everyone. I'll probably do a CELTA through International House, but I also don't know anything about a Trinity certification. Could someone fill me in on that please?
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CarolinaTHeels



Joined: 03 May 2011
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Buena suerte.

I hope there isnt a large age difference....
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