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watfordfan
Joined: 24 Aug 2012
Posts: 8
Location: Vietnam
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 Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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So by applying that logic, you would eliminate everyone who chose to change careers? It doesn't always follow that you need to have a relevant first degree to undertake a Masters in a different subject - work experience & propensity to learn are also taken into account. Obviously if the Masters requires a certain amount of technical expertise, it's a different story, but the English language does not fall into that category, IMO anyway....
Ah well, I should know in a few months time if I'll be deemed as "acceptable". |
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Yusuf
Joined: 02 Dec 2011
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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| You don't really learn grammar in a BA English; you just take a bunch of literature courses. Plus, the first two years are spent [wasted] on Gen. Ed. I have a BA English and am finishing an MA TESOL. I learned far more about the language in the MA. I don't see why career-changers should be disqualified. |
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FarGone
Joined: 02 Nov 2011
Posts: 97
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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Those native-English speakers with three+ years of teaching English in a foreign (non-English speaking) country and with good recommendations + a Master's degree in any subject should be good enough to teach (what will be very basic) English in Oman.
These new "requirements" are absurd. 
Teaching what will be pre-planned lessons (handed to you by your "Boss") and insert-the-CD, here we go, students, now let's listen to your pronunciation + verb tenses + rudimentary writing (can you string six words together and make a functional sentence?) is not brain surgery. No need for the drama that Oman induces in the hiring process. |
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1st Sgt Welsh
Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
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| Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 3:20 am Post subject: |
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As others have stated, I can't see how studying Dickens and Shakespeare for three years gives you an edge when it comes to teaching phonetics, grammar etc. Literature and EFL have very little in common. If the requirements were limited to just degrees in Linguistics, TEFL etc. then I could at least understand that, but, like I've said elsewhere, that substantially cuts down on potential applicants and the employment conditions offered should take that into account.
Besides, Oman, as far as I know, isn't the place for 'first-time' teachers and the advertisements I've seen seem to require a few years experience. Plus they want a teaching certificate, e.g. a CELTA, and that should do a lot, as far as I can see, to sort the sheep from the goats.
Anyway, it's up to Oman, but they are probably missing out on some great teachers. Incidentally, one of the best TEFLers I've ever seen has a degree in Horticulture. |
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cairanya
Joined: 02 Jun 2012
Posts: 62
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| Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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| 1st Sgt Welsh wrote: |
As others have stated, I can't see how studying Dickens and Shakespeare for three years gives you an edge when it comes to teaching phonetics, grammar etc. Literature and EFL have very little in common. If the requirements were limited to just degrees in Linguistics, TEFL etc. then I could at least understand that, but, like I've said elsewhere, that substantially cuts down on potential applicants and the employment conditions offered should take that into account.
Besides, Oman, as far as I know, isn't the place for 'first-time' teachers and the advertisements I've seen seem to require a few years experience. Plus they want a teaching certificate, e.g. a CELTA, and that should do a lot, as far as I can see, to sort the sheep from the goats.
Anyway, it's up to Oman, but they are probably missing out on some great teachers. Incidentally, one of the best TEFLers I've ever seen has a degree in Horticulture. |
Do we cosign things here? I want to cosign this: it's dead-on.
Last edited by cairanya on Wed Oct 10, 2012 12:21 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Mister!
Joined: 26 Sep 2012
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 5:20 am Post subject: |
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| Sirens of Cyprus wrote: |
| No, it's not much at all to expect the undergrad to be related. In fact, it should be in English. Period. It's perfectly logical. If I went around with an MS in physics trying to get a job in physics and it turned out my udergrad was in English, employers would be perfectly justified in being highly suspicious of both me and my graduate school. Several times I have been shocked to find out a colleague with an MA in ESL didn't know a noun from a verb and it turned out her undergrad was in education or marketing or some such. The same logic applies a fortiori to CELTA's or DELTA's or MA's from education departments, all of which are considerably easier than an MA from an English department. |
A lot of Arts subjects (History, Philosophy, Politics...) are assessed primarily on the students' writing skills, and to succeed you need to be able to communicate in fluent and intelligent English. Basically, it is exactly the same as an English degree in terms of the skills required. I was an English minor, and we didn't learn about grammar at any lecture I attended; such things were considered basic general knowledge and were taught at High School. We studied English literature.
Last edited by Mister! on Mon Oct 29, 2012 4:08 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Turbster
Joined: 09 May 2009
Posts: 67
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 11:19 am Post subject: |
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Oman immigration does not require transcripts. But, depending upon the verification documentation submitted with your degree to the MOHE, you may be requested to provide transcripts. However, this is not usually the case.
In respect of the nature, and subject of initial, or highest degrees. It is not a practical requirement with any justification, Certainly not a matter for consultation. Just another frustration of working in a developing nation. |
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Sirens of Cyprus
Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| A lot of Arts subjects (History, Philosophy, Politics...) are assessed primarily on the students' writing skills, and to succeed you need to be able to communicate in fluent and intelligent English. Basically, it is exactly the same as an English degree in terms of the skills required. |
No. When you receive your graded essay in any other subject, you do not see corrections of your English. You are graded entirely on content. English majors suffer through 4 years of thinking about English and being graded on English. That is why they are called English majors, and that is why they should be hired before some gal with a marketing or education major who can't find a job after graduation, but LOVES to travel, hears about the ESL salaries in the ME, takes a quickie CELTA or even an MA in ESL and flirts her way into a job and then flirts her way into management and winds up being my boss and still does not know a noun from a verb. |
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Turbster
Joined: 09 May 2009
Posts: 67
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 3:22 am Post subject: |
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| Sirens of Cyprus wrote: |
| Quote: |
| A lot of Arts subjects (History, Philosophy, Politics...) are assessed primarily on the students' writing skills, and to succeed you need to be able to communicate in fluent and intelligent English. Basically, it is exactly the same as an English degree in terms of the skills required. |
No. When you receive your graded essay in any other subject, you do not see corrections of your English. You are graded entirely on content. English majors suffer through 4 years of thinking about English and being graded on English. That is why they are called English majors, and that is why they should be hired before some gal with a marketing or education major who can't find a job after graduation, but LOVES to travel, hears about the ESL salaries in the ME, takes a quickie CELTA or even an MA in ESL and flirts her way into a job and then flirts her way into management and winds up being my boss and still does not know a noun from a verb. |
WOW! Methinks someone has a wee chip on her shoulder!
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