Job Discussion Forums

[The Great Toad]

Hi, I was looking to take a DELTA course (rather than the CELTA) in Spain. Besides being eight weeks instead of four and 2K as opposed to 1k, I do not see any great difference. Are there some countries that will demand that DELTA and shun the CELTA people? Can I expect better pay or more job offers with it?

Anyone have an opinion on the best place / company to get a DELTA and how boring all the classes are? Is it just a lot of inane common sense stuff like many of my English Education classes were? Is it easy to get the pass grade and arduous to get the distinction?

Who rides road bikes in Spain? What is the best city / town for road bike riding?As far as traffic and smooth roads- no cobbles please. I smoke the roads of Korea in my 53x11 - I must leave before I smash my fool head into the back of all these too sweet slipstreaming trucks.

Maybe I should just get the Dumbo DELTA and go get a ESL job in Insane Diego.

[naturegirl321]

in order to get the DELTA, you must already have a TEFL cert and at least two years experience teaching TEFL to adults.
CELTA is for people with no experience and no prior cert.

[Mouse]

Yes, I second Naturegirl's comments.

In answer to your questions, however, the DELTA is rarely needed for entry-level jobs (though increasingly so in the UK), but is a common requirement for positions like DOS, ADOS, teacher-trainer, etc. In quality institues, a DELTA-qualified graduate will be looking at a higher salary (though the necessary experience to do the DELTA will be a contributory factor). Depending on where you get the DELTA, and whether you elect for a part-time or intensive course, it can be very challenging.

I don't know what you mean by "Dumbo DELTA."

[The Great Toad]

Oh well thanks for both your replies kindly ladies. Err hmm well I checked out a website and it mentioned that if you have a teaching license like I do in English Edumaction, and the two years, which I will obtain will also have here shortly, I could do the DELTA.

It makes sense- at the risk of sounding like a Puffed Up Bragging Toad- I must affirm that a Toad of my stature, who has already conquered his 4 year English Ed courses, with all the writing and pedology involved, can easily ride down the semantical "professional" teaching course- viz the DELTA. If I applied I guarantee they would accept- if for greed alone. As to how I do, well that is a question of how bored I get midway through the tedious process of gaining a writ that said I was "Flying Dumbo Distincter DELTA Elephant Dung Bomber".

"Oooo you have the powerful skills of a Delta Elephant- I must hire you."

Be you sporting ladies? Can you tell me anything about the bicycle riding anywhere in Spain. Truth be told The Mighty Toad is nigh equal to Spain's Heroes: famed Miguel Indurian and Pedro Delgado. Are the roads heavy with traffic? Is it mostly pave? Will the drivers yell and honk at me like in Korea?

[gsbcn08080]

"Will the drivers yell and honk at me like in Korea?"

They will....

[red]

ah yes, the incredible honking geese-people

the roads in spain are paved with treacle. this makes cycling difficult - but rewarding!

[Mouse]

Elephant Dung Bomber you may well be, Toad, but I'm no lady, thank you very much. And I'm sure that with a *gasp* four year English Ed course under your belt, you're more than qualified to do a DELTA. Nay, they should award you one simply for the honour of passing it to a highly skilled and mightily experienced individual of your unparalleled stature... As for the roads here, they're circuitous, but largely uncobbled, and quite adequate for cycling upon, should that be your desire, although the probability of you being struck and killed by one of the highly skilled motorists here is higher than a lesser man (?) might feel comfortable with.

[The Great Toad]

Err well sorry if I came off as an astoundingly brilliant yet pompous gentry noble. However, I do clearly remember reading that if you have a four year university degree in teaching English- as I do, and have an initial English teaching license- like me, as well as two years of experience- as I will have here shortly, you can take the DELTA course straightaway sans the CELTA course.

HMMM well I did assume there were water fowl in Spain; but I fear no fouling flapping fowl nor roads coated with strange matter- they would still be cleaner than the dirt coated asphalt here.

Thanks though for the brief road information, I should post some excerpts of my Korea riding stories on the Korea board- they're so frightening and clever. I would like to get some more rubbish won in bicycle races, no doubt I'd crush the amateur field should I enter a road race in Spain. Thinking ahead though maybe I should stay in the flatter(?) Barcelona, area rather than Madrid since I would go quacky in the Mountain descents, stray into the opposite lane, and be terribly smashed upon an oncoming vehicle. Still my fastest speed on the bicycle is 67mph out in California- and it would be sweet to reach seventy sometime.

[naturegirl321]

[happyfencer]

To All and Sundry Toads and Other Creatures:

I have never, ever posted to a chatroom/discussion forum before. Please excuse any breach of etiquette that I may incur. The Big Toad brought up a topic that I have long been wondering about. To go for the DELTA, or not? My main concern is that we are laying out a good hunk of cash, but what are we getting in return? Many schools offer these TEFL certificates that are not backed up by any university program and so do not offer any diplomas, transcripts, or college credit. Since I'm a public school teacher this is a big proglem--we can only move up the through our miserly pay scale by accruing university credits. I know the DELTA offers a diploma--I assume that it also will give you credits through an accredited college. But, it that a true assumption? I don't know much about the whole ESL abroad thing, but I'm trying to learn fast, since I want to be teaching in Spain by October. I do have a Colorado teaching license and have spent three hair-graying years teaching ESL to Mexican immigrants. It was both a marvelous and a horrifying experience. (mostly marvelous). Should I go for the DELTA or the CELTA? Are there any CELTA programs that will give college credit for their course? I've just applied at Oxford House Trinity College TESOL program and at the Canterbury (Madrid) program--are those good options?
Please tell me anything you know about these programs. I have a hard time taking what the directors at these schools say at face value. I would really appreciate your response.

[The Great Toad]

Well It has been a lonnnnng time since I posted here- and strange too that my old post is still on the first page. So therefore, in order to stay immortal and unforgotten. Yes- people must hear my voice and know me- for I am a big mouth. I am going to post on this again and re-stress my first query since it also happens to be on the mind of the happyfencer.

In sooth, I am now more likely to return to America and get a Masters degree in English Literature- before my GI Bill Danegeld runs out in 2008. So I might not even make the attempt to get my CELTA or DELTA. Still I was thinking maybe I could also get the DELTA or CELTA after I receive my MA. But then I was thinking why bother if I already have a masters.

So here is the long term planning question: If I got a masters in English Lit to go with my English Ed B.S. (Yes I have am four years trained to B.S.) would there be any jobs in Spain I could not get without the additional CELTA or DELTA?

TO be honest this CELTA /DELTA stuff sounds boring. Reading great LIT and then arguing it is c00l but all that teaching method stuff is such a drag to me. It is almost as boring as linguistics comparing cattle to beef and pork to pigs. Mmmm wut I mean to say is can't I find a sweet Spain college teaching job with just a MA in English Literature? Do I really need to get some kind of DELTA thang? Err will the College administrators be eager for me to Read Spanish, have a CELTA / DELTA and have that masters degree?

And also I like to know if there are lots of bicycle racer chicks in Spain, cuz there is Zero bicycle lasses in Korea, well maybe I met like four but they were all married. Yeah there are plenty of Rollerblade chicks, but roller blading is too dangerous for me, I am soo strong and fast I go like 25 mph and then I fall on sand (in California) and get these huge cherry burns on my hip and elbow, so I got rid of my Rollerblades.

OK sorry if this went too off topic or was redundant and wordy but when I post I also like to talk about important things like myself besides the actually pertinent question.

[SueH]

Can't comment for Spain but in other places such as the ME an MA is preferable.

As it's towards the end of term the thought of doing a DELTA and, my informants tell me, 8 page lesson plans down to the last minute fills me with energy-sapping horror.

Knowing the difference between and origins of sheep and mutton etc. is to my mind just general knowledge, but if you can stand it an MA in linguistics might look better on the CV along with a CELTA to prove the practical element of your training.

[The Great Toad]

Well that is kind of you to relate to me. Err I was thinking of getting a Masters in English Litter errr I mean literature. I do not like linguistics studies I think it would be boring. A creative writing Masters might be fun but it would be soooo hard cuz I have too write good stuff (at least in theory maybe they graduate me with hack work too?) and tha would take a lot of deep thinking, and God forgive me but I tend to be a bit shallow minded. Hmm eight page lessons plans is not too bad, I wrote like a twenty-five page one for my last group learning trendy modern lesson. Maybe I will get a CELTA hmmm not sure. It is certainly difficult talking ten words a minute and explaining its:
�Who loves you?� and not �Who love you?�
I am at my school in Jeju Island write now, oppps this is the Spain Espanola board sorry. But for bragging sake I just flaunt that I am at a Girls Middle School and for some strange reason the students and teachers think I�m Elvis resurrected. �Yes I talk English, yes I am American yes I am Handsome- you kids are cute.� But it is all mildly boring, well the students are enthusiastic though.
Who is a superstar in Spain by default? Do you automatically become the Bommb diddy bomb cuz yer a English speaker? Anyway thanks for the info, but I�d really rather just move into Toad Hall, drink tea, get served trifles, and host feasts with kindly stoats and small relations.