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MotherF
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 1450
Location: 17�48'N 97�46'W
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 Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 5:52 am Post subject: Seriously----online TEFL courses |
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So I came across an ad for trainers for an online TEFL course. It's contract work for courses that last 13 weeks and have up to 20 students in them. They are paying US $1600 for the course. They estimate that their trainers spend 6 to 8 hours a week training. That works out to about 15 to 20 dollars an hour for part time work. Could be a nice little extra for a teacher in a country where a dollar goes a long way.
Right? or Not? Well, maybe, but when you go to their website to check out their course curriculum, you also see that this course costs participants roughly 1300 US dollars. If they manage to get the full 20 people to take a course that will have their gross income at 26,000 US. That would make the trainers portion a measly 6 percent.
Now sometimes they may only have 2 people on a course, unless their minimum is higher than that) in which case the trainer would take 60% of the profits.
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Denim-Maniac
Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238
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| Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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The issue for me wouldnt be the % of their gross turnover that I was getting, but rather the course itself.
Im quite lucky that I can afford to be principled. Of course I realise not everyone is in the same position and may have pressing financial needs to attend to. The killer for me is working for 13 weeks on an online course that may exist for the purpose of parting TEFL dreamers from their hard-earned cash, rather than providing them with any suitable training or qualification for EFL employment.
This WOULDNT apply if the course was something like the Distance Delta, a recognised and worthwhile course. But if i-i were offering a 13 week online course Id have to pass regardless of how much they pay me. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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I was once approached for a similar position with a mostly-online course. The onsite component was heavily focused on 'how to get a job in a foreign country (dam the 'job placement' hype - which they employed!) and 'how to live in a foreign country' and extremely light on actual teaching skills.
I think this is pretty typical of such courses.
I declined; it just wasn't justifiable or something I could put my name on. |
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oxi
Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 347
Location: elsewhere
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:10 am Post subject: |
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| Denim-Maniac wrote: |
| if i-i were offering a 13 week online course Id have to pass regardless of how much they pay me. |
I was close to agreeing to teach a weekend course for i-to-i, 16 hours contact I think it was. In order to teach it, they said they'd give me 'training'. That actually meant I was supposed to go and 'observe' a 16 hour weekend. (actually they didn't explain that clearly and I thought I just needed to watch 2 or 3 hours - much to the trainer's disgust when I turned up late). I watched a couple of hours on the Saturday. Sunday was mostly peer teaching.
Then I asked what material they would provide for me to teach. Turned out to be a 10 page booklet/handout. Otherwise I should make up my own.
I'd like to say I turned it down on principle as it was just a poor CELTA copy, but I think I really said no as I didn't much fancy writing and preparing my own course for about 10% of the money the company would make out of me. |
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LongShiKong
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 1082
Location: China
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| Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 6:20 am Post subject: |
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| oxi wrote: |
| Then I asked what material they would provide for me to teach. Turned out to be a 10 page booklet/handout. Otherwise I should make up my own. |
So that $15-20/hr is far less when you factor in the hrs you have to do THEIR PREP work. They obviously won't pay you UNLESS YOU DO. Why not offer to write a detailed course outline that looks professional and will get them more students. If they go for it, name your price. |
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LongShiKong
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 1082
Location: China
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| Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 2:57 pm Post subject: Re: Seriously----online TEFL courses |
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| revenger2013 wrote: |
You have just worked out how capitalism operates... |
But it doesn't seem that TEFL course developer has---not with a 10 pg booklet? Oops, I spoke too soon. Is that there ad flashing above? |
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Mr. Kalgukshi
Mod Team
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Posts: 6613
Location: Need to know basis only.
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| Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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An insulting posting directed at another member has been deleted.
Some boards permit such postings. This one doesn't.
If you find yourself unable to discuss things here in a civil manner, please find another site on which to spend your leisure time. If not, the decision will be made for you.
Members observing insulting postings are requested to advise the Mod Team by PM or Report Post. |
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gitana2013
Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Posts: 11
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| Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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That sounds a lot like the work I did for TEFL Institute last year and was never paid for. I did the onsite portion of the course, though.
If it's not for TEFL Institute, and you're just looking for a little extra money and the awareness that you're not teaching a CELTA, then I would say go for it. But only after checking out glassdoor and other online reviews on the company. |
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coledavis
Joined: 21 Jun 2003
Posts: 1838
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| Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:25 am Post subject: |
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| oxi wrote: |
| Denim-Maniac wrote: |
| if i-i were offering a 13 week online course Id have to pass regardless of how much they pay me. |
I was close to agreeing to teach a weekend course for i-to-i, 16 hours contact I think it was. In order to teach it, they said they'd give me 'training'. That actually meant I was supposed to go and 'observe' a 16 hour weekend. (actually they didn't explain that clearly and I thought I just needed to watch 2 or 3 hours - much to the trainer's disgust when I turned up late). I watched a couple of hours on the Saturday. Sunday was mostly peer teaching.
Then I asked what material they would provide for me to teach. Turned out to be a 10 page booklet/handout. Otherwise I should make up my own.
I'd like to say I turned it down on principle as it was just a poor CELTA copy, but I think I really said no as I didn't much fancy writing and preparing my own course for about 10% of the money the company would make out of me. |
Oxi - it is not a CELTA 'copy' at all. CELTA (and other respectable courses) are not weekend courses. (Or have I missed something?) |
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oxi
Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 347
Location: elsewhere
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| Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:45 am Post subject: |
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[quote="coledavis"]
| oxi wrote: |
| Denim-Maniac wrote: |
| I'd like to say I turned it down on principle as it was just a poor CELTA copy, but I think I really said no as I didn't much fancy writing and preparing my own course for about 10% of the money the company would make out of me. |
Oxi - it is not a CELTA 'copy' at all. CELTA (and other respectable courses) are not weekend courses. (Or have I missed something?) |
Not sure if you missed something.. but lets say for the sake of argument, I wasn't clear enough. 
My key point is it was a 'poor copy' of CELTA, ie. not well done, too rushed (a weekend course) and not respectable. It tried to do what CELTA does, but couldn't.
Ok? |
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oxi
Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 347
Location: elsewhere
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| Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:48 am Post subject: |
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| LongShiKong wrote: |
| oxi wrote: |
| Then I asked what material they would provide for me to teach. Turned out to be a 10 page booklet/handout. Otherwise I should make up my own. |
So that $15-20/hr is far less when you factor in the hrs you have to do THEIR PREP work. They obviously won't pay you UNLESS YOU DO. Why not offer to write a detailed course outline that looks professional and will get them more students. If they go for it, name your price. |
They didn't fancy my price. I didn't fancy the workload for cheaper. But it's easy to find them on the internet and offer your services if you like... |
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coledavis
Joined: 21 Jun 2003
Posts: 1838
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| Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:22 am Post subject: |
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[quote="oxi"]
| coledavis wrote: |
| oxi wrote: |
| Denim-Maniac wrote: |
| I'd like to say I turned it down on principle as it was just a poor CELTA copy, but I think I really said no as I didn't much fancy writing and preparing my own course for about 10% of the money the company would make out of me. |
Oxi - it is not a CELTA 'copy' at all. CELTA (and other respectable courses) are not weekend courses. (Or have I missed something?) |
Not sure if you missed something.. but lets say for the sake of argument, I wasn't clear enough.
My key point is it was a 'poor copy' of CELTA, ie. not well done, too rushed (a weekend course) and not respectable. It tried to do what CELTA does, but couldn't.
Ok? |
ok. |
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LongShiKong
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 1082
Location: China
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| Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 2:16 am Post subject: |
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| oxi wrote: |
| They didn't fancy my price. I didn't fancy the workload for cheaper. But it's easy to find them on the internet and offer your services if you like... |
I have no intentions of underbidding you. There's an obvious race to the bottom going on in the TEFL certification business. |
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oxi
Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 347
Location: elsewhere
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| Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 2:19 am Post subject: |
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| LongShiKong wrote: |
| oxi wrote: |
| They didn't fancy my price. I didn't fancy the workload for cheaper. But it's easy to find them on the internet and offer your services if you like... |
I have no intentions of underbidding you. There's an obvious race to the bottom going on in the TEFL certification business. |
Too true! |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 4:25 am Post subject: |
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| LongShiKong wrote: |
| There's an obvious race to the bottom going on in the TEFL certification business. |
Dunno about that. I think this sentiment might only extend to dubious online courses that are a waste of money to begin with. |
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