Job Discussion Forums

[kyivkyiv]

I did a forum search and didn't find much in the way of this issue, so I decided to make this poll.

I've made this post because I'm on the cusp of doing a DELTA and have entertained the idea of working in Saudi Arabia to make more money in the future. I'd like to have some honest feedback from people who have experience in the region.

Note: I would love to have a M.A./M.Ed. in TESOL/Applied Linguistics/or other relevant area instead of a DELTA, but it isn't possible for me as I had to finance my own undergraduate education + CELTA through blood, sweat and tears. A master's in anything is a pipe dream for me despite having the academic credentials (GPA, GRE scores and co-publications in a tangentially related field) without a few years working in Saudi Arabia to save money for it.

Please see the associated poll and post a comment on the value of a DELTA vs. M.A./M.Ed. related to TESOL/Applied Linguistics/other relevant master's degree in Saudi Arabia.

[spiral78]

DELTA is not equivalent to any degree. It's essentially a super-cert, superior to a CELTA, but less than an MA or related BA.

[kyivkyiv]

[spiral78]

[kyivkyiv]

[nomad soul]

[LPKSA]

A DELTA and Masters in TESOL, English, Linguistics, etc., would be ideal. The problem would be that you would know the theories, and have proof of practical experience under your belt (the DELTA is not easy), but the students here... Would they be motivated enough to actually pick up on what you are putting out there. No matter how qualified you are, if the students aren't picking it up, or are refusing to pick it up, credentials would be therefore, essentially meaningless.

[sicklyman]

I have both DELTA (2005) and MA Applied Lings/TESOL (2002) and when I applied for my current job contracted to Aramco, they looked at all my certs, and passed my MA to one side and picked up the DELTA. I was then asked in detail about my DELTA and grilled in a very DELTA exam like manner on all sorts of classroom methodologies, educational theory and grammar.

This was from one of the key Saudi Aramco recruiters, a man with no less than 2 PhD's who I have come to respect within the organisation.

So, in that instance, it seems that the DELTA was more valuable.

FWIW, the DELTA is of far more value than an MA in terms of the work you carry out in industrial training (i.e. oil/gas industry). The DELTA taught me to think on my feet, have a massive repertoire of practical resources in my head which I can apply when relevant and, best of all, how to adapt the mostly pitiful resources we are required to teach with.

So, all round, it's not a bad feather to have in your Saudi cap whichever way you look at it.

[nomad soul]

[Makkah]

Know guys without DELTA, MA etc., doing very well for the past few years.

Quals will get you in the door / interview for the really high paying jobs but if you can't effectively manage a classroom in Saudi you will be out the door after a year, meaning your contract will not be renewed. By manage I mean that one has to call the coordinator or whoever else to sort out class problems that you should be managing.

[scot47]

No value.

[nomad soul]

In looking at the following bottom two poll items: "DELTA is considered to be fully equal to M.A./M.Ed in TESOL or similar outside of EAP (English for Academic Purposes) / ESP (English for Specific Purposes)" and "DELTA is considered to be fully equal to M.A./M.Ed in TESOL or similar in all regards," it's unclear if the responses to the poll reflect a personal opinion about the weight of the Delta versus how much Saudi employers and/or the Ministry of Higher Ed might actually value the qualification. There are obviously two different perspectives, with one being an assumption about employers' biases and criteria when making hiring decisions.

That said, I go back to my initial post that those job ads that actually mention the Delta, list it along with the CELTA and other TEFL qualifications and not with the requisite academic degrees. That seems to imply how much weight employers give it.

[balqis]

For non-native speakers, many employers in the Middle East, KSA included, will require an IELTS score of the highets band, or the CPE exan, to prove your langauge proficiency. They often these days specify it in their adds.

This is what they ask of non-natives these days in the booming female educational sector in KSA, i.e. the so called Colleges of Excellence, and they are planning to open a whole galore of them all over the country.

To my knowledge, no course of whatever sort would count as equivalent to an M.A. degree proper, and thanks god it would not. Coz if it did, then what next, then what next...


balqis

[Sashadroogie]

Perhaps spelling tests?

The Delta is regarded as being of the same level as an MA. But this just means that it is of the same 'difficulty', for want of a better word. But it is not the same as an MA in terms of length and breadth.

As Delta's main aim is to develop concrete teaching skills, and to help assist teachers to show learners how to make real language progress, it of course has no practical application in the Gulf area : )

[MuscatGary]

Delta isn't a Masters degree but it can be counted towards a Masters degree. It's generally regarded as being worth 60 CAT points, i.e. one-third of a Masters and can be used to exempt yourself from designated courses. Here's an example: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/al/degrees/ma/deltaapl.pdf