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Scrabble King
Joined: 25 Dec 2014
Posts: 91
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 Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 11:07 pm Post subject: Confused About TEFL Certifcates - Which Are Scams & Best |
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I just read that 8% of all expat teachers working in China now have a teaching certificate - which I suppose makes themselves more marketable. So I started doing some research and found that only a handful of the courses out there advertised online actually provide a legitimate certificate that is accepted and recognized globally!
http://www.icaltefl.com/index.php/qualifications-for-english-teachers/fake-tefl-certificates.html
So which is the best and most legitimate to get, not just for China but for working internationally? This scam issue is detailed here http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=616386 and if this huge company is getting away with fraud - how to find the real deal? |
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esl_prof
Joined: 30 Nov 2013
Posts: 2006
Location: peyi kote solèy frèt
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| Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 11:33 pm Post subject: Re: Confused About TEFL Certifcates - Which Are Scams & |
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| Scrabble King wrote: |
| So which is the best and most legitimate to get, not just for China but for working internationally? |
The top three "brand" name TESOL certificates are offered by CELTA, SIT, and Trinity. There are also numerous other course providers that offer similar certificates (aka "CELTA equivalent").
Basically, you should be looking for a program that offers the following:
--a minimum of 120 contact hours of training
--a minimum of 6 hours of supervised teaching practice
--is taught face-to-face NOT online
Assuming you successfully complete a certificate program that meets all three of these requirements, you are qualified for entry-level teaching TEFL jobs anywhere in the world. If any of those three things are missing from your program, then chances are good that you'll be excluded from consideration for many entry-level jobs. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 1:35 am Post subject: |
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| Scrabble King wrote: |
| So which is the best and most legitimate to get, not just for China but for working internationally? |
Given all your "research" on those spammy scam websites, it's odd that you have zero knowledge about the CELTA, SIT TESOL, Trinity CertTESOL and even equivalent non-branded TEFL cert teacher training qualifications.
Be aware that many mediocre to subpar TEFL cert course providers are not running scams; they're simply offering TEFL qualifications that pass muster for some employers and/or country visa requirements. There's obviously a market for these bottom-of-the-barrel qualifications despite their limitations.
However, while that online or minimal TEFL cert may be fine for some employers throughout the world (including many in China), it won't cut it for the better teaching positions in other parts of the globe where employers require confirmation that the teacher's training was credible---that the 120-hour, onsite TEFL course included at least 6 hours of supervised and assessed teaching practice with real students.
Some teachers are smacked with that reality when they begin looking at jobs outside of China. Plus, their teaching experience gained before obtaining a credible TEFL cert may be completely discounted by prospective employers, which means starting from scratch as a newbie. |
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Simon in Suzhou
Joined: 09 Aug 2011
Posts: 404
Location: GZ
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| Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 1:38 am Post subject: |
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I love how you/your website references pull statistics out of their butt. 8% of all foreign teachers in china...blah blah blah.
How do you know this? I've certainly never been asked any of these questions in my 6 years here. I'd love to see the sample size of these "studies" and the variance of who they are asking (university teachers, those at private academies, kindergarten teachers, corporate teachers...there are TONS of different kinds of teachers here).
I call BS on ANY statistics on the ESL field in China. There are no reputable studies, and I'm sure most of these articles are just making numbers up. |
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Scrabble King
Joined: 25 Dec 2014
Posts: 91
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| Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 3:26 am Post subject: |
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| Simon in Suzhou wrote: |
I love how you/your website references pull statistics out of their butt. 8% of all foreign teachers in china...blah blah blah.
How do you know this? I've certainly never been asked any of these questions in my 6 years here. I'd love to see the sample size of these "studies" and the variance of who they are asking (university teachers, those at private academies, kindergarten teachers, corporate teachers...there are TONS of different kinds of teachers here).
I call BS on ANY statistics on the ESL field in China. There are no reputable studies, and I'm sure most of these articles are just making numbers up. |
People take surveys you know. See the info-graphic with the stats here from a 2014 teacher survey. Granted it is not a huge sampling, but enough to get a general snapshot http://www.chinaforeignteachersunion.com/2015/01/2014-was-year-of-progress-according-to.html |
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Bud Powell
Joined: 11 Jul 2013
Posts: 1736
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| Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Scrabble King wrote: |
| Simon in Suzhou wrote: |
I love how you/your website references pull statistics out of their butt. 8% of all foreign teachers in china...blah blah blah.
How do you know this? I've certainly never been asked any of these questions in my 6 years here. I'd love to see the sample size of these "studies" and the variance of who they are asking (university teachers, those at private academies, kindergarten teachers, corporate teachers...there are TONS of different kinds of teachers here).
I call BS on ANY statistics on the ESL field in China. There are no reputable studies, and I'm sure most of these articles are just making numbers up. |
People take surveys you know. See the info-graphic with the stats here from a 2014 teacher survey. Granted it is not a huge sampling, but enough to get a general snapshot http://www.chinaforeignteachersunion.com/2015/01/2014-was-year-of-progress-according-to.html |
How large was the sampling? Where were the surveys conducted? What kinds of schools did the FTs teach in? These should be at your fingertips.
How about posting the blank survey so we can see it? |
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Scrabble King
Joined: 25 Dec 2014
Posts: 91
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| Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Bud Powell wrote: |
| Scrabble King wrote: |
| Simon in Suzhou wrote: |
I love how you/your website references pull statistics out of their butt. 8% of all foreign teachers in china...blah blah blah.
How do you know this? I've certainly never been asked any of these questions in my 6 years here. I'd love to see the sample size of these "studies" and the variance of who they are asking (university teachers, those at private academies, kindergarten teachers, corporate teachers...there are TONS of different kinds of teachers here).
I call BS on ANY statistics on the ESL field in China. There are no reputable studies, and I'm sure most of these articles are just making numbers up. |
People take surveys you know. See the info-graphic with the stats here from a 2014 teacher survey. Granted it is not a huge sampling, but enough to get a general snapshot http://www.chinaforeignteachersunion.com/2015/01/2014-was-year-of-progress-according-to.html |
How large was the sampling? Where were the surveys conducted? What kinds of schools did the FTs teach in? These should be at your fingertips.
How about posting the blank survey so we can see it? |
1. I am not the one responsible for taking the survey. I have the same information as anyone else who reads the post
2. I did get a survey form back in November and if you send me your email in a PM I will send it to you since there is no way to attach anything here on this forum nor post a photo.
3. According to this post below, 5,000 survey forms were sent out at random and 2,167 teachers replied. http://www.chinaforeignteachersunion.com/2015/01/2014-was-year-of-progress-according-to.html
4. Personally, I was not surprised by any of the results which most of us can relate to.
5. It mentions that a full 7 page report is available so why not just ask them for a copy yourself Bud? It says to send an email request to [email protected] |
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Scrabble King
Joined: 25 Dec 2014
Posts: 91
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| Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 11:48 pm Post subject: Re: Confused About TEFL Certifcates - Which Are Scams & |
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| esl_prof wrote: |
| Scrabble King wrote: |
| So which is the best and most legitimate to get, not just for China but for working internationally? |
The top three "brand" name TESOL certificates are offered by CELTA, SIT, and Trinity. There are also numerous other course providers that offer similar certificates (aka "CELTA equivalent").
Basically, you should be looking for a program that offers the following:
--a minimum of 120 contact hours of training
--a minimum of 6 hours of supervised teaching practice
--is taught face-to-face NOT online
Assuming you successfully complete a certificate program that meets all three of these requirements, you are qualified for entry-level teaching TEFL jobs anywhere in the world. If any of those three things are missing from your program, then chances are good that you'll be excluded from consideration for many entry-level jobs. |
Thanks for a thorough explanation. I appreciate it. |
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Bud Powell
Joined: 11 Jul 2013
Posts: 1736
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| Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2015 4:02 am Post subject: |
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How were the names acquired? Were they verified as belonging to bonafide FTs?
You seem not to have enough information to vet the survey, despite the fact that you purport to have access to so much other information.
Scrabble Dude, here's a really good article for you to read. It'll make you aware of the reasons why people distrust online experts:
http://middlekingdomlife.com/guide/psychopathology-of-anonymous-efl-china-teacher-forums.htm |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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Did you choose a course OP?
Happy to PM you my experience and recommendation if needed. |
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Scrabble King
Joined: 25 Dec 2014
Posts: 91
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| Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 4:59 am Post subject: |
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| Non Sequitur wrote: |
Did you choose a course OP?
Happy to PM you my experience and recommendation if needed. |
I am open and interested to anything in Beijing that is not online and comes with a certificate that will be truly international. PM me if yu have something that fits. Thanks!!! |
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esl_prof
Joined: 30 Nov 2013
Posts: 2006
Location: peyi kote solèy frèt
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 7:10 am Post subject: |
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| Scrabble King wrote: |
| Non Sequitur wrote: |
Did you choose a course OP?
Happy to PM you my experience and recommendation if needed. |
I am open and interested to anything in Beijing that is not online and comes with a certificate that will be truly international. PM me if yu have something that fits. Thanks!!! |
The requirements that course is not online and in BJ are new and my suggestions don't fit these provisos.
Maybe you should have mentioned these at the outset?? |
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