Job Discussion Forums

[En929]

How do some of you feel about the TESOL certification program that the University of Toronto is giving? This one is university backed. The link is below. Has anybody tried it before and been succesful? Does anybody know anybody who has tried it? Thanks!


https://teflonline.teachaway.com/enroll/

[spiral78]

Despite its reputable university affiliation, it is solely on-line and includes no face-to-face teaching practice with real students. The 120 and 150 hour versions aren't significantly cheaper than a CELTA, which does include the KEY supervised teaching practice.

This online course simply won't open all the entry-level doors. Only those where online courses are accepted -and these are the same as those that require no cert at all.

[scot47]

If it is online, many employers will not accept it.

[esl_prof]

In addition to what others have said, this program is offered through the continuing education program, not a regular academic division (e.g., Department of English or School of Education) so it's more on par with the university's offerings in, say, Basketweaving for Hobbyists rather than the more academically rigorous Basketweaving 101. In any case, it's certainly not covered by the university's accreditation as a regular academic program would be.

http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/conted/TEFLOnline.html

[En929]

How about if I'm already a United States certified teacher. I've been certified to teach in the United States (not TESOL). but have been certified in education and just need a TEFL/TESOL certificate because some countries require it; even though I've already been through MANY teaching practicums already to become the teacher that I am now.

[spiral78]

Teaching EFL bears little/no relation to teaching core subjects in the students' native language. Take a CELTA if you want to be taken seriously in the EFL field.

[santi84]

[nomad soul]

[En929]

[En929]

[nomad soul]

[En929]

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

The University of Toronto does have a high quality program for teaching ESL (but it's not the one that the OP is asking about). This is the link:

http://wdw.utoronto.ca/tesol/

You cannot do it online. It has a mandatory practicum.

UofT ALSO has a masters degree in Second Language Education available online. The entry requirements are either the above ESL program (or an equivalent- other universities in Ontario also offer TESOL / TESL certificates), or a bachelor of education, but it says it's specifically for Canadian teachers.

Here's the brochure:

http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/online/UserFiles/File/HomePageFiles/SLE-OnlineMEdBrochure.pdf

As others have mentioned, you could look at doing a CELTA. Also, you could look at doing a degree in language teaching from the US by distance (Anaheim comes to mind, but there must be others).

Because distance education in Canada is still far behind distance education in Australia, the UK or the US (with the exception of Athabasca University- an open university in Canada that doesn't do TESOL related things, and Calgary University I think has opened a few M.Ed programs [including language teaching] lately- there are also a few Christian universities that offer programs in language teaching), most Canadians overseas who need to do graduate degrees by distance go through schools in the UK (maybe Ireland as well), Australia (maybe New Zealand, too) or the US.

[esl_prof]

[nomad soul]