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Is a TEFL Certificate worth the cost? Please Help!

 
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kml636



Joined: 31 Mar 2005
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 7:29 pm    Post subject: Is a TEFL Certificate worth the cost? Please Help! Reply with quote

Is a certificate worth the cost?

I'm a little scared off by spending my meager savings on a $1700 certificate, plus airfare. I have a university degree and it seems there are jobs in Asia without the certificate; however they are lower paying and in less abundance, it seems. I am not interested in making a career, just want to fund travels through Asia, Australia, and South America (wishful thinking I know!)

Any people think that it is worth the cost? I'd like to take the course in South America, Thailand or Australia...

Thank you!
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dyak



Joined: 25 Jun 2003
Posts: 630

PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you've never taught before, it'll give you a method, a basis, making your life somewhat easier. I don't know if you have teaching experience but your potential students will probably appreciate you taking the time to learn a little about how to teach. If you have taught before and have relevant experience, you may not feel it's worth it. A TEFL Cert. barely scratches the surface but it'll show employers you're more serious than the average backpacker.
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denise



Joined: 23 Apr 2003
Posts: 3419
Location: finally home-ish

PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 11:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with dyak. Even if you're not going to do this as a career, I think you (this is a general "you") owe it to your students to know what you're doing in a classroom. And think about your own mental well-being as well--if you haven't had prior experience, then you may struggle to plan lessons, maintain control of the class, etc. Being stressed out on the job might affect your overall travel experience.

d
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tedkarma



Joined: 17 May 2004
Posts: 1598
Location: The World is my Oyster

PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2005 1:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have to agree with the previous posters. You will soon learn that your EFL students pay - what is for them - large sums of money for your knowledge and expertise. At least give them a fair shake by learning a little about how to do it. You can certainly pick up a TEFL Cert for less than that amount in Thailand. Text-and-Talk (one of the originals in Thailand) I think is around $1200-1300 right now.

Aside from giving your students a fair exchange from their money - you'll also have a better idea of how to do your job - and if you are actually doing a decent job or not. Much better than just tap-dancing your way through a few countries taking money that you may not really earn.
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kml636



Joined: 31 Mar 2005
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2005 11:41 pm    Post subject: Thanks... Reply with quote

Thanks for the advice... I"m going to look for a lower cost program. Laughing
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 12:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I have a university degree and it seems there are jobs in Asia without the certificate; however they are lower paying and in less abundance, it seems.

I will add the same remarks to the above posters. People who don't have teaching degrees or certificates abound in Asia, certainly in Japan (where I work). Anyone planning to stay longer than a year should seriously think about getting such a certificate anyway, though, for the reasons cited above. You may be given a specific lesson plan to follow, but then again you may NOT, so you would have to know what to do to create something from nothing.

Quote:
I am not interested in making a career, just want to fund travels through Asia, Australia, and South America (wishful thinking I know!)

Yes, in many cases, this is wishful thinking. If you come to teach, you will probably be working full-time. That means not much free time to travel around Asia. There are exceptions, of course, but just consider what you have in your home country with any FT job. Weekends off only, right? In some Asian countries, the jobs won't be 2 consecutive days off, so how can you travel? Moreover, with some jobs, you can't take off any day you like, and are relegated to vacationing when everyone else in the country is (certainly in Japan), and then the transportation and lodging rates go up.
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ls650



Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia

PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 12:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glenski wrote:
Quote:
I am not interested in making a career, just want to fund travels through Asia, Australia, and South America

Yes, in many cases, this is wishful thinking. If you come to teach, you will probably be working full-time. That means not much free time to travel around Asia.


Listen to Glenski. If you're working full-time, you'll in a classroom for maybe 25 hours a week. Plan on doubling that to include lesson prep, marking, and office hours.

The only travel time you'll have will be long weekends and holidays - say about 4 weeks over the year. If you want to be immersed in a culture and learn about the people and language, TEFL is a good way to go. If you want to just travel, slave away at a Starbucks McJob and bank your money so that you can hit the road for a while.
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kml636



Joined: 31 Mar 2005
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 12:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks again for the advice... I know in Japan it is very expensive to travel, but how about from Thailand? Is it fairly cheap to go to places like Indonesia and Nepal? Any advice would be appreciated...
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Deconstructor



Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Posts: 775
Location: Montreal

PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've said this so many times before. Save your money. You don't need any kind of qualifications as long as you have a BA. The certificates are useless pieces of paper. If you want to learn about teaching, go to your local university library and read couple of books on TEFL/TESL. For example: Teaching by Principles by H. Douglas Brown. This is a great intro for newbies.

Again, save your money and use it as a safety net in case someone tries to scam you. Chances are someone will.
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