Job Discussion Forums

billie · Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 19

Hi,
I'm going to be going to Thailand this fall to get certified to teach english. I have a BA and I will be training with TEFL International. I was wondering if somebody could explain what the difference is between their PELT certificate course and their TESOL certificate course? I know the training is conducted differently. What I am interested in knowing is how the PELT ranks next to the TESOL. Do employers distinguish between these two types of trainings? Will it in any way limit my choice of location or the salary I can get?
Any advice would be great!!

Thanks,
Billie

billie · Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 19

In case you aren't familiar with PELT here is some more information:

It stands for practical english language training. It consists of one week in a classroom, 40 hours of dvd training, 6 hours of observed teaching practice, and over 40 hours of teaching practice at a paid internship. They say the internship will be for 4-8 weeks which seems like a lot of time for only 40 or so hours. Every week there is a review session that you attend with other interns. So the whole thing takes about 2 months but is cheap ( US$650) compared with their TESOL course.
I guess in a lot of instances the internship turns into a fulltime job. I don't want to stay in Pattaya though so I want to make sure I will be able to find something elsewhere.
Also, because it won't end until mid-November, how difficult will it be to find a job in the middle of November? I know the new semester starts the beginning of November.
Thanks to anyone who can share any knowledge they have of this program or an opinion based on the program description.
billie

Sheep-Goats · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 527

How much is the plain ol TESOL course?

kenkannif · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 550

Around $1,400-1,600 USD or so (with accommodation) I think.

Basically I'd say the best way to learn to teach is in the same way as you'll learn to teach (i.e. in person).....if you get what I mean?

I think it's too new to get 'good' feedback from DoS's etc. but I know for a fact one of the companies that recruits for Kuwait on ajarn has said it's not acceptable for them (I'm not sure if they just mean the company, or the whole of Kuwait).

billie · Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 19

well, i'm planning on staying in thailand. any idea if i'm likely to run into problems like i might in kuwait?

kenkannif · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 550

It's hard to say as it's relatively new, best thing to do would be to PM a few potential employers and see what they say.

What types of problems do you mean? Paperwork side of things? Or actually being capable of teaching?

Let me ask you why don't you wish to attend their 'proper' course?

billie · Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 19

well.............i actually had planned on attending their tesol course in ban phe. I am going through language corps and after being accepted by them they asked me if i would mind changing the date the training starts. they informed me that tefl international had changed the program format and the location to pattaya. they told me they were knocking $700 off the price too which was good news to me.
of course i didnt realize until after i had bought my plane tickets to correspond to a training beginning in september that only language corps had changed the course, not tefl int'l. they didnt give me the optionn of staying with the traditional training in ban phe. language corps is obviously trying to make more money for a shorter time commitment to participants? i dont know?
i'm a bit peeved about it and am trying to sort out what it all means before i discuss it with them.
i would rather not be in pattaya and i would rather have more in class training and not have to devote 2 months to a internship in pattaya especially since i am only looking for a short term stay in thailand (a little under a year).
grrrrrrrrrrr im really frustrated. and i've already invested so much time and money (between the language corps down payment and the plane ticket).
yes im concerned about not being able to teach very well after this course. i am not a teacher and i'm quite apprehensive about the whole thing. i want to be a good teacher. also, if i like this and consider looking into doing tefl in other locations will my PELF certification make it more difficult for me?
hoped to get some reassurance from you all but feel free to hit me with some reality as well.
thanks again.

kenkannif · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 550

Contact Bruce directly. He's a pretty good bloke and I'm sure he'll let you change to what you WANT to actually do. If you'd like his contact details let me know, although he does post in the training section of the board. I reckon you'll be okay. If not drop me a PM and I'll see what I can do.

Personally I think if you've never taught before the 'proper' course is the way to go. I think the PELT was mainly developed (or at least that was what was said at the time) for teachers currently teaching here without a cert or the time to do a full certificate course.

billie · Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 19

thank you ken
i'm going to be talking to language corps today. i would like to straighten it out with them since i have already put down a $500 deposit. I'm feeling as though i may have made the wrong choice with programs. it seems as though i've chosen the most expensive option out there and now i've spent the last year saving for it. it was all the support language corps offered that interested me but since i've had a year to look into everything i now feel as though i would have been ok on my own.
i may contact bruce. the problem of course is that my flight gets in right after both the tesol courses in ban phe and phuket begin so i would have a month of blowing through my start-up money.
thanks again ken for all the help. hopefully this will all be sorted out soon and i'll feel good about it again.