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hip-hop boy78
Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 90
Location: Hip-hop land
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 Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 12:43 pm Post subject: Teaching certificate in Thailand |
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Hi there!
I've been considering taking a CELTA or TESOL in Thailand and was wondering whether anyone could recommend the course at ECC in Bangkok. I checked out their website and everything sounds very professional but I'm not sure whether it's legit or not.
I've also come across Tefl International and Text & Talk, so if anyone would be so kind as to give me the low-down on these particular places then that would be great.
Which would you recommend and why?
I'm currently teaching in South Korea and I've got over three years of teaching experience (adults and children) and a BA degree though no teaching qualification.
Thanks for any help....  |
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hip-hop boy78
Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 90
Location: Hip-hop land
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| Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 11:58 am Post subject: |
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| Has this thread been done before???? |
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Kent F. Kruhoeffer
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2129
Location: 中国
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| Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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Anyonghaseyo hip-hop boy78:
 nobody has replied yet.
The 3 schools mentioned above are all good.
ECC Bangkok gets high marks for the CELTA.
Text-and-Talk Academy and TEFL International are also
very well established and offer quality teacher training.
If you scroll back through the 10 pages of the Thailand forum
(or use the search function at the top of the page)
you'll find lots of first-hand comments from people.
Another very good source of info from one of our regulars:
http://phuketdelight.com/ (Phuket Delight by tedkarma) |
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tedkarma
Joined: 17 May 2004
Posts: 1598
Location: The World is my Oyster
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| Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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Kent's comments - as usual - are to be taken seriously. He's who I would ask first.
I have a list of factors to consider when selecting a TEFL Cert course at http://phuketdelight.com/TEFL.htm.
Good luck - and happy studying! |
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Kent F. Kruhoeffer
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2129
Location: 中国
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| Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 4:30 am Post subject: |
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Hello Ted, et al
One additional thought to what I wrote above:
If I were planning to make TEFL a permanent career move, I'd probably opt for the CELTA
based on its worldwide recognition, external moderation
and the Cambridge accreditation that comes with it.
Otherwise, all 3 are 'completely legit' and
can be recommended without hesitation. |
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Sheep-Goats
Joined: 16 Apr 2004
Posts: 527
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| Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:22 am Post subject: |
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| All three schools are good and reputable. If you're only planning to teach for a year or two in Thailand and then go back home, save yourself a little money and go for a Text and Talk or TeflInt certificate. If you may teach in several different countries or as a career, the CELTA is a better use of your time (and money), as Kent ennumerated above. |
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hip-hop boy78
Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 90
Location: Hip-hop land
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| Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 3:52 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for your help guys! Much appreciated
I am considering returning to teach in Japan in the future so I guess the CELTA course at ECC would be my best bet. Although a year in Thailand also intrigues me a little, except for the wages of course. |
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hip-hop boy78
Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 90
Location: Hip-hop land
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| Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 11:51 am Post subject: |
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Just another question I'd like to ask. Would the TEFL certificate obtained through Text & Talk/TEFL International be recoqnised in other countries such as Japan/Taiwan/China etc...?
Would it hold up to closer scrutiny?
I know that the certificate from Text & Talk is accredited by the Thai Ministry of Education, but would it hold any water outside of Thailand?
Thanks again for any help. |
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Kent F. Kruhoeffer
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2129
Location: 中国
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| Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 12:22 pm Post subject: Text-and-Talk |
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^ "Would it hold up to closer scrutiny?"
In a word, "YES", definitely.
You can't do much better than an MOE accreditation, imho.
I know a few of the people who work @ Text-and-Talk,
and they are all pros, TEFL vets and first-rate people.
It might not carry the same 'recognition' as the CELTA
but you wouldn't be wasting your money with their 120 hour course.
You'd also pick up their free 24 hour Thai course, which would really
come in handy if you're planning to stay in Thailand for a while.
Text-and-Talk is expanding into other areas of The Kingdom,
which is usually a good sign that they're doing something right.
Decisions, decisions!  |
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Sheep-Goats
Joined: 16 Apr 2004
Posts: 527
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| Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 11:33 am Post subject: |
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| hip-hop boy78 wrote: |
Thanks for your help guys! Much appreciated
I am considering returning to teach in Japan in the future so I guess the CELTA course at ECC would be my best bet. Although a year in Thailand also intrigues me a little, except for the wages of course. |
Note that the Japanese still don't really care about CELTAs. Many won't know what one is.
But that being said, if they do know what an EFL certificate is they'll be more impressed with your CELTA than your T&T cert., not that they should be. |
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Sheep-Goats
Joined: 16 Apr 2004
Posts: 527
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| Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 11:44 am Post subject: |
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| hip-hop boy78 wrote: |
Would the TEFL certificate obtained through Text & Talk/TEFL International be recoqnised in other countries such as Japan/Taiwan/China etc...?
Would it hold up to closer scrutiny?
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What do you mean, "hold up to closer scrutiny"?
A EFL certificate usually has nothing to do with scrutiny. Generally, it's something you show to an employer so that he'll give you a job instead of joe blow, and, as such, one made in photoshop is often as good as a CELTA. The real benefit for these certificates is the head start they give you on teaching -- and most people are suprised how much they learn during their courses.
A EFL cert from T&T or TEFL Int, or CELTA, or god himself, won't be looked at by the governmetns of Japan/Taiwan/China at all. Employers don't generally have the time / capacity to check up even on full BA degrees.
This means that your EFL certificate will help you get jobs based on its reputation and the image it has. This means that if you happen to get an interviewer who took the T&T cert in Thailand a few years back (you never know, it's quite possible) and you have a T&T cert you'll be smiled upon. The most likely situation with EFL certification in the countries you mentioned, is, quite honestly, showing it to some bun haired Asian woman who owns a school and she kind of smiles and says "Oh that's nice" not having the slightest idea of what she's looking at. At that point you sell it to them, by describing all the hard work you did and how it shows you're a real and serious teacher (compared to that 20 year old Canadian wearing sandals out in the interview hall). This is the only area where the CELTA is a better certificate than a T&T or TEFL Int -- the CETLA has the word Cambridge on it, and Cambridge's seal, and the interviewer will recognize that and maybe believe what you're saying a bit more than if you didn't have Cambridge's name to fall back on.
If you're being intervied by a foreigner, genereally any EFL certification is as good as then next so long as it wasn't done online or over a single weekend or something. If you're being intervied by an Education degree holding foreigner he'll take note of your EFL cert but in the back of his mind he actually just has a tape palying "They're not real teachers. I'm a real teacher. They're not real teachers. I'm a real teacher." over and over all day, and you end up with the same result as your average foreigner interview guy. |
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