Job Discussion Forums

[Rebate]

Hi all,

I'm taking my TEFL course @ EBC in Madrid in August. I just rec'd an excited email telling me of their recent acceptance by the COT and the opportunities that opens up for me. In order to get the COT Cert, COT wants 149EU in addition to what I'm paying EBC.

Can anyone tell me if it's worth the money? EBC claims that this is equivalent to a CELTA/DELTA and very worth the money. I'm on a tight budget but don't want to limit my options for work.

Thank you in advance for any info.

R

[31]

CELTA is not equivalent to DELTA

EBC cert is not equivalent to CELTA

COT are a con and worthless

EBC cert is a con and worthless

No opportunities other than what would have already opened up for will open up with your worthless cert and COT con

Either do a CELTA or get a job without one

[Rebate]

Wow, what a negative post! I'm getting nervous now so can you tell me the basis of your statements?

What TEFL training worked for you?

Do you have experience w/ EBC or word of mouth?

Anyone out there with more information?

R

[EnglishBrian]

It's all about recognition. The CELTA and the Trinity Cert (though it's less common) have become the de facto entry qualifications to TEFL. They are known by everyone worldwide that runs a school.

Then you get organisations that decide, rather than teaching the CELTA let's say, that it would be more profitable to produce their own certificate/qualification, like EBC's done. Some of these certificates are worse than a joke, and some are done with a lot of care and professionalism - which the EBC one sounds like it may well be. But here comes that word again, recognition. You will be giving out CVs citing a qualification nobody knows. You will be selling and promoting this certificate, it won't mean anything to any employer. That's why the word 'con' tends to get used.

You may be able to 'sell' the certificate - the more 'desparate' (not necessarily bad) schools will listen positively, the more picky (often better) schools may just refuse you the time of day, but you may find eventually that you want to go for a better job where they don't have the flexibility of taking other qualifications and where only a CELTA is accepted - end of story, or where you never make the shortlist because they scanned the CVs and didn't see the letters CELTA on yours.

However, there's a general shortage of teachers with any cert so you'd still land jobs with it. But you may end up working next to people who have no qualification at all. There are plenty of jobs demanding nothing remember.

Understand basically, if you do this certificate you'll be falling between 2 stools - the teachers with nothing, and the teachers with a CELTA. Sometimes you'll be lumped in with the former, sometimes the latter.

Maybe better to pay up and get a CELTA?

[Rebate]

You've given some good advice. I do believe that the TEFL is right for me at this point in the game, not knowing how well teaching and I will fit. If it does work for me, I will go for the CELTA in time (and budget )

For now, I'll hold off on the COT. I've read this board a lot a haven't run across it at all.

I appreciate useful and knowledgeable information more than you know. Thanks so much, you've saved me a chunk of change.


R

[DKatz]

****

[DKatz]

*****

[Rebate]

yes, I did see all of that but how does that translate to the real world job hunt outside of the UK? It feels like a fairly new credential, unknown to employers. Am I wrong? Should I consider it further?

Oh, life decisions... ow, ow, ow... my brain hurts...

R

[EnglishBrian]

It's kind of the British Council's job to know what certificates are legitimate and what aren't. Other employers are a bit more up in the air. They will need you to explain this qualification.

To give serious advice on your question though, I think people would need to know where and why you were hoping to teach. One or two jobs for a laugh, some overseas fun and then back home, or a long term plan to travel and teach and get something like a 'career' going?

[31]

The British Council might recognise the COT paper but that doesn`t mean they will give you a job because you have one.

My money is they want CELTA, DELTA, MA, PGCE and UK educational background where relevant. TEFL mill course-they cannot not recognise it but they won`t give you a job.

[joe-joe]

31 is quite right about the British Council. They do want people to have at least the CELTA+2 years experience, and preferably the DELTA to teach.

There are a few less desirable places within the BC where you might GET a job with a back of a cornflake packet qualification, (and no offence intended here incidentally). My advice is just go and do the CELTA. It's you best bet for getting at least a reasonable job in TEFL, (though these are somewhat few and far between).

[EnglishBrian]

Rebate,

You may want to check out this new thread on the Russia forum on Qualifications and Recognition, if you haven't seen it already.

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=26549

[Gregor]

I don't agree with the snobbery that you will encounter from CELTA holders. When you get an extremely negative response, what you need to do is find out why it's so negative (as you did when you asked). Chances are almost 100% that the person involved holds a CELTA and will be angry at the thought that someone can have the same qualification (more or less) for a lot less money.
Here's the thing - there is such a severe shortage of teachers world wide that your EBC should be FINE. You shouldn't even really need the COT, if you don't want to spend the extra money.
Some places want to be sure that you have a legitimate certificate - 120 to 140 hours, with a certain number of teaching practice hours involved (I forget how many). This is just to avoid hiring someone with an online-only certificate. You don't need to spend the money for a CELTA or a Trinity TESOL certificate (I would advise, BTW, to go for the Trinity, given the choice - it's my experience as a DOS that those teachers are just better prepared than CELTA holders).
You don't NEED Cambridge, or Trinity, or the COT or any of that at the certificate level, if you can explain your training to someone in charge of hiring. Believe me, if they know enough to ask about specific governing bodies, they'll know enough to know what a proper TEFL certificate involves.
The reason for this is that the certificate is an entry level qualification. It's pretty intensive and it's stressful and so on, and it is generally pretty good training. I would say that the EBC just by itself is plenty to get you a first contract. But once you've finished that, your certificate is ALMOST redundant.
It isn't quite redundant - I'd still recommend getting one. Because I, as a DOS, wouldn't hire a teacher with experience and no training. This is because the experience might then have just allowed the teacher to fossilize some bad habits. But once you have a contract under your belt, employers are not going to look NEAR as closely at your TEFL certification, as long as you have one.
Do the EBC, but leave it at that. Worry about Cambridge or Trinity later on, if you decide to do a diploma. But at the certificate level, it's not important at all. Sorry CELTA holders. You have a good qualification, but it's not the only, or even ultimate, one to have.

And here's one more piece of advice, 100% free of charge (and worth it! HAhaha): When you finish your TEFL training, and if you don't care where you go, EF will hire you to go to China or Indonesia, POSSIBLY Vietnam or Thailand. But they have a chronic shortage of teachers in China. Plenty of people will put you off of EF, but it's a good, and safe first teaching job. They pay on time, give you a house, and USUALLY a decent amount of training before giving you classes. So there you go. Just go to: http://www.englishfirst.com/teacherinfo/recruitment/default.asp

[EnglishBrian]

[Gregor]

EnglishBrian,
Yes, I agree with you. A CELTA or a Trinity, London TESOL cert. is easier to deal with. But is this really a problem? Yes, I understand what you're talking about with the person on the Russia forum. But that person SURELY should have ben able to explain things to the IH person he or she encountered. IH knows better than that, obviously. I mean, obviously with the ultimate result, yeah?
And, again, it only takes ONE contract finished before the source of the TEFL certificate makes almost no difference at ALL.

But you've got a very valid point, as far as making things easier. I do not contest that. You are 100% right, in that a CELTA is, for WHAT it is, the most easily recognized certificate. it makes life a bit easier, briefly. For getting the first gig. And maybe for your self-confidence.
But, again, if it's the gruelling course like I had (with a no-name TEFL school), you should be ready to say, "Hey, this certificate is REAL."
Also, EBC has a pretty well-respected course.

One other thing, to anyone else reading this thread - times may have changed somewhat since I did my TEFL certificate course. I never had a problem...but, again, that was nine years ago, and once you've had a first contract, you're good to go. Is the first contract more difficult to get with a less-well-known certificate these days? That's hard for me to imagine, especially if you don't give much of a toss where you go. But I could be wrong.
I would still say that a face-to-face certificate course with teaching practice included should be perfectly sufficient to get the gig. But that is just my own experience, and the experience of those I have hired. I am only one employer. if you can afford it, a CELTA would be a better move.
I just don't think it's necessary.