Job Discussion Forums

[mexicanita]

Hello! EBC is now offering a dual certificate which includes obtaining both the TEFL and TESOL certificate, but for an additional price. I just want to live in Madrid for about a year and the best way to do it was through these programs, so, does anyone think that I should not only stick to the TEFL but go for the TESOL as well, even though I do not plan on making this a career? Thanks!

[Helen Frubeck]

Hi! mexicanita,


I too am planning on staying in the TEFL world, 1 year, maybe a year and half at the most, but my opinion on this TESOL+TEFL cert is go for it. I was in an EBC class when they only had the TEFL cert. but in hindsight I wish I had the extra TESOL as well. You are right it does cost more and I did call EBC about this. Basically the extra fee goes to the College of Teachers which is the accrediting body, so you don�t pay EBC extra because the fee goes to the accrediting body. My suggestion is if you have doubts, call them, I�d like to advice you but I�m not an expert on it. sorry.

Job wise, I don�t think it will make a big difference because EBC has always helped their graduates find jobs, I�m one of the recent grads and I spoke to some of their older grads and the same thing happened to them , job interviews asap, work asap, so our class didn�t really get anything different. I guess this job search help is part of the deal. You see I wanted to work right away and they delivered on their word and that�s good enough for me.

I asked them if I could also get the TESOL certificate obviously paying the fee to the College of Teachers but EBC said no because the TESOL+TEFL only applies from the July or Aug grads. Oh well, did give it a shot, I just thought I wanted to have something more just in case. Who knows where I end up in the future, Japan, Latin America or maybe back for good to the US! Who knows?

Hasta luego mexicanita y espero que todo va bien. I hope I said it right, I�m really working hard on that Spanish, kinda hard when you speak English all the time. Hazards of english teaching by the way, but if your Spanish is already good, no problemo!


helen

[Seekeroflight]

You know that the tesol along with the tefl will make you more marketable, so I would go for it.

Here is one for you: Have you been to the school yet and do you think that is a good one?

Doug

[R McKinley]

I agree withy seekeroflight (unique name, huh!) , TESOL + TEFL will be better. Ask them at EBC though what the TESOL + TEFL requirements are. A friend of mine applied for the Oct or November course in Madrid and because she holds a passport from Guatemala, she is considered a non-native English speaker and she had to give a TOEFL score (Test of English as a Foreign language), which she had anyway and from what I understood was a good score as well. I believe the accrediting organization - College of Teachers requires this and passport holders from the UK, US, Canada, (don�t know the rest) are exempt from this requirement. I�m American, I don�t need a TOEFL score but my Guatemalan friend always seemed to write better essays! EBC is a good school, one thing though, you have to work for your certificate, (as long as you turn in the work, they don�t ask what time you came home from the "discoteca"?) but you know what? I�m glad they taught me well, that�s what we pay schools to do anyway. I should know, I�m still paying my student loan. Spain is full of parties, fun, friendly people, you�ll find them, so I�d rather pay a school to teach me, the fun part I can take care of myself and I sure did have fun while doing the course (with some effort!) and after. And my Spanish is getting good so I guess the socializing is paying off.


Rob

[Seekeroflight]

My brother went to get the TEFL in the Czech Republic and is now teaching in Korea in a professorship at $2,700 USD. It took him a month to get this placement, but he worked his butt off putting resumes out all over the place. With both the certifications and at EBC you will find placement so much quicker than he did. Go for it and maybe I will see you there.

[Whitney Davies]

Hi all!

I'm back home in the States but I do get emails for questions , references, you know the lot! I was one of the earlier EBC graduates and my advice on this, go for it, TEFL + TESOL , especially when its an accedited course, will always carry more weight, anywhere you want to teach. There are so many types of TEFL certs on offer, prices are all roughly the same, so my 2 cents worth, I'll go for the accredited TESL+TEFL one. Two for one!

Sorry can't meet up for a beer, boy do I miss Madrid and the countless bars around Huertas, but life isn't treating me badly here. Oh yes, it's a full blown desk job, but I do use a lot of my Spanish, I work for a finance company dealing with a lot of Spanish clients, so my Castellano really comes in handy!

Well that was one of the reasons I took a TEFL course in Madrid and lived there for more than a year! - to learn Spanish , see Europe and come back home with more marketable skills. Well, I guess I got some of 'em achieved, the Castellano, seeing Europe are definitely the achieved ones , the marketable side...... well .... I think so!

suerte y hasta luego!

whitney

[jovencito]

I need to get a decent paying job as soon as I can after taking a TEFL course. EBC looks like a good course as its accredited and also looks like they give good job help.

Can anyone whos been on their course tell me a bit more about the job help that EBC gives? I want to take a course in November/December so I'd also like to know if January is a good time to look for a job?

[j bradley]

I thought the job help was good and in a couple of weeks after I finished my course, I had more than enough hours, more than I can handle really. I've met other people who also did the EBC course and we pretty much had the same expereince.

From what I've seen so far there are lots of jobs for grabs in January so doing that Nov course is not a bad idea.

Suerte!

Jenn