Job Discussion Forums

[Gregor]

[EnglishBrian]

Teaching usually has 2 parts -

1.a proven knowledge of the subject
2. teaching ability/pedagogy stuff.

The thing which generally separates TEFL from other 'professional' teachers is that we are teaching something we 'just know'. My brother's a Chemistry teacher. He studied chemistry full time at university for 3 years(following on from his 5 years in compulsary education and 2 years at 'A' level pre university). He then did his PGCE which is a year of pedagogical and practical learning of how to teach.

What proportion of TEFL teachers studied the English language (not 'literature' - the actual language as a communicative tool) for that sort of time? There's our credibility gap!

On these forums there's lots of discussion of TEFL as a business, profession, trade. I'd like to add a new one. TEFL is a 'knack'. It's, quite fundamentally, about an ability to relate to people. The best doctors, lawyers, architects, university lecturers and even (to a degree) regular schoolteachers don't need to do that. It's an added bonus, but not fundamental to their being the best in their profession.

I'd suggest that for TEFL this is the basis on which we are able to do our job. If we're teaching people to 'communicate' then we have no excuse for not being (or aiming to be) excellent, sensitive and aware communicators ourselves. Perhaps this is more down to who we are rather than what we know. Does this skill make us a profession? I don't know, but I do what I do to the best of my ability, and don't think my status as a professional or not is much of an issue for me. I don't think I'm overpaid or underpaid because there's any ambiguity out there in the world about this. I get what the market will pay.

Those are my musings.

[expatben]

I dunno if ESL on its own is a seperate profession from the profession of teaching. But it certainly is in the teaching profession. ESL teachers are real teachers. We teach real classes with real students have real lesson plans it is just as real as any other teaching. The problems you get in ESL, un motivated students, bad management are the same as you can get back home.

[EnglishBrian]

But there's teaching and there's teaching.

I used to go to evening classes in ballroom dancing. Our teachers had to have lessons planned and prepared, and we were real students. I'm not sure I'd say that old couple were 'teaching professionals' though.

I mean there's no end of people out there offering lessons - dance, cookery, carpentry, Spanish, garden design, tai chi, badminton. Can we say that all these teachers are part of one big 'teaching profession'?

[donfan]

I recently made the transition from ESL teaching to primary(elementary) school teaching. IMO, there is a huge gap between primary school teaching and ESL teaching. Primary teachers have to work a lot more outside class time, preparing lessons, marking work and extra-curricular activities. Behaviour management skills are much more essential and teachers are much more accountable for their results. Also, a broader range of knowledge is required as a primary teacher. An ESL teacher only has to know their own native language. A primary teacher has to know how to teach literacy and numeracy skills, as well as science, social studies, music and art. To me there is no comparison.

[EnglishBrian]

Donkey's years before I went into TEFL, when I was fresh out of university, I started a PGCE in primary school teaching. Didn't finish though. You're 100% right

[Glenski]

TEFL is a profession, plain and simple.

In a similar vein, so is carpentry. You can study it at a vocational school, self-study, or not study it at all. Plenty of all types in my home town. Who do you rely on most? The carpenters who do the best jobs (and that can fall into a variety of situations). Whether you hire your best buddy and pay him in beer, or hire the 30 year seasoned nail-pounder is up to you and your demands. Both could do a good job, but it all depends.

EnglishBrian wrote:

[EnglishBrian]

[moonraven]

No need to keep beating around the bush here.

ENTERING A PROFESSION DOES NOT MAKE ONE A PROFESSIONAL.

Professional behavior makes one a professional.

(The reason many folks keep insisting that TEFL is not a profession is because they are making a general conclusion from their observations of TEFLers' behaviors.)

[Zero Hero]

[moonraven]

I don't believe so. Check the job description that you were given. Posting on Dave's--so far as I know--is not a requirement of teachers' jobs.

[Hector_Lector]

We are the wh*res of the world of education, lurking in the backstreets of pedagogy, enticing customers inside.

'Hey, big boy, wanna learn some phrasal verbs?'

'Hi sweeties, how's your oral proficiency?'

We have to be better than the sad trash on the next corner.

If we don't pile on the figurative slap, than Madame Foofoo next door is gonna win that dough...

[ls650]

[Glenski]

[Zero Hero]