Job Discussion Forums

[basiltherat]

Curious to know what others think about the berlitz method ? Does it work ? What's it like for a teacher to teach this way ? Anyone with experience ?
Thanks
Basil

[Deconstructor]

Berlitz method is outdated garbage, pure charlatanism. (Though I am not sure if it was ever dated. The only reason they have survived is because their clients have been as stupid as the Berlitz method.

[Snoopy]

I went through two days of Berlitz brainwashing. In my demonstration lesson, I attempted to use realia (coins and notes) as my instructions were to teach three numbers. The person in charge told me that I should not have done that. "That isn't one, it's a pound coin." So what are the students going to do after class? Go into the shops and use money. But Berlitz insisted that the only way to teach numbers was to point to them in the book. Anyhow, I refused the required lobotomy and found something where imagination and flexibility were appreciated.

[Miyazaki]

You'll also find that the corproate ass kissers at Berlitz who are your supervisors know nothing about modern EFL pedagogy or language acquisition.

I guess the students just don't realize what kind of a sham Berlitz is. Too bad. They charge a lot more for a lot less.

A very bad place to work as an EFL teacher, IMO.

[Deconstructor]

[travellingscot]

Berlitz opened a branch here in Varna a few months ago and i went in to see if they could get me a work permit-this seems to be impossible without a degree of any description,as i have had previous good applications refused. I hope this doesn't put me amongst the ranks of those teachers with no self-respect !!
The branch manageress didn't know what a tesol was and said it didn't matter anyway,as every job applicant had to go through their training programme. She also told me i would have to fund a permit application myself-costs around 1 months salary with no guarantee of success-so i didn't return.
Whenever i asked her about teaching related matters which i had come across during my 2 years here the answers always stemmed from a basic "We are Berlitz,we are different,we can do no wrong" company dogma-she had obviously been on a training course recently.

As for those who work there as teachers,i only have detailed knowledge of a Bulgarian lady who has worked in various language schools here,is popular with students,but lacks any formal training.Presumably she is looking for free teacher training,and the chance in future to use her time with Berlitz as a plus point when getting another job.Other language schools here are dreadful and she cannot work for the British Council who are the market leaders. Perhaps in situations such as this Berlitz are better than nothing for some people.

[expatben]

I was actually offered a job once with Berlitz. It was a new school in Austria. The guy told me they had no gaurente of hours I would work and accomadation.

[Deconstructor]

Let me tell you how bizarre it is to work at Berlitz. A friend of mine taught there without any qualifications and out of desperation and here's what she said: First you are always on call; they call you the night before and give you all the info. When you go to work, you check the files of the group you are supposed to teach, find out what�s been done up until then, �prepare� and head for class. What is bizarre is that you teach a different group every time you head for work. You never see the same group twice the way you never step into the same river twice


I wonder who the Berlitz clientele were 135 years ago. Were they the American Indians and the newly emancipated slaves? I wouldn't be surprised since Berlitz method involves do-it-my-way-we-know-best.

[expatben]

Hey Deconstructor, you've changed your location. So...how was the 7th layer of hell?

[Deconstructor]