Job Discussion Forums

[denise]

I just got an email from someone asking if I had any links to schools, whether a certificate was necessary, etc. I sat down to reply, and *POOF*, message deleted. Oooops!

If you happen to be the sender, and you happen to be reading this, then here is my reply:

First--sorry for accidentally deleting your message!

Second--I don't know of any websites with links/schools. I went through ITC (whose website is something like www.itc-training.com) to get my TEFL certificate, and I found a school through them.

Certificates are not absolutely required--there was at least one person in my school who did not have one. He did, though, have prior teaching experience. Personally, I would highly recommend a certificate, not only to make yourself more competitive in the job market, but also so you understand what you're getting yourself into.

Sorry I don't have any specific info for you!

d

[caesar]

If only you'd read this before you got your "International TEFL Certificate"
http://eflplanet.com/tefl/certification/index.html

http://eflplanet.com/tefl/certification/certificates.html

Let the buyer beware.

[denise]

Caesar, I don't know whether you're trying to be helpful or trash my TEFL program. Either way, ITC is not an online or correspondence course, and it certainly did not cost under $100. Sure, it was a bit rushed, as there is a limit to how much you can cram into 100 or so hours, but that certificate + my teaching experience + my MA (yes, I admit it was highly theoretical, but I am much more oriented towards teaching than towards research) = me feeling fairly confident that I know what I'm doing.

But anyway, thank you for the link. I know there are dodgy programs out there. ITC served me well, so from my own personal experience (and I know that experiences will vary...), I can recommend it. Sorry to get so defensive, but, as I said, I couldn't tell what your tone was.

d

[Seeker of truth]

Here's another link. However, it's in Czech:

http://www.upol.cz/

[spiral78]

I have an ITC cert too, and mine is even older than Denise's - from 1998. The program has gone thru some ups and downs, but it's still generally recognized as acceptable in the Czech Republic and surrounding countries. I think that those native speakers wishing to teach these days really have to have some kind of certification, and experience is always a plus. It's pretty difficult these days to get a job without some kind of specialized training.

[Hamett]

check out the warning posts about ITC and TEFLWORLDWIDE on expats.cz!
Very SHADY indeed!