Job Discussion Forums

[Sara Avalon]

Hello,

I'm currently in my second year of teaching at a local elementary school in the M.E. I've also taught adults for 4 months in the summer. Although I have a relatively good job, my eye's on the future. I would like to teach in other countries and at the high school/university level. I would also like to ultimately work in the Western world if possible.

So, how do I go about this?

Presently I only have a 3 year degree in Sociology and a TESOL certificate.

I know that I will need a 4 year BA in English and preferably a CELTA (or at least, this is what employers have told me they would rather have) to have even a remote chance for a more stable career in Education. I also realize that to teach in the West I will need to get a B.Ed (another 2 or so years of education) and even work my way to a Ph.D. I'm up for all of the above though I'm simply struggling with how to go about it without wasting anymore time mulling around in the muck.

Can I get an online degree while I work that will be recognized by schools across the world as legit? Should I return home to Canada and go the traditional route? The CELTA is offered near the university where I would attend classes (if I were to go back to Canada) but would it be at all useful if I got a B.Ed?

If you do recommend going the online degree route, what universities are there for a Canadian graduate that are legit, recognized and affordable? Do you recommend that I continue to work for a few more years or will 2 be enough?

Any responses to the above questions would be eternally appreciated.

Regards,
SA

[dmb]

Sara search this board, it has been discussed many times. Also look at Kent's list on the Thailand forum(sticky)

[Sara Avalon]

I know it's been discussed before with a lot of different people and a lot of different backgrounds.

I've been through a lot of different posts and I've only managed to get more confused about it all, so this was the last resort I could think of to get clear decisions on my particular situation.

That's why I said in the title that replies to my inquiry would be appreciated.

Please don't be patronizing... I've been on this forum long enough now to know how it all works.

[Cdaniels]

(This is advice for newbies. Sarah has actually been teaching in the Middle East) I'm planning to get a certificate in Mexico this winter. Its cheaper than getting it in Canada or the US, and I have a chance to aquaint myself with an area where I might teach. If you're getting an MA or PhD, you might as well look into study abroad programs/ ESL programs at that school. I don't think a Bachelor's is absolutely necessary unless you want to go to Japan. Western Europe does not offer many opportunities unless you have an EU passport. Poland, Czech Republic and other Eastern European countries still have opportunities (for now.) Latin America seems to be more flexible than other places about accepting certs other than CELTA or Trinity. That sums up the basics. I assume ME is Maine, USA? Do you know any French? I'd say you should plan on going when you have the funds to do so, not more than 2 years! Else put it off indefinitely and just concentrate on getting your degree(s). I'm afraid your suggestions that you need all these extra requirements is tantamount to calling many practicing and aspiring ESL teachers underqualified. What did you think your TESOL cert was for? It qualifies you to teach!

[Sara Avalon]

[dmb]

[Sara Avalon]

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

^ Hi Sara & Salam Alikoum !


The general consensus of opinion seems to be this:

If you take a reputable course from an accredited university,

it will be recognized, whether you earned it through distance studies,

or as a resident student on campus.


Over the past year or so, I've collected what I believe is

a fairly comprehensive list of links to Distance TESOL programs;

from the lesser known, very basic & cheap 60 hour online programs -

to the more advanced, better recognised and more expensive MA TESOL degrees,

along with links to the relevant accrediting bodies (listed by country)

and on-topic discussion forums.




DISTANCE TESOL & POST-GRAD TESOL STUDIES



Distance TESOL / TEFL courses can be rewarding, challenging & worthwhile,

but there are three important questions to consider before signing up:



#1. accreditation :: In addition to the official DOE/MOE in each state or country, several newer organisations have sprung up recently which specialise in Distance Education. There's also a forum (DegreeInfo.com) dedicated to discussion of the subject.

#2. the lack of observed classroom training (note: some courses do offer an observed practicum!)

#3. the question of acceptance of online certificates & degrees by potential employers. Be aware that some employers state clearly in their job-offered adverts that they do not recognize TEFL certificates earned online. Read 'some' employers; not all.




accreditation by country



in the USA




http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ (US Department of Education)

http://www.msche.org/ (Middle States Commission on Higher Education)

http://www.chea.org/ (CHEA / Council for Higher Education Accreditation)

http://www.detc.org/ (DETC / The Distance Education and Training Council)

http://www.ncate.org/ (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education)

http://www.wascweb.org/ (WASC / Western Association of Schools and Colleges)

http://www.accet.org/index2.cfm (ACCET / Accreditation Council for Continuing Education)

http://www.citaschools.org/ (Commission on International & Trans-Regional Accreditation)



in Canada




http://www.tesl.ca/ (The TESL Canada Federation Website / please refer to Standards)

http://www.accreditations.ca/ (Canadian Education and Training Accreditation Commission)

http://www.cicic.ca/postsec/indexe.stm (Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials)



in Australia




http://www.auqa.edu.au/ (AUQA / Australian Universities Quality Agency)

http://www.aqf.edu.au/register.htm (AQF / Australian Qualifications Framework)



in the UK




http://www.britishcouncil.org/accreditation.htm (British Council / Accreditation)

http://www.odlqc.org.uk/ (ODL QC / Open and Distance Learning Quality Council)

http://www.collegeofteachers.ac.uk/cpd/index.htm (The College of Teachers / UK)

http://www.actdec.org.uk/ (Accreditation Council for TESOL Distance Courses / UK)

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/index.shtml (DfES / Department for Education and Skills / UK)

http://www.qca.org.uk/index.html (QCA / Qualifications and Curriculum Authority / UK)

http://www.accac.org.uk/ (Qualifications, Curriculum & Assessment Authority / Wales)



general information & discussion


http://www.matesol.info/ (MATESOL / free graduate & MA TESOL Guide)

http://www.whichcourse.com/ (Comparative guide / choosing a TEFL course)

http://www.eslcafe.com/discussion/dz1/ (Dave's ESL Cafe / Teacher Training Forum)

http://www.degreeinfo.com/index.html (Degree info / Distance Learning Info & Forum)




distance TESOL & post-graduate TESOL studies


http://www.eddegree.com/ (George Washington University - USA / Distance MA in Education)

http://www.indiana.edu/~disted/index.html (Indiana University of Bloomington - USA / MA & Cert EFL)

http://www.une.edu.au/arts/LCL/index.shtml (University of New England - Australia / MA Applied Linguistics)

http://www.education.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduatestudents/ (University of Manchester / MEd & MA TESOL)

http://www.usq.edu.au/handbook/current/opacsprog.html (U of Southern Queensland / MA TESOL & Appl. Ling)

http://www.uts.edu.au/study/courses.html (University of Technology - Sydney / Distance MA in Applied Linguistics)

http://www.athabascau.ca/cll/english.html (Athabasca University - Canada / BA English & MA Integrated Studies)

http://www.le.ac.uk/se/courses/tesol_home.html (University of Leicester / MA & PhD in Linguistics & TESOL)

http://www.csu.edu.au/courses/pg/edu/gcteso/ (Charles Sturt University - Australia / Grad Cert TESOL)

http://www.lmu.ac.uk/lsif/sol/postgrad.htm (Leeds Met University - UK / offers several MA ELT degrees)

http://www.bangor.ac.uk/linguistics/ (University of Wales Bangor - Wales, UK / MA & PhD in Linguistics)

http://www.cie.ca./otherpro.htm (Canadian Institute of English - Canada / Distance BEd & MEd TESOL)

http://www.su.edu/sas/tesol/ (Shenandoah University - USA / Distance TESOL & MA TESOL programs)

http://www.ling.mq.edu.au/support/distance.htm (Macquarie Univ - Australia / MA Applied Linguistics)

http://study.massey.ac.nz/ (Massey University - New Zealand / a variety of Distance TESOL Degrees)

http://www.open.ac.uk/ (The Open University - UK / BA, MA TESOL, Cert, PGCE & Applied Linguistics)

http://www.aston.ac.uk/lss/english/index.jsp (Aston University - UK / Distance TESOL & MSc TESOL)

http://www.ling.lancs.ac.uk/study/masters/index.htm (Lancaster University - UK / Online MA in ELT)

http://www.theconsultants-e.com/courses/emt/index.asp (E-moderation / for Trinity Online Tutors)

http://www.dundee.ac.uk/languagestudies/ (University of Dundee - Scotland / Online MA in TMLA)

http://maxkade.miis.edu/call_online/index.html (Monterey Institute - USA / Online CALL certificate)

http://www.rdg.ac.uk/AcaDepts/cl/slals/pgcourse.htm (The University of Reading - UK / MA in ELT)

http://www.drexel.com/ (Drexel University / Online post-grad teaching degrees & TESL certificate)

http://www.cels.bham.ac.uk/prospectus/ODL/odlteflinfo.htm (University of Birmingham / MA TEFL)

http://online.phoenix.edu/ (University of Phoenix - USA / Distance MEd with specialization in ESL)

http://www.gelber-kaiser.de/TESL/index.html (Int. Faith Theological Seminary / MA Applied Ling)

http://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/ed/tesol/ (Sheffield Hallam University - UK / MA & PgDip TESOL)

http://www.teflinternational.com/m_ed_tesol.html (TEFL International / Distance MEd TESOL)

http://www.monash.edu.au/ (Monash University - Australia / Distance PGCE, Diploma & MEd)

http://www.smuc.ac.uk/lttu/actdec/index.html (St. Mary's College - UK / Distance Dipl TESOL)

http://www.swan.ac.uk/cals/ (University of Wales, Swansea / Online BA, MA & PhD in TEFL)

http://ioewebserver.ioe.ac.uk/ioe/index.html (University of London / Distance MA TESOL)

http://www.schooloftesl.com/ (School of TESL & Seattle University - USA / TESOL cert)

http://www.educ.utas.edu.au/users/tle/Tesol/ (University of Tasmania / MEd TESOL)

http://www.anaheim.edu/edu/index.shtml (Anaheim University / Online MS in TESOL)

http://www.uga.edu/academics/distance.html (The University of Georgia / Online MEd)

http://www.thedistancedelta.com/index.cfm (British Council & IH / The Distance DELTA)

http://www.bridgelinguatec.com/ (Bridge-Linguatec / CELTA, TEFL & Online certification)

http://www.intesolprague-teflcourses.com/index.htm (INTESOL Prague / Online & Hybrid)

http://www.teachenglish.co.uk/ (London Teacher Training College / Online TEFL certification)

http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/pub/index.shtml (Penn State World Campus / Online MEd)

http://www.surrey.ac.uk/ALRG/ (University of Surrey - UK / MA TESOL & MSc ELT Management)

http://www.transworldschools.com/home.htm (TransWorld / Online CTESOL Cert & practicum)

http://www.englishtc.co.uk/ (The English Training Centre / 3 levels of Online TESOL certificate)

http://www.americanbritish.com/ (American British Teaching Group / Distance TEFL certification)

http://www.tesoltraining.co.uk/index.html (SGI / Trinity College Diploma or Certificate in TESOL)

http://www.intesolinternational.com/ (INTESOL / Online TESOL & Diploma in TESOL certification)

http://www.oxfordtefl.com/index.htm (Oxford TEFL / Trinity College Cert TESOL & Diploma TESOL)

http://www.wal.org/index.htm (Washington Academy of Languages / Distance Grad Cert TESOL)

http://www.ef-tefl-training.com/teacherinfo/training/online/default.asp (EF Diploma TEFL / NEW)

http://www.tesol-education.com/ (Harrow Institute of Linguistics / Online TESOL certification)

http://tesol1.net/ (William Brewster TESOL Institute / Onsite in Jakarta, Online & BA TESOL)

http://www.extension.usask.ca/index.html (University of Saskatchewan / Distance CERTESL)

http://www.tesolplus.com/tesol_ol.php (ELS / Online TESOL cert with practicum in Adelaide)

http://www.english-international.com/ (English International / Distance TEFL certification)

http://www.thekennedyacademy.com/ (The Kennedy Academy / Online TEFL certification)

http://www.apu.edu/tesol/fieldbased/ (Azusa Pacific University / Field-Based MA TESOL)

http://www.bostontefl.com/index.htm (Worldwide Teachers / Online CTEFL & Cert TBE)

http://www.globaledcorp.com/index.html (GEC / hybrid TEFL & teach abroad programs)

http://www.innovative-english.com/ (Teachers Latin America / Online TEFL certification)

http://www.americantesol.com/ (American TESOL Institute / Online TESOL certification)

http://www.salemiu.edu/ (Salem International University - USA / Distance MEd TESOL)

http://www.lambert.edu/eli/eli_e.html (Lambert University / Online TESOL certification)

http://www.apu.apus.edu/index.htm (American Public University / Online BA in English)

http://distance.wsu.edu/degrees/ESLDistance.asp (WSU / Distance ESL Endorsement)

http://www.olionline.com/ (Open Learning International / Online TEFL, YL & Dipl. TEFL)

http://www.netlanguages.com/ (Net Languages - Barcelona / Online ELT certification)

http://unitedtesol.com/english/default.asp (United TESOL / hybrid TESOL certification)

http://www.traininglinkonline.co.uk/ (Training Link Online - Online TESOL certification)

http://www.global-english.com/ (Global English / distance learning TEFL certification)

http://www.uclaextension.edu/ (UCLA Extension / offers a variety of online courses)

http://www.cui.edu/cui/cui_shell.aspx?id=2120 (Concordia University / Online MEd)

http://www.worldportesl.com/index.htm (Worldport ESL / Online TESL certification)

http://www.teflcenter.com/ (The TEFL Center / 120 hour Online TEFL certification)

http://www.onlinetefl.com/ (i-to-i Online TEFL / 'The Original Online TEFL Course')

http://www.onlinelearning.net/ (OnlineLearning.net / 'teacher education online')

http://www.excelsior.edu/ (Excelsior College / Distance BA or MA in Liberal Arts)

http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/ltc/efl/ (The University of York / Distance MA in TEYL)

http://www.norwoodenglish.com/ (Norwood English / Online TEFL certification)

http://www.ontesol.com/Welcome.asp (ONTESOL / Online TESOL certification)

http://www.winfieldcollege.com/ (Winfield College / Online TEFL certification)

http://www.teflireland.com/ot.shtml (TEFL Ireland / Online TEFL certification)

http://www.tefl-classroom.com/ (TEFL Classroom / Online TEFL certification)

http://www.eurolinkcourses.co.uk/ (Eurolink / Distance TESOL certification)

http://www.tefl-uk.com/ (TEFL-UK / 40 & 60 hour Online TEFL certification)

http://globaltesol.com/ (Global TESOL College / Online TESOL certification)

http://www.canadian-englishcenter.com/ (CEC / Online TEFL certification)

http://www.tesol-direct.com/ (tesol-direct / Distance TESOL certification)

http://www.tefl-prague.com/teflonline_public.htm (Tefl Online Prague)

http://www.online-tefl.co.uk/ (Project TEFL / Online TEFL certification)

http://www.teachercertificate.com/ (CETC / Online TEFL certification)

http://www.opentefl.co.uk/ (Open TEFL / Distance TEFL certification)

http://teacher-training.net/ (ICAL Online TESL/TEFL certification)

http://teflpro.com/ (PSL TEFLpro / Distance TEFL certification)




I hope this helps a little.




~ reposted from The Master Index Thailand

[ls650]

[Justin Trullinger]

Kent has the best links. Also the most links.

I'm in a similar situation, currently having a BA plus Trinity TESOL cert, and am looking at new qualifications for the future. I agree that for more stable work, more qualifications are an advantage.

If you're interested in high school, international schools might be an advantage, as well as good local schools. In this case, the best gigs seem to want you to have a teaching license from your own country, so a B ed could be the way to go.

At the university level, advanced qualifications seem to carry more weight than education specific ones, so a Masters in TESOL or applied linguistics would probably serve you well.

It doesn't have to be an either/or situation, because a B ed would still carry some weight in university language departments, and a Masters in something would be well looked on by many high schools.

In most places I've been, a distance program from a good, accredited university does, and should, carry as much weight as an on site program. Another option would be to look into local universities where you are- particularly if they have any programs you could do part time while continuing to get more teaching experience. You need to do your homework on this, though, because some qualifications in English teaching may be taken less seriously if they're not from an English language university. You'd also want to research how well these qualifications would transfer back home, if you're thinking that you might be heading back home at some point. I know nothing about the situation in universities in the middle east.

On a more personal not: Guys, play nice!

[Cdaniels]

JT and Sarah, this is how I understood Sarah's original post:
"I'm currently in my second year of teaching at a local elementary school in the M.E. (Maine, USA)

[Chris_Crossley]

I have held the Trinity Certificate in TESOL for four years and an MBA for the past six. They have certainly been of help to me, albeit in part, in landing the job that I have now. In this job, I prepare Chinese graduates for study at a UK university by teaching them all the relevant skills that they need "which are different to what they may be used to" (the euphemistic phrase used to disguise what would otherwise be the more direct statement: "Our education system is tops, yours is crap").

Nevertheless, although the only higher position within the school is Principal, I have registered for the UK Open University's Master of Education degree programme in Applied Linguistics, which is due to start during the first week of February 2006 and will last three study-years, finishing in October 2008.

By the time the autumn of 2009 rolls around, my young daughter, now just 17 months old, will be old enough to start at a UK primary school, so I am undertaking this MEd in the expectation that it may lead to even a half-decent job teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) back in the UK as opposed to here in China. After all, at my school, we have two Ph.D. holders (not the Principal, but he has both an MA and an MSc), yet we are all equal in the hierarchy.

For me, career progression is important, and I intend getting a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) some day.

[Sara Avalon]

[Justin Trullinger]

I've never paid much attention to people's icons, which is why the "kitty assasin" bit confused me. Now I get it.


Justin

[Cdaniels]

Yes the eye-rolling is very necessary!!!