Job Discussion Forums

wanderingsoul · Joined: 01 Oct 2005 Posts: 6

Hi

I have recently finished a TESL 240 hour diploma course and came out with an A, Yeah! But I do not have any other college experience yet and definitely do not have a degree. But I really want to teach English overseas. I have tried looking online but they all seem to want to see a degree, does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do about this? Are there any places that do not care if you have a degree? Even China seems to want a degree to teach now! HELP Question

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

I don't know about other countries, but in China a CELTA/TESOL is considered as good as a post-graduate degree.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

That is really brutal. 1 month vs. 2 years. Rolling Eyes

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Jizzo T. Clown · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 12:29 am Post subject:

ls650,

Maybe in Hong Kong? It seems that many schools in mainland China don't require any type of degree--not even a Bachelor's, much less an MA. I've read a lot about the schools in Hong Kong requiring their teachers to be actual teachers, i.e. holding teaching licenses from their home countries.

wanderingsoul · Joined: 01 Oct 2005 Posts: 6

Well, thanks all for the info. but I already received a diploma and I do not really want to take another program like CELTA, I just want to work:)
Any suggestions? I even asked someone at Footprints recruiting in Vancouver about job possiblities and they informed me that you do need to have a degree in order to work in China now. I am sure if I just went to some country I could probably find something but thats a risk that I do not really want to take at the moment. Anyone else got some info. that may be useful to me?

Question

Jizzo T. Clown · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 12:48 pm Post subject:

My DOS at EF, Shjiazhuang hadn't finished his degree! According to him, he'd only take a couple of years at uni, but had a few years' teaching experience and he was also doing EF's equivalent of a DELTA online, so maybe that was a stipulation of his contract...?

Instead of going through a recruiter, try speaking directly to language schools and maybe even some universities. You may have to work in a less-than-desirable part of China (where most degree'd teachers won't go), but it may get you in.

Teacher in Rome · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 1286

This is good advice.

I think it's always worth applying - even if you don't have the "official" qualifications - on the off-chance that someone is more interested in other experience or skills you might have.

Reading this forum, it seems that some countries are more stringent than others (such as Japan) but that in other locations, the regulations are more flexible. Getting teaching experience and then using this to get "better" teaching positions should be possible in many countries.

chinwubachu · Joined: 02 Oct 2005 Posts: 32

could be tricky, i know Korea requires a university degree to get the E2 visa before u go. normally immigration will require the origional copy of your degree or a photocopy stamped by the uni PLus unopened transcripts and i think its pretty much the same now for china.

Hong kong seems to be pretty hard as I have a degree and tried it also, its harder to get teaching in hong kong than KOrea!

Dont know about China.

You may be better off looking in Europe as they are pretty keen on TEFL qualifications and experience.