Job Discussion Forums

[OriontheGreat]

Hi,

I'm considering teaching English in Costa Rica. I realize that TEFL or TESOL certification is one of the few recommended pre reqs for doing so. I've read that online courses are a joke, but on the other hand, traditional courses are much much more expensive; around $800.00 vs. $300.00 for an online course.

I want to get a job teaching English but I also want to do my job well. Some traditional courses offer job placement assistance.

What do you experienced people say about this? Is the expensive traditional course worthwhile if you have the money? Does anyone have experience with their job placement offers?

I'm not afraid to come to Costa Rica without anything secured, but if I can secure a position in advance I certainly would'nt mind.

Thanks,

Orion

[ls650]

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

My university TESL certificate cost over $4000 (CDN) for the year. It was full-time and so I could only work part-time throughout it.

It was worth it (in terms of actual knowledge, although jobwise it hasn't amounted to much benefit outside of Canada- maybe because it has the name "Certificate"), but now I'm looking into MA programmes (including distance ones, so that I could actually work), but unless I want to repeat a bunch of things, I'm going to have to go back to Ontario, where paying jobs for ESL teachers are very few and far between, and most everything else available seems to involve putting stock on shelves/ ringing up a cash register/ slinging really expensive coffee in retail situations for $8(CDN) an hour (not much more than the cost of a single cup of that coffee after you deduct tax from your $8/hour and add 15% tax to the price of the cup of coffee).

[JDYoung]

I love computers and do things on line as much as possible but I would still recommend a traditional course. You probably won't be teaching on line so you won't get the real life experience you need learning on line. If you can find a school that will handle the theory part on line and the practice and feed back from your instructors in a live situation that might offer you the best of both worlds.

[Justin Trullinger]

It's true that online certs are a lot cheaper. But sometimes you get what you pay for. I have seen very few online courses that look like they have any value at all.

Justin

[Guy Courchesne]

Jeff Mohammed is one of the few online course providers who's tried to bring practice into the mix. Part of the course requires the students to arrange a volunteer class to video tape and send in as part of the course assessment. Not a bad idea, but could be improved upon with the internet...something I've been working on as side project.

[Gregor]

I'd hire someone off of Jeff Mohamed's course. I have a lot of respect for that man.
His is the only online course I'd hire a teacher from, and I'd only do it if the teacher had done all of his courses.
For those of you who don't know (and this is a good place to discuss this), he has three courses, and you get a certificate after every one. But you have to take them in order. The course with the practice teaching is the third. I'd hire someone who has done all three. My sister just so happens to be almost finished with the second one, and she LOVES the field, the course, and Jeff.
For more information, look at Jeff's web site. And also note that he even suggests the CELTA above his online course as a better, and better-known - qualification. But again, I'd go with his. PLUS! It's cheaper! Including shipping fees, the total for all three courses is less than US$700.
Here is a link to his site. This is a really good, concise primer for training options. All newbies should read this:
http://www.english-international.com/training.html
While there, if you're interested in learning more about his own distance course, click the link under "English International Distance TEFL Program."