Job Discussion Forums

[MoniqueG]

Hello Everyone:

Dave: Great Caf�!
I�ve read a few posts here on the caf� and feel a little confused re the CELTA Course�so, I�m looking for a bit of advice or perhaps some encouragement. Some people say its a good place/course to start with, some say ESL teaching is for loosers. (article) Hmmmm.

About me; I'm 33, Canadian, I've been living in Germany for the past 3.5 years, and deciding today on whether to take the CELTA course F/T in Lisbon starting in May, or not. My previous somewhat boring career was in Admin. / Office Management.

I have the opp., to go home to Canada and start over again in my previous career �I've recently separated from my 6-year relationship (boyfriend), but moving back would be the easy thing to do. I love Europe and would like to make a life for myself in another European country! I feel excited to take the course but have real misgivings re the �4 week crash course� perspective and the amount of heavy stress that that all brings on! {�Being-nervous� stress I don�t do well with � for some reason��work-pressure� stress is easier}

Well, my question is, does anyone have advice re; the CELTA course - is it really useful to a somewhat inexperienced teacher � for the price, with living exp. of 2000 Euro,... and working in Portugal? I was planing to be in Lisbon for 7 weeks and other than sending CVs to all the language schools, where else should I look? ...Being Canadian I would need a company to sign a work contract for a Work Visa too.
I have no interest to live in Germany any longer, as the country and its people aren�t my cup of tea - rather dull and unhappy! Hence, Portugal!! I have a few good friends in Lisbon and two others in the Algarve so I�m ok if I need help with paper work etc.

I would be interested to go to Latin America also, but have no contacts or friends in that part of the world {I did find the link for Latin language schools, thanks} I have an A1 level standing in speaking Spanish, from when I was in Cadiz-Salamanca. OH, and conversational-basic German.

Summary:
Any advice the CELTA course (worth it?) or on where to look for work in Lisbon / Algarve and would be helpful.

T.I.A � Thanks In Advance,
Mapleygirl

[angrysoba]

CELTA

Worth it.

Full time.

[MoniqueG]

thanks for your reply angrysoba, and your 'in favour of the CELTA' advice

....one further question
what does angrysoba mean and why do you write this
_________________
Soba don't like it

at the end....???
(a japanese noodle???)

I almost thought you meant that you didn't like the options you stated above...


thanks
Mapleygirl

[angrysoba]

It's just my signature so it appears on every post. It's supposed to be a mock-petulant/humourous remark not to be taken too seriously. I use the handle angrysoba because it popped into my head when I registered. I live in Japan and soba is indeed the name for a kind of noodle.

About the CELTA, I think it is worth it for those that plan to be in EFL/ESL for a while in terms of giving teachers an insight into teaching English through a variety of methods. I don't believe it's perfect (far from it) but it is, at least, better preparation for teaching than other language schools will give you and a certificate that's recognised by a large number of schools.

I think it is better to do it full-time because in my personal opinion I can concentrate on things much better without distractions of work etc... and from acquaintances I have known people who did the course part-time to struggle alot more and (of course) for longer.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide...

[Chris_Crossley]

The equivalent of the CELTA is the Trinity College (London) Certificate in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Worldwide), which I actually did part-time over 31 Fridays. Certainly, both the CELTA and the Trinity Certificate are recognised worldwide and both are accredited by the British Council. Hence, if you wanted to work in a school that is accredited by said body, you would certainly benefit from doing either one of these qualifications.

You can certainly do a search of any school in Portugal that would allow you to do this kind of course full-time basis if you wished to do it there, although you could always spend four weeks doing this kind of course practically anywhere before going to Lisbon if that is what you really want to do. In other words, you could always do the course in one country and then go to Portugal. There are four-week courses being advertised in the Czech Republic a lot nowadays. Since the country has been in the E.U. since May 1, 2004, you should have no trouble going from Germany to the Czech Republic and thence to Portugal to start your TEFL career.

[MoniqueG]

Thanks again!

How's life in Japan????
Did you know the language before you arrived there?
Where are you from?

If you want to talk further, I await your answer(s).

Mapleygirl

[MoniqueG]

Thanks Chris!

I've been looking into the Lisbon IH, and have a spot for May 29th, but because of all the things I've read and heard about CELTA - good and bad, as I mentioned...I just wanted some more advice. thanks

I'm pretty sure I'll decide tonight after further posts perhaps, and another talk with a good friend.

I appreciate your time and words very much!

Mapleygirl