Job Discussion Forums

[lovea]

Hi!
Sorry if this topic has been posted already!
I plan on taking a TELF in class course during 4 weekends in November but I have been noticing that online courses are much cheaper. I was just wondering if anyone knows whether it matters if you did an online course or in class when it comes to getting hired. I am particularly interested in Mexico.
Thanks sooo much!

[Fishy]

I'm not sure how on-line courses work but it sounds suspect. How do you practice teaching and who gives you feedback on your teaching practice if you take a course on-line? I have just taken a CELTA course and it was a wonderful experience. It was seriously hard work but every minute of it was brilliant. I'm now looking for my first job and any job worth looking at has a minimum requirement of a certificate from a four week course with 6 hours teaching practice, preferably Trinity or CELTA. Like I said this is new to me but I would recommend a CELTA course.

[lovea]

Thanks for the reply!
I was also suspicious about online courses but the one I was thinking of in particular is run by a fairly reputable company (Bridge-Linguatec). I do realize that you would not get the hands on teaching aspect (which I think is important) but many places simply ask that you have a TEFL certificate. I have heard about CELTA and would love to take it but it is also much more expensive and there are not as many places around where I live that offer CELTA compared to TEFL.
Good luck with your job search!!!

[tedkarma]

Teaching practice is certainly the most important component of training.

However, some training is better than NO training - so, do go on-line if you can't afford the uh . . . "full Monty" of a 4-6 week course.

A TEFL Certificate vs. a CELTA/TRINITY/RSA etc - is an old debate. Name brand isn't quite so critical - remember it is ONLY a four-week course. It will give you a good background, but how you develop as a teacher really is up to you.

TEFL Certificates have some advantage in terms of being a bit more localized and most give you some local content - specialized to teaching the regional population (CELTA boasts of being taught identically with identical content everywhere).

The other advantage is that most TEFL programs also give you some instruction in teaching children while CELTA is adult-focused (the "A" in CELTA) though quite happy to charge you even more for a children's component. Teaching children, in many countries, is the number one bread and butter job you will find - thus an important issue.

[Fishy]

There isn't a CELTA v TEFL debate; CELTA is a TEFL certificate.
Certificate in English Language Teaching Adults.
Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

CELTA is a TEFL course moderated by Cambridge University. Surely teaching practice is essential in training? How could you possibly know how well you are teaching without a 4 week full time course and observed teaching with feedback as a bare minimum?

I'm afraid I do not know about Mexico but any jobs I have been applying for require at least a 4 week course with 6 hours observed teaching practice. CELTA and Trinity TEFL certificates seem to be by far the most widely recognised.

If you want to teach in Mexico, why don't you look for a school offering a CELTA or Trinity moderated TEFL course there. If you did your training in Mexico, the school you train at should be able to help you find a job there afterwards. Good luck!