Job Discussion Forums

[DeLani]

I have two more semesters to go and I'll have a Master's in journalism with a concentration in English. I teach as a graduate assistant, although my classes are more focused on written English than spoken English, obviously.
So...with an M.A. and 2 years of teaching experience (though maybe not *exactly* esl teaching), would I still need to have teacher training? Or could I get by with just a TESL certificate? What types of jobs would I be looking at?
Thanks!

[mlomker]

You'll definitely have to provide a list of countries. What kind of work are you hoping for? You'll probably want a 120-130 hour TEFL cert for the best positions.

For individuals with degrees the first places to consider (income-wise) are Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

[Glenski]

Teaching as a graduate assistant may not count as actual teaching experience to some employers. Beware of that. It may be considered just a part of your normal studies.

With that in mind, I'd suggest going to the forum of the country you think you are interested in and ask around. I can tell you that in Japan, you're probably still going to get only the entry level work until you've had some real (EFL/ESL) teaching experience.

[tedkarma]

I'll try to give you a more generic response not related to just any one country.

Since you have a minor in English - I would guess you are doing pretty well.
I would suggest a four-week certificate program so that you are aware of the methods that almost all language schools are familiar with - and that potentially the hiring authority where you may seek work at some point may be most familiar with. Also - these are the methods that underpin the language experiences of many of your students - even if you teach in a university - and it will be good to know what they are familiar with - and even sometimes how to undo some of the damage some of that limited form of thinking can bring. (I hope that makes sense!)

I have an M.Ed. and PGCE - and a couple certificates. I don't think it is bad to keep adding to your bag of tricks - and each little piece opens a new door somewhere, the biases and prejudices of employers and hiring authorities don't always fit the laws and rules of each country or institution.

With a graduate degree you should ideally be seeking university work and try to avoid the language school grind - but again, that depends on the country - and sometimes/often you'll need a year or two of experience for decent tertiary jobs.

[Jetgirly]

What do you see as the difference between "a TESL certificate" and "teacher training"?

[mlomker]