Job Discussion Forums

[Konrad]

I am interested in teaching PNET or SNET, but I am not sure what qualifications are needed. I have completed a B.A. degree in Korean Language and Literature in Korea, a Grad Dip in Secondary (English, ESL and Korean) in Australia, and will have taught ESL to adult migrants in Australia for approximately one year by September. Judging by my experience and qulifications I was wandering about the following questions which I have listed below.

Q1. Are my qualificaions for becoming a part of the PNET os SNET scheme sufficient or do I need CELTA?
Q2. I have heard about GELTA. Is the program any good?
Q3. I currently work as an ESL instructor for migrants. The pay is okay but I feel that the prograam has way too much paper work and assessments which mean I spend 3 - 4 hours a day doing paper work. marking assessments and preparing for classes. (Which I don't get payed for!) Do you think it might be a better to work in Hong Kong as an ESL instructor rather than getting overworked and underpayed over here?

Any advise would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Konrad

[11:59]

It is 'advice' (noun), not 'advise' (verb) in the above context, which is exactly the sort of thing you would be expected to teach the students. Anyway, the requirements as regards qualifications are clearly stated on the EMB website, so take a look.

The CELTA is just a TEFL qualification, it won't get you onto the SNET scheme, for which you need whatever qualifications allow you to teach in the government system in your home state. For the PNET scheme, you don't need a PGCE but, at least according to some of this forum, somewhat paradoxically, teaching on the PNET scheme is somehow equivalent to having a PhD in philosophy from Cambridge.

Anyway, you say you will have taught ESL to adult migrants in Australia for approximately one year by September, but is this full-time work that is part of a government scheme? If not and it is just some sort of training centre then it will most likely not be recognised by the EMB. I am guessing it is just part-time work as you say you are not paid (note spelling) for preparation and marking, which seems a bit bizarre! If you only have approximately one year of experience I think it might be a bit daunting for you to hold training seminars for local teachers, that is, people who supervise kids in classrooms and who conduct/perform crowd control measures, and who are thus referred to as teachers for some unknown reason. Anyway, whatever they are and do, they are not exactly the easiest group of people in the world to please, and so most if not all won't take you too seriously as many of them will have been 'teaching' (read, 'sitting in a classroom with students') for longer than you have been alive.

Also, I would be a little concerned about your degree being from Korea. I am not totally sure, but I thought I saw somewhere in some EMB NET-related literature that degrees had to be from English-speaking states. I am not sure your degree would even be recognised. But check that one out as I am not sure.

Also, if you think 3 or 4 hours of paperwork a day is excessive then, from what people I know who are currently on the two NET schemes say, you might want to stick with what you have. There seems to be a concerted effort on the part of most schools (and other institutions and organisations) in Hong Kong to use as much paper as possible in the shortest possible time frame (sod the rainforests, they can save themselves). Many NETs � both PNETs and SNETs, though predominately SNETs � tell me they spend more time doing non-teaching related paperwork than actually teaching (and you'll see similar remarks on this here forum). Also, I know of teachers here who have to regularly endure 3 or 4 hour-long meetings in Cantonese, often on a Friday night.

And I know you are in Australia, but it's 'wondering', not 'wandering'. This is not a walk-about!

[briandwest]

Konrad,
Please bear in mind that 11:59 works in a University and not the NET scheme.
Q1. GELTA is basically a classroom assisitant. It can be quite useful to get some classroom experience and has been used as a way into the NET scheme in the past. Details of one organisation facilitating GELTAs can be found at http://www.chatteris.org.hk/hr/modules/sections/index.php?op=viewarticle&artid=4

Q2. The entry requirements for PNET can be found at http://www.emb.gov.hk/index.aspx?langno=1&nodeid=1300, SNET at http://www.emb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeid=1301&langno=1
They require a HK degree 'or equivalent' so it would be best to give the NET recruitment section a ring to verify if they accept your degree: http://www.directory.gov.hk/details.jsp?lang=eng&dn=cn=1105003689,ou=EMB,ou=People,o=GOVERNMENT,c=HK

Q3.