Job Discussion Forums

[orly_porly]

Hello.

I found a standard tesol course that offers:
-100 hours of instruction
-10 hours observation
-20 hours practice teaching
-30 hours self-study and lesson planning

This course costs $925 cnd.

The same language school offers a Trinity tesol (same criteria, except 5 additional hours of instruction) and costs $1800 cnd.

What's the difference, and why is there such a huge monetary discrepancy? Are they charging more because of the college name affiliated with the course, or is it actually better? If so, how?

Thanks

[shenyanggerry]

I suggest you begin by asking the school. They just MIGHT know something about the content of their courses.

[orly_porly]

Thanks for your reply Shenyanggerry.

I have asked the school, and I was told that the cost for the Trinity is more because of the name association. I was interested in hearing from people who might know other reasons, if there are any.

Is Trinity more recognized than a standard tesol, and if so, why, considering they have the same requirements.

Thanks

[shenyanggerry]

They possibly have to pay royalties toTrinity. From you reply though, it sounds like "what the traffic will bear"...

[shmooj]

Trinity is internationally recognised and so you are paying for this recognition. However, if you are going to be working for an employer who couldn't tell the difference between a Trinity Certificate and wet toilet paper there doesn't seem to be a point in going with the Trinity. My Trinity helped me get a job at a college where I'm sure they wouldn't have looked at a run of the mill TEFL cert. However, the job after that went on my previous experience and this was worth more to them than the cert on its own.

So, my advice would be to consider what you would be doing with the qualification once you hvae it. If you want to land a job with a reputable well known employer then I'd go with the Trinity. If you simply want access to anywhere at all say in the Japan-Korea-China triangle then you'll probably be fine with the box standard TEFL Cert.

[Gordon]

The specs for the TEFL sound good. What is the name of the program? I know many of the Cdn ones.

[scot47]

My employer would recognize the Trinity qualifications but probably not the other one.

It might mean the difference between getting a job and not getting one. BUT THIS IS ENORMOUSLY DIFERENT FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY. That is one reason why I try to get people here to break down that conceptual flaw of seeing the world as two places : "home" and "abroad". What is the way in Brazil is not the way in Saudi !

If a course is validated by Trinity then it will be more expensive.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

For a foreigner to get hired to teach EFL at the university where I work, a Master's degree and teaching experience are pretty much required. (The university is under pressure to increase its percentage of instructors with advanced degrees.) Where an applicant got his teacher training is relatively unimportant unless it was part of a university program (practicum as part of getting his MA.)

As for language schools in this city, I don't know of any that give special preference based on the status of an applicant's teacher training program. Other factors such as previous teaching experience and how an applicant comes across in an interview seem more important than having CELTA, DELTA, or Trinity on the teacher training certificate.

[dmb]

UCLES RSA is also recognised world wide

[Hogbear]

[Ben Round de Bloc]