Job Discussion Forums

anniewhizz · Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 15

I am primary teacher in the UK AND have lots of experience teaching english to children that speak another language. A lot of advertisements ask for tesol/celta. How long to get this qualification or is there a quicker equivalent? Due to my experience teaching children do you think I would still need another qualifiacation. Advice is appreciated, thanks.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

Where do you want to teach?

What do you want to do?

Celta/Tesol takes 4 weeks full-time, costs around �1,000. Whether you would need it would depend upon what you want to do, and where.

tedkarma · Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 2:15 am Post subject:

If you are a qualified and experienced teacher in your country - you don't really need an additional qualification.

As nosheep says - where do you want to go?

With significant experience - you might look into international schools, which pay much better than language schools AND give you more time off. Take a look at www.ISS.edu

anniewhizz · Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 15

thanks for the replies. i want to teach in tripoli libya as my husband originally comes from there. there's 2 main international schools. one isn't interested and the other i am sure want to offer me local contract. most jobs i see advertised look for celta. i was thinking of doing a couple of days tefl course but don't know if its recognised or a waste of time. �1000 is expensive!

tedkarma · Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:23 pm Post subject:

Any reputable TEFL course is going to be 4-6 weeks in duration - a couple day course won't be considered valid by anyone who knows anything about the courses.

Generally schools are looking for certificates that have at least 100 hours of classroom instruction and at least six hours of observed teaching practice. Certificates typically state what the content of the course was and total time of the course.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

livinginkorea · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 22 Location: South Korea

If you have that much experience then really you shouldn't need a CELTA. I think that is just the bare requirement but naturally your education and experience would take you far beyond that. Personally I think the CELTA would be a waste of time and money to somebody like you. Has the international school specifically asked for a CELTA after seing your resume? I would be very surprised if that was the case.

- lik

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

If you are teaching EFL then a CELTA is the basic minimum. You only would not need one if you had several years experience teaching foreign languages or a PGCE in foreign languages or ESL.

Sonnet · Joined: 10 Mar 2004 Posts: 235 Location: South of the river

Ja... I'll have to agree with Stephen on this one. I've worked with a number of teachers who've been certified, experienced state-school teachers back home, and...

... they've generally been below-average EFL teachers. Being a foreign-language instructor & a primary/secondary school teacher are completely different jobs - despite my TEFL experience, I wouldn't apply for a position as a regular teacher back in the UK without undergoing the relevant professional training, so why should the reverse case apply?

International schools are a different kettle of fish - there, you'd be doing pretty much the job you're already doing back home. But if you're going to work for a language school, I'd seriously suggest investing in a language-teaching qualification. Otherwise, you're letting yourself & your students down.

anniewhizz · Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 15

Thanks for all the advice. I think I will apply without it and see what happens. Long term it woiuld be good to have but at the same time, I feel I would be able to teach English as a foreign language due to my past experience with children. Maybe get a couple of books for background reading. Anyone else know if a reputable course is under �1000?Thanks

anniewhizz · Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 15

Just checked a uni on TESOL course

Course Content

�The aim of the course is to provide you with basic skills to allow you to prepare and teach English as a foreign language. The emphasis is on practical teaching skills and although an awareness of the underlying theory is important, it is kept to a minimum.'

I feel that I have the teaching and preparation skills but really would need lesson ideas and more theory knowledge. Is there a useful recognised alternative course or do you think it would be advisable to do the course?

tedkarma · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:27 am Post subject:

I am assuming that this is a four-week course? If so, yes, from a university's perspective where you might ordinarily spend about oh . . . several years on theory - I am sure they see theory as being kept to a "minimum".

A four-week course is designed to get you up and running as fast as possible.

If you want theory - it would probably be worth taking a full semester's course, or two or three. There are a lot of things you do learn from such work and they may not always seem immediately and directly relevant - but in the long run will help you help your students much more. Tis my opinion.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

You mentioned private language schools in Tripoli - those jobs are most likely teaching EFL to adult learners. If this is where you are heading, your experience teaching children in an ESL setting isn't going to be very useful in practical terms.

You probably do need a 100+ hour on-site course including both supervised teaching practice and some basic grounding in current language-learning theory.

anniewhizz · Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 15

The course was not a 4 week course. Spiral- Could you explain why my experience teaching children with no English will not be useful if teaching adults. I do agree, a course is the best idea but I certainly don't need a course to teach me how to teach. I do need a course like you say for language-learning theory. The course is in a reputable university and seems to keep theory to a ''minimum.'' Any good online courses? Thanks!

anniewhizz · Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 15

sorry spiral. after re-checking the course, it is 4 weeks full time.