Job Discussion Forums

Endless_Highway · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 8

I'm almost finished with a year of teaching in Korea and am ready to move on to something a little different. I'd like to go to S. America for my next year and do some teaching down there. I know that most places want a TEFL certificate (even if it's not required), but seeing as I have a year of experience, do you think they would distinguish between taking a monthlong class in country and doing on online 100 hour class?

The logic for wanting the on site class is usually the teaching experience that you get from it and since I already have that, I thought any piece of paper that says TEFL in big letters would probably do the trick. I don't have any problems taking the class, but if it's not necessary, I'd just as soon spend that money traveling.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

With that year of experience, you're probably in a good position to do an online course. The actual experience is always the most valuable asset in job-seeking in Latin America.

john_n_carolina · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 700 Location: n. carolina

you could also do the TEFL in S.America. here is one university that i recommend:

http://www.cec-epn.edu.ec/idiomas/tefl/index.html

i believe it is THE only one offered in S.America. might be wrong...could be a few more now in Chile, Peru, etc.

but, it is a 'top-notch' program run by a US college.

and, they give you a discount if you take it in Ecuador vs. in US.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:38 pm Post subject:

I know school you posted the link to, Johninmaine. I don't have first hand experience with their TEFL cert, but both the Politecnica (where the course is run in Quito) and Juniata College in the US (which has some affiliation with it) have many excellent programs. (I've worked with both in EFL related programs.)

You're missing the boat by calling it the course in South America, though. There are many. The one you list isn't even the only one in Quito- another that I can recommend is the SIT TESOL cert, accredited by the School for INternational Training, an accredited US college in Vermont. I run the SIT TESOL cert here in Quito, so can't claim to be a disinterested party...but it's worth checking out SIT programs, here or elsewhere. (www.sit.edu)

Best,
Justin

john_n_carolina · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 700 Location: n. carolina

hi Justin, yes i forgot about the SIT course there. i wasn't quite sure what's new since i left in '05. i was writing the post and just thinking about you and over and EIL.

i was checking around again, i still didn't see any other countries that have a US College come down and run a TEFL??

for e.g. Mich State, or Georgetown Univ coming down and running the TEFL. back in '05, i believe it was the only one of it's kind, because i remember hearing them brag, etc. i think CEDEI in Cuenca runs one also??

there are many in Chile / Argentina, but they're all language schools.

MELEE · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 2:20 pm Post subject:

CEDEI does have a course and had it long before 2005! (I'm not sure when it started but it exsisted when I worked there in 1995). It only runs in the summer and has faculty from the US universities teaching some of the courses.

It's also worth mentioning that SIT also runs courses in Costa Rica and Mexico.

There is a CELTA in Mexico in Playa del Carmen.

It's definately NOT worth doing an on-line course--the most important part of these courses is observed teaching practice, and observing others at it and reflecting on the lesson you observed.

john_n_carolina · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 700 Location: n. carolina

yes Melee, i forgot i was going to take the course there in Cuenca myself. but also, the one at CEC Politechnica still says, "Juniata College" on your certificate vs. "Center for Interamerican Studies"....even though CEDEI has a very high esteemed faculty.

when it comes down to it though, it really doesn't matter in the long run. i had co-teachers that came right off the Patagonia Trail with a backpack, and were far-far better than a lot of the other teachers. (with a little grammar reading)

john_n_carolina · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 700 Location: n. carolina

...also, this is interesting. i remember reading the job offer for my old school the other day. and they put down, "English B.A, English M.A., Literature, and Drama,etc"

so, all you senior Drama Majors...there IS hope with a TEFL cert.

p.s. TEFL + Drama exp. + Play Guitar = many job offers from Kindergarten up to University

had one co-teacher who made more on the weekends playing at a club than teaching...kind of funny... Smile

MELEE · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:22 pm Post subject:

a drama background can be a big help when standing in front of 30 students (especially if you have one of those classrooms with the raised platform at the front!). It also helps weed out those intraverts, who are very nice knowledgable people, but should be holed up in a cubical somewhere--not in a profession that is all about people.