Job Discussion Forums

renzobenzo1 · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 85

sorry for the thousand questions lately....BUT

I am sitting around in Korea with a lot of free time on my hands and am thinking about doinga 100 hour TEFL certificate...
I also want to teach in Thailand for a bit at some stage but I will go to Taiwan first next year.
My question is should I get this certificate for Taiwan-is it required?

Right now I just have a double degree in Sociology and Business and 8 months experience under my belt...

Cheers

markholmes · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 661 Location: Wengehua

It will help in Thailand. In Taiwan not so much. You might be better waiting until you get to Thailand to do it. I understand a lot of the places in Thailand who do TEFL can also get you a job after you've finished.

babar6789 · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 69 Location: Japan

The Taiwanese don't care about teaching qualifications, just experience. I have Celta and most people over here don't even know what it is. I recently changed job and the company was far more interested in my previous experience than they were in any teaching qualifications that I have.

forest1979 · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 507 Location: SE Asia

To be a TEFLer in Taiwan means meeting meeting minimum immigration requirements: having a degree. Anything more is basically irrelevant. TEFL certs have thus no value.

Taylor · Joined: 24 Oct 2003 Posts: 384 Location: Texas/Taiwan

Dear Readers,

It might help in a couple of ways, though indirectly.

You can add it to your bilingual business cards. By bilingual, I mean that you would need to have someone translate into Chinese the meaning of TEFL certificate.

If you work for a small bushiban, then they might have pictures of the teachers on the bulletin board for the parents of prospective students to see. Under your picture, you could show the name of your university and indicate that you have the TEFL certificate.

Presuming the tuition for this certificate is well under $1000 USD, it might be worth it. I think it would make your job as an EFL/ESL teacher more enjoyable and you will feel more professional.

Best wishes,

Taylor

TaoyuanSteve · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 1028 Location: Taoyuan

forest1979 · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 507 Location: SE Asia

TaoyaunSteve - I completely agree with your views about TEFL certs given Taylor's prior comments. To me the only benefit a TEFL cert can give in Taiwan is if the TEFLer has the intention of going onto somewhere else afterwards. For example, in Europe most countries require English teachers to hold a CELTA, etc. In somewhere like Spain you won't get a look in without one. But in Taiwan itself, no. Almost no use at all if you're looking to root down. Better things to spend $1000 on and it's certainly not worth spending a grand just in case the bushiban puts an A4 poster in the window with your details on.

Taylor · Joined: 24 Oct 2003 Posts: 384 Location: Texas/Taiwan

Dear Readers,

I don't know how much it costs to get a certificate. I just used the $1000 figure to make a point that it might not be worth more than that. As a former director of a bushiban, I can assure you that having a certificate would indeed make a difference if I am choosing between two comparable candidates.

But let's not forget the goal would be to become a better teacher. That's not always quantifiable in dollars or euros!

As for Taiwan, some people have been able to get ARCs and work visas with a junior college degree paired with a certificate! As far as I know, that is a legitimate way to get 'legal' here.

It just seems strange that some teachers at Dave's ESL cafe would encourage someone not to seek further education.

Best wishes,

Taylor

TaoyuanSteve · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 1028 Location: Taoyuan

forest1979 · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 507 Location: SE Asia

Taylor - Of course undertaking any program shall have pedagogical benefits but does 100 hours of 'training' really turn an absolute novice into a fully prepared TEFL teacher? From my experience of having done a TEFL course there's no substitution for common sense and getting in the classroom and learning from your experiences. As TaoyuanSteve indicates, in Taiwan where a TEFL cert has no financial benefit an argument can be put forward that spending a sum of money on a TEFL cert, e.g $1000, is to be blunt, a waste of money. Why bother if it is not appreciated by the Taiwan TEFL industry (on the whole) and won't increase your salary? To be honest I agree with what he says especially if the TEFLer is a short-term (i.e. 2-3 year stayer) and shall go back home to do something different.