Job Discussion Forums

[Floki27]

Hello,

I will be completing my TESOL in March, which is a 60-hour, three-weekend stint. I am going in May to Serbia, and hope to find a job for September 2008.

Can I get some input on how this program works? Does it actually give you an advantage in the classroom? Will it help me become a better English teacher?

Thank You

[spiral78]

Are you referring to Global TESOL?

In any case, regardless of the provider, a course of less than 100+ hours on site, and which doesn't include supervised teaching practice with real students (not peer teachers) ISN'T considered a basic qualification by many reputable language schools.

If you're not already committed, you might want to think twice.

Additionally, you could post this on the relevant country-specific forum (Balkans, I think) to find out whether schools in Serbia will accept this kind of qualification.

[Floki27]

http://www.oxfordseminars.ca/Pages/Teach/teach_english_overseas.php?region=Canada&ad=TESOL/TESL&id=1&num=38&page=2

This is the website for this TESOL certification? They are offering it in March at a university in my city. Is it something worth investing in?

[spiral78]

No actual teaching practice on students (possibly on peer trainees).

60 hours is considered inadequate in many places - though not all. Where do you want to teach?

If at all possible, consider getting certified in the country where you want to start instead. There are lots of benefits:

You can get your feet wet in a country/culture while you still have a support system- training centres usually arrange for housing, pick you up at the airport, and give you local orientation.

Your practice teaching students will be really representative of the ones you'll be working with when you start.

You can be sure that local employers will recognize your certification.

Training centres can give you invaluable information regarding reputable empoyers in a region.

[ecocks]

Slightly confusing and I don't know how they present this when "selling" you the program, but the Foundation course is 60 hours. There are also two other courses: the Advanced for 120 hours and the Professional for 240 hours. Prices are higher than in Europe, although you obviously may be able to save considerable transportation and housing costs while training. This seems especially useful if you are on a timeline where you are not coming overseas for a few months and have the time to take the class before coming to your new, hoped-for country. I would not advise the online course, those seem pretty iffy for the most part.

Some companies love to advertise that "no experience is necessary" particularly over in Asia and a few companies around Eastern Europe. A discussion is going on about one of those right now over on the Russia and CIS forum. That might sort of justify that 60 hour course if your alternative was that you just were going to jump on one of those jobs and wanted some tools for your kit before jumping into a classroom cold.

As to the quality of their program, find some graduates and get their references. The school should be able to provide some. I was curious whether they have connections to arrange practical experience, even if it is volunteer. This would seem to be a good option if you THINK you might like to try ESL and want to get your feet wet before just jumping in. No, it won't be students in your home area, then again I met people in Prague who were bound for Portugal, Japan, China, Poland and Croatia so that can be washed depending on your training location choice. Some folks aren't going to be happy with their initial choice of location anyway.

Check it out and see how it looks. Oh, and let us know!

[FuzzX]

Get the certificate and take your first year in China or Poland or somewhere they don't require any qualifications. Honestly most schools in the world don't recognize THOSE types of certifications because most people applying to their jobs don't have ANY certifications at all. I find most schools are pleasantly surprised that I have a GLOBAL TESOL and CELTA but the same schools couldn't tell me what either course entails. I would recommend getting the TESOL one just because the diploma looks impressive and they can help land you a job be it legal or illegal. CELTA won't do that.

[spiral78]

Poland generally requires qualifications. At least, reputable schools do.

China may be a different matter.

[Floki27]

I will complete my TESOL with Oxford Seminars in March. It is a $1000 investment and whatever I can get out of it for that kind of money, I will be content.

I am moving back to Serbia in May; after my summer vacation is over, which I presume(or hope?) will be around the beginning of Sept., I hope to find a job teaching English at a language school--Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Having an honours degree in History, sufficient experience with children/students, a TESOL certificate, being fluent in both English and Serbian, I believe my chances of finding a vacant teaching position will be good.

ps After I complete the 60-hour weekend course, I will post my thoughts on it.

[Julieanne]

This course is the best, hands down and placement is immediate
http://www.serioustefl.com

[ecocks]

Julie:

Without a practical component you will have difficulty working in reputable schools in most of Europe and all of the ME. It is possible that you are a "natural" with a few years of classroom experience who can take the methodology presented in a legitimate online course and apply it to an EFL classroom. Possible, but doubtful.

This is pointed out in numerous places on this board and you should scan through the job ads, noting those which specify a 100-120 hour program which includes supervised teaching contact of at least 10 hours. While there are markets and even occasional schools which make exceptions, it is fair to say this is the basic standard in EFL education.

Now what you can do with this (and many people do) is work in some of the Asian markets or pick a country and show up as a warm, native speaker body at certain points of the academic year. Usually that is September and January. Then you might get hired and put in a few months as a probationer or entry-level teacher and earn yourself some credibility. Then you can transition to a better environment or enroll in one of the programs where you attend the schools TEFL/CELTA course and acquire a certificate from a more acceptable program.

Best of Luck to you!

[Julieanne]

Thanks but you know I did get hired right away with this program.

[spiral78]

Where, dear? Some regions will hire without teaching practice. Many will not.

[soapdodger]

Spiral: Poland - reputable schools? Well, as in being possessed of a reputation, yes. Whether they would get many teachers if said reputation was put about? Rather not.

[spiral78]

Yeah, I should clarify. It's like 'impressed -' need to specify positively or negatively.

Ok, schools with good reps don't generally hire newbies with certs that didn't include actual teaching practice in Europe, including but not limited to those in Poland.

As one example: there's a thread on the Poland forum from someone rather bemoaning the fact that he was seeking work in Poland with a cert without teaching practice (which shall remain nameless here as it's not the point). This guy ultimately did find work, but he faced several turn-downs based on his 'inadequate' training before finding a job.

I'll try to dig up exactly which thread it was, if you'd like to check personally.

I've been based in the region for ten years, and have many long-term friends involved in private language schools (most as management these days).

The best advice is for newbies considering certification courses to post a query in the country-specific forum, asking whether courses without a teaching practicuum are accepted where they want to go. Ideally, they should also check directly with a couple of schools there as well. I think most DOS's would respond positively to a request for clarification about what type of certification is acceptable at his/her school.

Cert courses are usually relatively pricey (though I believe Julieann's was less than $200 USD, she said, so a bit less of an investment) and it's certainly worth a bit of research before committing.

[soapdodger]

Imagine this scenario if you will: A "school" turns away students because they are unable to find "teachers" that they feel are sufficiently qualified to do the job............ I'm imagining..................I'm imagining.................aaaaaaargh, I think I've had a seizure.