Job Discussion Forums

SpanishFly · Joined: 18 Apr 2004 Posts: 31

Hello,
I am unsure which course to take.
I have been a TEFL teacher for almost three years now and have decided I want to make a career of it. I don't have a degree but have a College of Teachers TEFL certificate and now want to add an advanced diploma as well. I don't know which one to do but I want a diploma that will help me advance in the field of EFL ( possibly in the UK.) I have narrowed it down to The College of Teachers Adv. Dip (TESOL) or perhaps a PGCE
TESOL ( I am aware that with the PGCE TESOL you may not need a degree and if I was to do it I was hoping my work experience both in TEFL and previous business may be enough.) Either way I would follow them through to either obtain the College of Teachers Fellowship or perhaps a MA in TESOL with the PGCE. I realise that I will probably need a degree either way and will probably do an OU degree at some point.
Any advice will be welcome.

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

You cannot do a PGCE without a first degree (the clue is in the name Post Graduate Certificate in education. You can do a degree in Education (B.Ed).

And why consider the CoT (College of Teachers) Diploma when both the
Cambridge DELTA and the Trinity DTESOL are far more widely recognised?

Also the DELTA and, I believe, the DTESOL are accepted as around 30% credits towards an MA TEFL/Applied Linguistsics.

Your options:

B.Ed,
BA followed by PGCE,
Delta/Dtesol
CoTDiploma

SpanishFly · Joined: 18 Apr 2004 Posts: 31

Thankyou for your reply stillnosheep but you will find that a degree is not always needed for the PGCE as I said in my previous post.
The Cot Diploma is cheaper and is more flexible in its time constraints.
The problem with getting a degree first is that it would take so much time and I really want to get something before embarking on a degree

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

If you don't mind me saying so, I think that the purpose of your advanced qualification should be considered before considering how to acheive it. The PGCE and BEd are primarily for those intending to teach English to native speakers (i.e. in schools). Qualifications such as DELTA and MA Applied Linguistics are more pertinent for TEFL/TESL teachers (in further education colleges or schools of English). I would suggest you consider the issue of your objective - to teach native or non-native speakers - and then look at routes.

Having said that, lack of a degree is always likely to restrict your career. If you want to work and move around, then the Open University suggestion is a good one.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Get a degree.

Dedicated · Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 972 Location: UK

I'm not aware of any UK university that would allow you to do a Postgraduate Certificate of Education without a first degree, even with 3 years of "teaching" experience (presumably in a private institution). You would not be recognised by the Ministry of Education.

However, I'd be grateful to hear otherwise.

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

Arghh. Just read my last post. Achieve.

ChrisV · Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 42 Location: Cambridge, UK

My advice:

DELTA
OU degree
MA Applied Ling/ELT

This will get you into uni jobs, which IME are the only jobs that pay well enough to make a living at TESOL in the UK in the long run. Personally, going from a senior management position in a large private TEFL college to working at a uni as a bottom-rung teacher, my salary has increased almost 100%.

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

Arguably, you could do the MA applied linguistics without the DELTA; i.e. OU degree, then the MA.

ChrisV · Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 42 Location: Cambridge, UK

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

Good point.