Job Discussion Forums

[Meanjean]

Hello,

I have been exploring a number of TEFL/TESOL certificate programs in preparation for travel and hopefully placement as a teacher abroad. I am particularly interested in Turkey (as well as Morocco) and am curious about differences in training approaches I've noted. I have read a little about the "communicative approach," which is the approach used by the Boston Language Institute. But, I have also been exploring a few of TESOL sites, which are accredited by the College of Teachers, which I believe is an org. in England. I've checked out sites in Turkey and in England, and they seem to offer a much more grammar-oriented approach. I'm wondering which approach is more applicable to students in Turkey, and would love to hear people's thoughts on these approaches generally. Also, I'm a little concerned about the reports I've been tracking re. teaching in Turkey, and wonder if anyone could give me pointers on the least as well as the most desirable kinds of institutions one would aspire to work in. I have not taught before, so any and all information is important to me.

Thanks for your help!
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[Kootvela]

You should not limit your choise to what would Turkish students like because you might end up in the other part of the world. With teaching, you can never know A good course will give an insight to many approaches and you will choose what you can do best.

I never have problems mixing communicative and grammar-based approaches into one lesson.

[Meanjean]

Thanks so much for getting back to me. Still checking a million places. Guess they're all pretty much the same, but trying to find the best possible. Has anyone attended the Boston Language Institute? Feedback?

[Dedicated]

I'm presuming you have a first degree (BA/BSc). I think the best path would be to enrol on a CELTA (Cambridge English Language Teaching certificate) which is recognised worldwide, and far more than a College of Teachers qualification. I am a CELTA trainer so somewhat biased!

The CELTA will give you preparation to teach anywhere in the world, then when you do arrive in a particular country, you soon pick up the specific idiosyncracies/problems of that language group.

If you can get hold of (and read) these two books before you apply for the CELTA, it will definitely help:
How to Teach English by Jeremy Harmer, publisher Longman
The CELTA Course by Scott Thornbury and Peter Watkins, published by Cambridge University Press.

As for teaching in Turkey, you probably wouldn't get a university post without experience or a DELTA/Masters, but I would try a reputable language school, where people are sufficiently motivated to pay to learn. I would avoid schools where there are big classes (35-40) and discipline problems, especially if you are young and inexperienced.

Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!

[Meanjean]

Thanks for your response. I haven't checked out CELTA as yet, but I will. Here is my situation. I have a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing, with a focus in poetry. I do not have a BA, though have completed considerable coursework in basic undergrad courses, focusing on cultural anthropology and literature--anything from great masterpieces of Western literature, to Dante's Divine Comedy, to Afro-American literature and history, as well as a number of courses in creative writing. I also took a year or two of Latin and Spanish. This was more than 20 years ago. I have continued taking courses in various genres of creative writing.

The requirement for a BA was waived for entrance into the MFA program based on the writing I submitted. In addition, I work for a prestigious university and my job requires a lot of writing. Though I manage a small department within my own department, and manage a number of projects, primarily I am the lead researcher/writer for the fundraising org. of the university, reporting to staff responsible for presidential and other senior-level briefings. It is a bit of a unique situation.

My main question re. approaches to teaching: First, I hope there are some fun, creative and pazaz-producing approaches available! However, I do want to be prepared with the grammar. While I currently write and explain the terms of the style guide for writing briefings in our department, and while I also assign, edit, and coordinate presidential briefings, I simply mark up copy without explanation, and, frankly, I don't often know what the rule is behind a phrase that is incorrect or awkward, I just know that it is incorrect or inferior and the poor souls in my department just take my word for it. So, I feel like I need to be sure I have a firm grasp of such appellations as 'simple past,' 'past perfect,' 'past perfect continuous,' all of which I have recently looked up via the Internet, and which, if you had recently asked me about, I would've been able to figure out with some thought, but the exercise made me realize that I definitely need a refresher course, and I'm just wondering how far one needs to go in that direction.

I appreciate so much everyone's feedback about approaches, and also about my particular situation in regard to my degree.

Muchas gracias!

[Dedicated]

With your qualifications and experience, I think you are definitely more suited to university level work. I would imagine you would be snapped up to teach credit-bearing courses in composition, literature or EAP (English for Academic Purposes) study skills work.

You would need to have a good grasp of grammar (which you state you already subconsciously have as a native-speaker) in order to explain usage and errors, but this just means getting a good grammar tome (try Raymond Murphy " English Grammar in Use") and learning it.

The days of teaching using the boring " Grammar-Translation"method are fortunately over, and there are many fun " communicative" activities you can do in class to teach grammar. The series by Jill Hadfield, " Communication Games" (3 levels) are useful to have, but there are many others which I'm sure folks will tell you about.

Universities in Turkey do not advertise very often, apart from Bilkent University in Ankara, so you may have to apply directly. Check out the tefl.com website for daily advertisements. Good luck in your search!

[Meanjean]

Thanks so much for your post! It would be wonderful to teach composition and/or literature, and it was great to hear of that possibility. Thank you also for the references dealing with grammar and teaching. You've been very helpful, and I do appreciate it.