Job Discussion Forums

[Speedboat]

Hi everyone -

This is my very first posting to this board. I was eager to get my account activated as I have lots of questions about teaching english abroad.

My first question is about getting certified through Oxford Seminars. I'm pretty set on the idea of getting certified before I teach because I really have no experience in the formal teaching field (2007 college grad BS in Psych currently working as Child/Adolescent case worker). Does anyone know anything about Oxford? Do you have any opinions/experiences of getting certified through them? I understand their certificate is sort of a hybrid of a couple certificates and is not the most widely recognized. Would that present a huge problem initially in getting a job? I just wanted to get some other people's views of the program.

I'm interested in teaching in a Spanish speaking region of the world and would be open to getting certified "on location" if you will. Could anyone recommend other reputable certification classes?

Any answers or advice would be greatly appreciated.

-Dan

[spiral78]

If you do a quick search, you'll find tons of current info on Oxford.

Essentially, the basic newbie course that is widely accepted worldwide is 120 hours on-site, and, most importantly, includes at least 6 hours of supervised practice teaching on actual students (not peer trainees).

Yes, it's ideal to do the course in-country.

Training in-country offers you a great chance to get your feet wet in the country/culture
while you still have a support system � they usually arrange for your housing during the course, airport pickup, and local orientation. Your practice teaching students will really be representative of those you�ll be working with when you start. You can be sure that your certification will be recognized by local employers, and a training centre can give you invaluable contacts and advice regarding reputable local employers.

[Justin Trullinger]

Try these two links to see general background:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=59665

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=28298

My vote would be no- it's just not enough training, nor good enough on a resume.


Slds,
Justin

[Speedboat]

Thanks for the links to the other discussions about Oxford. That first one got pretty heated! I'm going to look into getting certified on location more. From what I've read this would be best if one is considering teaching in LA or SA because applying in person is essential. If there is anyone who got certified abroad in Mexico or other Spanish speaking region and had a positive experience with their program I'd love to hear about it and look into it. Likewise if it was negative. Thanks everyone!

-Dan

[naturegirl321]

I'd nix Oxford as well.

[mandalayroad]

Keep in mind that Oxford is much cheaper than the other more prestigious options. If you only plan to be in TEFL for a couple years to have the experience of living aborad then Oxford is fine and won't set you back a bundle. If you plan to do this as a career then go for one of the more prestigious and expensive options like CELTA or Trinity.

[spiral78]

mandalayroad, the problem with your advice is that schools in many regions of the world won't hire someone with a cert that didn't include practice teaching.

So, it's not necessarily an adequate certification even to get started, depending on where you want to work.

[VictorVictoria]

Don't know where you are from but I would not vote for Oxford if you are Canadian. If you check the transfer of courses in Canada - Oxford and Global are not accepted. Celta is transferable to Canadian standards.

Hope that helps.

[mandalayroad]

[spiral78]

I don't disagree that the 6 hours of teaching practice doesn't 'make' a teacher, though I've found it useful to identify those few candidates who really simply aren't cut out for the profession, in ways that don't become obvious when it's all theoretical.


But there is a very strong market throughout Europe for newbie teachers, where many thousands are currently working, and online certs really are considered substandard by most reputable employers in the region.

[mandalayroad]

For western Europe, the good jobs usually require at least a few years of experience. I have a friend with a US teaching license but only a year of experience in a US public school, and she couldn't swing anything with public or international schools in France or Italy. She ended up finding a position in Prague, and she has an Oxford certificate for TESL. I don't think a CELTA or even an MA would have helped her in France or Italy; she needed the experience, which she hopes to get in Prague and then to move on to western Europe proper.

Many years ago, when I was a teacher manager in Taiwan, I found I could identity who a good teacher was by having them do a teaching demo for 5-10 minutes on anything they wanted to teach. Based on this, I hired a guy who only had a high school diploma but he could teach great, and the students ended up loving him. The "paper" is important but it's overrated when looking to hire good teachers.

As for the original topic of this thread, I wouldn't advise anyone who just wants to teach a couple years to see a part of the world to spend the big money getting a CELTA or Trinity when they probably won't need it. Determine where you want to be first before spending all that money on a certificate you won't need. For many world locales, an Oxford certificate is fine as a warm-up to the field for people who just want to do one or two years overseas.

[spiral78]

I've been based in Europe for over ten years, and I can assure you that there are many thousands of newbies with TEFL certs teaching in Western European countries, though there do seem to be more jobs in the southern countries (Italy and Spain).

The key is not experience - it's legalities (EU member citizenship). If you doubt me, just check the Spain or Italy forums.

[mandalayroad]

You're absolutely right, I was thinking the question from an entirely American perspective, and it's totally different if one has EU citizenship from the UK or Ireland. From an American POV, a certificate from Oxford or CELTA won't make much of a difference, if any, in western Europe.

[Justin Trullinger]

I'm a US citizen, who taught for three years in Spain as a newbie on a Trinity cert. I was lucky, but it happens.

I agree that six hours of practice teaching doesn't "make" a teacher, but it's better than no hours. And I disagree with the claim that you'll get the same thing in your first job- unless you're very lucky, there will be no one observing you in your first job, offering the feedback and suggestions that trained, experienced trainers can. Sometimes 20 years experience is just a years experience repeated 20 times. I find this more likely if you get the experience without much training foundation.

In Ecuador, the jobs you could get with an Oxford Seminars cert, you could get with no cert. The good jobs will be asking for something more.


Best,
justin