Job Discussion Forums

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

but how can one get further training while teaching in a non English speaking country?

I would very much like to get CALL training and then move towards a Master's degree, but the MA just seems to expensive right now since I'm newly married and still paying off loans for the BA.

What kinds of options are out there?

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

What sort of professional development does your current school provide? In my uni, we've got constant seminars--many of them CALL-related. If you don't have any options in your school, what about regional TESOL groups?

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Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Are there professional English teacher organizations there? Join them and attend their conferences. Or travel abroad to some.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

To follow up on Glenski's advice, try Mextesol. http://www.mextesol.org.mx/

hollysuel · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 225 Location: Connecticut, USA

LANCELOT School (www.lancelotschool.com) provides training in a virtual classroom for language teachers. They have also started piloting some webinars which are all CALL related. PM me for more details.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

JALT CALL
IATEFL's CALL SIG

Depends on where you hope to publish or travel or get your info.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Cambridge also has training such as DELTA.

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

Yes, it is a little costly.. Try looking on the Distance DELTA website, they have a booklist. Then, get hold of the book that tickles your fancy and read it! I'm sure there's a book called How to Teach Using the Internet that has lots of exercises and stuff in it on that booklist.

Much cheaperer than $43,000..

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

Go with an Australian (or maybe South African) university and do a post graduate certificate in TESOL/ TEFL etc instead of an MA (those countries are cheaper, a PGC TESOL is about half the amount of courses). Then, down the road upgrade it to an MA (probably at the same university). many Many unis have the certificate as an optional exit instead of the MA.

Two steps towards the same goal instead of one means you don't need to put out as much money all at once.

thelmadatter · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:32 pm Post subject: CALL

Wish you had posted this earlier... TOEFL Electronic Village Online is having 6 week long training sessions on various aspects of CALL and they are free. We are in Week 2.

The thing about CALL is that you really cannot learn about what the web, esp Web 2.0 has to offer by taking traditional uni/grad school classes. Such classes are more geared towards theory as profs are usually more into research rather than in nuts-and-bolts teaching and even if they are "hands-on" classes, they are usually hopelessly out of date.

When I did my masters in TESOL, there was one.... count em ONE course in CALL, and it left much to be desired... and this was in 2001-2003, not the Stone Age.

Best thing to do is to network online and try things out in your teaching. I currently am the lab coordinator/tech guru at my school but I dont have a degree in educational technology. I became the "expert" simply because I have taken the time (and still continue to take the time) to learn and experiment.

Heres some places to get you started.

http://www.webheads.info/ This is the TESOL's sub-group for us "webheads," those who staunchly believe in the power and future of technology in language learning.

http://metamexico.ning.com This is a ning (a social networking site) geared for English teachers in Mexico. Officially, it is not dedicated to CALL but since most of us on the site are webheads, most of the content is CALL-related.

Last but not least

http://virtuallanguagelaboratory.wikispaces.com This is my wiki. Its a webliography with a ton of links for students and teachers. One page on it is set up for teachers who are just starting out exploring what Web 2.0 has to offer. http://virtuallanguagelaboratory.wikispaces.com/TeacherDevelopment

Feel free to join the ning and the wiki (mention my name when you do so so you can get approved right away)

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

I�ve actually gotten into my lab now and had the chance to tool around a little and don�t care much for the one I got. My class will be in the most outdated of the labs using software called XClass PRO.

Anyone have experience with this software?

thelmadatter · Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:25 pm Post subject: lab

Xclass.. only heard about it this morning.. its a lab management software and doesnt have material as far as I can tell from their website.

Your right... totally outdated... but my lab is too