Job Discussion Forums

[ZachEaton]

Hello, this is my first post here. I'm a recent University of FL grad with a BA in History a minor in education and a focus on Latin American history. I really want to teach english as a way to get away from Florida, see the world, learn spanish, and get my foot in the door to get a career in international relations. I was looking at an "unnamed" but, highly popular seminar-class that was in the states but, for 1100$ 3 weekends of a total of 60 hours doesn't sound very reputable. I can't afford to be scammed.

I'm thinking of doing an in-country TEFL training program in Central America, Mexico, or the Caribbean since air-fare to South America can be very costly. I'd really like some advice on which TEFL program I should take and on how I need to go about getting started in this career. Thanks for the advice and I hope to hear from you all soon! Also, if Latin America is harder to get a job in, I would be willing to do Asia, but I really am trying to begin a career in Latin America.

[naturegirl321]

First off congrats on your degree. Second posting on the Latin American forum will get you mroe responses.

60 hours isn't enough. Should be at least 120 with 6 hours of teaching practise.

If you can do training in country, that's better. Certs seem important in some countries, like Mexico. For others, like Peru, as long as you're a native speaker, willing to work split shifts, you'll get a job.

LA is super easy to get a job. For language schools, in general ecpect about 6 to 10 usd an hour. Seems ok, but if you're working off site courses, they tend to get cancelled. Expect about 500 to 1000 usd a month.

See my PM for more info

[word_to_the_wise]

Google Cambridge CELTA and Trinity TESOL.

These are the only acceptable entry level training qualifications.

[denise]

[ZachEaton]

Im so glad you both responded so quick, but airfare isnt a problem for a JOB but its for a certificate that im worried about. Im very working-class and I don't have any debt graduating on my own at 23, I just worry about spending 1200$ airfare + 1200$ certication and not being ensured employment by signing up for a Chilean TEFL program. Chile would be the ideal teaching destination for me(surf,snow,history), but Peru, Columbia, Venezuela,Cuba,Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Mexico, would also be great for a starter job in the region.
6-10$ USD is perfect for me. Im very frugal (some people call me a hippie) and Im used to living on 600$ a month in north florida, im sure I would be ok in South America on 500-1000$. Its really the experience Im looking for and not particularly the wages, or I'd go to Dubai, Taiwan, or Korea.
If I could get a job in Latin America without a Certification that would be ideal because I really live to the wire already and I need a REAL job badly, but I have no idea how to go about doing that. I just made my first resume a few weeks ago because I've been working in food service for the past 8 years.

[naturegirl321]

Spend a year teachign without a cert. If you-re serious, then get one. You can observe teachers, hit the library and do research. You don-t need a cert to start, especially in Latin America. WHere being a serious teacher, coming on time and being passionate about what you do are more improtatnt.

[Justin Trullinger]

SIT TESOL is another good name around latin america.

A decent cert program should be able to tell you about the job market in the area you're taking it, and then you can decide if it's feasible to take it there and get a job right away after.


Best,
Justin

[MELEE]

I want to second the SIT TESOL as being just as good if not better than CELTA and Trinity, especially in Latin America--and I am in no way shape or form connected with the organization. I don't even hold that cert (but my first years in this field would have been much enriched if I had).

You can take the course in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, possibly other places now too.

[Justin Trullinger]

I'm going to add a little local nuance to naturegirl's comments- I think there are a lot of places in Latin America where you could start without a cert. Ecuador isn't really one, anymore. (It was 5-10 years ago, but as the market develops, quality and competition are increasing.) There is still work without certs in Ecuador, but very little, and low end; less and less every day. (I like to think that the cert course we run locally has had something to do with this.) In any case, the places that will employ you without training are unlikely to provide visa assistance.

To share an opinion, I don't think you should start without a cert, even if you could. Your students will be paying for this, and you owe it to them to get an idea what you're doing.


Best,
Justin

[naturegirl321]

that would probably explain why Peru's 25 years behind Ecuador. Or Chile for that matter.

[ZachEaton]

Ahh thanks for all the valuable information.
I'm thinking I want to do a cert program first to both fatten up my CV and to get an idea what I will be doing. I think I'm going to try to take it in Costa Rica, since I have some friends there now and my dad goes there to surf relatively often. I think that will be the best way for me to get my foot in the door doing this. Teaching without any teaching experience or a cert just seems a bit daunting to me and I have saved up a decent amount in order to do a cert program. Any other recommendations? Is SIT TESOL the way to go?

[naturegirl321]

Check out the different sites, and talk to some of the people in charge there and see whch course feels good for you. There's no one course for everyone