Job Discussion Forums

[Bradley326]

Hi, I'm a soon-to-be college grad who has recently gotten interested in teaching English abroad after graduation. I never realized how complicated it all is!

Although I'll have a BA in linguistics, I'm going to be lacking any sort of TEFL certification and to that end I hope to take an intensive CELTA class somewhere this summer. I want to be sure I have a good, recognized certificate and also the knowledge and practice needed to do a good teaching job. Unfortunately there are no certified Cambridge CELTA programs offered anywhere near me in the U.S so I've begun looking abroad. I've seen a few mentions on this forum of people obtaining their CELTA abroad, and it seems like a great way to get certified and have a good experience at the same time.

Cambridge's website lists tons of schools offering their CELTA program, and I've browsed over many, but which are the best? Does anyone have recommendations? Perhaps where you did yours and enjoyed it? The country isn't too important, although I'd prefer Europe, Russia, or Central Asia, as those are the areas I hope to be teaching English once I get my CELTA. All the schools I've looked into so far have been fairly similar in terms of price, so that isn't too big of a concern for me. I have several months to save up the money anyway.

Thanks for the help!

[sfox385]

Hi there,

I am leaving for Spain in a few weeks to pursue my 4 wk intensive Celta cert thru CLIC (International House in Seville). I have done MUCH research and read that they are one of the best schools to go through. I am also hoping to teach in Europe, and perhaps avoid Asia, at least at the beginning.

I would suggest Googling "TEFL Blacklist" to get an idea of where not to go. I hear CACTUS is not one of the best, but I'm sure some people have had a good experience with them.

I have also heard from friends who have done this first hand that taking the course in the country (or at least the continent) that you want to work in is definitely beneficial. This way, you can start your job search/research from day one. CLIC provides some assistance, but I have also heard that looking on your own and simply showing up to various schools with your CV in hand and a convincing speech is really helpful.

I hope this helps. Also check out the various forums/posts for the countries you are interested in. Keep us posted!

All the best.

[Bradley326]

Thanks for the reply. I have actually been looking at Spain as the place to get my CELTA. I really have no interest in teaching there, but after looking at schools in several countries I really like the ones I see there.

I am actually leaning towards getting my CELTA cert at International House Madrid, although I'll give the one in Seville another look now, with your recommendation.

Once I get my cert I my first choice of place to teach is actually Russia. However there is only one school in Russia that offers a CELTA cert and it's in Moscow, a place I'm not eager to spend a month studying as I just finished a full semester there. That's not even considering the higher price tag to study in such an expensive city.

My overall plan is to get my CELTA cert from Spain in June or July and hopefully be able to find a job teaching in Russia or Eastern Europe in time for the Fall 2009 semester. Does that seem like a realistic goal?

[sfox385]

I am certainly not an expert on what your best move would be... but as I mentioned before perhaps getting your CELTA in the country you want to teach it may be the wisest move. I understand that Moscow is super expensive b/c I have a friend who is living there now and teaching ESL. He went through a program called Language Link and was VERY happy with it. Not sure if they have CELTA though.

I have also researched the "best" time to go abroad and have found that the most competition for jobs starts around August. This also may be the time when jobs are most available so look into that. Try doing your CELTA sooner rather than later, and start on the job search while you're completing it, to get a head start on the crowds.

My other advice would be to get on the phone with a representative from the courses you are considering. Have a list of questions to throw at them and don't be afraid to ask ones that may be uncomfortable (What percentage of people get a job after course completion?, How long does it take normally?, where do I live while searching? What do people do for income until they find a job?, etc.) Also see how they go about assisting with placement in other countries. Some schools may require an "in person" interview before accepting you as an employee so take that into account as you pick a place to take your CELTA. You could end up spending more money than you'd like to on traveling to Russia to interview. I chose Seville because of the climate and I didn't want a big city b/c I recently just quit my job in New York City. Madrid is where I hear the jobs are, though. Of course the cost of living in a city like Madrid or Barcelona is a bit more, but it may be worth it.

I would also reach out to your University's Career Center if there is one. They may have first hand advice or put you in touch with alumni. Most schools at least have an alumni website, and you can search for people who are either residing in your country of choice or have had similiar experiences. Most alumni that post their info on the site are willing to help those in need.

Ask around and talk to as many people as you can who have done this. Pose the question on Facebook as your "status" and see who responds. Getting first hand information is critical.

I have heard that having a good amount of savings while traveling abroad is very important. You will shell out a few grand on course fees, accommodation, travel, etc. but you should go into your country of choice wil a decent chunk of change in your pocket. If your schedule allows for it, start working now to save money if you aren't already. And skip those extra beers on a Friday night so you can really start saving!

Really take time to go thru the message boards here. And don't forget the TEFL Blacklist!

[Bradley326]

Thanks for all the advice.

I've been browsing these forums for a while now an absorbing information pertinent to my situation. That's how I decided on going for an overseas CELTA certification in the first place.

I hope to have at least a few thousand dollars saved up before I graduate in the spring as a safety net for when I head abroad for my CELTA cert, and even more when I (hopefully) head to Russia to teach in the fall.

From what I've read and understood about the CELTA cert is that it's fairly internationally recognized so getting it in Spain and then teaching in Russia shouldn't be a problem, should it? I know the few jobs I've looked at in Russia mention specifically the requirement of a CELTA or equivilent, so it seems like at least in Russia it is recognized and accepted. Is there anywhere in the world where CELTA isn't considered useful?

I really don't see myself making this a career (but who knows what'll happen...). However, I really think it'd be a good experience, plus a way to perfect my Russian. It's also something else to add to my sadly bare resume for when I come back to the states and start looking around for a more permanent job.

Anyway, it's just something to do after graduation. Before I decided to do this I had NO plans and no idea what the hell to do. I can't keep working in my shitty restaurant job much longer. A change of pace abroad will do wonders I think.

[Chancellor]

[Bradley326]

Thanks. I'm aware of all the U.S and Canadian CELTA locations. I live in Maryland so the only one even remotely close to me is NYC. But that is obviously too far for commuting.

I figure if I'm going to travel to a school and live in temporary accomodations I might as well do it abroad. Especially since the price seems to be similar (or even cheaper) in many cases overseas. Plus I get the experience of visiting a foreign country.

I'm settled on Spain. Now I'm just deciding between Seville and International House Madrid. I don't plan on remaining in Spain and teaching so I'm not concerned about the job prospects there after I get certified. I'll be applying to a school in the next few weeks, for a June/July session.

[Chancellor]

[spiral78]

I'll have to disagree here with Chancellor, though I usually agree with him.

I have both a generic TEFL cert and (later) a related MA.

I would wait until you've a couple of years of teaching under your belt before tackling the MA. Firstly, it's far easier to apply theory to practice when you've HAD some practice. Secondly, many employers prefer to hire a teacher with a basic cert and some experience over a candidate with an MA but no experience.

The MA, both in terms of the study itself and its practical effect on your career, is far more effective if you start it when you've had some teaching experience already.

[Chancellor]

[spiral78]

Ok, while I'm American, I have no desire to teach in the U.S. and don't want to imply that I know what gets one in the door for uni positions there.

But the European and Canadian universities where I've worked require both some years of experience and the related MA. The more years of experience, the better (in fact, at the uni where I am now, the pay scale is dependent upon how many years, not on the degree).

[Bradley326]

I looked at UMD's masters program.

The reason I'm not interested in it is because I'm not entirely sure I want to teach for my career. Actually, I'm fairly certain I don't want to make teaching my career. I'd prefer to get a job with the government in some capacity at some point. Getting a masters is a fairly big time and monetary commitment.

But who knows, if I do end up really enjoying teaching abroad I will absolutely look into getting my masters and perhaps turning it into a career.

Right now, however, I just want to test the water (i.e get the entry-level CELTA cert) and have an interesting experience of teaching abroad for at least a year.

Thanks for all the replies!