Job Discussion Forums

[Splitting Hairs]

As the ADU thread is now a debate on the DELTA/MA let me ask this

What level are tertiary students here in the UAE
What is the entrance requirements of your place in terms of TOEFL/IELTS
Who is best to teach them
DELTA trained
MA Trained
CELTA Trained
Teacher Certified (K-12)
or which combination?

We all know that most of the Universities (not necessarily the better ones!!) require an MA but if we take the debate away from the comfort zone of the Middle East and transfer our students into the USA, Australian, Canadian, or European market, where would our students land
Freshman/Undergraduate
Grade 10-12
Presessional

[GlobalDawg]

Well Splitting Hairs . . . (aka Splitting Headache every once in a while)

My sense of it is that they would land in Grade 10-12 based on prior knowledge, cognitive development and language proficiency. However, based on foreign affairs (the financial support they would receive to attend schools in western countries) they would land in Freshman/Undergradute programs (some matriculated as Juniors) at some of the best universities. And, they would graduate within two or three years. I know a few who have done this.

The best to teach them would be Certified Teachers K-12.

[Zoot]

Splittinghairs, if these students were to be transferred to the markets you suggest, you'd find most in Grades 9 - 10. Maturity level, cognitive ability, English language would all prevent them from being graded any higher. However, a B.Ed will not get you a job in a uni in the UAE's university system. You absolutely MUST have a CELTA, DELTA, ESL or TESOL qualification.

[BrownSauce]

The CELTA is a 4-week course that teaches you how to be an effective deliverer of published EFL/ESL course materials - and little else. A Masters is usually almost entirely theoretical, and is often based around second language acquisition, discourse analysis, phonetics, etc etc. They are as different as chalk and cheese, in my opinion, and those 'CELTA-belters' who attempt to look down on their better-qualified colleagues are guilty of inverted snobbery (something that comes quite naturally to the Brits, by the way)

A Diploma, or DELTA, is somewhere in the middle, but still veering towards the practical rather than theoretical, I would say. In an ideal world all teachers would have both, I guess - the practical and the theoretical.

But let's look at things this way, if we want to have an argument about which is the better approach. How would you feel if you were treated by a 'doctor' who only had a First Aid certificate? Yes, that's the CELTA teacher - a 'nurse' in medical terms, I suppose, who is much better suited to the hands-on approach, rather than making decisions, which is the job of the doctor, who has had suitable extensive education and training.

The problem is that, in the UAE they want 'nurses' with a doctor's qualifications. Even worse, some of these 'nurses' think they're better than the doctors!

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

[littleoldlady]

Thank YOU NCTBA for sticking up for us Brits. I get weary of these stereotypes. Just as I get sick of Brits bad mouthing Americans. Some of you are LUUUUVELY.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

You're a dear, lol...BTW, VS concurs!

NCTBA

[littleoldlady]

Ahhhhhhhhh. Now I have a lovely warm fuzzy feeling. Sh...t it's a rat running up my leg. Geeerrrrrrrooooooooffffffffff.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

Time for a group hug everyone! (God know that we need them now and again...especially that the end of the year is nigh!)

NCTBA

[Patrick2009]

What level are tertiary students here in the UAE Most are very low level as the schools pass out students without following any standardized tests - and grades are changed anyway by teachers and principles so that each school appears to be succeedding - at least in the MOE schools

What is the entrance requirements of your place in terms of TOEFL/IELTS
500 or 5 for most I know of

Who is best to teach them
Considering most students have little depth in English, have been taught to the book or test and have been in schools which did not have a library or homework or teachers sometimes - they need properly trained instructors
DELTA trained
of course
MA Trained
whacky idea!
CELTA Trained
a good start - a lot of non national teachers have degrees but no formal teaching qualification except many Tunisians and Jordanians.
Teacher Certified (K-12) For most of the students a combination of K-12/CELTA and a DELTA is ideal.

There is just no need for an MA for most students entering foundation courses. These are bridging programs nothing more. The span of the bridge can be very long for many students.


Some might argue in the few universities that run proper 101 and 102/undergraduate writing programs - the level of the student and ability to study independently warrants a highly qualified teacher or lecturer. So anyone who has a formal teaching qualification e.g. school certificate, DELTA, PGCE and an MA is probably the best for these courses.

To sum up, most students who pass out of schools (MOE) would most likely go back to grade 6 or 7 in terms of English, knowledge and ability to study.
[/i][/b]

[helenl]

Patrick - I thought all high school leaving students had to pass the CEPA test in order to receive a high school certificate? Granted, it was only maths and english but at least it was supervised and graded by outside bodies?

[Splitting Hairs]

Helen
Unfortunately, even the CEPA scores are being manipulated as well, massaged, grades changed, scripts being compromised etc..

In Ireland, at the weekend I think, a teacher allowed a future A level paper be seen for 30 minutes. By the following day it had spread all over the internet - the authorities pulled the exam and a new one was issued.

[Splitting Hairs]

http://www.academics-in-china.com/DG664.html
Top EAP job in China working at University of Nottingham
DELTA or MA required no preference either way. Good pay 30,000 sterling.

[Zoot]

Splitting Hairs - how did you go about finding that job?

[Kipling]