Job Discussion Forums

[toto321]

I want to teach in Saudi Arabia where CELTA is more liked by employees than TEFL/TESL/TESOL. There is this program called CERTESL link:

http://www.ccde.usask.ca/ExtensionDivision/credit/Certificate/CERTESL.html

This program takes in my hometown and I would prefer not to travel for CELTA. Also, when I went in to ask questions, I was told that some people that already have CELTA are taking CERTESL. I am a bit confused and at the moment I want a certificate that is for TEFL abroad at a job offer that requires CELTA or Equivalant.

Advice?

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

The CERTESL is professional university training. A CELTA is a one month intro certificate offered through private language schools etc. The CERTESL is really a much better qualification. People who have CELTA may do the CERTESL for the same reason as they might do an MA.

Issues with it are the name: nobody's heard of it, in fact I'd say a lot of people probably haven't even heard of Saskatchewan (I mean the province itself). People might think it's just some made up name that combines sasquatch (or Sams-kwanch in Trailer Park Boys terminology) and Chewbacca from Star Wars!

Anyway, it's definitely good training. If you did something like that, then you should probably figure out a way to describe it on your resume or else employers might not know what it is. Keep in mind that it's not a masters degree, but you could get an MA in TESOL from an Australian university by taking only two courses (called 'units' in Australia) more than the six that UofS is asking (assuming you have a four year degree and at least two years experience). If you end up doing the CERTESL, and decide to make teaching overseas your career, then you could find that you then end up doing a masters degree by distance through a university in Australia or the UK (there are only one or two universities in Canada that offer them by distance, and they're Christian universities).

The problem with Canadian universities in this area (I guess I'm really having a rant at universities approved by TESL Ontario now- and that includes the TESL stream of UofS's CERTESL) is that they basically just don't offer programs in the same manner as the other Commonwealth countries even though some of the programs are specifically for working internationally, but it's not like Canada is the UK. People neither know nor particularly care about Canadian qualifications.

ETA

I just noticed that on another thread you posted that you've only completed one year of your four year degree (and that you're teaching in the Middle East). You apparently don't need an undergraduate degree to do the CERTESL, but you may be at a significant disadvantage without an undergraduate degree when it comes to jobs. I'm assuming you have some sort of passport that enables you to work in the middle east, because I think if you try to get a work visa on a Canadian passport, you will need a university degree.

[toto321]

Thanks for the good advice.
Ya, sasquatch, I get that nickname by my friends abroad from America lol. They only heard about Saskatchewan because of me.


I am already living there as a student in university studying Arabic. I want to finish the rest of my degree just because then I can get a job at a university level. Otherwise, a person living there already can find a job with nothing. Can you pm me some links that you recommend for finishing a B.A.

Thanx