| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
honeyandsweetie
Joined: 17 Sep 2009
Posts: 7
|
 Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:58 pm Post subject: Wondering where to start |
 |
|
| Hey guys Iam new here and I am wondering where to start. My husband is currently employed in KSA and Iam hoping to join him sometime next august. I have no previous teaching experience but I do have a BA degree, I know that alot of schools ask for 2+ years of experience and a TESOL/TESL certificate. I am wondering if I can do the TESOL certificate online, the only thing is there are so many TESOL/TESL certificate websites and iam not sure which one to use. Also what are the odds that I can land a job when I have no previous teaching experience and find a school thats close to where my husband lives? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
mozzar
Joined: 16 May 2009
Posts: 339
Location: France
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Online courses don't meet the industry standard. Search for 'online TEFL' and you'll find a range of threads about it. That's all the help i can give i'm afraid. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
honeyandsweetie
Joined: 17 Sep 2009
Posts: 7
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:50 pm Post subject: Hmm |
|
|
| I have read a few posts where they have mentioned the industry standard...What exactly is it? Iam guessing that it will be extremely difficult to find a job with no experience. I did consider teaching in Florida but currently there is a hiring freeze in my county and they have layed off a few teachers. So I can't teach here to gain experience. So are the online teaching certificates worth the money? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
'Industry standard' is 100+ hours onsite including at least 6 hours of supervised teaching practice with actual students (not peer trainees - a dodge some of the online courses offer). CELTA is the name brand, but there are a few generics that meet the standard too...
Consider taking the course in the country where you want to start.
There are lots of good reasons.... though I have to admit I'm not sure if there is such a thing in KSA. I have friends who've taught in the Kingdom (and I currently teach Saudi students here in the Netherlands) and most KSA jobs seem to require a relevant MA plus experience. With no experience and an online cert, I don't think you'll get an actual job, though you might find some kinds of private teaching....
In gereral, though, for what little it's worth in your case....
Training in-country offers you a great chance to get your feet wet in the country/culture while you still have a support system � they usually arrange for your housing during the course, airport pickup, and local orientation. Your practice teaching students will really be representative of those you�ll be working with when you start. You can be sure that your certification will be recognized by local employers, and a training centre can give you invaluable contacts and advice regarding reputable local employers. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
honeyandsweetie
Joined: 17 Sep 2009
Posts: 7
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:37 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Iam just wondering if I were to do the in country CELTA course will it be sufficent enough for employers? I really need to find something in Saudi arabia because if I go on a family visa I can't work. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
If you can find one....I just don't know if CELTA is offered in Saudi. And, remember, most Saudi jobs require far more serious qualifications than just an entry-level cert.
You might move your inquiry to the Saudi forum - you'll find it below. There are quite a few 'old hands' who post regularly there.
luck! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 2:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
| HOnestly, if I were you, I'd enjoy the time off, just teach some privates. With competition being what it is in the ME, you'll be hard pressed to find a job with no experience. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
honeyandsweetie
Joined: 17 Sep 2009
Posts: 7
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 5:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
| CELTA is offered in Saudia arabia through the British Council. I am wondering if this would be enough to land a job. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ariadne
Joined: 16 Jul 2004
Posts: 960
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 12:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Spiral78 gave some good advice. Go to the Saudi forum and there will be lots more people with on the ground experience and advice for you.
. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 3:06 pm Post subject: Re: Wondering where to start |
|
|
| honeyandsweetie wrote: |
| Hey guys Iam new here and I am wondering where to start. My husband is currently employed in KSA and Iam hoping to join him sometime next august. I have no previous teaching experience but I do have a BA degree, I know that alot of schools ask for 2+ years of experience and a TESOL/TESL certificate. I am wondering if I can do the TESOL certificate online, the only thing is there are so many TESOL/TESL certificate websites and iam not sure which one to use. Also what are the odds that I can land a job when I have no previous teaching experience and find a school thats close to where my husband lives? |
Do an on-site course if you can but, if not, then if you do choose to do an online course, make sure it offers at least six hours of supervised teaching practice on-site with real ESL/EFL students (not fellow teacher trainees like i-to-i does). Some on-site course providers - including at least one Trinity course - offers an equivalent online variant (though let's be clear here: the online course is not, itself, a Trinity course) with on-site supervised teaching practice with real ESL/EFL students. The most important thing is the on-site supervised teaching practice; so, that's what you should be looking for. One option, if you don't mind spending a couple of weeks in Toronto to do the on-site teaching practice, is the course provided by Coventry House International (www.ontesol.ca). There are a few other on-site course providers out there that also offer an online course with on-site supervised teaching practice and they may be worth looking into.
The reason some people ridiculously insist that no online course is acceptable is because they have their heads up their backsides and they just assume that all online courses are the same and that none of them offer the course content of an on-site course or offer the all-important supervised teaching practice with real ESL/EFL students. It's time for them to come into the 21st century and recognize that even major regionally accredited government universities offer online (distance) full degree programs that have the same content and requirements as their on-site programs.
Again, though, what's most important is the on-site supervised teaching practice with real ESL/EFL students: make sure that whatever course you take provides at least six hours of such supervised teaching practice.
Another option, since you already have a bachelor's degree, is to forget these measely four-week entry-level courses (and their online equivalents) and go for a graduate certificate in TESL or, if you want to do TEFL as a career, a master's degree in TESL or applied linguistics. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
coledavis
Joined: 21 Jun 2003
Posts: 1838
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 6:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
But Chancellor, the university courses available online are only in subjects where content is all-important and practical skills are not at all important. Teaching is a very practical subject: you really want to be able to observe experienced teachers at work and also to get observations of your own practice.
Also, note that employers ask for the CELTA, so why opt for something they don't want?
With regard to the question about whether or not the CELTA should be taken in a specific country, I don't think it matters too much, except that if you do it at home you learn teaching multilingual classes whereas your new job - if outside your own country - is likely to be with monolingual classes. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| coledavis wrote: |
| But Chancellor, the university courses available online are only in subjects where content is all-important and practical skills are not at all important. Teaching is a very practical subject: you really want to be able to observe experienced teachers at work and also to get observations of your own practice. |
That is not entirely true (what you said about the courses universities do online). Some universities do have very practical education courses (as in courses one would take if pursuing an education degree) online, e.g. courses such as differentiated instruction or instructional adaptation for special education are very practical.
| Quote: |
| Also, note that employers ask for the CELTA, so why opt for something they don't want? |
They ask for CELTA because they're familiar with the brand name.
| Quote: |
| With regard to the question about whether or not the CELTA should be taken in a specific country, I don't think it matters too much, except that if you do it at home you learn teaching multilingual classes whereas your new job - if outside your own country - is likely to be with monolingual classes. |
There are good arguments to be made for doing it in your home country, in the country where you want to teach, and in some other country. As long as the course includes that all-important supervised teaching practice, I'd say it's a matter of personal preference. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
coledavis
Joined: 21 Jun 2003
Posts: 1838
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 1:33 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Chancellor wrote: |
| coledavis wrote: |
| But Chancellor, the university courses available online are only in subjects where content is all-important and practical skills are not at all important. Teaching is a very practical subject: you really want to be able to observe experienced teachers at work and also to get observations of your own practice. |
That is not entirely true (what you said about the courses universities do online). Some universities do have very practical education courses (as in courses one would take if pursuing an education degree) online, e.g. courses such as differentiated instruction or instructional adaptation for special education are very practical.
| Quote: |
| Also, note that employers ask for the CELTA, so why opt for something they don't want? |
They ask for CELTA because they're familiar with the brand name.
| Quote: |
| With regard to the question about whether or not the CELTA should be taken in a specific country, I don't think it matters too much, except that if you do it at home you learn teaching multilingual classes whereas your new job - if outside your own country - is likely to be with monolingual classes. |
There are good arguments to be made for doing it in your home country, in the country where you want to teach, and in some other country. As long as the course includes that all-important supervised teaching practice, I'd say it's a matter of personal preference. |
pt.1 - but for teaching?
pt.2 - yes, unfortunate way of the world, but new people need to consider this if they are to get better jobs. Also, there are some standards on these courses.
pt.3 - yes. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 12:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| coledavis wrote: |
| Chancellor wrote: |
| coledavis wrote: |
| But Chancellor, the university courses available online are only in subjects where content is all-important and practical skills are not at all important. Teaching is a very practical subject: you really want to be able to observe experienced teachers at work and also to get observations of your own practice. |
That is not entirely true (what you said about the courses universities do online). Some universities do have very practical education courses (as in courses one would take if pursuing an education degree) online, e.g. courses such as differentiated instruction or instructional adaptation for special education are very practical.
| Quote: |
| Also, note that employers ask for the CELTA, so why opt for something they don't want? |
They ask for CELTA because they're familiar with the brand name.
| Quote: |
| With regard to the question about whether or not the CELTA should be taken in a specific country, I don't think it matters too much, except that if you do it at home you learn teaching multilingual classes whereas your new job - if outside your own country - is likely to be with monolingual classes. |
There are good arguments to be made for doing it in your home country, in the country where you want to teach, and in some other country. As long as the course includes that all-important supervised teaching practice, I'd say it's a matter of personal preference. |
pt.1 - but for teaching? |
Yes. Of course, if you were pursuing a teaching degree with hope of eventual licensure, at least one course in that program would be some sort of supervised teaching practicum or field experience. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
