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88grace
Joined: 09 Jan 2010
Posts: 3
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 Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 11:29 pm Post subject: Certified teacher, do I need a TEFL? |
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| I'm a certified teacher in the states, and have been teaching in Korea for the past nine months. I also have some teaching experience at home. I would like to be able to teach in another part of the world, other than Asia. Do I need to get a TEFL? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 1:16 am Post subject: |
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| Many international schools (at least, those in Japan) will require that teaching license plus a couple of years of experience in your home country. If you are looking at other kinds of teaching, though, what you have is probably sufficient for most entry level jobs. |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| Many international schools (at least, those in Japan) will require that teaching license plus a couple of years of experience in your home country. |
Assuming, of course, that you're going to teach a subject covered by the certification, e.g. high school science if your licensure is as a science teacher
| Quote: |
| If you are looking at other kinds of teaching, though, what you have is probably sufficient for most entry level jobs. |
Since when is not having a TEFL certificate "sufficient for most entry-level jobs" when the TEFL certificate is an entry-level certificate? |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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Since when is not having a TEFL certificate "sufficient for most entry-level jobs" when the TEFL certificate is an entry-level certificate?
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A cert is one option for a lot of entry level jobs, but most countries and employers don't have a single requirement, and do consider alternatives.
Most employers I've worked with would happily consider a state certified teacher, who usually has at least a year of university education courses, over a cert grad, who has done a four-week intensive course, usually.
My advice to the OP, by the way, is that you should still consider some EFL specific training (a reputable TESOL cert) if you're going to teach EFL.
But, since you're already a "real" teacher, the market doesn't usually demand this- it's just my own recommendation.
My reason for recommending it is that I've seen a lot of mainstream teachers from the US and the UK really struggle in an EFL environment. When you teach, say, math, you use English (or whatever, but a proficient language) to teach it.
When you teach Englishb overseas, you teach English, using English. It calls for a different skillset, and sometimes mindset, to deal with the communication problems that are sure to come up. A good TESOL cert can help. (I'm not unbiased- I'm an SIT TESOL trainer. In addition to newbies, I've worked with a lot of licensed, highly experienced teachers on this course- they tell me that even though they were trained teachers before, they get a lot out of it.)
Best,
Justin |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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If you want to teach EFL, then yes
If you want to teach in an intl school, then no. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Chancellor wrote: |
| Glenski wrote: |
| If you are looking at other kinds of teaching, though, what you have is probably sufficient for most entry level jobs. |
Since when is not having a TEFL certificate "sufficient for most entry-level jobs" when the TEFL certificate is an entry-level certificate? |
In Japan and many other places, you don't need a TEFL certificate for entry level jobs. All you need is a bachelor's degree in any major from anthropology to zoology. |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Justin Trullinger wrote: |
| Quote: |
Since when is not having a TEFL certificate "sufficient for most entry-level jobs" when the TEFL certificate is an entry-level certificate?
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A cert is one option for a lot of entry level jobs, but most countries and employers don't have a single requirement, and do consider alternatives.
Most employers I've worked with would happily consider a state certified teacher, who usually has at least a year of university education courses, over a cert grad, who has done a four-week intensive course, usually.
My advice to the OP, by the way, is that you should still consider some EFL specific training (a reputable TESOL cert) if you're going to teach EFL.
But, since you're already a "real" teacher, the market doesn't usually demand this- it's just my own recommendation.
My reason for recommending it is that I've seen a lot of mainstream teachers from the US and the UK really struggle in an EFL environment. When you teach, say, math, you use English (or whatever, but a proficient language) to teach it.
When you teach Englishb overseas, you teach English, using English. It calls for a different skillset, and sometimes mindset, to deal with the communication problems that are sure to come up. A good TESOL cert can help. (I'm not unbiased- I'm an SIT TESOL trainer. In addition to newbies, I've worked with a lot of licensed, highly experienced teachers on this course- they tell me that even though they were trained teachers before, they get a lot out of it.)
Best,
Justin |
Teaching a language is certainly not the same thing as teaching a subject like math or science or even so-called "English" in American schools. I think that a certain amount of training specifically in language education would be helpful - such as the original poster could get from pursuing a graduate certificate if he didn't want to go get a master's degree, or from taking a TEFL certification course. |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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| naturegirl321 wrote: |
If you want to teach EFL, then yes
If you want to teach in an intl school, then no. |
And if you wanted to teach EFL in an international school? |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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We agree, as fairly usual, Chancellor.
I thought my post was pretty clear that I see EFL teaching as a separate job, and recommend specialized training for it. Heck, I spend most of my time offering specialized training for EFL/ESL teachers.
But that's different than thinking it's a job requirement. For many countries and many jobs, EFL specific training isn't required for the entry level jobs- stupid, in my opinion, but true.
I'll separate my opinion from requirements, though. A minimum of a decent TESOL cert is recommended, by me, for ALL entry level EFL jobs. Sometimes, this is required. Often, it isn't.
Best,
Justin |
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jdl
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 632
Location: cyberspace
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| Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:28 am Post subject: |
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88grace,
If your teacher training includes any ELA/ESL courses, highlight this in your resume. This should solve any problems you may encounter regarding questions about your 'fit' in the ESL environment since your practicum and any ELA/ESL methods courses you have taken will far surpass the ESL requirement/industry standard.
The ESL industry seems to be moving towards hiring certificated teachers; that is, the 4-7 year B.Eds, M.Eds. Times have changed and teachers are becoming more favoured. Be sure to highlight that you are a 'real teacher' as someone has put it.
You are marketable and in demand....good luck. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Chancellor wrote: |
| naturegirl321 wrote: |
If you want to teach EFL, then yes
If you want to teach in an intl school, then no. |
And if you wanted to teach EFL in an international school? |
Yep, because it's an INTL school, most schools, not all, will require them. |
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Molson
Joined: 01 May 2009
Posts: 137
Location: China
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 4:44 am Post subject: |
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| Chancellor wrote: |
| naturegirl321 wrote: |
If you want to teach EFL, then yes
If you want to teach in an intl school, then no. |
And if you wanted to teach EFL in an international school? |
You don't EFL in international schools. Most international schools have some type of ELAP or ESL transition program. For that, they would most likely look for previous experience with ESL.
I have ESL listed on my certification as an area I can teach in. |
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Sadebugo
Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 524
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:39 pm Post subject: Re: Certified teacher, do I need a TEFL? |
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| 88grace wrote: |
| I'm a certified teacher in the states, and have been teaching in Korea for the past nine months. I also have some teaching experience at home. I would like to be able to teach in another part of the world, other than Asia. Do I need to get a TEFL? |
What subject are you certified in? I never had a TEFL certificate but was always able to get good jobs wherever I went. I worked in a high school and university in Korea, a university in Thailand, and for two different military contractors in Saudi Arabia. I am now working for the US government teaching EFL. I did eventually acquire an MATEFL but was only working on it at the time I was hired for most of those jobs.
So, to answer your question, I believe it is not necessary for you especially because you're a certified teacher which will carry more weight with MOST employers. Of course, there are those on this board that will argue you should be certified in ESL/EFL to do a better job, etc. but that wasn't really your question, was it?
Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/ |
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