Job Discussion Forums

[sharvey]

I have a BA in the USA in English/Journalism secondary education. For whatever reason I ended up in the business world, however I am now seeking advice on how to pursue a different career avenue.

Would I need a cert? If so, what is the best avenue to take besides an intensive 3-4 week or so class? I cannot leave work for that long.

I see with interest that unlike business online certs are not as accepted as they are in business. That is to say interesting, however another topic.

I hae a semester of student teaching and 3 years or so of substitute teaching.

Thanks for any help!

[santi84]

If you want to teach but do not want to take a basic TESL/TEFL course (the 4 week courses with the 10 hours observed practice are industry minimum), you have a couple of options:

1. Choose a location (Japan, China, etc) where a TESL/TEFL course is not required for employment

2. Try a "mixed" format course, such as Coventry:
http://www.study-at-coventry.com/chi/index.htm
*This will still require a practicum, but you can do the majority of the coursework via distance. In Canada, this course is acceptable and well-regarded (it qualifies for level II vs level I for CELTA).

I know that international schools (the "cream of the crop") require at least two years teaching experience, but I'm not sure if three years of substitute teaching will qualify. Someone with more experience in that should chime up shortly.

[Chancellor]

[sharvey]

Thanks for the rrelies. I will be looking into this in the near future.

[Tantris]

It depends on where you are planning to go. Some countries expect a cert others don't. Your background sounds ideal though.

[sharvey]

I am looking at Africa, however after seeing posts the job hunt there seems to be plagued by some dubious operators. Other options would be southeast Asia or Turkey.