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wongmj
Joined: 10 May 2009
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 8:25 pm Post subject: TEFL Certification: UC vs. Oxford Seminar |
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I've read mixed reviews on the forums about Oxford Seminar, but I haven't seen anything written about reviews of TEFL Certifications from UC schools. I was thinking about taking a TEFL Certification from UCI (University of California, Irvine). The program costs a little more than $5000 whereas the Oxford Seminar is around $1000. Any thoughts about UC TEFL programs?
Thanks in advance! |
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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: Fri May 28, 2010 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: TEFL Certification: UC vs. Oxford Seminar |
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| wongmj wrote: |
I've read mixed reviews on the forums about Oxford Seminar, but I haven't seen anything written about reviews of TEFL Certifications from UC schools. I was thinking about taking a TEFL Certification from UCI (University of California, Irvine). The program costs a little more than $5000 whereas the Oxford Seminar is around $1000. Any thoughts about UC TEFL programs?
Thanks in advance! |
There is no comparison! Oxford Seminars is worthless. A certificate from a real university (I presume it's the graduate certificate you're referring to) is more than even the entry-level four-week TEFL courses like CELTA and Trinity. The only question I have is whether the UC Irvine program also offers a supervised teaching practicum with real ESL/EFL students as part of the course (Oxford Seminars doesn't and the practicum is the most important part of a TEFL course). |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 10:28 am Post subject: Re: TEFL Certification: UC vs. Oxford Seminar |
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| wongmj wrote: |
I've read mixed reviews on the forums about Oxford Seminar, but I haven't seen anything written about reviews of TEFL Certifications from UC schools. I was thinking about taking a TEFL Certification from UCI (University of California, Irvine). The program costs a little more than $5000 whereas the Oxford Seminar is around $1000. Any thoughts about UC TEFL programs?
Thanks in advance! |
Your choice could only be for a course from an accredited school.
Beyond that, it would largely depend on WHERE in the world you want to work.
For those countries in Europe it would be the CELTA or Trinity course.
For North America it would be a uni program like you are comtemplating.
For most of Asia you might look at a cheaper TESOL certification (again at an accredited school).
Costs will run from $1000 (tesol cert in SE Aisa) - $2000 (CELTA) -5000 (uni program).
Just a pause to think - for what you will pay at UCI you can spend a month in Thailand doing a CELTA AND spend an additional month on the beach AND have some money left over for your job search.
What you do will depend largely on your future plans, career path and where you plan to work.
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wongmj
Joined: 10 May 2009
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 3:42 pm Post subject: Re: TEFL Certification: UC vs. Oxford Seminar |
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| tttompatz wrote: |
Your choice could only be for a course from an accredited school.
Beyond that, it would largely depend on WHERE in the world you want to work.
For those countries in Europe it would be the CELTA or Trinity course.
For North America it would be a uni program like you are comtemplating.
For most of Asia you might look at a cheaper TESOL certification (again at an accredited school).
Costs will run from $1000 (tesol cert in SE Aisa) - $2000 (CELTA) -5000 (uni program).
Just a pause to think - for what you will pay at UCI you can spend a month in Thailand doing a CELTA AND spend an additional month on the beach AND have some money left over for your job search.
What you do will depend largely on your future plans, career path and where you plan to work.
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Ideally I would want to work somewhere in Asia. Specifically Taiwan. I've had some volunteer ESL tutoring experience, but that wasn't enough to get me a job so I figured my only option was to get some kind of certification.
Just recently I applied for the Peace Corps to teach English abroad. I received a nomination to go to Eastern Europe. They do not require a certification, but I think it would be nice if I had some kind of formal training to prepare me if I do end up going. Even if I do go off to do this, it would be great if I still had the proper experience/certification to go off to teach English in Asia if that's what I end up choosing to do in the future.
Thank you again for the help! |
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namerae
Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 10
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: TEFL Certification: UC vs. Oxford Seminar |
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| Chancellor wrote: |
| There is no comparison! Oxford Seminars is worthless. A certificate from a real university (I presume it's the graduate certificate you're referring to) is more than even the entry-level four-week TEFL courses like CELTA and Trinity. The only question I have is whether the UC Irvine program also offers a supervised teaching practicum with real ESL/EFL students as part of the course (Oxford Seminars doesn't and the practicum is the most important part of a TEFL course). |
Can you be a bit more specific on why the TEFL/TESOL from Oxford Seminars is worthless? You don't give any reasons, just your opinion. Thanks. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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Chancellor wrote: also offers a supervised teaching practicum with real ESL/EFL students as part of the course (Oxford Seminars doesn't and the practicum is the most important part of a TEFL course).
Chancellor did spell it out - and I agree with him - supervised teaching practice with actual students and feedback from experienced teacher trainers is the key element of a cert course in MANY regions of the world. There are places where quals without the teaching are accepted - these obviously tend to be places where the need is greater and fewer teachers want to go. |
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santi84
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
Posts: 1317
Location: under da sea
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| Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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| spiral78 wrote: |
Chancellor wrote: also offers a supervised teaching practicum with real ESL/EFL students as part of the course (Oxford Seminars doesn't and the practicum is the most important part of a TEFL course).
Chancellor did spell it out - and I agree with him - supervised teaching practice with actual students and feedback from experienced teacher trainers is the key element of a cert course in MANY regions of the world. There are places where quals without the teaching are accepted - these obviously tend to be places where the need is greater and fewer teachers want to go. |
In addition...
The supervised practice is essential for more than just getting hired - if you aren't an experienced teacher, the classroom experience and feedback is invaluable. I can vouch that just a few weeks of supervised practice and feedback was even more helpful than 30-40 upper-level university credits of TESL coursework! |
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Gtomas
Joined: 03 Jun 2010
Posts: 100
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| Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 12:35 am Post subject: |
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As I understand it:
Most decent schools want certificates saying you've got some teaching time under your belt.
Oxford doesn't offer that as far as I know. |
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star2010
Joined: 29 May 2010
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:50 am Post subject: |
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| I suppose it depends on where you are looking. I have lately been looking in the Middle East, and specifically the Gulf region. I have been told by a recruiter that the certificate must consist of at least 120 hours. Correct me if I am wrong, but I belive Oxford Seminars is less than that. I was also told to avoid the weekend courses. |
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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 Jun 08, 2010 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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| star2010 wrote: |
| I suppose it depends on where you are looking. I have lately been looking in the Middle East, and specifically the Gulf region. I have been told by a recruiter that the certificate must consist of at least 120 hours. Correct me if I am wrong, but I belive Oxford Seminars is less than that. I was also told to avoid the weekend courses. |
Oxford Seminars is a weekend course. I-to-i offers a weekend with its online courses and its teaching "practicum" is on other teacher trainees and not real ESL/EFL students.
CELTA, Trinity and SIT are the brand name entry level courses. There are some generic courses out there as well that meet the minimum requirement of 100-120 course hours and six hours of supervised teaching practice with real ESL/EFL students. There's a Trinity course in Toronto that offers 250 course hours and 20 hours of supervised teaching practice with real ESL students (http://www.study-at-coventry.com/chi/index.htm); that course is recognized by TESL Canada (any TESL Canada course would be worthwhile; http://www.tesl.ca/Secondary_Navigation/TESL_Canada_Recognized_Teacher_Training_Programs/Recognized_Teacher_Training_Programs.htm). I have a Standard 2 certificate from TESL Canada. |
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michgreen
Joined: 16 Apr 2010
Posts: 27
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| Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:48 pm Post subject: |
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| The Peace Corp will provide you with intense ESL training, but not at the level of a CELTA. |
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