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[nik_knack0828]

I hope you never leave, Batman. I like your posts.

[About The Author]

If one of your student reported he had problems with /ed/ final syllables in past simple regular verbs. You should observe which verbs students have problems with in terms of /ed/ final syllables. Then you elicit from the students under which column (/d/ /t/ /id/) the verb should go and write them on the chart. The students write the verbs in the correct columns on their handout and they have this for future reference.

...../d/.........../t/........../id/

.Believed....Asked.....Hated

.Closed....Attached...Painted

[chegs]

Philolinguist.

Here you go again. Why shouldn't people who haven't obtained a degree teach in China? How the hell would a degree in say, Physics or Medieval History help you to teach English.

To pass a bachelor's degree nowadays requires less work than it does to pass a one month intensive TESOL or CELTA course. I know, as I've done both.

As an employer here, the first thing I look for is people who have passed the TESOL/CELTA and have had some teaching experience, then a little life and different work experience, then someone who has travelled and experienced different cultures.

You're kidding yourself if you think a degree is worth diddly squat nowadays. All it proves is that you attended the minimum number of lectures and were able to borrow enough money to sustain yourself through three or four years of something which eventually doesn't help your life in any way when you join the "real" world.

As Jim Royle might say "Degree, my arse!"

[anthyp]

Excuse me, but attaining a Bachelor's degree (one does not "pass" a Bachelor's, by the way) is most certainly not easier than getting a TEFL. In my TEFL course maybe 1 person failed out of 25 or 30, and that was because he quit midway. We know that plenty of people pass those things who don't belong in a classroom ... just show up for four weeks, bumble your way through the practice lessons, and you've got it, right? What's so tough about that? The grammar tests? Please. You are going to compare a four year investment to a four week one? That's just silly and not worthy of serious debate.

Regarding Philo's post, I think what he was talking about specifically was non - native speakers teaching English, and how they should have English degrees (or at least a degree in something), before they can teach ESL. I don't think he was referring to TEFLers in general. But I'll let the man speak for himself.

[naturegirl321]

[anthyp]

Whoops! My OP was written a bit hastily. Hey naturegirl, you don't know where I got my TEFL ... so don't make assumptions about its value. I went to a perfectly fine institute that was just as rigorous as yours, and my certificate is worth just as much, etc. I just found it a little easy, though perhaps I exaggerated the effort required by others.

Anyway my point was that it doesn't make sense to compare a TEFL to a Bachelor's degree. It wasn't to degrade a TEFL certificate, or imply it isn't worth anything, whatever. Only to contrast it to a Bachelor's which I think requires a much greater investment of time (obviously) and effort. Regardless of how hard you had to work for your TEFL ... let's face it, we're not talking rocket science here. And to remind everybody who seems to have forgotten it, we are talking about non - native speakers here ... who I certainly think should have a degree before even thinking about getting into ESL. Let's not get side - tracked with other issues.

[chegs]

So, if you don't pass (attain) a Bachelor's degree having studied it for 3/4 years I guess you didn't fail?

[anthyp]