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Tesol or Tefl - which is better?
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artemisia



Joined: 04 Nov 2008
Posts: 875
Location: the world

PostPosted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 1:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I found this original comment confusing:
Quote:
a CELTA is virtually useless when working with kids (unless the YL module is added) and the LARGE majority of ESL/EFL work (now and in the future) will typically be working WITH KIDS.
then no doubt others will, too. It looks remarkably like a prediction of the English language class of the future - everywhere.

Clarifying that is not a hijack of this thread, nor is it a departure from �reality�. It is possible to discuss such issues without it being a competition about who knows more.

Again, I agree online certs are unlikely to be taken seriously because it's not clear what you had to do to get one and they don't generally involve supervised teaching practice. While teaching sometimes has a different approach according to whether it's ESOL or EFL (the former sometimes having a more practical approach for those living in an English speaking country), it's not a point likely to matter to employers.
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 2:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Guy Courchesne wrote:
Most of entry-level EFL work in Latin America is also with adults - businesspeople like you say Spiral, or university-aged students.


Yep, same in Peru. Entry level though, once you move up, you can get into the good primary and secondary schools. At the end only about 10% of my work was with bsuiness peopel.

I like teaching both, but let's face it, kids' young ones at least, learn faster and their parents are happier. Adults, you have to deal with decades of L1 imput and things like family and work.

There's also a large teenage market. HS and Uni kids.

Anyways, we're talking to ourselves again. Smile The OP hasn't posted an answer.

Maybe we could generalise by area? LIke in Asia, you're most likely to teach X. IN Latin America, etc.
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 2:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jhere1,
Armed with all that information, can you tell us even remotely where you were hoping to work?
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jhere1



Joined: 09 Jun 2011
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all and thanks for your most informative replies.

I'm not sure where I will end up teaching, but probably either Asia or Latin America. I have read here that Asia pays better and often pays for housing, like in Korea.

I will teach children of elementary school age.

I am being asked whether I would like a tefl or tesol cert. I'm not sure which one to get, even with the replies here.

Any other comments would be appreciated.
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artemisia



Joined: 04 Nov 2008
Posts: 875
Location: the world

PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As you want to work abroad, I'd be more inclined to do TEFL. If you can include a young learner component, that would be good as you plan to teach elementary school children.

Do you have the option of delaying doing this for a couple of years?
Quote:
I will also have a 4 yr college degree in 2 yrs. At that time, I will look for a job abroad
.
It strikes me a TEFL certificate is going to be more helpful to do just prior to heading off teaching abroad, unless you'll going to able to do some classes in the US after getting it. Otherwise two years down the track, you may feel a bit out of touch with what you learnt. Can the ones asking you what you want to do (TEFL or TESOL) give you a bit of advice about this and information on delaying the cert?
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you're intersted in Latin America, come to the LA boards, we'd be happy to help you outl
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jhere1 wrote:
I will teach children of elementary school age.

I am being asked whether I would like a tefl or tesol cert. I'm not sure which one to get, even with the replies here.


Sadly, there don't seem to be courses specific for teaching kids, at least that I know of. Anyone know of any?

TEFL is when you teach in a country where English isn't used. Teaching English as a Foreign Lanugage.

TESOL or TESL is when you teach English in an English speaking country, like the US. Teaching english as a Second lanuage
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

TESOL is Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, which is a blanket term for both TEFL and TESL. As far as I know. But everyone seems to have their own slightly different angle of these acronyms:

http://www.britishcouncil.org/teacherrecruitment-tefl-qualifications-tefl-or-tesol.htm
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
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Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 8:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In any case, I do not think there really will be much difference in course content of an entry-level cert. Who is asking you if you'd like a TEFL or TESOL cert anyway?
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 12:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

His on-line course provider, from whom he's already taken the course. They're just asking what he wants on his cert Shocked
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd get TEFL if I were to teach abroad. TESOL, for teaching at home. But that's just me.
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
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Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 2:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

But why? Is there really all that much difference in an entry-level course?
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is usually no difference at all in an on-line course, such as the OP took. His/her course provider simply offers a choice of monikers for his/her cert, regardless of what was on the course.

So far as on-site courses, the makeup of the practice teaching students is the difference: in ESL contexts, students are likely of mixed L1, and in EFL contexts, they usually share an L1. So, there are practical differences which are sometimes reflected in the materials of the training course to some extent - not usually a very great one.
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 4:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I did my course many moons ago we had Headway and mixed students - some on holidays in an Anglophone country, some living there. Was that a TESL course or a TEFL course?

Can I go back and get the course providers to change the moniker?
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TESL. TEFL is when you are teaching in a country where English is a foreign language.

Demand change (and hope and better economic times and all that)!!
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