Job Discussion Forums

[markcmc]

[Perilla]

IELTS security is usually pretty tight in my experience. In HK the candidates' ID is scrutinised by admin staff and the examiner, so an imposter's chances of getting away with it are somewhere between slim and zero.

I can imagine it might be a bit less airtight elsewhere, but IELTS did tighten its operation after the China scam came to light. I doubt if many succeed in dodging the system.

[pr455]

[spiral78]

Hi, Shawn. Yes, I've familiar with this programme and have heard some good things about it. The teachers I know who have worked on it have been from the UK, but I think that you are doing this on a student visa. I'd be curious (not for myself, but as general information) what qualifications/training you needed to get on this programme? The UK teachers I know all have pretty serious quals and experience, so I suppose that's the standard for the programme overall?

[pr455]

Spiral,

I have been in education for more than 18 years and have held positions in administration, teaching, tutoring and training programs. My qualifications alone got me the position as teacher trainer. Speaking of degrees, I have an MA in Spanish from the USA, but once you learn teaching methodolgy from one language, you can easily transfer it to another.

My area of expertise is using authentic material in the classroom and explaing to teachers how to lesson plan and create activities around it. I am also doing research now that pertains to literacy and am gearing up to give conferences this year here in Spain.

Since I am here as an English Language Assistant, I have branched out and have held other positions as well as being just an English Language Assistant. I am also working with another colleague to provide training to bilingual teachers, but through a major publishing company here in Spain. I have created the curriculum for the class and my colleague has created the curriculum for her class. We are waiting for students to sign up in September to get the ball rolling.

To answer your question, in essence, just like anything else in life, it's a mixture of qualifications and marketing yourself to the right people. I am talking about about being a teacher trainer and not an actual teacher in the bilingual program. Just clarifying my point.

Shawn

[spiral78]

Dear Shawn:

I fully understand - my own qualifications are similar to yours and I have been involved in teacher training (both CELTA type and ongoing professional development for practicing teachers) for some years, along with curriculum development. I think the two are closely related, as when we design curriculum and materials, we are necessarily imagining the range of things we think will work well in the classrooms where they will be used.

What I'd like to clarify for newbies reading this thread is that training jobs such as you describe aren't necessarily open to any teacher going to Spain on a student visa. As you point out, they do take significant qualifications and experience.

Most of the readers here tend to be pre-certification newbies, who can certainly qualify for student visas, and can then also get paid teaching work on the side, along with privates. However, they won't qualify for the better-paid jobs you describe -

just to make that clear to newbies reading the threads and trying to make realistic plans.

Best regards,
spiral

[pr455]

Dear Spiral,

You are certainly right about newbies not necessarily being qualified for these jobs and this is why I gave a little background about my experience. Since the majority of American coming here to Spain, and who want to work legally will be on a student visa, I did mention academy work as well so that they can complement their income if they are coming here on the Language Assistant Program.

Such great posts you give here. I enjoy reading them.

Take care,

Shawn