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Nkengaola
Joined: 28 Nov 2011
Posts: 92
Location: Wanzhou, Chongqing
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 Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:10 pm Post subject: Former Will Excel TESOL students/teachers - your thoughts? |
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I have been looking at various places to complete my TEFL/TESOL/CELTA (I haven't decided which to do, or what country). Will Excel TESOL has come up a couple of times, and I am looking for someone who has actually completed the program and taught afterwards and get some information.
1. How useful was the program instruction once you were out teaching your students?
2. Do you feel you could have done as well without going through Will Excel? Why or why not?
3. Have you moved on to teach in another country? Was your certificate accepted there?
Thank you SO much for your time! I was trying to get some information from the forums, but people either gave very generic "good" opinions of the program, or people who never attended the program were giving their opinion. Not that those aren't somewhat helpful, but I think hearing from actual former students/teachers would be more helpful. Thanks again! |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:38 pm Post subject: Re: Former Will Excel TESOL students/teachers - your thought |
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| Nkengaola wrote: |
I have been looking at various places to complete my TEFL/TESOL/CELTA (I haven't decided which to do, or what country). Will Excel TESOL has come up a couple of times, and I am looking for someone who has actually completed the program and taught afterwards and get some information.
1. How useful was the program instruction once you were out teaching your students?
2. Do you feel you could have done as well without going through Will Excel? Why or why not?
3. Have you moved on to teach in another country? Was your certificate accepted there?
Thank you SO much for your time! I was trying to get some information from the forums, but people either gave very generic "good" opinions of the program, or people who never attended the program were giving their opinion. Not that those aren't somewhat helpful, but I think hearing from actual former students/teachers would be more helpful. Thanks again! |
Not meaning to derail your thread but....
Do you have a degree and where on the planet would you like to go?
Both questions make a difference in the answer to your questions.
In regards to question # 1, I can't specifically answer, "How useful was the program instruction once you were out teaching your students?" with regards to that specific TESOL program but IN GENERAL, any TESOL cert with the observed practicum will improve your teaching skills when working with adults. They, with the exception of the CELTA-YL (or similar programs) are virtually useless when it comes to teaching kids.
In regards to #2/3
If you have a degree and US passport you can go almost everywhere outside of the EU and the TEFL/TESOL course you choose won't make much difference.
If you don't have a degree then your options become severely limited and proper legal work with appropriate visas and work/residence permits won't happen in many countries in Asia (including China) and the brand of TESOL cert won't matter. You may find that some employers will use a "work-around" by using the wrong visa class or regular border runs to obtain a new visa or just outright bribery to get past the requirements.
In other countries and not having a degree the brand of TESOL does matter and the best recognized and respected brands (globally) include the SIT TESOL, Trinity and CELTA.
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Nkengaola
Joined: 28 Nov 2011
Posts: 92
Location: Wanzhou, Chongqing
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| Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:55 pm Post subject: |
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Hi tttompatz,
I do have a bachelors degree. I haven't decided what country I want to start teaching in. I'm asking about this program because, since I've never taught before, nor have I lived in another country before, I'm looking for a program with some built-in support while I get started teaching, but that is useful enough for me to take my certificate elsewhere when I'm ready to move on to another country.
Thanks for responding. |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 1:36 am Post subject: |
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| Nkengaola wrote: |
Hi tttompatz,
I do have a bachelors degree. I haven't decided what country I want to start teaching in. I'm asking about this program because, since I've never taught before, nor have I lived in another country before, I'm looking for a program with some built-in support while I get started teaching, but that is useful enough for me to take my certificate elsewhere when I'm ready to move on to another country.
Thanks for responding. |
Personally, in my opinion, the "built-in support" isn't worth the screen space it takes up.
If you want to get a course, take the best you can afford or skip it and take a job to see if you actually want to stay in TEFL.
Any cert that uses 500 hours of employment as part of the program is usually NOT all the website claims.
120 course. 6 hours of observed and critiqued practicum (not 500 hours of sink or swim) is the standard.
I would also venture to guess that the salary offered during your 500 hours is substantially less than you would get if you just applied for a job sans their TEFL cert.
My nickel's worth of free advice:
Pick a country or 2.
Look at the job ads and what they are asking for in terms of qualifications.
Look at the remuneration packages (compare savings and quality of life NOT base salary).
Then decide what you need to do to get where you want to go.
There are LOTS of jobs in EFL. China alone (SAFEA) has said they will need 500,000 NEW foreign teachers over the next 10 years. Korea will take in another 200,000. 200,000 more in Thailand, Taiwan and Malaysia. In total, about 100, 000 NEW teachers will be required every year.
Some positions are CRAP but you don't need anything more than a passport to get them. $500/mo with no benefits is common.
Some are OK. You usually need at least a degree to get them.
$1200-$2000/mo and may include benefits like housing, medical and/or airfare allowances.
Some make a decent career path if that is where you want to go. They start with a degree and TEFL cert and expect you to continue to improve professionally. $2000-$5000/mo + full benefit packages.
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Nkengaola
Joined: 28 Nov 2011
Posts: 92
Location: Wanzhou, Chongqing
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| Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 3:45 am Post subject: |
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| Tttompatz, I understand what you're saying. I've read similar opinions all over these forums. I'd still like to hear from someone who's gone through this program. But thanks for the advice! |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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There clearly aren't too many grads of this programme around on Dave's. I suppose you might infer something from that.  |
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Nkengaola
Joined: 28 Nov 2011
Posts: 92
Location: Wanzhou, Chongqing
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