Job Discussion Forums

[NLuchs]

Hi everyone!
I just thought of another question for you seasoned teachers/travelers out there. I'd like to go abroad next year and teach english, preferably in China because I don't have a whole year. I will have a bachelor's degree by the time I leave, however, I haven't yet taken a TEFL/ TESOL course. Unfortunately I've only found some online TEFL courses with a weekend so far, and I'd really like some hands on experience. (Mainly because I have no teaching experience, except for some private tutoring). Can you recommend traveling to the country you'd like to teach in, say China, a month in advance and taking a TEFL crash-course of about four weeks?
Thanks!

[nomad soul]

NLuchs:

I can't answer your question about "crash course" TEFL cert programs in China. However, if the school or institute you plan to teach at does not require a TEFL cert, then another option for you is to start volunteer teaching one or two times a week as a teaching assistant or classroom tutor at one of your local, nonprofit ESL refugee or literacy organizations. You'd gain teaching experience and would be under the guidance of a seasoned ESL teacher. Plus, some of these programs offer free TESL training sessions for their volunteers. You could certainly make the most of such an opportunity. By the time you get to China next year, you'd have a better sense of how to teach and manage your classroom.

[coledavis]

If you're going to do a four week course (and these are considered standard, not 'crash'), then why not do the CELTA or Trinity? Almost all employers who state a preference ask for these. You then have some choice where you teach and know what you are doing. (I've met graduates of these 'weekend practicum' type courses; they are not ready to teach.)

Also, if your ideas change in the future, you want to teach again or in another country, you have an appropriate qualification and experience.

[Sashadroogie]

Hi Nluchs

Weekend courses are a total waste of time - and your money.

Online courses without any teaching practice are a total waste of your time - and money.

Courses with a teaching practice but that doesn't involve real language learners are a total waste of time - and your money.

'Method' school courses are a total waste of time - and your money.

As advised above, go for a CELTA or Trinity etc. Standard pre-service course that do what they say on the tin. Not a waste of your time nor your money either.

[tttompatz]

[coledavis]

"NO global certification/accreditation services". I don't agree. While we may not always respect CELTA/Trinity, they are globally accredited courses. There is a basic level of regulation. By Cambridge University in the former case, by Trinity in the latter.

[tttompatz]

[Sashadroogie]

What global accreditation authorities would you suggest?

[tttompatz]

[Sashadroogie]

I read it. But I wished to know what global accreditation you'd like if Cambridge regulation, for example, isn't good enough.

[tttompatz]

[coledavis]

This is a bit of a metaphysical argument. You can't claim to be globally accredited because global accreditation systems don't exist. Well, this is sort of the case with all educational systems, not just TEFL. We don't strictly know, in strictly logical terms, that Oxford or Harvard degrees are worth having. If I was a Frenchman or an Indonesian, there would be nothing that would strictly say that these universities, or Cambridge or Princeton or Yale are any good.

Back to the real world. There is a general acceptance in the world of English as a Second (Foreign) Language [and here we go again: strictly speaking, does such a 'world' exist?] that CELTA and Trinity couses have certain attributes, as regulated by their respective accrediting authorities. They are accepted in most countries that have anything to do with TEFL. And that, as with our assumptions about the sun and moon existing, is about as good as it gets.

[Vince]

What about TESOL's TESOL Core Certificate ? Is it considered to be a quality program?

[spiral78]

[tttompatz]