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roseannanna
Joined: 15 May 2013
Posts: 20
Location: United Kingdom
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 Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 5:39 pm Post subject: TEFL Qualified but expected to be experienced straight away? |
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I cannot get my head around TEFL teaching.You take a course and are expected to create your lesson plans as part of it.
You get to the country and start your job and they expect you to know everything inside out already and follow every aspect of the schemes of work including games and worksheets!Whereas in the UK teachers adapt their own lesson plans!
If you are not good enough they terminate your contract straight away without giving you any chance to improve!
It just doesnt make sense to me at all when some of these people who are teaching have no experience in working with children! |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Eh? Where have you been working, Roseannanna? |
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roseannanna
Joined: 15 May 2013
Posts: 20
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Sashadroogie wrote: |
| Eh? Where have you been working, Roseannanna? |
Hong Kong! I just don't get TEFL teaching.I don't know whether I am no good as a teacher or I didn't fit the culture! |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: TEFL Qualified but expected to be experienced straight a |
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You don't give specifics, so I'm guessing that your TEFL course focused on adult learners but you ended up teaching children. Or your course didn't include any supervised teaching practice---that it somehow didn't adequately prepare you to teach. Or your expectations for that job/life in the culture were high (unrealistic). Or... It could be any one or more of umteen reasons why you say you just don't "get" TEFL. Whatever the reason, it doesn't make sense to come to this conclusion after just one lousy teaching experience.
(What's with all the exclamation marks?) |
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roseannanna
Joined: 15 May 2013
Posts: 20
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 11:03 pm Post subject: Re: TEFL Qualified but expected to be experienced straight a |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
You don't give specifics, so I'm guessing that your TEFL course focused on adult learners but you ended up teaching children. Or your course didn't include any supervised teaching practice---that it somehow didn't adequately prepare you to teach. Or your expectations for that job/life in the culture were high (unrealistic). Or... It could be any one or more of umteen reasons why you say you just don't "get" TEFL. Whatever the reason, it doesn't make sense to come to this conclusion after just one lousy teaching experience.
(What's with all the exclamation marks?) |
Sorry, it was more a random muttering I guess.I went out there to get more experience and confidence of teaching in a classroom.I already have the experience as a teaching assistant and have worked with EAL pupils in smaller groups.
Although come to think of it maybe my TEFL course was suited to adult learners despite saying it was a range of ages.I know a lot of people out there have no classroom experience and no degrees.
I think my dyspraxia let me down a lot in Hong Kong.I am more of a visual learning and when I am overloaded with information my brain can just pop! Whereas Hong Kongers think quick and mathematically!
(sorry with exclamation marks - don't know why  ) |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 3:19 am Post subject: |
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| Ironically, some teachers can teach ESL in their home countries just fine but struggle with TEFL because they're in a completely different cultural environment. Likewise for those who start their TEFL careers overseas and subsequently, return home to try their hand at TESL. Both contexts often need a good adjustment period. |
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roseannanna
Joined: 15 May 2013
Posts: 20
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| Ironically, some teachers can teach ESL in their home countries just fine but struggle with TEFL because they're in a completely different cultural environment. Likewise for those who start their TEFL careers overseas and subsequently, return home to try their hand at TESL. Both contexts often need a good adjustment period. |
Quite right.I find it funny how TEFL course advertise TEFL teaching like going on holiday or backpacking (it really is not and I knew this before I left for Asia!).I was not suited to teaching abroad or in Hong Kong at least! |
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Coolguy123
Joined: 10 Apr 2013
Posts: 132
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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| What kind of course did you take? I haven't seen any TEFL courses advertised like that, and when I took mine, it definitely seemed like they let everyone know that it was a serious job. Likely a lot of schools don't know what certificates are or what kind of training they provide. |
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roseannanna
Joined: 15 May 2013
Posts: 20
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Coolguy123 wrote: |
| What kind of course did you take? I haven't seen any TEFL courses advertised like that, and when I took mine, it definitely seemed like they let everyone know that it was a serious job. Likely a lot of schools don't know what certificates are or what kind of training they provide. |
I'm from the UK and did mine through I to I TEFL as a 120 hour combined course.20 hours were spent at a weekend course! I think its more of a profit scheme. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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| roseannanna wrote: |
| I'm from the UK and did mine through I to I TEFL as a 120 hour combined course.20 hours were spent at a weekend course! I think its more of a profit scheme. |
I suspected that you completed an online TEFL course. Despite the short, in-class portion, online cert courses are rather mediocre and simply don't prepare teachers for the realities of teaching---of leading a classroom. That describes your Hong Kong experience. And yes, some course providers, as you found with i-to-i, tend to promote teaching as a great way to travel the world and experience fun adventures.
If you truly want to teach long term (and possibly head overseas again), sock aside some money and invest in a CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL course. |
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roseannanna
Joined: 15 May 2013
Posts: 20
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 12:44 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| roseannanna wrote: |
| I'm from the UK and did mine through I to I TEFL as a 120 hour combined course.20 hours were spent at a weekend course! I think its more of a profit scheme. |
I suspected that you completed an online TEFL course. Despite the short, in-class portion, online cert courses are rather mediocre and simply don't prepare teachers for the realities of teaching---of leading a classroom. That describes your Hong Kong experience. And yes, some course providers, as you found with i-to-i, tend to promote teaching as a great way to travel the world and experience fun adventures.
If you truly want to teach long term (and possibly head overseas again), sock aside some money and invest in a CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL course. |
Thanks,if I plan to I will definitely look into that! |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 9:03 am Post subject: |
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http://www.joemcveigh.org/
This fellow has (some interesting) resources that may help in your self study or lead you to other sources... |
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coledavis
Joined: 21 Jun 2003
Posts: 1838
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| Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, these online and/or weekend courses really do not equip you. I have seen their graduates flounder before.
Even the month long courses leave a lot to be desired but they do launch you and give you some idea of what to expect. |
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Coolguy123
Joined: 10 Apr 2013
Posts: 132
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| Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 7:02 am Post subject: |
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Well, even the CELTA doesn't prepare you that well, if you're a new teacher. I think the purpose of it really is to just give you tools and bring you up to date on the latest teaching techniques.
I don't really think it's purpose is to make you into a teacher. Especially if it's only a month long, there's no way it's going to make you into a full blown teacher, especially if you have no experience.
I went into my CELTA after everyone telling me to take it, and I learned a lot but I figure that at least 2 years experience is needed to be a real teacher.
I think people put way to much pressure on these TEFL courses to completely prepare people for teaching. |
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coledavis
Joined: 21 Jun 2003
Posts: 1838
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| Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 7:58 am Post subject: |
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I said, "Even the month long courses leave a lot to be desired but they do launch you and give you some idea of what to expect."
Did anybody say that finishing the CELTA/Trinity (or other decent course) would make you a fully-fledged teacher? Certainly not me. You have plenty to do to become competent. However, that is not an argument for skimping and going on a far inferior course; weekend and online courses really turn out people who usually can't even make a decent start. I have seen this. |
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