Job Discussion Forums

[Lotteloes]

@Nomad Soul: thanks for the advice

@LaLaDivina: If I understand you correctly, in June they start recruiting for the second half of the year. I assume this starts in September?
The idea to contact one of the recuiters in advance is a good one. I wouldn't mind to do observing in advance (if needed on own costs). I can ask that when I contact the recruiter.

Would it be a good idea to do the online modules teaching children and big classes? I finished the first 60 hours of my online course this weekend so it is going much faster than expected.

[Lotteloes]

A small set back in plans
I had sent some emails to Instituto de lenguas modernas in Granada (they offer the CELTA course) and they adviced me to do a level test, which I did this morning. This also included an interview with the man who is in charge of the pre-testing and allowing students to participate in the CELTA.

He told me that my level of English was not yet good enough to be allowed to follow the CELTA. My grammar was good enough, my listening as well, I have a fluency in writing and speaking but my vocabulary is not according to the level required. So if I want to do the CELTA in Granada, I need to follow English classes on proficiency level This means 4 evenings of classes from 20.30 until 21.45 from September until June (CPE-exam in June).

I know that a lot of schools offering the CELTA have a level test before a student is allowed to participate so I assume I need to do this CPE-course anyway. But this does mean that I can't leave at March and doing a CELTA in April as planned.
Trying to see the positive side of it, it will give me more time to prepare myself and at my work they will be very happy if I stay longer

[esl_prof]

[Lotteloes]

Time for an update. During the summer period there was not much more to say that my course will be for 75% refunded by my employer as part of the language policy . So I am happy with that.

Finished my first week of the English classes and I have the feeling it is more training for the exam than learning English . Being the only person in the group who has no experience whatsoever in language-exams I am struggling. Not because my vocabulary is insufficient but because I am not capable of doing the tric. Whether it is going to be C1 or C2, I need a certificate so I assume I have to hang in and master the tric (and in the end I will), but for me it is not motivating. I want to be challenged in my speaking and writing and not challenged in learning the tric.

Last week I also found out that the academy changed the dates for the CELTA, meaning that I will not be able to do the course in September 2016 but that it will be October 2016. This means that the decision is made that I will not do my CELTA in Granada.

With my first experience of English classes and having to do the CELTA somewhere else in mind, I have accepted a job interview for a position in the UK. Same type of work as I am doing now but hopefully with better posibilities to improve my English and perhaps the posibilty to do the partime CELTA. So let's hope that they want me and offer a salary that is decent enough for me to make a living.

[sunrader]

[Lotteloes]

Apparently I was not completely clear in my previous message, so I took some time to think about the reply and suddenly we are 4 months further in time.

First about the language-level certification: being a non-native speaker (and I am sure I make mistakes) even for doing a CELTA or TESOL I need to prove I have C1-level minimum. When I did a test in July last year, the only reason I would not be allowed to do the CELTA in Granada was because of my speaking. So I would not say that I am not strong enough in English. And that I failed on the speaking is nothing new for me as I always block during speaking exams, no matter which subject.
The academy suggested to do the CPE-course and after finishing do the test to be admitted to the CELTA again. I have a CAE-exam in the first weekend of February and I will give the CPE a try in July.

The problem I am facing with the academy is that I don't have the feeling that I learn natural English but that I receive training to pass the exam. For the students in my class it is normal to say: My mother, he do writed me a letter. As mentioned, my English is not perfect and perhaps I am to harsh, but I would not expect this types of mistakes in a CPE-level class.
I also have problems creating sentences like: I mulled over your proposition and as I believe it is completely over the top, I had a change of heart and decided to vote against it, which is what the teacher wants to hear and what is required during the exam (in writing and speaking). So the comments I receive on my writing exercises that I use very natural English are not valid when it comes to passing the exam.

So when offered the possibility of a job in the UK, combined with the fact that my biggest problem is the speaking, I decided to give it a go. Also because in the UK they offer the possibility to do the CELTA part-time which makes it possible to combine it with my job. If I want to do the CELTA in Spain or any other country, I need to resign from my job. In the end the company decided that another candidate was more suitable for the job, so for the time being I will be staying in Spain.

The reason why I decided for Latin America, is that I always felt attracted to that culture. So I want to give it a go there. I don't mind doing volunteering to get more experience and finding out which country over there suits me best. Having a background in finance and technique, I am thinking about specialising in these fields, but for now it is too early to make decisions on that part.
I love the idea of teaching in my primary language, but being Dutch, I don't believe there is a high demand for that

I hope this explains better why I am doing what I am doing at the moment.

[spiral78]

I taught in the Netherlands for some years. The Dutch are often (over) confident second language speakers; they can be the oolar opposite of, say, Japanese students, who have far too much concern for perfect form. For example, Dutch speakers of English very often have fossilized errors which do not impact comprehensibility, but which are very noticeable by native speakers of English. Of course I don't know you, and I can't judge your spoken English - just suggesting what I know to be a fairly common pattern.

There are also some cultural differences that may play a role in your speaking test. Dutch communication style is very direct, and that often is reflected when the Dutch speak English. Native speakers of English tend to use more conditional structures and modal verbs to 'soften' the messages; Dutch English can sound simplistic as it is without these common 'frills.'

Having worked with Dutch speakers of English for some years, I am guessing that you might be well served to ask someone to help you identify any fossilized errors in your speech, and I suggest that it might be useful to you to search around for some materials on the differences between the English spoken by native speakers and that spoken by the Dutch (these exist).

Good luck!

[wanderingxelmundo]

When I was in Ecuador years ago I taught someone who worked at BASF who did something having to do with roses (I can't remember exactly after all these years -- I'm sure it was related to some terrible chemicals they were spraying on the flowers). He traveled once in a while to the Netherlands, and they worked a lot with the division in the Netherlands and staff would go back and forth. What he taught me is that there are four rose-exporting countries in the world: Ecuador, Colombia, the Netherlands, and the fourth was Kenya I believe. Anyway, my point is that the flower industry is very big in Ecuador, and is very big in the Netherlands, and I would not assume that there is absolutely no interest in learning some Dutch in Ecuador (or Colombia). English was the universal language that they would use in business, but being able to communicate in Dutch might also be useful for some people in the flower business.

Regarding your English: I've had great teachers and terrible teachers in all subjects, and of course I have no personal knowledge of your current teacher. But for now your English teacher is all you've got, so I'd suggest you give it a try paying attention to the areas she or he recommends. I didn't really follow what you said about "natural English," but you seem to be saying that formal English, or complex and/or compound sentences aren't "natural." They are or can be. Maybe you could also find a one-on-one tutor, preferable experienced in that area, but at least to sit with the description of B-2 and C-1, and work on those areas where you aren't up to C-1 in speaking. Also, try to find as many English-speakers as you can to practice with -- it's hard to improve your English speaking by a level (at a higher level) in a Spanish-speaking country.

Good luck!

[Xie Lin]

[wanderingxelmundo]

Glad you enjoyed the info, Xie Lin. I told my student (it was a one-on-one class) only half jokingly that I was never leaving Ecuador only because of the cheap roses (at that time 2 dozen for $1 -- they weren't the long-stemmed export roses and didn't last long, but ...) and that's when he mentioned the four major rose-exporting countries (the US grows quite a bit but less than those and they're for domestic consumption).

[nomad soul]

[MotherF]

[AGoodStory]

[BadBeagleBad]

[MotherF]

I've met a couple of non-native, non-Mexican English teachers with legal residency in Mexico as well. However, they had post-graduate qualifications from British universities in teaching English...