Job Discussion Forums

[basiltherat]

Since this profession needs such a short (and while some may disagree - "simple" compared to other professions) training program - one month - in order to become 'qualified ' in it, I got to thinking about just how many there are of us working and seeking work in this tefl-ing gig. However, I couldnt think of any equation that could be used to come anywhere near reaching an accurate total.
I thought of estimating the number of schools, institutes and the like around the world and multiplying it by a reasonable average number of teachers in such a place. After thinking, I decided this was not going to give me any sort of fair number. I thought of counting the number of institutes offering training in CELTA and multiplying by by the average number of folks in a class, by how often each place runs the course and then by a number of years, say 40, since tefl really took off. This wouldnt include all the folks that were unqualified. I tried thinking of other ways but its just beyond me. Finally, I thought of just a random number which must be in the hundreds of thousands, surely.

What wud be ur guess ? Is there a website to help ?Perhaps it wud be easier to count the number of blades of grass on old trafford football pitch - not that that wud be of any interest at all.
Wud u agree that it must be one of the most over-subscribed professions.
Jeeez I must be bored.
basil

[Boy Wonder]

You're bored!!!!
Try living and working in Ascot.......an existence so mind numbingly boring I have simply lost the will to carry on!!

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

You're assuming that the CELTA is the ONLY training program that's useful. In some areas (my home province of Ontario, Canada comes to mind) you cannot teach with a CELTA any more. You need to do a full year programme at a university or college, called a certificate in TESL. It takes the same length of time as a Bachelor of Education and includes a practicum course in each term, so most people end up in a practicum situation for a few hours a week for pretty much the entire time. The courses are all in the linguistics department. The next step after that is normally a Masters degree in Applied Linguistics.

So the number of people of people in this "profession" is...











Lots.

Lots and lots.

It's not oversubscribed- most people are only in it for a few years and then get out. Some people work at a private language school for a couple of years and then go do something else. Some people get a CELTA and work for several years and then get out. Some people get one year CTESL and work for several more years and then get out. Others will get an MA and work for many, many years. Some will get a PHD and train people to get the MA.

And some people will stay in it for many, many years at any level of training- there are people who work for private language schools for years and years, but not many.