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gyoliver
Joined: 27 Jul 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Cambridge, MA
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 Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 6:00 pm Post subject: CELTA/TEFL certificates from China useful in Japan? |
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Hi,
I'm a recent graduate from Harvard College looking into teaching English in Japan for at least a year. To improve my chances at having a good experience and getting better pay, I'm thinking of taking a CELTA or TEFL course. Also, if I teach I'm interested in being a good teacher, and I think the certificate course will make my chances for that better. And because I've studied some Mandarin and the prices are significantly cheaper than in the U.S., I'm thinking of doing the certificate in China--either the Language Link CELTA course or the Boland School TEFL course. After that, I'd do some intensive Chinese study, arriving in Japan in February.
I've done only limited ESL teaching in the past. From what I hear, good CELTA/TEFL courses can really help one become a better teacher, and can help one get a better job.
My question is, does anyone know if Japanese misgivings about a CELTA/TEFL certificate from China would seriously compromise the benefits of having such a certificate? Should I just get my certificate at a CELTA place in the US instead? It's not so much a question of money, as much as getting a job that yields a good experience for me in Japan.
Also, does anyone know how useful a certificate would be to get a job paying at least marginally more than �250,000/mo?
And if anyone happens to have an opinion about Boland vs Language Link, I'd be interested to hear. 
Any insight would be much appreciated!
George Oliver |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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| To improve my chances at having a good experience and getting better pay, I'm thinking of taking a CELTA or TEFL course. Also, if I teach I'm interested in being a good teacher, and I think the certificate course will make my chances for that better. |
Since you are a recent college grad, I will assume you have had little to no teaching experience. Pretty much every conversation school (eikaiwa) here doesn't care if you have TEFL certification or not. They usually just want people with a degree (in any subject, just to pass immigration's regs on visas), and be a native English speaker. So, having such certification will not help you land a job in most cases, nor will it afford you higher pay. Perhaps later after you've had some teaching experience and want to move up to things like teaching in high schools or elementary schools.
For now, however, I would recommend getting it because of the other statements you made above. You may be in this for only a year, but then again, you may find that you are in it longer than that, and having certification will probably help you understand the important basics, like how to design a lesson plan and present it (and in some cases grade it).
| Quote: |
| does anyone know how useful a certificate would be to get a job paying at least marginally more than �250,000/mo? |
Sad to say, but salaries are dropping here. Many places (most?) still offer this as a basic minimum, but many are offering as low as 170,000. Desperate teachers promote this by accepting such wages. Do a thorough search, though, and you will find work around 250,000 to 280,000 depending on location and employer. |
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canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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Doing a CELTA in China is basically the same as doing the CELTA in Japan. The trainers make a big difference, as with anything, but doing on in China is fine. Depending on the length of the course, a 120 hour TEFL course, with practical teaching experience is also very good.
I suggest do the course in China. I think it can only help. |
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