Job Discussion Forums

[trevor ingram]

I have just completed a TESL course and later this year will be applying for an overseas contract.

In order to gain some teaching experience I would like to volunteer as an English teacher, for a period of approximately three to four months.

Would anybody out there have trod this particular path and if so, know of any language schools in Toronto (the Canadian one) who accept volunteer teachers?

Also, any advice on other ways to obtain teaching experience before applying overseas, would be welcome

Thanks in advance

Trevor Ingram

[tedkarma]

I volunteered through the "American Literacy Volunteers" - a USA outfit - but I would bet there is something similar where you are.

You might call local social service organizations that serve immigrant populations - they would probably know who you should contact.

[memorabilis]

I sould suggest consulting TEL Ontario and seeing if they could find a reputable placement. They are the professional association and would have good links.

www.teslontario.org or .ca I can't remember which and am too lazy to look it up.

[trevor ingram]

My first reply, just hope that it gets on to the page and does not fly off into cyberspace

Phuket sounds cool, well in fact warm; it is Toronto that is cool/cold one of the many reasons why I want to leave

I will look into the sites , make a few (probably many) calls and find what I want

Thanks for the help

Trevor

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

There are a lot of community college and university TESL certificates in Toronto, all of which take an academic year to complete and all of which require a practicum (in order to meet the requirements of TESL Ontario). If you haven't just finished one of them (ie you did your training either on-line or from a private TESOL training company) then it may be difficult to get practicum hours from language schools.

You probably can get volunteer conversation partners, though. Talk to the nearest university or college, but it would be a lot better if it was the one you graduated from. A lot of people try to request speakers from the country they'd like to go teach in. It might be difficult to find many Thai people in Toronto willing to do it (most of the conversation partners are doing it through their school- either university or community college- and there aren't very many Thai visa students in Toronto). Maybe contacting the Royal Thai consulate in Toronto might help you to get involved somehow that could lead to a conversation partner.
Here is the Vancouver consolate list of addresses and phone numbers for the Royal Thai consulates (there is also a Thai business centre in Toronto listed) across the country.

ETA

This site says that there are less than 2000 Thai people in Ontario, so finding a conversation partner for the country in which you want to teach might not be easy for you at all.

[paulmanser]

Hi, im going to do 8 weeks teaching English experience with ELI programs, anyone heard of them? USA company of course based in denver, placed in Gdansk teaching teens/children paid and unpaid voluntary expeirnece. anyone know or doen this. In poland

[stevemc]

I know you didn't ask volunteering abroad, but if you change your mind
try here: www.volunteersouthamerica.net

There are a number of South American volunteer programs
that would be very interested in getting the services of an TESL
teacher for 3 months.

Steve McElhinney