Job Discussion Forums

[bensky]

Hi,

Any trainees from the above school that has found a job, via their company.

Cheers for any info

Ben

[Susie]

I don't believe the Boland School qualification is recognised.

Is it a reliable and valid qualification?

I think it is a great idea to run a TEFL programme in China but the award really needs to be ... what's the word I'm looking for?

[dajiang]

I did the course a few years ago, and never regretted it.

Although I didn't find a job through their database (I already had a job) they did offer to help.

My Boland TEFL diploma was recognised by all the schools that I've worked at (private language college, private uni) and it provided good preparation for doing my current studies in Holland (it got me lots of exemptions). I teach at a Dutch college now, and I'm still using the ideas from the Boland course.

I want to continue my teaching career, and I know that a TEFL alone is not enough, so that's why I'm currently getting a Bachelor's degree in English education. Since I've started this course I've learned that the level of the Boland course was really quite high. I'd recommend it to anyone really.

For details just pm me or post it here, and I'd be happy to answer more questions.

Dajiang

[nashb]

Hi -

I did the Boland class in Suzhou last November/December 2005. I am now teaching at a college in Chongqing. I think the Boland training was excellent. I really think you do the training mostly for yourself. I am new to TEFL and without the Boland training I would have been lost. They do a great review of grammar, teach you how to explain grammartical constructions, vocabulary etc and do a great job on lesson planning and practice teaching. I think it is a top notch course. They do take themselves seriously, and you do work. So, if you are looking for someone to hand you a piece of paper this may not be your cup of tea. That said, we did have a lot of fun.

I believe their TEFL diploma is as useful as any other cert in finding a job in China. Don't expect Boland to find a job for you . . . and don't worry. You will find your own job on the net. They have some contacts in Suzhou, and can place you there if that is what you want. Many graduates are most comfortable staying in Suzhou right after they finish the training, and do go this way. But, if you want to be elsewhere in China, you will find your job yourself. And, once you have been through this, you will realize that it could not work any other way.

So . . . if you are looking for training to get you started in TEFL, Boland is a great place to go. . . and the chance to practice living in China is quite useful. Boland probably creates undo expectations on the job placement/job guarantee thing, but in the end you don't really need them to find a job for you.

PM me if you want to know anything else.

[saybanana]