Job Discussion Forums

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Does anyone know which ''school'' in Istanbul is associated with i-i and where applicants have to pay to get a job.

This is from i-i forum:

Monday 6th February 2006 9:15 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You need degree, native speaker, TEFL qualification. check out I TO I paid teaching placement schemes. You cna apply online and get the job, saves flying there looking sneding CV, pay 400 and get the job brought to you.

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

No, what conclusions do you draw from that?

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

never never pay to get a job. There is an abundance of jobs.

newtefler · Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 80

I'm guilty of paying to get a job - I paid �595 for the 40 hour online course, 20 hour grammar awareness module and business english module plus I to I finding me a paid placement. I then paid �99 pounds for the 20 hour weekend course. The online course plus the GAM would normally be �195 without the placement. When I first signed up I thought it would be difficult to find a job from the UK so opted for i to i finding me a paid placement. Having contacted i to i they say that the placement in Istanbul is with English Time. Had I have known that at the time I might as well have just sent my CV and covering letters to all the language schools myself as the placement fee doesn't include assistance with visa's etc.

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

I am sorry you got used and conned. Of course you already know that they would have employed you anyway-they have admitted here on the forum that they employ people without degrees/certs/experience. You also know that they will never get you a visa.

newtefler · Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 80

oh well never mind... a phrase that appears on egyptian stella (the local brew not the genuine article) bottles springs to mind......... that which does not kill you :0)

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

newtefler · Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 80

Come now Mr Cowell - it is a forum not a classroom :0). I was at work and my mind was elsewhere!

Your point is very valid though, I have seen posts on this site and other TEFL sites with shocking English. Many of the aforementioned posts were from teachers and even DOS! The most amusing were posts criticising someone's usage when the original post was correct and the correction was so wrong it was worrying. (One I remember in particular was from a supposed DOS!)

I tend to write posts as I would write an email to a friend - so apologies in advance. :0)

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

I think i-to-i is not the way to go, either for the certificate or the placement. The schools where teachers are placed also pay a fee (though not as much as the teacher pays), so they get it coming and going. It is very easy for people with univ degrees and the TEFL cert to get jobs and they should not have to pay anyone to get them.

newtefler · Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 80

In retrospect I'm inclined to agree re paying a fee to find a placement. I wouldn't dream of paying an agency to find me a job in the UK - in fact they approach me :0). At the time I signed up for the placement I didn't have any idea about how to go about finding schools to contact them directly. I have been observing and participating in lessons at a local language school in the UK and the DOS there was shocked at the amount I had paid and said that I would be better just getting on a plane and knocking on doors. Regarding the i to i certificate, with a full time job and a mortgage to pay, taking CELTA wasn't an option for me. I have found the content of the course of a reasonable standard and have had good feedback from my tutor. I recall one of your posts saying that you generally find people with the i to i certificate quite unprepared for the classroom. Do schools generally dismiss the i to i certificate or do they also take into account the individual's experience and ability?

YakTamer · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 86 Location: Warszawa, Polska

Newtefler, don't wanna make you feel bad, but I paid less than that to get a CELTA in Poland.

i-to-i really are taking the mick.

Cool avatar, btw.

newtefler · Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 80

its not the money its the time... I would have loved to do a CELTA but paying a mortgage here plus 6 weeks accommodation abroad plus expenses plus not earning.. nice for a gap year if mummy and daddy will pay :0)

newtefler · Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 80

yours reminds me of lokanta or lokal... they had little robots on the table.. one was ok.. fusion food.. other was overpriced pizza... both in beyoglu...ish :0)

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

i-to-i is ok if the teacher has had experience beforehand, but otherwise i think it is rather weak.

newtefler · Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 80

Fair comment. I haven't got anything to benchmark it against. I got some fab news today, my DOS has found me a job in their colleague's school in Thailand. I'm postponing my Istanbul trip until next September. Hopefully with a years experience to back up my certificate I can land a job in Istanbul next year.