Job Discussion Forums

kait · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 93 Location: Lungtan, Taiwan

I know that if a person sticks around long enough, it feels like every new thread is a rehashing of some other thread. So, now it's my turn to give you deja vu.

I know it's a good idea to get an advanced degree, but it's hard to know which degree to pursue. Does it matter if a person studies TESOL, TESL, Applied Linguistics or any other subject that addresses second language acquisition?

kait · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 93 Location: Lungtan, Taiwan

I know it's not an exciting thread, but I'd really appreciate it if someone would help me out here. Thanks.

Calories · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 361 Location: Chinese Food Hell

Maybe no one knows! I certainly don't. Common sense would tell me that any of those degrees would be okay and that you should research each program and decide which one is most interesting to you but, really, I don't know!

Sheikh Inal Ovar · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School

They've certainly discussed this on the Middle East forum before ... try a search ...

A storm in a tea cup ...

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

They should all be equally valued for teaching jobs.

d

kait · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 93 Location: Lungtan, Taiwan

Thanks

tedkarma · Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 2:41 pm Post subject:

If you looked through adverts for university level positions around the world, and were trying to think about which degree was most requested in those ads - I might guess that it would be an MATESOL.

Most employers are a bit flexible - but some some aren't. My general feeling would be that an MATESOL would open more doors - and close fewer doors, than any other graduate degree.

Just my opinion.

I have an M.Ed. (and a PGCE in TEFL) - and have been ruled out by only a few very selective employers - but have been given fair consideration by the great majority. The few that ruled me out - wanted ONLY MATESOL grads. So . . . if I had my choice and was going back to school - that is what I would go for.

Deconstructor · Joined: 30 Dec 2003 Posts: 775 Location: Montreal

GWUstudent · Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 29 Location: Washington DC

TedKarma - you mentioned you have a MA plus a tefl cert. Did this open doors to University positions for you? And in what countries?

DainaJ · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 62

You may want to think about a degree program that offers you certification in your home country as well in case you wish to return there to teach. This is what my DH is doing - an MEd in Bilingual and Bicultural Ed. with teaching cert. so he can come back to the US to teach after our stint abroad in a couple of years. He previously worked abroad with just a CELTA.

tedkarma

GWUstudent · Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 29 Location: Washington DC

TedKarma -

What exactly is a PGCE and how does it differ from other TEFL certifications? I'm just curious.

tedkarma · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:12 am Post subject: Re: Just one more question

isle-teach · Joined: 03 Sep 2006 Posts: 12

Just came across this thread...

Tedkarma~You mention you have a PGCE in TEFL. May I ask, where did you do it? I've been looking for ways to upgrade my qualifications, and that certainly would open doors for me, too!

Thanks in advance

tedkarma · Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 10:43 pm Post subject:

I did a PGCE in TEFL at Herott-Watt University in Edinburgh - but I completed it in 1996 and I am not sure if they still offer it. I just now wandered around their website and couldn't find it - but it is not really a user friendly website.

http://www.hw.ac.uk/