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Odango
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 36
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 Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:33 am Post subject: CELTA Qualification |
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Hi everyone, my first post on the forum and hope to get along well.
Anyway just a simple question really. Have any of you gained the CELTA qualification and if so has it helped you find decent and upwards work within Japan and more specifically Tokyo?
Reason being is I'm about to start the course this April here in Tokyo and hope it gets me onto the ladder. I have had previous teaching work but I want to have some base skills and a proper teaching qualification before taking another dip into the world of English laguage teaching.
Any help or advice much appreciated.
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kinshachi
Joined: 06 Sep 2006
Posts: 50
Location: Sydney
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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Simple answer for me: yes and yes (although not in Tokyo).
From what I've heard and read, a CELTA won't make a lick of difference, or may even be a drawback, for eikaiwa, but there are other places where it will help - at least it did for me... |
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movinaround
Joined: 08 Jun 2006
Posts: 202
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:13 pm Post subject: |
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| kinshachi wrote: |
Simple answer for me: yes and yes (although not in Tokyo).
From what I've heard and read, a CELTA won't make a lick of difference, or may even be a drawback, for eikaiwa, but there are other places where it will help - at least it did for me... |
I was going to disagree, but after some thinking, I realize you are quite right. It may be a drawback. I don't think it will hurt or help in getting hired, but it might hurt in the fact that the big eikaiwas offer very little room for variation in their teaching methodologies, which might drive you crazy. This is good for many, but people who know more about teaching or want to expand their teaching horizons find it difficult in the bigger chain schools  |
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ElleB
Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 20
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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I think that this qualification is important in two ways.
1. Primarily, it gives you a basic introduction to English teaching and some good teaching ideas. Of course the school you end up working for will probably have their own way of doing things, which may be different from what you learn in a CELTA course.
2. It shows potential employers that you have taken the time and money to get a credential. Between two otherwise equal candidates, I would guess that a CELTA certificate would make a difference. Especially if you have no prior experience in EFL teaching.
I work for a smaller company and many of my coworkers have a CELTA or its equivalent. I did mine at the School for International Training in Vermont before getting a job in Japan. I still use some of the activities I learned during the course.
If you are aiming to be hired by one of the Big 4, I would say don't waste your money. |
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canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:43 pm Post subject: Re: CELTA Qualification |
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| Odango wrote: |
Hi everyone, my first post on the forum and hope to get along well.
Anyway just a simple question really. Have any of you gained the CELTA qualification and if so has it helped you find decent and upwards work within Japan and more specifically Tokyo?
Reason being is I'm about to start the course this April here in Tokyo and hope it gets me onto the ladder. I have had previous teaching work but I want to have some base skills and a proper teaching qualification before taking another dip into the world of English laguage teaching.
Any help or advice much appreciated.
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I think the CELTA course will give you a good foundation and make the transition much smoother. You will learn some tricks and a foundation on how to teach different types of lessons. I think it's a good idea to take the course. However, I wouldn't take it in Japan. It's expensive. I know someone who took the course and did it every Saturday for four months, with a couple Sundays thrown in. It's better to do the one month course Monday through Friday.
I know someone who took the course in Thailand and was pretty happy with her experience. It was much cheaper to do the course in Thailand as well. Good luck. |
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Odango
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 36
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| Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:25 am Post subject: |
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Hey thanks for the replies.
Well I'm kind of stuck in Japan from now on so as for paying somewhat more to take the course here it cannot be helped. I know from other people that have taken the course the quality does seem to vary from place to place too.
Back in my country the prices are relatively similer to here anyway. Of course going to Thailand would make financial sense, but as I said I'm stuck here for a few other reasons! 
Yep as some of you said, I really hope to improve my teaching ability to a level that I can say I'm better than someone who hasn't taken a teaching qualification. This is what I believe will win over a potential employer. Though I hear some of you mention "the big four", I assume then they are rather difficult to become employed by? |
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canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:56 am Post subject: |
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| Odango wrote: |
| Though I hear some of you mention "the big four", I assume then they are rather difficult to become employed by? |
No, it isn't difficult to be employed by them. In fact, it's a lot easier to get a job with them outside of Japan than within Japan. |
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