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senor boogie woogie

Hola!

I am looking to get into a class to get a certification. I have looked at a CELTA program in Thailand ran by ECC and a TESOL program in Zhuhai, PR China.

The program people seem to make their applicants run through so many damn hoops. Write a 300 page essay on your teaching experiences, name all teaching positions that you had, name all jobs that you have had. This is like applying at a college in the west. Then they state that they can deny you. Deny me? I have 1500 USD to spend! I have a University education. I want and need your program. You offer it and have your hand out, deny me?

It seems to me that a bunch of Americans and Canadians are behind this fiasco, all the hoops and BS that is required beforehand. I am not applying to Harvard. Your piece of paper, I can forge on the streets of Bangkok (I should do this, but I would like the training)! Argh!

I had 4 years of this idiotic anal retentive horse hockey back in the 80s when I was in college.

Done ranting. Flame on.

SENOR

200th post YEE HAW!

Wolf · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 1245 Location: Middle Earth

Welcome to the wonderful world of Western Higher Education. You should try the MA degrees. References (sent separately), transcrips (I don't even have one for myself), more forms than I can remember that need my signature on them, money (cha-ching), and even after that they can't/won't give me a student card (in my program.)

Grin and bear it, if you want to go through with this. At least it'll be over in a reasonable amount of time. Jump through the hoops and get the paper. Use the paper to retian prestige. So it goes.

Personally, I think the hardest parts of such courses is affording them and sucessfuly finishing the application procedure (the actual work is a close third, though.)

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

I agree that the application process for TEFL courses is a tad ridiculous, given that there's almost no way not to get into one.

The application process is a bit like the course itself: you just have to follow along and do what they say... (Of course, it's worth it in the end--don't get me wrong.)

d

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

CELTA selection tasks are designed to weed out people who are aren't capable of successfully completing the course. Any reputable course provider will do this. Cowboy operators will take your money regardless.
I'd say it's better to be rejected beforehand than pay more than $1000 for the privelege of failing.

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Oh, heck, I mis-spelt "privilege!"

ChinaLady · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2003 2:28 pm Post subject: The TEFL/ Certs?

I'm with the Senor. The idea of the 4-week programs are to give you some brush up skills, exchange ideas with other teacherrs, learn from the instructors - NOT send in an outrageous amount of paper work, and pay tuition, and housing, and airfare.
Now, what I have been told is that "they" can fail you. Before, during and/or after the course. And, per a person I met who "failed" they, "they", didn't like his attitude toward the instructor's. He was "to layed back."
Now, I do NOT expect a guarentee that I will get the certificate but if I put in the time and the energy, and "they" don't like me - does this mean I "fail?"
Yes, yes - in case you are curious - I have a couple of real degrees from accredited universities in the states but like the Senor, would like to have the TEFL cert for future job hunting in the ESL field in Asia and beyond.
and, yes, like the Senor, will possibly go along with the "paperwork parade" to be "accepted."

biffinbridge · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years

It is actually difficult to fail the CELTA.All you have to do is listen to your tutors,put their ideas into practice and do your homework.It's a kind of framework, like a Christmas tree, that you can hang more and more on as you develop your skills and knowledge over a period of many years.It's the most practical/useful course I've ever done.My degree was academic tosh.

Cleopatra · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2003 6:27 pm Post subject:

Iagree,the people who run CELTA courses think they're the bees knees.

Take this nonsense as a good introduction: just go with the flow,keep your head downand smile sweetly - and you will get your cert.Guaranteed.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

has anyone actually ever failed the CELTA I have been a tutor on both CELTA and DELTA programs many people have failed the DELTA but in my albeit limited experience I can't recall anyone failing the CELTA

I deliberately didn't punctuate the above paragraph. Can we agree on the correct punctuation of the above. This could lead on to the obectivity/subjectivity debate on marking compostions/essays. Sorry!!

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

...but do tell me what is RIDICULOUS about writing a 300 word essay if you want to attend a TEFL course? I successfully passed that hurdle, and I doubt I would have failed any other conditions if I had pursued my goal of taking their course. In the end I didn't because I already have sufficient credits.
The price is somewhat steep, but that's because so many people save on investing in their teaching career in general and just travel abroad where they find themselves in the unexpected situation of having to produce some cert.
Shop around, and you will find cheaper solutions. For all they are worth...
In a different thread I suggested a Hong Kong school that offers the same. That school is a reputable international secondary school, and they hire the most dedicated teachers with adequate professional backgrounds, which to me says more about their certs than do those fancy adverts "A TEFL certificate is the shortest distance between you and the world..."

wanderlust1066 · Joined: 16 Aug 2003 Posts: 82 Location: Kowloon, Hong Kong

Do you, then, think it impossible for you to benefit from this course? That is, do you think you are the best teacher you could possibly be......? If you react like this just to being asked to put into print some reflective experiences, how will you see the course through?

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Bullshit. Bureaucracy. Irrational nonsense.

WELCOME TO PLANET EARTH !

isabel · Joined: 07 Mar 2003 Posts: 510 Location: God's green earth

Minhang Oz · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 610 Location: Shanghai,ex Guilin

You were probably over-qualified and so a threat to the CELTA teachers. I think they prefer High School Certificate candidates.

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Isabel, I do not regard TESOL/TEFL certificate course providers as "cowboys," and CELTA is not the be-all and end-all of EFL qualifications.
The cowboys are those providers who award certificates to people whose grammar and spelling are frankly appalling.
On my course, the lead tutor explained that the pre-course tasks were designed to weed out those whose grammar didn't meet the grade. I thought that was fairer than accepting every Tom, Dick and Harry, taking their money and then failing them.
Cleopatra made a valid point. I know a guy who failed because he had previous experience and thought he was God's gift. Give the tutors what they want and you'll pass.