Job Discussion Forums

[bigbadsuzie]

Any thoughts on ones like from Plymouth University:

http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/view.asp?page=17552

[ktodba]

Lot's of thoughts but don't know how relevant they are.

If you are looking to teach TESOL at UK FE colleges then it maybe a good course for you but I'm not sure where else you would use it. If you want to teach in FE in the UK then you will need a qualification like this (alternatives are things like City and Guilds) but if you don't intend to work in FE it probably isn't the best choice for you. Secondary schools are unlikely to have specialist teaching positions in what they call EAL (ESOL in FE) and the private sector has its own expectations.

[lolwhites]

If you want to get into FE, a PGCE (Post Compulsory) is probably the thing to have. When I worked in FE, the government was working hard to make sure all lecturers had a PGCE or Cert Ed (it didn't use to be required), so you'd definitely have a head start applying for jobs as colleges won't need to "train you up", as it were.

On the other hand, check the Times Educational Supplement to see how many jobs there actually are in ESOL these days. With the funding cuts, it wouldn't surprise me if colleges weren't already struggling to find work for the staff already on their books. And you don't want to spend a year of your life getting the qualification only to find there's no work!

[Phil_b]

It's probably only useful in FE or similar - no idea how it would be looked at anywhere else - though it is a good qualification.

If you want to teach ESOL be aware that if it is not a specific ESOL PGCE(PCET) or whatever it's called you won't be 'fully qualified' and will have to do the equivalent of a Level 4 ESOL subject specialist certificate/diploma/thingy.

As far as I'm aware some PGCE(PCET) are general, but some include the ESOL specialism.

I posted what I know of the new qualifications here: http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=51917&start=15[url][/url]