Job Discussion Forums

wpshark · Joined: 25 Apr 2009 Posts: 9 Location: UK

A word of warning to anyone thinking of starting out in the TEFL world:
Do NOT do anything like "i to i" or TEFL Scotland or any online, quick fix courses. They are not worth the paper their "certificates" are printed on and they are NOT recognised - anywhere.
I have just done every single course that i-to i offer and I must say it was a waste of time. I completed the whole lot in under 8 weeks.
The resources are pathetic, you cannot fail and the so-called contacts they send you are ridiculous - a list of schools that anyone can make up by searching the net.
The worst part is that i to i are recognised by ILA who actually grant you �200 toward doing these courses.
To teach anywhere, you need a bachelor's degree first of all (which I don't have) and then at least a CELTA.
It is not about brands or anything like that, it is about practical, classroom experience and being equipped to teach.

dharma86 · Joined: 05 May 2009 Posts: 187 Location: Southside baby!

thanks.no wonder they were so eager to sign me on! i haven't though.

alot of jobs don't require tefl at all so would you not say a weekend tefl course is good to get an insight into classroom teaching at least?

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 11:06 pm Post subject:

Hi wpshark and welcome to the boards.

Thanks for sharing your experiences- hope that others learn from them.

I recommend a degree if there's a way for you to do that, but if this really isn't the time for you, don't give up hope. THere are places you can teach without one, particularly in Latin America.

Mexicobound · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 12:49 am Post subject: Re: i to i TEFL

west2east · Joined: 03 May 2009 Posts: 120 Location: China

I did i to i. I agree that it is probably not as respected as CELTA. But I was already aware of this and despite my teaching qualifications (completely unrelated to TEFL), I just wanted something to give me a little preparation and insight into the TEFL world. I did the intensive weekend course. You cannot expect to take on board much from such a course, but it served its purpose for me.

When I interview teachers, their background experience comes before weather the have TEFL or not. I tend to lean towards a degree over TEFL, simply because it demonstrates some kind of commitment to longer term learning. However I have had teachers without degrees and they have been excellent teachers. You can be the 'perfect' candidate on paper, but it's what you do in the class room along with the personal development, continued training and support from the school that really counts.

dharma86 · Joined: 05 May 2009 Posts: 187 Location: Southside baby!

Glenlivet · Joined: 21 Mar 2009 Posts: 179 Location: Poland

johnslat · Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 9:06 pm Post subject:

Dar Glenlivet,
Well, they might be "fair-weather" teachers, the same ones who are "fair-weather" friends.
Regards,
John

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 10:33 pm Post subject:

Seems clear to me.

Chancellor · Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 5:07 pm Post subject:

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

So, what reputable language school will be happy to hire, pay, and send a teacher to their valuable students, when that 'teacher' has so little commitment to the job that he/she can't even get up the time or energy to take a 30-day course?

30 days training for a new job is a pretty minimal demand.

nickpellatt · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1522

I think Chancellor is right, not everyone will do TEFL as a career, and in some cases this type of course may be worthwhile, esp in the 'volunteer' context i-i bundle their courses with. Lots of gap year students do projects all over the world, including some classroom stuff ... and a course like this for them isnt such a bad idea IMO.

Sure it wouldnt be acceptable for a one year Peace Corps teaching placement ... but if you are spending 1.5 days a week in a classroom with primary school kids in Ghana...it isnt so bad. Horses for courses etc.

I have also done a Trinity course ...that would be overkill for the above scenario really.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

nick, ok, there may be a few volunteer-type teaching contexts where something like i-to-i would be satisfactory - and if the course provider is open in making it clear that the course does not equip a newbie to teach satisfactorily in most contexts, fair enough.

However, I'm well aware that the advertising of less-than-standard courses rarely makes their limitations clear to would-be trainees. I interviewd one grad of a similar course yesterday, in fact, who was apparently quite shocked that his quals weren't considered sufficient for university-level teaching positions. Truth -No kidding! Shocked

nickpellatt · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1522

Absolutely, training providers like i-i, (and there are others worse than them) always advertise their programs as being all you need to find work abroad. Occasionally they may make reference to additional qualifications needed, but that is normally buried away somewhere.

I think the OP made reference to needing a Degree to teach anywhere ... just wanted to add that isnt true. Just as there are different types of training course, there are also different types of EFL jobs.

At the most basic level, gap year and volunteer work, there may be the possibility of working in EFL without any qualifications. In these instances, i-i or something online isnt such a bad idea, and it does offer a basic insight into the world of EFL.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 3:53 pm Post subject:

What's a pain though- take a look at these quotes from providers of online, extremely minimal courses: