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Broncos83
Joined: 20 Aug 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Various
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 Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:15 pm Post subject: Questions:Certification types/schools, country rules/customs |
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Hi everyone, I am new to the forum and would love to get your feedback and suggestions for some of my questions. My apologies if any of the questions are a little redundant but I have already done some browsing and will only ask what I�m really unsure of.
Quickly about me: I am a 26 year old college grad with a BS in Music with emphasis in music industry studies. I am Latino (I know race can be a factor in deciding where to teach). I am currently enrolled in an alternative certification program (ACP) which required 1 � months of rigorous instruction (class management, teaching strategies) and a month of student teaching in a classroom this summer. Due to the job market and a district hiring freeze, many participants in the program haven�t been hired � including me. So I have decided to look into going abroad.
First of all, I was recommended to check out Footprints from a friend in my ACP. I researched and was invited to a 30 minute interview but called prior to ask questions. It seems good, but I was told due to DWAI conviction 5+ years ago, Korea wouldn�t grant a visa. When I expressed interest in Japan, they told me only their students with seniority get those jobs. I know I can bypass a recruiter and land a job by other means, so I�m looking into getting TESOL or CELTA certified.
Before I joined the ACP, I had found Transworld Schools in SF. They offer a 4 week CTESOL course. I spoke with the director recently and she said that given my background it shouldn�t be hard whatsoever to land a job, especially if I get a certification to teach ESL. She also said it�s still possible but more difficult to teach in Korea. I�m also open to teaching in China, Philippines, Taiwan, etc.
So I guess my questions are:
1.) In my situation, given my countries of choice, is a TESOL good enough or is CELTA better? Should I pursue one over the other given my background and choice of countries?(I feel my ACP prepared me for class management, etc. in case I still do get a job as a 1st year teacher in the next week. I would just like the certification and the chance to be more prepared to teach ESL.)
2.) Is it still possible to go to Korea with a DWAI on record? Is Japan as strict as Korea when it comes to personal background? What about being Latino in these countries? I have read some posts from people who are black claiming that once schools found out their race, they lost interest due to the desire for white teachers.
3.) Is anyone a grad of or familiar with anything about Transworld Schools in SF? I have done research and they have pretty good reviews on Yelp. I�m just looking for more info. On their site, it says their comprehensive TESOL course is 140 classes, which, I was told when I called; consist of 140 hours of instruction and practice teaching.
I also am looking at other schools like St Giles in SF, which had a few negative reviews and BridgeTEFL. Both are pricey.
My apologies that this is a lot of information in one post. Anyhow, those are my preliminary questions and I continue to seek out advice suggestions, advice or anything you can offer. Thanks! |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:57 pm Post subject: Re: Questions:Certification types/schools, country rules/cus |
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| Broncos83 wrote: |
Hi everyone, I am new to the forum and would love to get your feedback and suggestions for some of my questions. My apologies if any of the questions are a little redundant but I have already done some browsing and will only ask what I�m really unsure of.
Quickly about me: I am a 26 year old college grad with a BS in Music with emphasis in music industry studies. I am Latino (I know race can be a factor in deciding where to teach). I am currently enrolled in an alternative certification program (ACP) which required 1 � months of rigorous instruction (class management, teaching strategies) and a month of student teaching in a classroom this summer. Due to the job market and a district hiring freeze, many participants in the program haven�t been hired � including me. So I have decided to look into going abroad.
First of all, I was recommended to check out Footprints from a friend in my ACP. I researched and was invited to a 30 minute interview but called prior to ask questions. It seems good, but I was told due to DWAI conviction 5+ years ago, Korea wouldn�t grant a visa. When I expressed interest in Japan, they told me only their students with seniority get those jobs. I know I can bypass a recruiter and land a job by other means, so I�m looking into getting TESOL or CELTA certified.
Before I joined the ACP, I had found Transworld Schools in SF. They offer a 4 week CTESOL course. I spoke with the director recently and she said that given my background it shouldn�t be hard whatsoever to land a job, especially if I get a certification to teach ESL. She also said it�s still possible but more difficult to teach in Korea. I�m also open to teaching in China, Philippines, Taiwan, etc.
So I guess my questions are:
1.) In my situation, given my countries of choice, is a TESOL good enough or is CELTA better? Should I pursue one over the other given my background and choice of countries?(I feel my ACP prepared me for class management, etc. in case I still do get a job as a 1st year teacher in the next week. I would just like the certification and the chance to be more prepared to teach ESL.)
2.) Is it still possible to go to Korea with a DWAI on record? Is Japan as strict as Korea when it comes to personal background? What about being Latino in these countries? I have read some posts from people who are black claiming that once schools found out their race, they lost interest due to the desire for white teachers.
3.) Is anyone a grad of or familiar with anything about Transworld Schools in SF? I have done research and they have pretty good reviews on Yelp. I�m just looking for more info. On their site, it says their comprehensive TESOL course is 140 classes, which, I was told when I called; consist of 140 hours of instruction and practice teaching.
I also am looking at other schools like St Giles in SF, which had a few negative reviews and BridgeTEFL. Both are pricey.
My apologies that this is a lot of information in one post. Anyhow, those are my preliminary questions and I continue to seek out advice suggestions, advice or anything you can offer. Thanks! |
Have you thought about getting certified in your home state (or another state) to teach ESL in the government indoctrination centers (public schools)?
The "industry standard" for the minimum entry-level certification to teach English as a foreign language is 100-120 course hours and at least six hours of supervised teaching practice with real ESL/EFL students. CELTA, Trinity and SIT are brand names (and you pay the brand name price for them) but there are some generic equivalents out there. Make sure that whatever course you take has that all-important supervised teaching practice with real ESL/EFL students.
Since you have a bachelor's degree already, perhaps you could consider getting a graduate certificate in TESL (or, if you wanted to teach ESL as a career, a master's degree in TESL or applied linguistics).
Being Latino might cause you some problems getting a job because in some countries they can't seem to get beyond the silly notion that only whites can be native English speakers. |
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Broncos83
Joined: 20 Aug 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Various
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:10 pm Post subject: Re: Questions:Certification types/schools, country rules/cus |
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| Chancellor wrote: |
| Broncos83 wrote: |
Hi everyone, I am new to the forum and would love to get your feedback and suggestions for some of my questions. My apologies if any of the questions are a little redundant but I have already done some browsing and will only ask what I�m really unsure of.
Quickly about me: I am a 26 year old college grad with a BS in Music with emphasis in music industry studies. I am Latino (I know race can be a factor in deciding where to teach). I am currently enrolled in an alternative certification program (ACP) which required 1 � months of rigorous instruction (class management, teaching strategies) and a month of student teaching in a classroom this summer. Due to the job market and a district hiring freeze, many participants in the program haven�t been hired � including me. So I have decided to look into going abroad.
First of all, I was recommended to check out Footprints from a friend in my ACP. I researched and was invited to a 30 minute interview but called prior to ask questions. It seems good, but I was told due to DWAI conviction 5+ years ago, Korea wouldn�t grant a visa. When I expressed interest in Japan, they told me only their students with seniority get those jobs. I know I can bypass a recruiter and land a job by other means, so I�m looking into getting TESOL or CELTA certified.
Before I joined the ACP, I had found Transworld Schools in SF. They offer a 4 week CTESOL course. I spoke with the director recently and she said that given my background it shouldn�t be hard whatsoever to land a job, especially if I get a certification to teach ESL. She also said it�s still possible but more difficult to teach in Korea. I�m also open to teaching in China, Philippines, Taiwan, etc.
So I guess my questions are:
1.) In my situation, given my countries of choice, is a TESOL good enough or is CELTA better? Should I pursue one over the other given my background and choice of countries?(I feel my ACP prepared me for class management, etc. in case I still do get a job as a 1st year teacher in the next week. I would just like the certification and the chance to be more prepared to teach ESL.)
2.) Is it still possible to go to Korea with a DWAI on record? Is Japan as strict as Korea when it comes to personal background? What about being Latino in these countries? I have read some posts from people who are black claiming that once schools found out their race, they lost interest due to the desire for white teachers.
3.) Is anyone a grad of or familiar with anything about Transworld Schools in SF? I have done research and they have pretty good reviews on Yelp. I�m just looking for more info. On their site, it says their comprehensive TESOL course is 140 classes, which, I was told when I called; consist of 140 hours of instruction and practice teaching.
I also am looking at other schools like St Giles in SF, which had a few negative reviews and BridgeTEFL. Both are pricey.
My apologies that this is a lot of information in one post. Anyhow, those are my preliminary questions and I continue to seek out advice suggestions, advice or anything you can offer. Thanks! |
Have you thought about getting certified in your home state (or another state) to teach ESL in the government indoctrination centers (public schools)?
The "industry standard" for the minimum entry-level certification to teach English as a foreign language is 100-120 course hours and at least six hours of supervised teaching practice with real ESL/EFL students. CELTA, Trinity and SIT are brand names (and you pay the brand name price for them) but there are some generic equivalents out there. Make sure that whatever course you take has that all-important supervised teaching practice with real ESL/EFL students.
Since you have a bachelor's degree already, perhaps you could consider getting a graduate certificate in TESL (or, if you wanted to teach ESL as a career, a master's degree in TESL or applied linguistics).
Being Latino might cause you some problems getting a job because in some countries they can't seem to get beyond the silly notion that only whites can be native English speakers. |
Thank you very much for your response. So, my alternative certification program (ACP), that I may continue in next year if I don't get a job in a school soon, will eventually lead me to a standard certification to teach ESL or other subjects grades 4-8 in public schools. I figure since I'm already in the ACP and went through the training, I may as well stick with this ACP next year(or later if I go abroad) rather than find another program that does basically the same thing. That being said, I believe obtaining a TESOL or CELTA plus experience teaching abroad will make me stand out in next years cohort in my ACP.
I have heard about the 100-120 hour industry standard for ESL certification and I am sure Transworld offers that for me, including classroom experience teaching real ELL's. They are also "Approved by the State of California and Accredited by ACCET", according to their website.
I also am considering going to get graduates credits or a Master's in TESL, however family members advised me to get the teaching experience first to be sure I enjoy it. Considering how much getting a Master's costs these days, I'd like to be positive that it is what I want. I have found a few colleges that have attractive programs for that.
Lastly, I agree that many countries may have a misconception that whites are the best native English speakers and therefore make the best English teachers. However, I don't mind challenging that stereotype and showing others what I am capable of. I am well-traveled and have visited China, Thailand and Cambodia before and even though that was a while back when I was in my late teens, I felt respected and welcomed.
Thank you again for your reply and to anyone else reading this, please chime in if you have anything to add! |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:15 pm Post subject: Re: Questions:Certification types/schools, country rules/cus |
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| Broncos83 wrote: |
| First of all, I was recommended to check out Footprints from a friend in my ACP. I researched and was invited to a 30 minute interview but called prior to ask questions. It seems good, but I was told due to DWAI conviction 5+ years ago, Korea wouldn�t grant a visa. When I expressed interest in Japan, they told me only their students with seniority get those jobs. |
Dump your friends who trust Footprint, or dump Footprint. That information about Japan is totally false. In fact, I don't even know what it means to say "seniority".
In Japan, you are completely qualified right now to teach entry level. That means in conversation schools or as an ALT through a dispatch agency or the JET Programme. All that is needed is a generic bachelor's degree. Come to the Japan forum and learn more.
| Quote: |
| I know I can bypass a recruiter and land a job by other means, so I�m looking into getting TESOL or CELTA certified. |
Lose the recruiters for Japan. You don't need them. You actually may not even need certification, but come to the forum and you'll get more info from others like me who have been in Japan for a decade. Realize that the market is glutted with teachers right now, though.
1.) In my situation, given my countries of choice, is a TESOL good enough or is CELTA better? Should I pursue one over the other given my background and choice of countries?
Neither is better for most entry level jobs in Japan. Certification is not usually needed to land that first job anyway. With the flooded market, however, it may not hurt to get some certs.
2.) Is it still possible to go to Korea with a DWAI on record? Is Japan as strict as Korea when it comes to personal background? What about being Latino in these countries?
The conviction is 5 years old. I don't think you'll have a problem in Japan. It's only a drunk driving offense anyway, not a felony, right?
Latinos, Blacks, Asians, Whites, etc. all get teaching jobs here. Don't even discuss your heritage to interviewers. You're American or Canadian or British, etc. and therefore a native English speaker. If someone actually stoops low enough to ask about your heritage (perhaps based on your name or looks), tell them you are a native born English speaker and that your country has a plethora of ethnic groups (unlike Japan). |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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1. SIT, Trinity and CELTA are the top three. that being said any course with 120 hours and 6 teaching hours is probably enough to get your foot in the door.
If you can get certified, you might want to check out www.ibo.org and www.tes.co.uk or go to a intl recruiting fair. the majority of schools require you to have 2 years experience. But some schools in less desireable countries will take you
2.) Don't know about DWAIs. About your background, yes, you probably will face some problems, less in bigger cities.
3. Sorry, dont' know |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:31 pm Post subject: Re: Questions:Certification types/schools, country rules/cus |
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| Broncos83 wrote: |
| Thank you very much for your response. So, my alternative certification program (ACP), that I may continue in next year if I don't get a job in a school soon, will eventually lead me to a standard certification to teach ESL or other subjects grades 4-8 in public schools. |
If you're in that program specifically to become an ESL teacher, it would.
| Quote: |
I figure since I'm already in the ACP and went through the training, I may as well stick with this ACP next year(or later if I go abroad) rather than find another program that does basically the same thing. That being said, I believe obtaining a TESOL or CELTA plus experience teaching abroad will make me stand out in next years cohort in my ACP. |
Again, if you're in the program specifically to become an ESL teacher then you should stick with the program until you complete it. If you're in the program to become a general education teacher or, since your degree appears to be music related, a music teacher, then perhaps you'll want to switch over to ESL.
| Quote: |
| I have heard about the 100-120 hour industry standard for ESL certification and I am sure Transworld offers that for me, including classroom experience teaching real ELL's. They are also "Approved by the State of California and Accredited by ACCET", according to their website. |
Check with the State of California and with ACCET directly to see if they did, in fact, accredit Transworld. Don't go by what Transworld claims: many courses claim to be "accredited" but they're not, nor are the accrediting bodies necessarily valid accrediting bodies.
| Quote: |
| I also am considering going to get graduates credits or a Master's in TESL, however family members advised me to get the teaching experience first to be sure I enjoy it. Considering how much getting a Master's costs these days, I'd like to be positive that it is what I want. I have found a few colleges that have attractive programs for that. |
I don't know what California requires with regard to graduate level education but I live in New York State where all teachers have been given a certain amount of time during which they must complete a master's degree. ESL teachers here in New York almost always have a master's degree to start with because there are very few bachelor's programs in ESL that lead to state teacher certification.
| Quote: |
| Lastly, I agree that many countries may have a misconception that whites are the best native English speakers and therefore make the best English teachers. However, I don't mind challenging that stereotype and showing others what I am capable of. I am well-traveled and have visited China, Thailand and Cambodia before and even though that was a while back when I was in my late teens, I felt respected and welcomed. |
No, not the best native English speakers, the only native English speakers.
In any event, I recommend that you complete your program and get your state teaching license (if your program doesn't already lead to licensure as an ESL teacher then you might want to modify your program; here's a summary of what's required in California to be certified to teach ESL: http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/cl622.pdf). That will open up some doors for you (e.g. international schools) that would otherwise would be shut, locked and bolted. Keep in mind that courses such as CELTA, Trinity, SIT, and the various generics are geared toward teaching adults. Some of the course providers also have a separate course in teaching young learners (often referred to as CTEYL). |
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Broncos83
Joined: 20 Aug 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Various
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| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 5:04 pm Post subject: Re: Questions:Certification types/schools, country rules/cus |
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| Glenski wrote: |
Dump your friends who trust Footprint, or dump Footprint. That information about Japan is totally false. In fact, I don't even know what it means to say "seniority".
In Japan, you are completely qualified right now to teach entry level. That means in conversation schools or as an ALT through a dispatch agency or the JET Programme. All that is needed is a generic bachelor's degree. Come to the Japan forum and learn more.
Lose the recruiters for Japan. You don't need them. You actually may not even need certification, but come to the forum and you'll get more info from others like me who have been in Japan for a decade. Realize that the market is glutted with teachers right now, though.
1.) In my situation, given my countries of choice, is a TESOL good enough or is CELTA better? Should I pursue one over the other given my background and choice of countries?
Neither is better for most entry level jobs in Japan. Certification is not usually needed to land that first job anyway. With the flooded market, however, it may not hurt to get some certs.
2.) Is it still possible to go to Korea with a DWAI on record? Is Japan as strict as Korea when it comes to personal background? What about being Latino in these countries?
The conviction is 5 years old. I don't think you'll have a problem in Japan. It's only a drunk driving offense anyway, not a felony, right?
Latinos, Blacks, Asians, Whites, etc. all get teaching jobs here. Don't even discuss your heritage to interviewers. You're American or Canadian or British, etc. and therefore a native English speaker. If someone actually stoops low enough to ask about your heritage (perhaps based on your name or looks), tell them you are a native born English speaker and that your country has a plethora of ethnic groups (unlike Japan). |
Thank you Glenski, I think they meant that they would only offer openings or recommend jobs in Japan for those who have already gone through the program and taught somewhere else first. I agree, I won't be doing their program.
I think I will go ahead and get a TESOL cert, even though it is not mandatory. I think it will just put me a step above the rest.
Yes, the DWAI conviction is only a misdemeanor and it's over 5 years old. I'm not too worried about it compromising my situation.
And thanks for the advice regarding my race and nationality. You bring up a good point and I think once the schools get to know me and know what I can do, my skin color shouldnt be a factor.
I will definitely look at the Japan board once I figure out where I will be going.
Thanks! |
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Broncos83
Joined: 20 Aug 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Various
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| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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| naturegirl321 wrote: |
1. SIT, Trinity and CELTA are the top three. that being said any course with 120 hours and 6 teaching hours is probably enough to get your foot in the door.
If you can get certified, you might want to check out www.ibo.org and www.tes.co.uk or go to a intl recruiting fair. the majority of schools require you to have 2 years experience. But some schools in less desireable countries will take you
2.) Don't know about DWAIs. About your background, yes, you probably will face some problems, less in bigger cities.
3. Sorry, dont' know |
Thanks for your input! I will check out those websites. I think I will just be going for a TESOL certification because it offers the 120 hours and 6 hours of actual practice teaching and it costs about 1/2 as much as it costs to get a CELTA.
I hope to teach in a big(ger) city so I am confident I should be treated fine. |
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Broncos83
Joined: 20 Aug 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Various
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| Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:40 am Post subject: Re: Questions:Certification types/schools, country rules/cus |
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| Chancellor wrote: |
If you're in that program specifically to become an ESL teacher, it would.
Again, if you're in the program specifically to become an ESL teacher then you should stick with the program until you complete it. If you're in the program to become a general education teacher or, since your degree appears to be music related, a music teacher, then perhaps you'll want to switch over to ESL.
Check with the State of California and with ACCET directly to see if they did, in fact, accredit Transworld. Don't go by what Transworld claims: many courses claim to be "accredited" but they're not, nor are the accrediting bodies necessarily valid accrediting bodies.
In any event, I recommend that you complete your program and get your state teaching license (if your program doesn't already lead to licensure as an ESL teacher then you might want to modify your program; here's a summary of what's required in California to be certified to teach ESL: http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/cl622.pdf). That will open up some doors for you (e.g. international schools) that would otherwise would be shut, locked and bolted. Keep in mind that courses such as CELTA, Trinity, SIT, and the various generics are geared toward teaching adults. Some of the course providers also have a separate course in teaching young learners (often referred to as CTEYL). |
Thanks for the reply Chancellor and sorry I didnt get back to your post until now.
It's complicated to explain, but my subject area in my ACP is ESL/generalist 4-8 meaning if I get an ESL teaching job(ESL, ESL lang. arts, etc) my certification will be in ESL. If I end up teaching a 5th grade class, I will get a general certification, unless the class is %50 LEP(limited English proficient learners)-I will be eligible to get my certification in ESL.
Problem is, the school year started and I am without a teaching job so I plan on continuing in next year's cohort, if possible.
I checked the ACCET website and Transworld is listed on it. The program appears pretty legit. Thanks for suggesting to check it out. Oh and the course specifically has modules that are geared towards teaching both kids and adults, so I am glad to know that.
Thanks for your help. |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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By the way, Bronco, I really appreciate how you're taking the time to engage with other posters and thank them for their info!
| Quote: |
I think I will just be going for a TESOL certification because it offers the 120 hours and 6 hours of actual practice teaching and it costs about 1/2 as much as it costs to get a CELTA.
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I'd advise caution here- CELTA prices vary widely from location to location, as do other certificate programs. But, unless the CELTA you've been looking at is dramatically overpriced, an acceptable cert may not be available for half. Example- the CELTA nearest me is around $1500, if I remember correctly. For $750, I've gotta say I would wonder about a course. (I'm a teacher trainer on an SIT TESOL course- if the center I work for wanted to offer it for $750, they couldn't afford me. A center that offers a very cheap cert is obviously doing one of two things. They may be underpaying trainers, which implies that the trainers don't really have qualifications to go and get a good job. Or they may be overpacking the courses, having a trainer to trainee ratio that doesn't allow individual attention, which really detracts from the quality of your experience.)
I'm not saying you have to buy a "brand name" in order to get on in this field- but remember that things that are cheap are generally cheap for a reason. Before you decide on a cheap course, try to find out the reason, and decide if it's one you can live with.
If you'd like to post the specific courses you're considering here, some of the other posters may have experiences that could be useful.
Best,
Justin |
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coledavis
Joined: 21 Jun 2003
Posts: 1838
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| Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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| In most of life, I avoid brands like the plague. However, I think you should follow them in the case of initial teacher training for TEFL. Let's look at the horse's mouth, the job advertisements: In the case of most of these, CELTA gets mentioned first, Trinity second, with 'other TESOL' either third or not cited at all. If they're desperate, they'll take anything, if they're not, then holding a qualification which has some regulation is better. NB If you specifically want to go in for teaching younger children, then the brand names reverse, with Trinity being the preferred qualification. I can't talk about St Giles in California, but I did train at St Giles in Highgate, north London, which was excellent (but yes, a bit more expensive than some). |
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AsmaInEgypt
Joined: 02 Oct 2010
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 9:02 am Post subject: |
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Hi there,
I've been looking for reviews of Transworld since it's the TEFL program in the SF Bay Area that seems to fit my needs best, and I'm curious to hear what you ended up doing  Did you complete the TESOL program with them?
I've also applied for the St. Giles CELTA, but the upcoming October start date is full and chances seem slim of a spot opening up. Either way, Transworld's distance option is a big draw - I'd really love to attend in person, but with 2 little kids and a potentially 2-hour commute each way from where I live in the South Bay, doing at least some studying from home seems more realistic.
For any future readers who are searching for info about Transworld, so far I understand that Transworld's distance program allows for doing 2 weeks of the full-time course from home, so that reduces the in-person time at the SF campus to 1 full week in person for practice teaching at their ESL center (which can be done M-Sat. or segmented according to one's schedule) plus another full week if one wants to pursue the Advanced certification.
I really appreciated the replies you received - it makes me more comfortable about doing the Transworld TESOL rather than the CELTA, which seems so intense and unforgiving if any life circumstances pop up throughout the monthlong course! At least it seems like a CELTA equivalent, which I will make sure to mention when applying for positions abroad  ... same number of training hours, same number of teaching hours. We all do what we can!
Let me know how you liked the program, if you ended up doing it!
Take care,
Asma |
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Wide eyed wanderer
Joined: 19 May 2009
Posts: 30
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 9:15 pm Post subject: |
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Hey Bronco,
If you want to teach in Korea, generally you don't even need a TESOL certificate. Japan is more difficult to get in then Korea. However I was able to land interviews for Japan with an Oxford seminar TESOL certificate (It is not a very highly rated program)
As for the DWAI. Generally Korean schools are strict when it came to having any sort of a criminal record. However you may just want to check with a lawyer to see if that actually shows up on your criminal record. It may, if it was only a speeding ticket or parking ticket you would be able to get by because at least in Canada it doesn't show up on your criminal record. Therefore they won't know. I am not sure, but you may also want to see if you can get a pardon seeing as it happened over 5 years ago.
CELTA and Trinity are very highly rated programs, but like other people have said if the program offers about 120 hours of teaching with at least 6 hours of you teaching actual language learners then the program may be worth it. Make sure you read reviews on the course before you take it.
Best of luck! |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 2:54 am Post subject: |
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| AsmaInEgypt wrote: |
Hi there,
{ edited for brevity}
I've been looking for reviews of Transworld since it's the TEFL program in the SF Bay Area that seems to fit my needs best, and I'm curious to hear what you ended up doing Did you complete the TESOL program with them?
Take care,
Asma |
Before you go spending the cash and time for your TESOL certification, do you have a bachelors degree?
The reason for asking is that in many countries now REQUIRE a BA for your work visa (even though you may find a dodgy employer who will let you work illegally on a tourist visa (wanna be an illegal?).
Look closely at your preferred destinations, expected salaries and benefits BEFORE you spend your hard earned cash on your TESOL to make sure you can actually get legal work.
| Wide eyed wanderer wrote: |
Hey Bronco,
If you want to teach in Korea, generally you don't even need a TESOL certificate. Japan is more difficult to get in then Korea. However I was able to land interviews for Japan with an Oxford seminar TESOL certificate (It is not a very highly rated program)
As for the DWAI. Generally Korean schools are strict when it came to having any sort of a criminal record. However you may just want to check with a lawyer to see if that actually shows up on your criminal record. It may, if it was only a speeding ticket or parking ticket you would be able to get by because at least in Canada it doesn't show up on your criminal record. Therefore they won't know. I am not sure, but you may also want to see if you can get a pardon seeing as it happened over 5 years ago.
CELTA and Trinity are very highly rated programs, but like other people have said if the program offers about 120 hours of teaching with at least 6 hours of you teaching actual language learners then the program may be worth it. Make sure you read reviews on the course before you take it.
Best of luck! |
The TESOL isn't required in Korea or Japan but for Korea you need the BA and Japan requires either the degree OR 3 years of VERIFIABLE classroom experience in order to get the work visa.
ANY derogatory remark (arrest or conviction) on your (criminal) background check (not your drivers abstract as you suggest) will eliminate you from Korea (immigration issue not employer issue). You can't get the E2 work visa.
This also holds true for countries like Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand who also now require that you present a clear criminal background check when applying for a visa to work as a teacher. (they now also require you to have a minimum of a bachelors degree to qualify for a visa and work permits.)
The days of landing a (legal) job as a teacher with a 30-day TESOL cert, your backpack, a plane ticket and white face are numbered.
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AsmaInEgypt
Joined: 02 Oct 2010
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:10 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the feedback, wew and tttompatz. Fortunately I do have a BA degree in Education (without a teaching license, without any student teaching experience - strictly education studies related to elementary subject instruction, classroom management, educational philosophies, etc).
I'm starting to try to turn all of that theory into practice and begin building up my classroom experience. So I like that the TESOL will give me more in terms of "practical" methods and classroom exposure.
I'm mostly interested in the ME region by the way - starting with egypt, maybe saudi or another gulf country in the future. The same requirement of having a BA seems to apply there. |
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