Job Discussion Forums

fashiiionista · Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Posts: 8

hey guys I have been doing a little research on this and i am torn between doing the oxford seminar program and Celta program in New York but the celta program there is like 2500 bucks and I was wondering is there any where to get this certificate?And also which is better of a program?

Also I am in college right now and there is a oxford seminar program here in tennessee that I could go to at an university...Stating that it is a class in a university i am thinking that financial aid is available?

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

Ok, here goes.

Point 1. Depending where you want to teach, cert courses like Oxford may not be considered sufficient. The industry standard for many parts of the world is 120 hours on-site, including (key) supervised teaching practice with actual students (not peer trainees). CELTA is the name brand, but there are also some generic courses that meet the standard.

Tell us where you think you want to teach, and people with experience in those regions can tell you if Oxford will be sufficient there. It is a short course, and practice teaching is done with peer trainees, not real students.

The course you mention 'at' the university will not be a university course - Oxford and other short courses often rent rooms at local universities. Make inquiries, but I am pretty sure there will be no financial aid through the university.

Point 2: There is almost no-one who will fund newbie level TEFL training. Most new teachers aim to go abroad - and why would anyone fund training for someone who will be leaving the country?

Point 3: If you are on a financial shoestring, your teach abroad opportunities will be mostly limited to Asia (more detailed info will certainly come from people familiar with the market there - I am not). In Europe and in Latin America, there are start-up costs associated - it is very rare for any school to pay for airfare or to provide housing, so you will need some finances available to get started.

If you are aiming to teach in the US, the answers may be slightly different. Where do you think you want to go?

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Whilel they don't usually offer financial aid, they might offer discounts. For example, if the course is starting in a week and they have 4 vacancies, they might offer you a discount. Try and ask.

fashiiionista · Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Posts: 8

im sorry for the late answer
But i would love to teach in the Netherlands maybe Amsterdam or Rotterdam but i am not part of the EU so i am pretty sure i am not that able but i would also love to teach in Spain .. and if that doesnt work somewhere in South America Central any spanish speaking countries.. but as well i could work in NYC in the states.... I just saw a program today that was name fast train and it seemed to be associated with the goverment but it's all the way in Virginia..have you heard of that program??? A little more info about me is i will be getting my BA in International Studies with a minor in Spanish and i have a AA in Paralegal Studies[/code]

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

I teach in the Netherlands, and I can assure you that a non-EU citizen with basic qualifications and an entry-level cert has near-zero chances here, unless you happen to marry a Dutch guy, in which case you might be able to pick up some part-time, freelance gigs.

Spain is also legally off-limits for non-EU citizens, excepting for student exchange programs. You might check the Spain forum for more info on these.

Latin America is probably a better focus for you, realistically.

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

See if there are any university / college programs in your area. Financial aid is normally only available for programs through (for lack of a better term) 'real' academic institutions.

And if there is more than one program in your area, then go with the one that will get you transfer credit for an MA so that it would take less time to finish that stage. Australian universities often have a system like that. Universities in Ontario, Canada, less so but there is sometimes still some transfer credit from TESL certificate to MA Applied Linguistics (through the same university) available.

Note that a university program may be an academic year, instead of the month or whatever. But that's okay. It takes a year to teach someone who is bilingual in French and English and has a degree majoring in French to teach French. I don't really see why it should only take a month to teach someone who is an English native speaker (and one who may not even have a relevant undergrad) to teach English.

fashiiionista · Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Posts: 8

Well here's the update i decided to take a program here in the US that consists me of getting my MA so i am more qualified for the teaching jobs..Even with an MA i am still not abled to work in Spain or the Netherlands?

mozzar · Joined: 16 May 2009 Posts: 339 Location: France

You'd have to convince them that you have a skill that a European person doesn't have to get a visa. Not sure if that's possible, even with an MA. It'd never hurt to try though, plus you could always work in the Middle East and garner a wage and experience before trying Europe again.

fashiiionista · Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Posts: 8

Yea i know i have read all the stipulations of the being a EU citizen and how it works with getting a job in europe..it seems that my chances are slim to non of working there even with a masters degree..But i have been reading around and it says that its easier to get a visa in new eu (central and eastern europe) then in the old eu which is western(spain & the Netherlands) . Do you think if i can get my foot in the door with a job in the central and eastern parts of europe that it will give me a better chance for the western part?

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Honestly, I think the best ways of working in Europe are

Marriage
Studying there and seeing if an employer will sponsor you afterwards.
Blood ties

Doesn't matter if you get into the Eastern part, that won't qualify you to work in Western europe. each country is different.

Kaspar Hauser · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 83

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

Well here's the update i decided to take a program here in the US that consists me of getting my MA so i am more qualified for the teaching jobs..Even with an MA i am still not abled to work in Spain or the Netherlands?

No, it's not likely. The fact is that there are lots and lots ok UK MA holders (with considerable experience on top of that) and the condition still exists that a school needs to be able to argue that you have quals no EU citizen can match.

My own case was an exception because I had taught at this specific uni in the past (with a visa from my spouse's international company) and did my MA with a focus on studying and working with the approach and method used in classrooms here. So, actually, no one else DID have quals like mine.

More bad news: jobs in Central/Eastern Europe don't really pay enough to be worth an MA - it's very, very difficult to get above sort of base level pay there.

And, no, experience in a European country where you can work legally won't help you get a job in western Europe later. The same laws will still apply.

Naturegirl's is the most practical advice - try to marry an EU citizen Shocked

fashiiionista · Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Posts: 8

fashiiionista · Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Posts: 8

spanglish · Joined: 21 May 2009 Posts: 742 Location: working on that

Get a masters in TESOL + state teaching certification. This will set you up to find work in both the US and to get a good job at an IB school overseas. That's one of the few jobs that offers any kind of a decent salary in Latin America. In addition, speaking Spanish will be help you get a job at a public school teaching ESL.