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Online TESOL Certificate - Recommendations?

 
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djunamod



Joined: 09 Jun 2011
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 5:35 pm    Post subject: Online TESOL Certificate - Recommendations? Reply with quote

Hi all,
I have a BA and MA in English and have been teaching English composition, writing, and literature courses to native English speakers for 8 years (4 of those and counting have been online). I am now looking to branch into teaching ESL as well and I'm interested mainly in the online teaching, as I love the online environment and I think it has some real potential, when done right.

I actually have a possibility of landing some work tutoring foreign students online for a few hours a week right now to get me started. However, the company I'm applying with really wants a commitment and I don't think they would look kindly on my taking 4 weeks off to do an intensive CELTA certification course (which I had actually been planning on for the summer).

To this end, I'm looking at the option of doing a TESOL certification online, FOR NOW.

Before I get an earful of "those things aren't worth the paper they're printed on", "no hands-on experience = worthless certificate", etc., let me say this - I have been poking around these boards long enough to know all of this.

For this reason, I say that I'm looking to get a TESOL certificate online for the time being. Since I have no ESL training to speak of (except for a few graduate-level courses I took this summer, which were great, but piecemeal at best), I feel a little unprepared and I want to have at least the basics of teaching ESL. I would be fine with spending a little money right now to get the basic training for an online certification without the hands-on teaching component because I'll be teaching (hopefully!) online anyway and my goals are to stay with online teaching anyway.

Luckily, I have teaching experience, both face-to-face and online, and I'm pretty good at planning a lesson and delivering it and playing things by ear and being creative and observant when the students aren't getting something and also explaining things and breaking things down. But I'd feel a lot better if I had some training and at least a certificate (even if it's not worth much in the job world right now) under my belt. The plan would be to do a CELTA or some other TESOL certification (like through a 4 year university) later on.

So... to that end, if anybody has suggestions on online TESOL certification courses that they've heard are good (even without the hands-on component), I'd love to start from there. Naturally, I'll be doing my own research on it, but I thought I'd hear from you good folks as well.

Djuna
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Denim-Maniac



Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238

PostPosted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Id say to skip the online course altogether. I accept your argument totally, and respect the fact you just want some idea of methodology etc, but I dont feel an online course is the best way to go.

Instead, I would suggest investing in, and reading, a few often recommended books. 'Learning Teaching' by Jim Scrivener, and a few of the 'How to...' books by Scott Thornbury will arguably teach more in the way of methodology than an online course would. For less than �50 too...a considerable saving over an online course as well!
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tttompatz



Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines

PostPosted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On-line course that IS worth the paper it is printed on = CELTA.

.
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spiral78



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

PostPosted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, absolutely, but the online CELTA includes a practicum. Key...
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tttompatz



Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines

PostPosted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spiral78 wrote:
Yes, absolutely, but the online CELTA includes a practicum. Key...


Yes, but the practicum doesn't take 30 days...

The coursework (bulk of the program) is on-line so it won't "interfere" with his other "work".

.
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spiral78



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

PostPosted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 12:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes - I agree it's a benefit to be able to do much of the cert online. I'm not sure I'd personally want to certify someone in this way, as I think a big part of successful teaching is successful teamwork and general people/professional skills. It's easier to sort of fake those for a few days than it is for an entire month...I've seen a few candidates over the years whose on-time, dress, and get-along skills deteriorated substantially in weeks 2, 3, and 4 of a course....but CELTA is reputable and hopefully the fact that there is a (mostly) online version now won't substantially water down the qualification.
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djunamod



Joined: 09 Jun 2011
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the responses. I am considering seriously going the route of getting some books and studying up on methodology, though I wonder if maybe a course might organize and present the information better for me. But I'll definitely look into some of the books mentioned here and see if that's going to be an option.

Djuna
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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 :)

PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

www.ontesol.ca

Keep in mind that an acceptable course will have an on-site teaching practicum with real ESL/EFL students (not fellow prospective teachers).
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teacherkev



Joined: 05 Feb 2012
Posts: 18
Location: Vietnam

PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry for the late reply - I would agree with previous posts. Text books (many listed on this forum) will offer you a foundation of various methodologies for teaching. I have invested in a CELTA for that very reason while also benefiting from practical experience.
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EFLeducator



Joined: 16 Dec 2011
Posts: 595
Location: NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS

PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 1:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Online TESOL Certificate - Recommendations? Reply with quote

djunamod wrote:
I'm looking at the option of doing a TESOL certification online, FOR NOW.


www.teflonline.com

Your teaching experience will help ou even though it is not in the TEFLing area. With your experience, degrees, and an online certificate (FOR NOW), you should have no problems amigo.

You can do the CELTA later.
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ossie39



Joined: 18 Jan 2009
Posts: 105

PostPosted: Sun May 27, 2012 10:40 am    Post subject: online courses Reply with quote

I think one important point is exactly that, the background of the teacher wishing to do some training. The EFL world has certainly diversified and possibly in times of competition for work, it is an advantage to have some specific qualification. This could be the diploma (general purposes) or courses for business English, academic English, EST, EOP, 1:1 and young people. People who have no teaching or training experience or training need certainly to do a foundation course. A certificate in one of the above areas is a big advantage in the job market I feel.

INTESOL is a very good and established company and they do offer courses in teaching ESP and young people. That is in addition to general EFL taster courses and the cert and diploma. Essentially they have an additional certificate programme that addresses the teaching practice element and this would last 2 weeks. I did their ESP course and found it excellent. Their courses are recognised in the NQF and they have centres worldwide should you wish to do full time onsite. Very Happy
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