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joelackey92 · Joined: 28 Feb 2012 Posts: 18 Location: Arkansas, y'all.

First off, I'd like to apologize to the frequent readers of this site for posting a question about the CELTA and TEFL certifications; surely it's been asked more than a dozen times.

Through the browsing of many a forum, I've acquired much information on both certifications and what they offer, but have yet to find an answer to this question. Typically, if you're choosing to teach for just one year, getting TEFL certified would be the best option. It's essentially futile to spend $2,000 on something that you'll use for just one year. So, my question is this: Since I want to teach abroad for the maximum of three years, would obtaining the CELTA certification be the best option, even though I'd be teaching children, and the CELTA isn't for teaching children?

Shroob · Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 1339

tttompatz

santi84 · Joined: 14 Mar 2008 Posts: 1317 Location: under da sea

What age do you want to teach?

I have a degree for teaching ESL to adults but took quite a few electives for teaching ESL to children (0-12). Two completely different worlds (different motivations, attention spans, expectations, materials....).

If you want to teach young children (0-5) then I would recommend reading up on preschool education/library science for toddlers & children. Major universities carry comprehensive lists of books for this age group - having these lists handy is critical for anyone who teaches ESL/EFL to kids.

The CELTA is useful either way, but do you have experience teaching children? When I originally started this ESL gig (and degree), I was pretty firm about teaching adults only. Working with both groups helped me realized that I actually preferred teaching children. Unless you absolutely know that you want to teach children (and have the experience to help you decide this), then I'd cover both bases, just in case.

santi84 · Joined: 14 Mar 2008 Posts: 1317 Location: under da sea

And why do you want to teach kids abroad? Is it because you are interested in teaching when you get back home? It would still be beneficial to have the qualification on your resume.

Do you have a university degree? What are your qualifications now, and where do you want to go? Do you have experience teaching children? It's not as easy as it looks, especially if you aren't a "kid person" (either with experience dealing with your own or extensively in a professional setting). I assume you are probably 20 years old due to your username, so I'm not sure if you have a degree yet/background with kids.

joelackey92 · Joined: 28 Feb 2012 Posts: 18 Location: Arkansas, y'all.

Thank you for the responses.

Schroob: I'd like to have the experience of teaching English in multiple countries, just to gain an understanding on how their angle towards learning differs. Three years would suffice, primarily because I want to return to America, and begin graduate school (been looking forward to it for a while). Four years would also work, but that would have to be the limit for me personally. China, Japan, Turkey, and a country in Latin America is what I'm aiming for.

tttompatz: Thank you for all of the information. You answered a lot of what I couldn't find on other sites.

santi84i: Nearly every company I've looked at has said that incoming teachers would be teaching children, teenagers and some adults. This has been my main problem. Get the CELTA, which is for teaching adults, or get a general TEFL certificate, which doesn't focus on one age group, as the CELTA does. It would appear that getting TEFL certified would be the better option, as it doesn't focus on one particular age group. Is this correct? Essentially I'm asking if people get the CELTA, and teach children, or, get a TEFL certificate, and teach a broad age group. Yes, I'm 20 years, no previous experience teaching English to children and am currently in college.

It seems as if I'm worrying too much about this; it probably isn't a big deal. Thanks again for the responses.