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Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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milkweedma
Joined: 15 Dec 2006
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 Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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| can i have the info too via PM please. cheers, |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:57 am Post subject: Comments and Questions... |
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Many people have questions about the complexity of online instruction. Check out this article that outlines some of the comments and concerns regarding online instruction
Comments and Concerns Regarding Online Instruction
Hopefully it will give you a picture of working in an online environment... |
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trubadour
Joined: 03 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:03 am Post subject: |
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I'm concerned about the reputablity of TEFL's. who can set up and 'certify' online TEFL's? anyone?
CELTA is certified by either Cambridge uni or Trinity. A CELTA that isn't certified by them, isn't worth it.
Is this the same in the world of TEFL?
Or can I just slip someone 200 bucks and have them print me out a certificate?
Also, how long do they take (minimum).
And, don't they have to be of at least 120 hours to mean anything? |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:31 am Post subject: Comments & Questions... |
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I will try and address your statements and questions as you presented them them...
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| I'm concerned about the reputablity of TEFL's. |
You are right to be concerned since there are no regulations Internationally that would prevent anyone from setting up a phoney company, and provide something to people that is neither training or educational. There are currently a number of scammers who thrive on the sincerety of people who come to them seeking a reliable training program, only to find out they have been scammed out of their time and money. This is one of the reasons there needs to be more strict regulation as to who is able to establish and operate a TEFL training program.
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| who can set up and 'certify' online TEFL's? |
I can only speak in terms of Korea regarding this question. Every country who allows the establishment of educational service programs has their own guidelines for creating a TEFL training program. As it relates to Korea, the government is very strict regarding the establishment of any program that offers any type of educational training. I am not at liberty to speak directly about the company I represent since it would be viewed as advertising on this web forum, but I can give you an idea of the process.
1. Unless the provider can provide thorough documentation including curriculum, a detailed explanation of the type of training offered, a well outlined projection of the target audience for the training program, and several well defined reasons for offering such training, it is highly unlikely that registration of the provider will take place.
2. The provider must offer for inspection and examination to the government registration officials all information related to the establishment of the training service to be verified by the Provincial Management.
3. Korea is taking a proactive approach by requiring all new educational service programs to post on all of their legal documents the license and business registration number so that anyone can check their legal standing and information giving them the authorization to provide educational services to consumers.
4. Providers seeking approval by the government of South Korea must attend several meetings with the provincial office in which their business is located to be interviewed regarding their reasons for establishing an educational program.
5. Following three site visits by provincial officers to the location (if a physical school) or the website (if an online program), the government provides a registration and certificate of recognition to operate.
6. The program being established is required to indicate the individuals who will be operating the particular program, their qualifications, background, and their capacity in the program. Korea has had a rash of foreign investors coming into the country to establish their educational training programs, and they receive hefty tuition. The government frowns highly on these types of programs because they simply take in tuition and funnel it to other countries rather than the tuition and revenue staying in Korea.
This is a brief description of the process that takes place just to have an educational training program legally organized in South Korea. The scrutiny placed on a program like TEFL has come under fire in many places, so Korea is trying to be more aware of who actually offers training in their country.
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CELTA is certified by either Cambridge uni or Trinity. A CELTA that isn't certified by them, isn't worth it. |
CELTA was the first major player in the EFL-ESL industry. There are a number of reasons why they have grown and survived amidst the vast number of programs around the world. They are a quality program, and offer their programs at a cost. You are right to a point regarding their training programs outside of Cambridge or Trinity. They too have faced a number of criticisms because of providers who had no interest in maintaining the quality and integrity that these fine Universities represent.
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| Is this the same in the world of TEFL? |
As I mentioned already, TEFL/TESL/TESOL or any derivative thereof is not regulated, except by the country in which they are organized to provide training. Some of the major providers which are advertized on this website have a long history in the EFL-ESL training industry. This is why they are most recognized as being legitimate programs. This is where people should pay close attention to the training options they are seeking.
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| Or can I just slip someone 200 bucks and have them print me out a certificate? |
There are dishonest people anywhere you want to find them. They make a few dollars here and there, selling fake documents, but in the end it usually catches up with them. In my relationship with online training it is just not worth the risk of losing everything to issue documents which cannot be verified through course records from a legally operating educational provider. I personally wouldn't take the risk, and I certainly would not advise someone to take that risk.
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| Also, how long do they take (minimum). And, don't they have to be of at least 120 hours to mean anything? |
The training certificate programs range in number of hours anywhere from 20 up to 120 or more depending on the specific credentials you are seeking. (The actual number of study hours by each student is quite varied and would really be beyond the limits of a given time frame. For example if a program is advertised as taking 10 weeks, what that means for an onsite program would mean something different for an online program where the students actually have access to the classroom 24/7. With unlimited access to the class, students can and do finish their coursework in faster times. This is the best I can tell you.)
Internationally, the minimum standard for a TEFL certificate is 100 hours. This is what is accepted in Korea by the majority of employers. Often, instructors are working in their schools while taking the training, so the 100 certificate is accepted. Most of the 120 certificate programs include a small number of teacher observation hours along with some instruction on specifics related to lesson planning. Many of the provincial offices of education have their own training orientations, which can be combined with other training to provide the maximum effectiveness.
Last edited by tob55 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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acousticlive
Joined: 15 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:24 am Post subject: |
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Would you be able to send me some information about the online site, as well?
Thanks! |
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Bear256
Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Location: Anacortes, Washington USA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:22 pm Post subject: Hey tob! |
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Hey Tob!
I loved your opening on your online instruction piece.
"It is the first day of class and you are sitting at home in your pajamas, reading the newspaper and enjoying breakfast. This may appear a bit odd since you are scheduled to begin your university class in approximately one hour, and the university is a half an hour drive away. However, a large number of students are finding it quite easy to complete their university and professional education in an online environment."
You had me hooked from the opening! |
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elias poncho
Joined: 02 Jun 2007
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Could someone please PM the info for the online courses as well, thanks! |
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Jizzo T. Clown
Joined: 27 Mar 2006
Location: at my wit's end
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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I am in no way advertising nor am I affiliated with this company, but my two cents'...
The online course I took was ITTT. Their website is
http://www.teflcorp.com./ol-home.htm
You can read up on it there and decide for yourself which course to take.
Again, this is just my recommendation since I took the course and found it suitable for my needs.
Plus I didn't feel like sending a dozen PMs out with the same address. |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:53 pm Post subject: Thanks... |
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| Thanks for the contirbution Jizzo...I know of people who have taken the course you spoke of... and the results were mixed, some thinking it was good, while others thinking it was not...I guess it ends up being a personal choice for training options in the end... |
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blueatjustc
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Jizzo T. Clown wrote: |
I am in no way advertising nor am I affiliated with this company, but my two cents'...
The online course I took was ITTT. Their website is
http://www.teflcorp.com./ol-home.htm
You can read up on it there and decide for yourself which course to take.
Again, this is just my recommendation since I took the course and found it suitable for my needs.
Plus I didn't feel like sending a dozen PMs out with the same address. |
May sound like a stupid question, but is the course actually that hard or is it just a matter of work load. I have a master already (not in english education) and although my grammar isn't perfect it's about average.
Does it actually take 100 hours to do the online course.
Sorry if this has come up before. |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:16 pm Post subject: Course completion details... |
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I mentioned this in an earlier thread in this discussion, but it bears repeating again...
For example, for an onsite program (classroom based) that is 12 weeks long or 4 weekends or whatever, the expectations for completetion are much different because to complete a certain number of hours you physically have to be in the classroom...This means that 100 hours or 120 hours means having you physically present to receive the credit. This is why the courses last the length of time they are designed to cover...
However, in an online program (Internet based) the expected completion of course hours can be accomplished in a shorter period of time. Why?
1. The student has access to the web class from anywhere 24/7.
2. The student is working independently in most cases, so they can work at their own pace.
3. The student has to complete numerous activities and assignments online that requires them to keep track of their own progress rather than a teacher leading the way.
4. The student can correspond freely with the instructor and other students from the class using email and other tools in the web class.
Therefore, completing an online course is often accomplished faster, not because it lacks in quality or content, but because it is designed to give the user the most benefit and freedom when they access the course...
There is much I could say, but hopefully this will help...
Last edited by tob55 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:44 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Bear256
Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Location: Anacortes, Washington USA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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I, too, have a certificate from ITTT. My biggest complaint with them is that it really wasn't an ONLINE course at all but rather a correspondence course by email. They only allow you two units at a time, don't work the weekends or the first Friday each months and don't live up to their promise of a 24 hour turn around at all. I would end up each weekend with plenty of time and no way to get the next unit until Monday night. My last unit, they waited 5 days before even telling me I had passed.
I ended up taking a second course for a couple of reasons. I wanted to compare and I wanted a certificate from a company based here in Korea. KEI-TEFL was all online 24/7 and I felt was every bit as good as ITTT's.
My only other problem with ITTT's program was some of their stupid questions such as "How would you explain "passive voice" to a low level new learner. That is the difference between "Dave was eaten by a crocodile." and "A crocodile ate Dave." where the subject and object of the sentence are reversed. I am in my 4th year teaching here in Korea and I certainly can't imagine teaching a beginning English student something this inane at all.
The long and the short of it is as the old saying goes:
Opinions are like a$$holes, everyone has one.
I certainly encourage any teachers who are stuck sitting in the classroom this summer to seriously consider taking some course. I found both of them helpful in different ways and feel I am a better teacher for having done them. |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:45 pm Post subject: Support and Tech Assistance... |
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| As you discovered, the major source of discontent with many online programs is that their instructor and technical support is virtually non-existent. It is important to make sure the courseware being used has some kind of tracking system for the student and the instructor to verify the actual online study time...This is one feature that provides an excellent record for student participation in an online course offering... |
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Bear256
Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Location: Anacortes, Washington USA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:13 am Post subject: To tutor or not ..... |
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| For my ITTT "online" course I paid the extra for the tutor and I wouldn't have done it if I had it to do over. It seemed like a good idea at the time but some of the "corrections" she gave me contradicted their own text. When I pointed it out, chapter and verse, the tutor responded by slowing down sending me my next units. Foolish me, I thought the tutor was there to help me and make things go better and to help me learn and........ |
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Wondering
Joined: 23 May 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:31 am Post subject: |
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I started with a tutor with ITTT. After completing 10 units, I was so disheartened by never learning or doing anything practical (I teach kindy) that I just plain quit. And yes, getting the units bit by bit was annoying. I sometimes went an entire weekend with nothing to work on because I was waiting on the tutor. Got worse when she went on vacation.
Then, around two months ago, I signed up again, but this time without tutor support. I got ALL the units IMMEDIATELY. I did everything on my own and asked questions here and of a Grammar Queen friend when I needed to. I really wish I'd done it that way the first time. The tutor support was an expense that was just not worth it to me. |
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