Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Anicca]

I'm thinking of doing an MA TESOL. I noticed the US programs take two years to complete and are a bit more expensive, given that it takes two years. The UK programs are one year. The american ones seem to throw in a lot of (useless) extra theory.

Anyone here can shed some light on differences in general btw. these two country's programs? And will your future prospects be significantly altered by choosing one country over the other? I know it may be hard to generalize, but I'm wondering what some of you might have heard in Korea about this topic.

Finally, if anyone wants to share a bit of their experience getting this degree, where did you get it, how was the experience, worth the money, etc.

Thanks!

[mrsquirrel]

Oxford Brooks does a distance one.

Nice certificate from Oxford University.

[Mister]

Can't comment on specific differences between the 2 countries,

but a Canadian friend of mine got his MA TESOL while teaching in South East Asia, from the University of Redding (UK). He was happy with the program and the degree has been accepted everywhere he's gone. it definately got him a large pay increase.

About $9,000 usd I believe (I'm sure they're on the web, google).

[Woden]

[Woland]

The British programs are often assuming that you have earned a diploma (higher than a certificate, lower than the MA), which is where the missing year is. You'd have to check and see if they would let you through in one year without one.

I once had a long discussion of this with a British friend on a listserv for teachers. basically, we reached these conclusions:

In the US, the MA can either a continuation degree or an introductory degree for people entering the field. This leads to programs that can be very heterogenous. One common assumption about US based programs is that they "all theory," but a broad program survey a few years back has shown this not to be so. Most programs do require a practicum or internship of a semester's length for a degree. Not all do, though, and anyone getting a degree in the US would be wise to look into this to get what they want.

In the UK, the MA is often a terminal degree for people who want to move from teaching into administration, school management, testing, or teacher training. The Dip would generally be thought of as the highest degree/certification specifically focused on teaching practice. One consequence of this is that it is at the MA level that many Brits get their largest dose of theory. Again, there is variation within this descrition, and you would be good to check what any university you are interested in specifically offers.

In both countries, there are good programs for MAs, often with specific specializations depending on who is teaching in a particular program. KNow what you want and do your research. You might also look into Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong as other places with good programs.

A final note on the usefulness of theory. Every time a teacher walks into a classroom and does something with students to help them learn, they are operating on theories about how to teach and how learners learn. It probably would be best for everyone involved if those theories were 1) conscious; 2) informed, rather than naive; and 3) expressible in ways that can be shared with other teachers. This is the knowledge that theory classes in any teacher ed program give you. When one is conscious of the basis for ones decisions, one can make better decisions, can reason out problems that arise, and can more effectively share with others in an effort to generate solutions to problems.

Theory classes are good for you; they help make you a better teacher. Not all theory is equally valuable. Pure theoretical linguistics has, as Chomsky himself has said, little for teachers. But applied linguistic theory, which looks at language in teaching and learning, is of very high value. And in almost all programs that I know of, that is the theory you get. There's an article by Grabe, Stoller, and Tardy, in a book edited by Eggington and Hall, published by Multilingual Matters, which looks specifically at what theory should be taught in applied linguisitics MA programs, and how one student made use of that knowledge in teaching after getting the degree. It's a great article and may be worth looking up if you can find it.

Theory is good because consciousness is good.

[TECO]

Neither.

New Zealand or Australia.

Cheaper and just as good.

Do the 1 year U.K. influenced N.Z. or Aust. programs and then go do a 1 month CELTA in Bangkok.

You'll be a TESOL machine after that!

[Jizzo T. Clown]

[mrsquirrel]

Nope never took it.

It is still on list though however, I have taken an interest in Sterling Universities MSc. in Technology Enhanced Learning. Very interesting.

[spyro25]

currently on the MA TESOL by distance from the institute of education, university of london. 6000 pounds with a monthly payment plan. i agree with everything woland said above so i don't really have anything more to add to that. distance is 2 years though.

[mrsquirrel]

Only downside of the Msc in Technology Enhanced Learning is it is over four years.

One unit per semester. Easy workload though

[meangradin]

Do you mean 'Stirling' in Scotland. If so, that is a pretty little town with a cool university.

[mrsquirrel]

Woops

Yes Stirling

Would never call the town pretty mind.

Or it wasn't when I was last there in the 90's visiting my grandparents.

[Snowkr]

I'm doing my MA in TESOL here in the states. I wouldn't want to do it online. You learn a lot more in class... face to face with professors and classmates.

My program is under 2 years if you go full time. It can be completed in 18 months.

I also agree with another poster that programs in Australia are cheaper and just as good. QUT (Queensland University of Technology) has a very good grad TESOL program, I've heard, and so does Macquarie Uni in Sydney.

I'm American, so I'm sticking to my own country this time, but I would still highly recommend a school in Australia. I did my B.A. there and have never regretted it.

[tob55]

People who take online programs which have been designed to follow a classroom methodology, i.e. you have to be in the web-class at this time, on this day are really simply taking an Internet based classroom course...True online instruction should be designed to give students access 24/7 and allow them to work in a seamless environment where they can complete their courses in a timely fashion...I have often wondered why students would opt for such program offerings... Universities like AIU and Phoenix have become the top providers of Online University Programs simply because they have figured out that it is possible to accellerate learning and maintain a high level of integrity and quality in the delivery methods being used...

People taking courses requiring 18 months to 2 years of online instruction should just as well be sitting in a classroom where Snowkr mentioned you have f2f interaction...I work with online education and it is possible to achieve a high level of interaction and maintain a high level of quality, but it is necessary to research the options before enrolling and taking a course and spending money on something that is not really focused on true online methodologies...

[Anicca]

Thanks for all the information, everyone.

I heard the online MAs are not looked upon that favorably. Anyone have good information to the contrary?