Korean Job Discussion Forums

[seoul101]

I've got over 2 years experience in Korea and will be looking to start in March 2008 - would it help getting an online credential (I only have a BA right now) ?

Are the online courses recognized as equals to the classroom taught ones?

Thanks for any advice.

[makemischief]

It won't hurt to have it on your resume (any bit that puts you a little above helps), but in all truth at the university level TEFL certificates don't count for a WHOLE lot. This is not to say they are worthless (I have one myself), just that they need to be part of a much larger package.

If I had the chance to do that one intro cert again, I'd choose a CELTA- but I don't know if that can be done via distance.

[LateBloomer]

A CELTA cannot be done online. The emphasis is on teaching and you do a lot of teaching of real students. That can't be done online. Your every movement and every word is critiqued and it's like cramming a whole year of university into one course.

[bassexpander]

I didn't need the CELTA for my uni job.

You don't need a CELTA in Korea. Especially if you are going to teach kids. Can you learn something taking the CELTA? You bet. I knock the CELTA a lot, but I like the British Council's website for Task-Based Learning activities.

The rule of thumb I tell people to follow goes something like this:

If you are....

... in Korea for just a year or two, and have no plans to teach elsewhere after, don't bother with any TEFL certification.

... in Korea for 3 to 4 years, plan to move on and teach in another country, or stay working a public school job, get a low-cost, approved TEFL course (many are below $400, and can be done via distance. Just make sure they are over 100 hours). If you plan to move around the world and teach in countries that respect the British system, then get a CELTA. All of these certifications (including the CELTA) are useless in the USA.

... in Korea for 5 or more years, you should get, or make plans to get, some kind of teaching certification or an MA in Education/TESOL. You could get a CELTA, but if you've been teaching for more than 4 years, I'd say it's a waste of money.

Remember, the CELTA costs about US $1,500 to $2,500, depending on where you take it. Korea is naturally much more expensive. One could almost say they gouge you here (when they even offer it), but maybe it's the extra cost of buildings or something -- who knows. Don't forget to factor in flight costs, housing costs, and lost work costs for up to 5 weeks. Any flight costs you'd save by taking it in Korea are squashed by the high price of taking it here (unless prices have changed that I'm not aware of).

I added it all up, and found that I'd be out over 4 million won if I took the CELTA, counting lost work time. Even at a 100,000 won per hour raise for having it, that will take you more than a few years to recoup the costs at a public school job.

Not worth it, given my situation.

By the way, CELTA now has a long-term course that you can do over several months. I'm not up to speed on what that entails, so I can't comment.

[Demophobe]

[bassexpander]

[TECO]

[bassexpander]

Again, as he mentioned, the CELTA is very useful in other countries around the world. But not needed here, except for self-betterment. Well, maybe that's a bit harsh. It's a great course. Just expensive.

The CELTA clan, and their fanboys, are trying their best to get Koreans/politicians to buy into the CELTA cult. Obviously Korea's a huge TEFL cash-cow waiting to be milked.

[soju pizza]

Online TEFL won't get you too far, but like one poster said, any little bit helps when you're first starting out.

[soju pizza]

Bah. Double post

[shimmyshimmy]

Not sure if I should start a new post....but a bit on the topic...

Where can I take a reputable online TESL/TEFL course thats over 120 hours? I originally planned to take a CELTA course in the summer before leaving to Korea but it seems that I won't have enough money...sigh...:/

If anyone knows where I can take an in-person TESL/TEFL certification course in NYC that would be even better.

Thanks!

[butlerian]

[melvaughn]

I'm a bit suspicious of on-line tefl courses. I e-mailed one simply asking a question before possibly applying for it. I decided I was no longer interested and was then harrassed by two more e-mails from the on-line company wondering what happened to me and if I still planned to take their on-line tefl course. I figured it they're that desperate, it can't be that legitimate.

[Paji eh Wong]

From a Korean administrators POV, they probably can't tell the difference between an online and in person cert.

[bassexpander]