Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sigmundsmith]

Have read many posts about doing a TESOL/TEFL certificate - 100/120 hours etc

But what is the difference with doing a University course that is one semester in length where you are in the classroom for more than 300 hours.

Does one hold great weight than the other or are both seen as the same?

[bassexpander]

As far as getting raises at public school jobs, about all they seem to care about is that it's over 100 hours. Doesn't matter if it cost you 50,000 or 3,500,000 to do the course -- it's accepted all the same. It just has to be from an outfit that's verifiable, and is not a known degree mill.

Most respected course in Korea: Sookmyung Univ.'s TEFL course. One of the Korean Educational higher-ups started this program, and has used her political clout to interest Koreans in it (thus the popularity). Very expensive, and takes 3 1/2 months (I think). I heard a rumor that the cost is around 3.6 million, but don't quote me on that... might be a bit less. Credits can be transferred toward an MA, I'm told.

Most respected non-univ. TEFL internationally: CELTA and Trinity. Originated in UK, and most useful if you're from that country or plan to teach in Europe. Both expensive. Good courses for newbees with no teaching skills and a strong desire to learn. Lots of hands-on practice. Also expensive -- takes a month and costs around 2.5 million plus or inclusive of housing depending where you take it. Controversial teaching methods (CELTA) where trainers accept their way or you take the highway. CELTA is most known for its marketing prowess. Most employers (in Korea) have no clue what the CELTA or Trinity are compared to a $300 course, and many couldn't care less, despite extreme marketing by those selling it. A few schools around the world accept a CELTA as some credit towards an MA, but I'm not privy as to which schools.

Sort of well-known internationally: TEFL International. Rumored to be modeled after CELTA, but that's just what I heard. Just about as expensive. Known for marketing prowess. Also provides lots of hands-on. Even less well-known in Korea, if at all by most.

Other online courses: KEI-TEFL, ITTT, etc., all sub-$500 range. Good for grammar brush-up or self-study learning. Some offer a teaching practice component for extra. Do at your own pace. Not well-known, like just about everything else. 100+ hour certificates can get you a raise in a public school situation (most people).

Just remember that with about ANY non-university TEFL course, the people calling it "certified" are the same people offering the course -- or a group of like courses ganging-up under an umbrella name and "certifying" each other. Would you trust your health to a doctor who was only a doctor because he or a group of friends say he is a doctor?

You also need to find out where these courses will get you jobs. Korea is one of the top-paying places in the world for ESL, and you don't need a TEFL/TESL certification to work here. Similar with Japan. Then there's Saudi Arabia, but you have to ask yourself if you want to live in a compound, be treated subhuman by the locals, and have your values compromised to appease muslims. Again, jobs can be had there with NO TEFL certification, from what I've read. The rest of the places in the world these certifications promise you can work generally pay far less than Korea does, anyway. So, other than for self-betterment, what's the point?

In nearly every case, they won't secure you a job paying much more than you'd get paid without one. Many shady schools offer you a job after you finish the course. Truth be told, you're paying them for the training while they're making money from you teaching at their school. Then they offer you an "exclusive" job that you'd probably be better off without with, anyway.

I never needed a TEFL course to get jobs here. I worked my way up from hagwons to high schools to university. I took a TEFL course with Rod Ellis, but I took it long after I got my univ. job. I did it for the experience/fun of it. Thought it also might add some eye candy to my resume, but it'll never look as good as the MA/TESOL and Applied Linguistics I'm working on now.

Beware of individuals trying to sell you the idea that a 1 month course is better than 2 year MA in something ESL-related. They're doing exactly that -- selling you something. If they swear their course is better than a full MA, then the school they did their MA from must have been rubbish. There are at least a few rubbish MA's, as well -- mostly from south of here a few thousand miles.

[richardlang]

I strongly recommend the CELTA to anyone starting out in his/her teaching of English.

It helped me immensely with communicative lesson planning and constructing creative learning materials. All told, you spend 230+ hours in the CELTA course. You receive teaching tutorials from veteran teachers, practice your lesson plans on learners, and get feedback from your peers and tutors who supervised your teaching.

I'd do the CELTA over any other on-site TEFL course. I wasted my money on two online TEFLs (ITT and KEI-TEFL) and the Oxford TEFL (which is less than 100 hours itself, so it won't help you), the three of which didn't help my real teaching skills in the classroom.

At my teaching center, the CELTA course didn't receive payment from the students (English language learners in the area) we practiced our teaching on. I've heard the same from other CELTA graduates.

The CELTA is recognized the world-over. True, there's no difference to hagwons and public schools in Korea, but whatever you choose, don't do an online TEFL/TESOL. They're not going to give you what you'd receive on campus or at a teaching center. Do an on campus TEFL. Make sure it's over 100 hours.

R.

[maingman]

A Certificate is the standard qualification required to teach English as a Second or Foreign Language in the private sector. Accepted all over the world, the 100hrs ICAL TESL/TEFL Certificate is regarded as a benchmark by which other online courses are judged and we are proud leaders in this field.
IATQUO moderates only those course providers listed on their website. To be listed on the IATQUO website you need to pay them not only a registration fee but also a commission for each student you have on your books. So as you can see their validation is hardly independent and unbiased. In fact IATQUO was originally set up for a school (TEFL International) that couldn't get accreditation through the usual channels.

Of course to be 100% certain you should contact the school or relevant government department and check with them first. This will, of course, prevent any problems later.

There is currently NO independent accrediting organization for TESL/TEFL Courses and so it is up to the individual school or government to determine which courses they accept.

Also, I personally have a recent reply from a person of a advisory committee ( of a TEFL course)... who states the merits of the TEFL varies from country to country.
This person said he had only seen evidence of what happens on the course in Calcutta. That was quite impressive but he was told that other countries don't always achieve acceptable standards.

He said also that the CELTA has greater acceptance.

[bassexpander]

[richardlang]

I felt I could benefit more from the CELTA because it was in a real classroom, not an online class. I didn't waste my money, as I learned very practical skills for teaching. I would recommend this course to anyone. I'm not sure why you're so acerbic about the CELTA, but it was the right course for me and that's all I have to say.

[bassexpander]

As I've stated, the CELTA is a great course.

We just have a number of CELTArds here who claim it's better than an MA, are trying to sell something that is just not necessary to work in Korea.

With that said, if you have no classroom experience, it can be very helpful (mainly if you plan to teach adults). In my opinion, it's not necessary and overpriced.

[richardlang]

The CELTA is a great course. It has been invaluable in my teaching. I would recommend it whole cloth to anyone seeking to learn communicative language teaching. It has given me a professional toolbox from which I can draw in my pedagogy and learn from my students' learning needs.

And I don't teach adults, either.