Korean Job Discussion Forums

[james_baldrey]

The last week i have been getting some really great advice from the forum about doing an MA in Tesol in Thailand. However because of this forum i have started reading about PGCE's , MEds, and DELTA's!!!! All of which makes me more confused!

So here is my situation......graduated from UK uni with BA and MSc in Business Management and international Management. Did 2 years teaching english at a Thai college. Then went back to UK to do my CELTA (grade A) and then came to Korea where i wll finish my one year university contract next February.

I had planned to do an MA in Tesol, but now i am sooooo confused! I really love teaching English as opposed to teaching business. I would like to teach in the middle east and other countries at good universities or international schools for good money. I would then like to get a DOS position (no idea where) and also be able to teach English in the UK at a university Language centre. Finally in the long way off i would like to have my own language school, so i need some jobs where i can save!

After all that (Sorry!!) what advice would you give in terms of the next qualification i should do? Any advice woudl be most welcome!!

Cheers!

[Zark]

You seem to have widely variant goals - some of which require different qualifications.

For the Middle East - you'll need that MATESOL. Or at least an M.Ed., some places a B.Ed. and PGCE might do it (for lesser positions).

For international schools, minimum 2-3 years teaching experience in your home country and a home country certification (I don't know what that is in the UK - a PGCE? - quite a different state-specific system in the US).

You might look forward to which countries in which you'd like to teach in the international schools - as some have strong preferences for the qualifications of either US or UK systems - and you'll have some difficulty getting in with the wrong set.

For language schools either set of qualifications will do fine - for a DOS slot - same, but with more experience.

Pretty much seems like you'll need to make a decision about which direction you want to move in - major universities in foreign countries - or international schools. Both have their attractions.

Universities in the Middle East will pay equally to the international schools but that is not true in most other countries. University positions won't typically work you as hard as int'l schools - and will allow you more time to publish or further your qualifications.

Only my opinion on all this - but this does reflect my experience teaching in five countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

[Cherry Ripe]

Some institutions in the Middle East do not recognise Master's degrees that are done through distance education (ie not on campus).