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| Do you want to do an MA TESOL degree? |
| Yes, I am preparing my application materials now. |
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7% |
[ 1 ] |
| Yes, I am planning on applying to a school in the near future. |
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30% |
[ 4 ] |
| No, it is a waste of time and money. |
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38% |
[ 5 ] |
| No, I am not interested in English teaching. This is just temporary. Why get a degree in this field? |
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23% |
[ 3 ] |
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| Total Votes : 13 |
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Francis-Pax
Joined: 20 Nov 2005
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 Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 7:18 am Post subject: MA TESOL: Is it worth it? |
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MA TESOL: Is it worth it?
All comments welcome! |
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SuperHero
Joined: 10 Dec 2003
Location: Superhero Hideout
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Where is the option for: yes - I've already completed my MA TESOL |
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Ekuboko
Joined: 22 Dec 2004
Location: ex-Gyeonggi
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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I am thinking about doing a Masters in either TESOL or Applied Linguistics when I return home. However, I also want to do my DELTA, which is more practical rather than theoretical.
It really depends on where my priorities and my career path lie. I want to go back to work in Japan so a Masters would be in order there; but ever since I did my CELTA x years ago, I've wanted to get into Teacher Training, for which I need the DELTA.... (plus Europe recognises this qualification more than Asia).
The English school I worked for at home offers the DELTA course with great support and resources, but most of my superiors there had both... so I still don't know....
It really depends on what you want to do and where you want to go - me? I'm torn and indecisive. |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Ekuboko wrote: |
| I am thinking about doing a Masters in either TESOL or Applied Linguistics when I return home. |
They are both essentially the same. An Ma in TESOL is essentially an Ma in Applied Linguistics with a more attractive title.
In any case, unless you do research for the minister of immigration in Korea, you won't get much support from your employer for putting to use what you have learnt, on top of having to deal with students who are unwilling to do the amount of work involved with being in a student centered classrooms. |
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ejmlab
Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Location: Pohang
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:38 pm Post subject: |
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I think an MA Tesol/AL is great for teachers who have long term plans to be teaching English at the post-secondary level. I think it contributes to job security. You often get slightly higher pay (however, earning an extra W100,000 per month will allow you to repay the MA in a little over 10 years). You can get the better Uni jobs with shorter hours and longer vacation periods. So if you're looking long term at Uni teaching an MA may be a good bet.
Cheers |
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Kenny Kimchee
Joined: 12 May 2003
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 11:58 pm Post subject: |
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| SuperHero wrote: |
| Where is the option for: yes - I've already completed my MA TESOL |
Indeed. What about the option "I hope to gawd it's worth it - I'm in the middle of one right now!"
I'm doing mine with Indiana Unversity http://www.indiana.edu/%7Elangdist/ I've taken eight classes and have four left to go. It's pretty depressing when you consider the return on investment is pretty low from a financial perspective. Like ejmlab said, if it gets you a W100,000 a month raise it'll take me ten years to break even; even if it nets me an extra 200k a month it'll take five years. Here in Japan I don't think it gets you anything extra, period.
However, it opens doors to better jobs (at least I hope it will). There's a big difference between having a B.A Philosophy + 5 years experience and having a M.S. TESOL and + 5 years experience. I hope to have a university or solo teaching job this time next year.
Now I just gotta get crackin' on getting published; I wonder if I can just dress up one of my old papers and submit that... |
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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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| I've changed my mind and will do my MA in International Relations rather than TESOL. Most uni jobs don't specify what your MA should be in and none of my coworkers here have on in TESOL/Linguistics. I think IR will be more interesting, serve me better if I wish to change fields and I can always brush up on my ESL skills with a Celta. |
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BRYGUY
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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| I completed my MEd in TEFL about 2 years ago. Some of you say that the DELTA is more practical. I don't know much about the DELTA but my MEd program had a great balance of practical training + theory. Theory plays an important role on how you teach (methods, techniques, etc.). You're really not much of a teacher if you don't have a strong belief or philosophy of education. Theory was definitely not my favorite part of the training but it really helps you to analyze situations better. That's just my two cents worth. Take it or leave it. |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:29 am Post subject: |
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| ejmlab wrote: |
I think an MA Tesol/AL is great for teachers who have long term plans to be teaching English at the post-secondary level. I think it contributes to job security. You often get slightly higher pay (however, earning an extra W100,000 per month will allow you to repay the MA in a little over 10 years). You can get the better Uni jobs with shorter hours and longer vacation periods. So if you're looking long term at Uni teaching an MA may be a good bet.
Cheers |
Use it as a stepping stone to get a teaching job in your home country You will get outside influence (institutional demands, cultural expectations, students' personal expectations, yada yada yada) no matter where you teach, but in Korea it is so that you will have a hard time putting the theory to use. In fact, most of the theory you will learn will go to waste as long as your remain here. |
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