Korean Job Discussion Forums

[crsandus]

Didn't I read somewhere that if you take the ITTT course with tutor support for $295 that you don't need to take the test at the end like the $190 course requires? Anyone?

[bassexpander]

I thought the discussion here was becoming a little boring:

CELTA and TEFL International... great courses for personal development, or if you know nothing about teaching,

BUT

I have a BA.

I didn't need a certification from TEFL International, or CELTA for my university job. I didn't need a TEFL International certificate for my university job.

I didn't need ANY certification.

You don't need a CELTA or a certificate from TEFL International in Korea -- especially if you are going to teach kids. Can you learn something taking the CELTA or getting a TEFL International certificate? You bet. I knock the CELTA a lot, but I like the British Council's website for Task-Based Learning activities. I also use books published by Cambridge. Good stuff. Highly recommended!

The rule of thumb I tell people to follow in regards to TEFL certification, however, 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. The full TEFL International course is going to be similiar in price (it was last I checked). Korea is naturally much more expensive for the CELTA. 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. Neither is TEFL International.

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. I'm sure you'll pay just as much for the base costs, as if you did the full 5 week CELTA.

Remember: MANY OF THESE CERTIFICATES ARE ONLY ACCREDITED BY THE COMPANIES/GROUPS THEY ARE OFFERED BY.

Would you seek medical care from a doctor who is only a doctor because he passed his own accreditation to become a doctor, and therefore certified himself? Now how about paying that doctor $1,500 to $2,500 for medical care which you don't need, and missing 5 weeks of paid work in the process?

Again, I work at a university, and I didn't need a CELTA or a piece of paper from TEFL International to get my job here. Neither did any of my coworkers, or coworkers at the large SKY uni down the street (few uni teachers in Korea needed it). You don't need one to work at a hagwon, either.

If you seek to increase your pay by 100,000 to 200,000 per month because you work at a public school in Korea, then look into one of the many low-cost TEFL certificate courses offered by companies like ITTT, KEI-TEFL, etc.. Oh, and if you want a lead on a really nice program being offered in Busan, send a PM to Yum Bum Suk. The on-site program he took sounded really great, and it's being offered by a founder of EFL-Law.

If you plan on teaching around the globe in countries which respect the British system, then consider the CELTA. Also consider, however, that most of these countries will not offer pay/benefits at the level of which you can receive in Korea WITHOUT the need for an expensive TEFL certification.

If you want to spend the $1500 to $2500 it costs to get one of these high-priced certifications just so you can "better yourself," then go for it. Whatever floats your boat.

If you want to join the small but vocal chorus of high-priced TEFL certification holders who like to put others down and call them "backpackers" for not investing in their TEFL course, then you're better-off going with a CELTA. As you'll find, they are a smug lot -- many of which are apparently unable to land a university job here. I suspect this has to do with attitude, rather than true teaching ability. In all honesty, I don't know.