Korean Job Discussion Forums

[PeterDragon]

xcz

[DCJames]

If you have a BA, you don't need any of them to teach and be successful here.

The most important thing is teaching experience and getting a clearer understanding of what Korean employers want from you as a teacher. Many times it has nothing to do with "education". If you can do this, you'll do well in Korea.

Those certificates are useless here. If you really wanted to get ahead here, I would get a second bachelor's degree in education or get certified to teach in your home country and come back here.

[BS.Dos.]

Kudos mainly. I've got a Trinity College TESOL and I don't really have the time I'd list everything I had to do over the year (1 evening per week) that I took it, but this is the main thrust of it:

A minimum of 6-hours supervised teaching
A minimum of 6-hours observed teaching
A very extensive individual assessment, whereby you're allocated a student and have to assess their English over the four skills and then make recommendations on what areas they need to focus on before coming up with 10 hours of lesson plans that address those areas identified. Demanding assignment with a high word-count.
A large materials assignment whereby you have to develop your own materials and use them in one of your teaching blocks. You also have to write up a detailed report on how well they performed/what you'd change etc
You are interviewed at the end of the course by a Trinity College rep who will review the materials that you developed and ask you some rather grueling questions etc

That, as far as I can remember, was the bulk of the assignment work, but in addition, there was also 3 one hour classes per week which took in everything from grammar, teaching methodologies, using authentic material, understanding learning styles, using technology, working with no materials, classroom management etc etc etc

Cost me about �1200 and an awful amount of my time, but it was a very, very satisfying experience. My tutors were excellent (I'm still in touch with them) and you make a real connection with the others on the course as you work very closely with each other.

It was very very rewarding.

[DCJames]

[BS.Dos.]

Out here? Probably not. I'm in a private academic HS and I doubt very much that my principal stipulated that they wanted a teacher with a teaching certificate when they were looking for an FT. I guarantee that you'll get a job over here even if you don't have one.

There's a very strong and valid argument on daves regarding whether it's worth getting a certificate to teach out here. In many respects, whichever certificate you eventually opt for only partly prepares you for what your going to face i.e. large monolingual classrooms full of very, very low unmotivated learners. There's just no way you can produce the same environment back home and, subsequently, leaves you unable to prepare for it.

Having said that, that's not to say you shouldn't consider doing one as you'll be so much more prepared for having done so. Personally, it was one of the better investments I've made in myself and if, like me, you've no teaching experience, getting yourself trained up is probably the best preparation that you can make before heading out here. You'll hit the ground running once you've arrived and knowing and being able to get on with it is a priceless skill that will set you apart from your peers.

It's a nice thing to have and while certificates aren't generally valued or recognised in Korea, I think doing one says an awful lot about the individual and how serious you are about what you are going to be doing.

[BRawk]

If you are Canadian and taking the course outside of Canada, I would suggest the Celta.

The reason is that if you would eventually like to teach ESL in Canada, the Celta is the only inernational certificate recognized by TESL Canada.

If you are not Canadian, than disregard this post entirely.

[michael5799042]

Wikipedia has a good description of the courses.
I did CELTA a few months ago and I just signed a contract for a new job in Europe. CELTA will be my ticket out of here.
To get a job outside of Korea most employers want 2 years experience plus Trinity TEFL or CELTA. To get a job inside korea you just need to have a "good face" and say "I like kimchi."

[mrsquirrel]

Basically Trinity or CELTA are recognised by everybody near enough.

Some will argue that any old TEFL course is as good. Some will argue otherwise.

I did a CELTA a few years back. Thought it was rather easy. Enjoyable enough but not worth the money IMO.

However I was not going to pay the same money or thereabouts towards a no name course that wasn't recognised everywhere.

So you can do a 200k online course, you could go to TEFL international or some other course and do theirs

Or you could to the Trinity or CELTA.

[pkang0202]

If you want to make a career then your best best would be to get a masters degree.

TEFL/TESOL certification will only get you a slight bump in your salary. It won't help you land a great ESL/EFL position.

If you want to best jobs, you had better have a teaching certification from your home country, a master's degree, and experience.

[PeterDragon]

Sc

[BRawk]

The only Celta courses in Korea are in Seoul. Look on the official CELTA website and there is a list of the recognized providers.

[bassexpander]

Sadly, most countries where the CELTA is accepted will only pay you a pittance compared to Korea, where TEFL/TESL certification is not needed at all. The CELTA a great course, but at $2,500 plus here, it's extremely high-priced.

I begin my online TESL MA with the University of Missouri next week (about $11,000 including books over 3 years PT), and will be taking an on-site TESL program with Rod Ellis through The Asian EFL Journal/EFL-Law in Busan this August (about $990).

Do I need them? No. I am doing them because I'm interested in learning more about teaching. It looks like I'm in for the long-haul, and I don't want to wake up at 45 having no schooling to back me up should things change around here.

There are other options out there if you want to continue your education.