Korean Job Discussion Forums

[spyro25]

Does anyone offer the cambridge CELTA in Korea? Can't find anything on google..................

also - if one was offered in Korea would you sign up for it?

[maingman]

http://www.brittishcouncil.or.kr

[maingman]

http://www.brittishcouncil.or.kr

[spyro25]

so there is only one provider, in seoul somewhere?

[maingman]

Chichester College (Bangkok)

ECC (Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket): Courses are held all year round at all three centres. ECC offer other teacher training courses as well, including: a two week Introduction to TESOL course, a Teaching English to Young Learners course, a Teaching Business English course and the YL Extension to CELTA.

Island TEFL (Koh Samui)
SEE (Chiang Mai)
TITC (Phuket)
TEFL International (Ban Phe)
The Language Institute (Chang Mai)
Text and Talk (Bangkok)
TEFL International (Zhuhai)

TEFL World (Koh Samui): TEFLworld runs Ministry of Education accredited Certificate and Diploma courses on the tropical Thai island of Koh Samui. Courses include up to 12 hours of observed teaching practice and on successful completion of the course, all students are given comprehensive assistance with finding teaching jobs. Courses run throughout the year

[bassexpander]

It really sucks that the high-dollar courses often don't equate to much (if any) higher pay than the cheapee $190 TEFL courses. For all of that intensive/hard work, you'd think people would get some kind of monetary benefit out of it?

Some thoughts:


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.

[hobakmorinam]

These days, a lot more schools outside of Korea are asking for a CELTA or equivalent. Even some of the better jobs in China now want one. Some countries, like Vietnam and Turkey, require it for a visa.

[bassexpander]

Given the current won rate, looking into China is not a bad bet.

[Simplicity]

http://english.igse.ac.kr/
This graduate school also offers CELTA in Seoul. I just did the January course. Very well run and I do recommend the CELTA to anyone serious about teaching. It's a lot of work and you are in 'CELTA mode' for the full four weeks. Don't plan to do anything else in that time (including having a life). It has greatly improved my teaching and confidence in the classroom.

[Simplicity]

[missty]

[spyro25]

[missty]

I think because Korea doesn't require any teaching qualifications it attracts a certain kind of person, ie: someone who doesn't want to teach forever. So therefore no, a CELTA wouldn't be important here because most people (that I've met at least) don't want to teach when they return to their home countries. Plus, Korea is stuffed full of Americans, so teaching in Europe is off the cards for them.

As for the declining Won there is more chance that people will cross the waters to Japan or China, and I am not too sure about the basic requirements for those countries.

[maingman]

http://www.britishcouncil.org/kr/korea-educationuk-news.htm

[maingman]

http://www.britishcouncil.org/kr/korea-educationuk-news.htm