Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dunc180]

Since returning to Australia after teaching in Korea I've been looking into teaching ESL here. There are a lot of foreign students studying English here. However, getting a teaching job at an adult language college basically requires, along with an undergraduate degree:

- CELTA or equivalent TESOL certification with a practicum component.

or

- Postgraduate degree in TESOL with a practical component.

or

- TESOL component within a Bachelor level education degree.

I'm interested in what the minimum qualifications are in countries like the UK, Canada and the US.

[hagwonnewbie]

In the U.S., it varies from state to state, but I think you need a 4 year degree in every state. I know California has a relatively stringent state university program to certify teachers of adult education (similar to K-12 certification).

I taught Adult Basic Education (ABE) for 3 years in Missouri before coming to Korea. Adult Education in the US is divided into ESL and GED. GED is a high school equivalency exam, so Adult Basic Education teachers can teach either GED or ESL once they are certified.

In Missouri ABE certification requires a series of graduate level workshops that are usually paid for by the potential employer. You can also get a couple graduate school credits for the workshops if pay for them. Anyway, in Missouri, you get hired first and then do a couple all day workshops at the local college. Bam! You're a teacher.

Actually it's pretty competitive, especially now. I feel comfortable saying I am the least accomplished of my former co-workers. Many of them had MA's and PhD's., some from Ivy league schools. They were mostly semi-retired people who wanted to do something positive for their community. The young teachers only stayed a year or two due to the pay ($15+/hr of teaching)

[Mr. Pink]

In my home province of Ontario (in Canada) there are two types of certification. If you are teaching in the public schools, you need Ontario College of Teachers certification, which requires a B.Ed, and most likely an AQ course on ESL. This is what I did.

To teach adults you need a celta type certificate and then you apply to TESL Ontario for their certificate, which enables one to teach adults. There is no law governing this though, it just seems like an industry standard.

[Troglodyte]

[Mr. Pink]