Korean Job Discussion Forums

[murmanjake]

I just read through the thread on the FAQ page about MA TESOL.

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=37

I couldn't find any mention of a MA TEFL. Does anyone know what kind of differences there may be?

The program I'm looking at is offered by Simmons College. Not an online course.

I've also heard (from my Korean girlfriend) that there may be some negative responses towards a degree from a "college" as a "university" would be better respected. Anyone know more about that?

[afsjesse]

I'm in a MA TESL program. I learned about the differences regardin ESL and EFL last semester. ESL (English as a Second Language) is when a L2 learner is learning their new language in a country that speaks it. This is the scenario of hispanics and asians learning English inside the United States. EFL (English as a Foreign Language) is when a L2 learner is learning the language in a country where that language isn't primarily spoken. This is the case for all of the Korean students in Korea.

With regards to education, I would assume that they would teach you how to address teaching strategies, which are very similar to TESL, when teaching in an EFL context.

Hope this helps.

Jesse

[murmanjake]

Jesse,

Thanks for your reply. I think I understand the difference in approach better now.

Does anyone have any ideas about the difference in perception of the respective programs (MATESOL VS. MATEFL). More specifically the perceptions of Korean universities?

[shcforward]

[Jimskins]

What a previous poster said about the difference (ESL in for none-natives living in a native-speaking country etc) is correct.

I have an MA TEFL from Lancaster University in the UK (its linguistics department is regarded as the best after Cambridge in the UK). I met my wife there who was doing the MA TESOL programme. Apart from two different compulsory modules out of the 10 we studied (I had to do Foreign language teaching, she did Second Language Learning & our testing modules were different), we were in all of eachother's classes; both programmes' students had the same pick of modules. Although it must be said that the MA TESOL programme entry requiremements recommend at least 3 years teaching experience whereas the MA TEFL only one year.

I agree, TEFL is more suited to Korea but the lines between the two (in terms of qualifications) are blurred at the best of times.

I wouldn't waste my time doing a Master's at a Korean University though, even the Koreans frown upon them (let alone anywhere else). Do a distance one (I think Birmingham Uni does a good one).