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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Wovaki
Joined: 28 Sep 2012
Location: Ontario, Canada
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 Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2013 8:17 am Post subject: Teaching Practicum |
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Hello!
I'm considering which TESOL certification to take and I was wondering about the importance of a practicum? Obviously, it's good to have a certified teacher observe your teaching, but I'm curious about how that would affect a potential employer's view of me?
My situation is this. I have to travel 9 hours to take any TESOL certification. I can take a course which is 60 hours of in-class study (1 week) and 60 hours online study. There is a small practicum (I believe 6 hours) in front of my classmates who are studying for the certificate with me. This is the option I'm leaning more towards.
However, there is also the option of taking all in-class certifications, which would be 120 hours total in-class time and a 20-hour practicum (not sure if the practicum is included in the 120 hours or not). However, this requires me to stay in another city for 4 or 5 weeks, which will be expensive and I can't work.
So, I'm just curious if it's worth the extra time and money and potentially angering my boss to get the all in-class option just for the practicum or not? I contacted EPIK and they said they don't really look at the specifics of the certifications and just care about the total hours.
I have a month-long internship at Konkuk university in Seoul, where I taught university students. So I can also bring that up to show that I have at least taught before.
I'm not worried about pay, I'm just worried about actually getting a job. I want to teach in Busan, and I know it's really competitive.
I'd be happy to hear all your thoughts! 
Thanks!
Rob |
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Guajiro
Joined: 04 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2013 11:19 pm Post subject: Re: Teaching Practicum |
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| Wovaki wrote: |
Hello!
I'm considering which TESOL certification to take and I was wondering about the importance of a practicum? Obviously, it's good to have a certified teacher observe your teaching, but I'm curious about how that would affect a potential employer's view of me?
My situation is this. I have to travel 9 hours to take any TESOL certification. I can take a course which is 60 hours of in-class study (1 week) and 60 hours online study. There is a small practicum (I believe 6 hours) in front of my classmates who are studying for the certificate with me. This is the option I'm leaning more towards.
However, there is also the option of taking all in-class certifications, which would be 120 hours total in-class time and a 20-hour practicum (not sure if the practicum is included in the 120 hours or not). However, this requires me to stay in another city for 4 or 5 weeks, which will be expensive and I can't work.
So, I'm just curious if it's worth the extra time and money and potentially angering my boss to get the all in-class option just for the practicum or not? I contacted EPIK and they said they don't really look at the specifics of the certifications and just care about the total hours.
I have a month-long internship at Konkuk university in Seoul, where I taught university students. So I can also bring that up to show that I have at least taught before.
I'm not worried about pay, I'm just worried about actually getting a job. I want to teach in Busan, and I know it's really competitive.
I'd be happy to hear all your thoughts!
Thanks!
Rob |
Either of those is probably acceptable for public schools in Korea. If you want to teach in the Middle East, a lot of schools in Europe, and potentially Vietnam, I've seen a lot of schools in those regions demanding 120-hour in-class certification with observed practicum. |
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Wovaki
Joined: 28 Sep 2012
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 6:45 am Post subject: |
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| Tigermoth wrote: |
| My concern here would be the currency of your certification for your future. As you may well be aware yourself, only the Trinity Cert TESOL or the CELTA have guaranteed international recognition as initial training courses. |
I did contact EPIK and gave them the name of the school I will take the course from (Global TESOL) and they said that is acceptable. In talking with Global TESOL, they have also told me that they have had graduates enter the EPIK program too.
I'm also not interested at all in teaching in Europe or the Middle East. I'm focused solely on South Korea. |
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Wovaki
Joined: 28 Sep 2012
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 9:56 am Post subject: |
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| Tigermoth wrote: |
| OK - but sounds like all you'll end up with is certification which should be OK for EPIK. If you want to be sure that you're keeping your options open, only the Cert TESOL or CELTA will do that. (I know there are jobs advertised in S Korea (and elsewhere) for the (completely) unqualified - and, indeed, completely inexperienced - , but I don't suppose they are exactly the best....) |
But I've heard other people say that most employers in South Korea don't even know what a CELTA is. I'm not sure about the CERT TESOL, but there seems to only be one place in Canada that offers those on-site, and they don't have any courses opening up until April or May, which I think is too late.
Private schools don't even require a certification, right? So if EPIK accepts my certification then won't most private academies also?
Thanks!
Rob |
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