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mattman
Joined: 18 Jun 2003
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 Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 3:08 am Post subject: Online TEFL Course - Opinions Please |
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I'm in the market for a 100hour Online TEFL Course.
Can somebody give me their opinions on the courses provided by:
- TITC
- Bridge-Linguatec Inc
- teflcenter
Thanks
Mattman |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 3:41 am Post subject: |
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I worked at Bridge-Linguitec in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I saw recently they were offering certificates somehow with their job offers. (Didnt realize they are now doing online courses for the cert either).
I have a TESOL certificate from International House (out of London).. and I took it in Budapest in 1997.
It never got me any job, and it cost me $1000 for the cert and about $1000 to fly and live in Budapest for four weeks.
My opinion of the entire thing is its a great way for business-minded folks to make a couple thousand dollars without giving much in return. Employers (and there are very few of them), who hire based on it, bought right into the scam for reasons unknown. A lot of people are seeing this business as a quick way to make $30,000 by bringing in 10-15 people to train for such things.
Hmm.. I should start my own business around this. The short of it, I think its totally unnecessary, and definetely didnt teach me anything I didnt already know after having taught in the classroom from a year before entering into the program. |
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adventureman
Joined: 18 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:40 am Post subject: |
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| Tiger Beer wrote: |
I worked at Bridge-Linguitec in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I saw recently they were offering certificates somehow with their job offers. (Didnt realize they are now doing online courses for the cert either).
I have a TESOL certificate from International House (out of London).. and I took it in Budapest in 1997.
It never got me any job, and it cost me $1000 for the cert and about $1000 to fly and live in Budapest for four weeks.
My opinion of the entire thing is its a great way for business-minded folks to make a couple thousand dollars without giving much in return. Employers (and there are very few of them), who hire based on it, bought right into the scam for reasons unknown. A lot of people are seeing this business as a quick way to make $30,000 by bringing in 10-15 people to train for such things.
Hmm.. I should start my own business around this. The short of it, I think its totally unnecessary, and definetely didnt teach me anything I didnt already know after having taught in the classroom from a year before entering into the program. |
So when you taught adults in seoul the celta really added nothing to aide your teaching ability or confidence as a teacher? What about things like grammer questions did it help at all with that? What about methodolgy or lesson plan ideas? What about how to effectively encorportate materials? What did the adults expect from you, just sit around and shot the shit everyday with a foreigner? |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:13 am Post subject: |
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| adventureman wrote: |
| So when you taught adults in seoul the celta really added nothing to aide your teaching ability or confidence as a teacher? What about things like grammer questions did it help at all with that? What about methodolgy or lesson plan ideas? What about how to effectively encorportate materials? What did the adults expect from you, just sit around and shot the *beep* everyday with a foreigner? |
It didnt do anything for me personally as I already had a year in the classroom teaching adults prior to taking the certificate. They basically taught me in 4 weeks what took me about 4 months to learn first-hand in the classroom. But after 12 months already doing this thing, it was just reconfirmation that I stumbled upon teaching correctly all on my own.
Specific questions:
Confidence - I already gained it from the prior teaching experience.
Grammar Questions - It went briefly into grammar, but not extensively. Its only a 4-week course. Trying to assure myself I could get into the TESOL cert program did make me study more grammar than I had in quite some time. But we didnt focus too much at all on that during the TESOL course itself - except for actually planning a lesson and how we would present it.
Methodology and Lesson Plans - That was a big plus. We actually had to write out thorough lesson plans that we were tested on, and had to implement in our brief teaching as well. That actually was helpful. (But I doubt I would want to pay $2000 for that again though - but it was good in itself).
So yes, for the methodology and lesson plans it was very good. That would be very beneficial for a first-time teacher. |
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McNasty
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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| for the methodology and lesson plans it was very good. |
I felt the same way when I took my course. Many of the topics that were presented were like a review of the knowledge I had already aquired through teaching. I had been teaching for 2 years and took the course when I was back home hoping it would provide me with some wage bargaining power. Surprise! That didn't happen. 
It's interesting how many employers request the certification but don't offer monetary compensation for having it, very little anyway. |
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nev
Joined: 04 Jan 2004
Location: ch7t
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| Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Are we talking tesol or celta here (I'm seeing both names thrown about)? I was always under the impression that the quality of a tesol course was quite variable, whereas the celta was fixed and generally had a good reputation. |
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turtlepi1
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
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| Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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I think what adventureman was pointing out was that the courses DO provide relevant skills. For someone who is starting out they would be teaching these skills and therefore your criticism of the programs was a little unwarranted.
Even from the prospective of I already have been teaching for a period of time these (reputable) programs reaffirm your skills and provide you with an environment to hone your teaching style.
People who are not interested in continued development will generally be less successful in ANY career. Taking a CELTA, etc especially AFTER you have some experience shows employers that you are committed to your profession.
Bargaining power of a CELTA doesn't always lie in increased salary but CAN give you a leg up over a candidate that doesn't have one or can't show any professional development.
Not that I can't understand you feeling like $2000 is a little steep for what you took away from the course. 
Just my thoughts and sorry for being presumptuous and speaking for adventureman. |
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McNasty
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Taking a CELTA, etc especially AFTER you have some experience shows employers that you are committed to your profession. |
I totally agree with this statement. However, if you are going to take a TESOL certification course after having taught for a while I would suggest going for the CELTA cert instead.
| Quote: |
| I'm in the market for a 100hour Online TEFL Course. |
The OP is referring to a TESOL certificate since CELTA courses are much more than 100 hours which is specified. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 5:09 am Post subject: |
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| nev wrote: |
| Are we talking tesol or celta here (I'm seeing both names thrown about)? I was always under the impression that the quality of a tesol course was quite variable, whereas the celta was fixed and generally had a good reputation. |
Sorry, I use the terms interchangeably.. someone once told me they are all exactly the same thing anyhow - just with different acronyms. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 5:16 am Post subject: |
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| turtlepi1 wrote: |
I think what adventureman was pointing out was that the courses DO provide relevant skills. For someone who is starting out they would be teaching these skills and therefore your criticism of the programs was a little unwarranted.
Even from the prospective of I already have been teaching for a period of time these (reputable) programs reaffirm your skills and provide you with an environment to hone your teaching style. |
Very true. In my opinion, if someone has $2000 around and has never taught before.. then sure, its a very good course!!
But if you are like me.. and I assume many on the Korean board are already teaching in Korea. There is this underlying feeling that to get a tesol cert will somehow make you into a great teacher and boost your income capabilities at the same time. Neither one is true.
It will give you some great ideas (limited to a 4-week span of time) on how to develop great lesson plans - which is invaluable in itself. So I guess its more or less, are you willing to drop the $2000 to be taught that skill?
I am definetely glad I did for my own peace of mind. But to be a fully functioning well-rounded teacher, it takes a lot more than 4-weeks and $2000 to gain the skills it seems to represent.
If youve never taught before and lack the confidence and such. Its a great course. Just be sure to study grammar on your own - as its not a part of the 4-week curriculum (at least it wasnt in my course). |
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