Korean Job Discussion Forums

Adventurer · Joined: 28 Jan 2006

I was thinking of getting an EFL certificate. This webiste I looked at which comes from Dave's Cafe talks of one that is completely on-line and another that is partially on-line and has some weekend work in places like Australia, Ireland, and the U.K. How useful is the TEFL say in Korea and other countries? And about if someone decides to go to Canada after some years here and teach ESL over there? I do have a U.S. teaching certificate that is still valid.

JennyJJ · Joined: 01 Mar 2003

A TEFL certificate is not necessary in Korea, especially if your US certificate is valid. For countries like Thailand, most employers will require one. They are good to have from a development perspective. A PGCE or a teachers development course may serve you better.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

Adventurer · Joined: 28 Jan 2006

What kind of non-on line EFL certificates do you recommend? Where to get it and how long does it take and all that?

Thanks..

Basil

Rteacher · Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA

I got my TEFL certificate a couple years after learning by trial-and-error-by fire on my first (K-6) hogwan job ... (Unlike you, though, I had no other teaching credentials...) I had already become a reasonably good teacher and left on good terms with the high-strung director, but I wanted to qualify myself further to teach older students. I also figured that it wouldn't hurt to learn various EFL learning theories and teaching strategies...

Never having been there, I also was motivated to go to Thailand for a five week, 120 hour TEFL program in Chiang Mai. My course started the last week in November and ended right before Christmas, and I stayed a couple more weeks, having rented a cheap room in a nice guest house for two months... The course was run by "Text and Talk", and the main instructor was a very talented but eccentric teacher (who apparently was dealing drugs on the side that he'd buy cheap from "hill tribe people" ... Although popular, he got fired after peddling fake bachelor's degrees - of poor quality - to students who lacked them...)

I personally liked the big selection of vegetarian restaurants in Chiang Mai, and I'd recommend taking a course there - or in Bangkok or another Thai location - during winter months when Korea is freezing...

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

Yesanman · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Location: Chungnam

If you can't take the time of to do the CELTA (1 month) you can do a legitimate TESL Cert on-line. But it will take some time.
I got a CERTESL (Certificate in Teaching ESL) from the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. It was done completely on-line and through correspondence.
As far as I could find, it was the only on-line certificate that is recognized by TESL Canada.

Adventurer · Joined: 28 Jan 2006

Adventurer · Joined: 28 Jan 2006

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

Yesanman · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Location: Chungnam

I videotaped a couple of classes as well as tape-recording a few others. Because of this it is considered a valid Tesl Certificate by TESL Canada.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

Adventurer · Joined: 28 Jan 2006

princess · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: soul of Asia

Yesanman · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Location: Chungnam

Check out this website. It might give you some more info. I also sent you a PM.
http://www.extension.usask.ca/ExtensionDivision/credit/Certificate/certesl/more.html

I did buy a video camera but it seems nowadays that lots of people have video phones so maybe you could borrow one. But that's not unitl your last course (of 6). It takes a while to complete and the cost is pretty high (check the website) but it can be done on-line.