Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mysterious700]

Good way to take a 100+ hour TESOL course when in Korea? What are your experiences? I would like to take one in the near future. Are online 100 Hour courses credible? I am hoping to take one to boost my financial and teaching position down the road (maybe in a couple of years). What are your thoughts or feedback on this?

[xCustomx]

If you want to boost your finances just take a 100 hour online TESOL course. If you want to increase your teaching credentials then get a CELTA or TESOL with observed teaching.

[tob55]

In the end your options come down to time and finances...You have a lot of money to spend? Then, take an onsite program somewhere. You want to complete your work in an efficient amount of time? Then, take the course that is going to offer you what you are looking for in the time frame you have in mind whether it is online or not.

Having taken both onsite and online courses throughout my professional career as a trained educator I have discovered that online courses are not any less in quality or delivery. They are just not face to face in a classroom. I would place the quality and delivery of the online programs I have particiapted in over the years as the highest in terms of personal achievement.

Here is the drawback...If you are a person who likes being around people and interacting that way, then online is probably not for you...However, if you are a person who is self motivated and can thrive in an online environment then that should be your choice.

People on this and other boards will try to convince you that online lacks for any number of reasons, but the facts and statistics point to different results. You get just as much out of an online course if you want to...I tire at times when people expect me and other to defend the merits of online instruction when they have no need of defense...

I have told you everything about my opinion, but I have not pointed you in any particular direction...That is up to you...You must decide what will make you happy and go for it...It's your money and your time...I sent you a PM with more info...

[BS.Dos.]

I've 9-hours (3x3 hour lessons) remaining on my on-site Trinity TESOL. I find it very hard to imagine what you'd actually gain from an on-line course of similar content. Distance learning a course such as this would, I imagine, negate a significant amount of the on-site course. As the TESOL assessment is geared 57% towards actual Teaching Skills acquisition i.e. observations and teaching practicals I don't see how you could achieve this from distance learning. I'm not suggesting that the on-line route is in anyway inferior to on-site learning, it's just that this significant element of the course will obviously be missing.

I'd be interesting to see what they fill 100+ hours up with. Obviously the theory side (Grammar, methodologies etc) makes up a significant part of the course, but I don't see how you'll gain any teaching experience or, more importantly, feedback when you're studying off-site.

[mysterious700]

Are there ways to take these courses from Korea? I will be teaching already. So, I just need a certificate that has the 100+ hours on it.

[BS.Dos.]

^I'd imagine so, although I'd be inclined to try and get certification from a reputable institution rather than some tin pot outfit.

[BS.Dos.]

Just ran a goggle search and this came up.

If you hit the TESOL link on the left you'll see that the certificate only covers theory, which may or may not be what you're after.

[tob55]

Sent you a PM response about your other question...

Regarding your certificate question, in Korea you simply need a legitimate, credible 100 certificate that is from a non-tin pot outfit as BS.Dos. put it...

Funny how the guys taking their onsite programs fight to the death to support that face to face thing...Anyway, quality is the number one key... Rather than defending the online side of training which doesn't really need defending in the first place, let me just ask a couple of questions which you already know the answer to...

1. Do you want the certificate to do a better job?
2. Will the certificate help you better serve the needs of the learners?
3. Can the inclusion of the certificate make your resume look better?
4. Will having the certificate make you feel better?

You already know the answers to these questions, and that is up to you...However, regarding the core training, you are talking about spending a lot of money to do what you want or spending a bit less money for a program that can give you what want efficiently and allow you to work at your own pace...THAT is the biggest difference between onsite and online programs...

[BS.Dos.]

Fight to the death? That's a bit over the top isn't it?

I can see now that the OP is not really interested in the actual practical teaching aspect of the training, rather they just want the theory, which is, I suppose, fine. My comments were emphasising the value of on-site TESOL courses, inasmuch that if someone wants to acquire teaching experience then it might be a difficult thing to do from behind a PC monitor. Evidently, they don't.

However, you're obviously in a better position to offer a more evenly weighted opinion being as you've done both.

[tob55]

Sorry BS.Dos.,

no offense intended...Just be going through it with a guy who seems to think taking a short course (anything in the 3 week to 6 month range of onsite programs) can magically make you a teacher...

Let's be honest, what you said is true for a large percentage of the people asking...people just want a course that is legit and offers them the certificate with a minimal amount of expense and commitment of their time...This is why I am working with an online program to simply offer what the people are looking for. It is legit, legal, recognized, and verifiable...

Forgive the comments as they were not intended to be insulting...

[BS.Dos.]

Thats cool. None taken.