Korean Job Discussion Forums

[twavelingteacher]

I'm trying to decide whether to take their course or a celta. Anyone have experience with these guys, and is their certificate on par with celta?
thanks

[tob55]

This is the wrong place to be asking this. ANY response from people who have an answer is going to be considered advertising and will quickly get the mods to delete it. You are better off using the Teacher Training Forum where these general questions can be answered by others who will know. Mods are merciless when it comes to perceived unpaid advertising, so go to the other forum for an answer.

[hari seldon]

[gypsyfish]

If you're talking about the American TESOL Institute, I'd never heard of it before I read your post. That says a lot. I did a quick check of their website and it looks like they only offer online courses, with no teaching practice. Combine that with the fact that all they require is a HS diploma or GED, you won't be able to get a job in Korea anyway.

Save the tuition and but the books on their website (or better yet, buy Learning Teaching by Jim Scrivner or one of Jeremy Harmer's books) and self study.

As others have stated, the CELTA and Trinity are standard that other certs compare themselves to. That says a lot, too.

[cangel]

Any certification must be scrutinized. There are legit providers and charlatans. An approved TESL certificate is just as valid as any CELTA providing the providers are legit. Thankfully for many, Korean employers don't really care about the quality of your certificate as it's just window dressing.

[cj1976]

The CELTA is best because it is British!

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[Whistleblower]

The CELTA is best because Cambridge ESOL and the provider for the course has a long history of EFL. In fact, Cambridge ESOL has one of the longest running exams in history for testing English as a foreign language. This speaks volumes and the fact they have a certification and a course for EFL/ESL Teaching provides a reputation second to none.

I would highly recommend the CELTA. It is expensive and you won't be working for four weeks but the benefits outway the costs. Get in touch with the British Council in Seoul and find out about the CELTA Course now.

[bassexpander]

I have a BA.

I didn't need the CELTA for my university job. I didn't need another certificate from a company like American TESOL, TEFL International certificate for my university job, either.

The same goes for my public school job before this. Or my hagwon job before that.

I didn't need ANY certification.

You don't need a CELTA (or a certificate from a company like American TESOL or TEFL International) in Korea -- especially if you are going to teach kids. Can you learn something taking the CELTA? You bet. I knock the CELTA a lot, but I like the British Council's website for Task-Based Learning activities.

The rule of thumb I tell people to follow goes something like this:

If you are....

... in Korea for just a year or two, and have no plans to teach elsewhere after, don't bother with any TEFL certification.

... in Korea for 3 to 4 years, plan to move on and teach in another country, or stay working a public school job, get a low-cost, approved TEFL course (many are below $400, and can be done via distance. Just make sure they are over 100 hours). If you plan to move around the world and teach in countries that respect the British system, then get a CELTA. All of these certifications (including the CELTA) are useless in the USA.

... in Korea for 5 or more years, you should get, or make plans to get, some kind of teaching certification or an MA in Education/TESOL. You could get a CELTA, but if you've been teaching for more than 4 years, I'd say it's a waste of money.

Remember, the CELTA costs about US $1,500 to $2,500, depending on where you take it. The full TEFL International course is going to be similiar in price (it was last I checked). Korea is naturally much more expensive for the CELTA. One could almost say they gouge you here (when they even offer it), but maybe it's the extra cost of buildings or something -- who knows. Don't forget to factor in flight costs, housing costs, and lost work costs for up to 5 weeks. Any flight costs you'd save by taking it in Korea are squashed by the high price of taking it here (unless prices have changed that I'm not aware of).

I added it all up, and found that I'd be out over 4 million won if I took the CELTA, counting lost work time. Even at a 100,000 won per hour raise for having it, that will take you more than a few years to recoup the costs at a public school job (assuming you are at a school that gives you a meager 100,000 to 200,000 won per month raise for having one). In Korea, a low-cost (500,000 won) online course that is greater than 100 hours will get you the same raise as a CELTA.

Not worth it, given my situation. Neither is TEFL International.

By the way, CELTA now has a long-term course that you can do over several months. I'm not up to speed on what that entails, so I can't comment. I'm sure you'll pay just as much for the base costs, as if you did the full 5 week CELTA.

Remember: MANY OF THESE CERTIFICATES ARE ONLY ACCREDITED BY THE COMPANIES/GROUPS THEY ARE OFFERED BY.

Would you seek medical care from a doctor who is only a doctor because he passed his own accreditation to become a doctor, and therefore certified himself? Now how about paying that doctor $1,500 to $2,500 for medical care which you don't need, and missing 5 weeks of paid work in the process?

Save your money for a course from an accredited institution.

Again, I work at a university, and I didn't need a CELTA or a piece of paper from another program like TEFL International to get my job here. You don't need one to work at a hagwon, either.

It's my personal opinion, as someone who has been teaching in Korea for over five years, that you would be better off getting an MA-TESOL from a reputable university after taking time off from school and saving some money for it.

If you plan on teaching in a country that respects the British system of education, then a CELTA may be helpful to you. In Korea, however, it's hardly a "benchmark." Few schools will even recognize what it is, although it's obvious the CELTA-cult attempts to post messages on here to make it more recognizable.

I'm surprised Dave doesn't start charging them. He should.

[laogaiguk]

[gypsyfish]

[tob55]

Sure,

You don't need TEFL/TESL/TESOL, CELTA/DELTA or whatever training to work in Asian educational schools and markets, but why wouldn't someone who has the potential to get a pay and level upgrade take some form of training if the program is affordable and offers convenience for learning. Everyone is promoting their own thing these days and it all boils down to taking a program that will be acceptable to the agencies in Korea, Japan, China, or wherever else in Asia you choose to work. You don't have to pay an arm and a leg to get it done. bassexpander mentioned taking courses for under $400, and I know of courses that can be taken for under $250. In fact there are courses that can be taken for less if you look for them. I have had numerous people in my association take courses, not all of them taking courses I personally feel are the best, but that withstanding, don't disregard the benefit or try to discourage people from taking a course that will ultimately benefit them.

[bassexpander]

[tob55]

Good point bassexpander, and one I fully agree with. As an educator for more than 27 years, I find it rather disheartening when people come here and think they can do a good job without having some foundation for doing the job we are asked to do. Your points are good, and I applaud your logic in this regard.

[Kimchieluver]

Well if you are a UK citizen and can get a European passport and enjoy working for peanuts, I would take the CELTA. Rarely do European Union companies hire outside of Europe. I know a Kiwi that took the CELTA thinking he could teach anywhere in the world. His goal was Spain. However, no European passport means no job in Europe (worth doing). Now he is out 3,000 US dollars and sure, he has a leg up in South America, but for some reason he is not to keen on going there. I am not anti CELTA, but you don't even need a degree to take it.