I'm thinking of registering for the International House London-administered Distance DELTA course. I've heard it has a good reputation but does anyone have first-hand knowledge of this course?
Also, is there a very high success rate of getting an ESL teaching position in a university -in an English-speaking country- with DELTA? Or is an MA in Applied Linguistics or other qualification preferred? How many years teaching experience would be expected before landing a university position?
Thanks!
Distance DELTA
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fluffyhamster
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Hi Melinda, I'm not really in any position to answer any of your questions (I'm more like intrigued, and would also like to hear some answers!), but if you could clarify a few points it might make it quicker for those who do have the sort of information you might you be looking for to respond.
You say you want to get an 'ESL teaching position in a university in an English-speaking country' - do you mean that you want the sort of job where you'll simply be bringing overseas students up to speed in e.g. pre-semester summer schools before they commence their degrees (to be taught in English, obviously)? Or do you mean you want to become a teacher and/or lecturer in the actual subject of ESL to native (and probably also some non-native) teachers?
I imagine that for the latter sort of position, you would ideally (i.e. really) need to have done your first degree in English/foreign languages/linguistics, and be working towards finishing or have already finished a second and/or significant research degree. (What I'm trying to say is, although ESL might strike some as a bit of a BS subject, even the average faculty lecturer is probably going to be a bit better read than the average DELTA holder, and some (senior) lecturers in AL or MEL are impressive e.g. Geoff Thompson at the Uni of Liverpool).
From some of the online postgraduate prospectuses that I have browsed over the years, it seems possible to get into research programmes (a step up from the ordinary sorts of MAs) if you have a good Honours degree, but I can't remember if they were fully-fledged PhDs or more MPhils.
But probably you are just interested in teaching ESL (the language, not the subject) to students...hmm, I wonder if that is year-round or only seasonal (re. the summer school sort of stints I mentioned above) - I'm imagining that those who satisfy or reach the necessary level of English before their course of study starts are not required to continue taking or offered further English/EAP lessons during their first or subsequent years.
I wouldn't like to say if the DELTA has wide currency or acceptance in e.g. the USA, for either type of position...it might be better to qualify in what is standard in the country concerned.
About the IH Distance DELTA reading list:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/v ... 5389#15389
Should I do a DELTA or an MA?
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/v ... php?t=2423
You say you want to get an 'ESL teaching position in a university in an English-speaking country' - do you mean that you want the sort of job where you'll simply be bringing overseas students up to speed in e.g. pre-semester summer schools before they commence their degrees (to be taught in English, obviously)? Or do you mean you want to become a teacher and/or lecturer in the actual subject of ESL to native (and probably also some non-native) teachers?
I imagine that for the latter sort of position, you would ideally (i.e. really) need to have done your first degree in English/foreign languages/linguistics, and be working towards finishing or have already finished a second and/or significant research degree. (What I'm trying to say is, although ESL might strike some as a bit of a BS subject, even the average faculty lecturer is probably going to be a bit better read than the average DELTA holder, and some (senior) lecturers in AL or MEL are impressive e.g. Geoff Thompson at the Uni of Liverpool).
From some of the online postgraduate prospectuses that I have browsed over the years, it seems possible to get into research programmes (a step up from the ordinary sorts of MAs) if you have a good Honours degree, but I can't remember if they were fully-fledged PhDs or more MPhils.
But probably you are just interested in teaching ESL (the language, not the subject) to students...hmm, I wonder if that is year-round or only seasonal (re. the summer school sort of stints I mentioned above) - I'm imagining that those who satisfy or reach the necessary level of English before their course of study starts are not required to continue taking or offered further English/EAP lessons during their first or subsequent years.
I wouldn't like to say if the DELTA has wide currency or acceptance in e.g. the USA, for either type of position...it might be better to qualify in what is standard in the country concerned.
About the IH Distance DELTA reading list:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/v ... 5389#15389
Should I do a DELTA or an MA?
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/v ... php?t=2423