New to ESL, how do I get started?

jamieldavidson · Post by **jamieldavidson** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:45 pm

Hello, This is an awesome website. I hope someone can help me. I feel totally overwhelmed when I try to figure out what to do first. I have a bachelor's in psychology and experience working with youth. I have never taught anything. I want to be certified to teach English abroad, mostly so that I can change locations each year, travel and be immersed in different cultures. What kind of certification do I need, or how would I figure that out? How do I decide how to get that certification? Is there anything else I should be considering and researching? I just really need some direction! Thanks!

Superhal · Post by **Superhal** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 5:08 am

BA + native speaking is generally good enough. Most schools would take native speaker alone, but you need the BA to get a work visa.

jamieldavidson · Post by **jamieldavidson** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 6:49 pm

Do you mean I do not need any other certification? What about TEFL, CELTA???

Superhal · Post by **Superhal** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 4:48 am

Generally, no, you don't.

jd123 · Post by **jd123** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 6:36 pm

That's my concern, too. Don't you need any certification? How does one know what to teach without having had some sort of 'teaching esl' course?
It seems like many of you just jumped right in.

jamieldavidson · Post by **jamieldavidson** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:27 pm

So you just find a job abraod and apply? Why would anyone get certified then?

Superhal · Post by **Superhal** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:00 am

I don't know about others, but I certainly jumped in. Thrown in was more like it.

Generally, certification is for the teacher's confidence rather than the school's needs. And, since it's such a money-maker, courses get shorter and shorter and worse and worse. Last I heard, a TESL certificate had around 8 hours of practicum experience, with a 1:1 student to student-teacher ratio. I've heard of situations where there was only 1-2 students and 5-6 people trying to do a practicum in the "class."

jd123 · Post by **jd123** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:58 pm

Can I ask then, if a new teacher jumps right in, how would he/she know how to plan a curriculum, what methods to use, do assessments, knowing what books and other materials to use, etc? That seems like you're reinventing the wheel. I do understand what Superhal says about a certification being is more for teacher's confidence.

Superhal · Post by **Superhal** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 5:44 am

There are two main shaping forces for a teacher's teaching style. The first is how they were taught in the past and advice from their co-workers.

Almost all teachers have little or no theory or training before their first lesson.

Lisagail · Post by **Lisagail** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 1:03 pm

Most teachers who begin that way do many things right, and many things wrong, and eventually go back to school to learn things like how to teach.

lisa90274 · Post by **lisa90274** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:48 pm

jamieldavidson wrote:Hello, This is an awesome website. I hope someone can help me. I feel totally overwhelmed when I try to figure out what to do first. I have a bachelor's in psychology and experience working with youth. I have never taught anything. I want to be certified to teach English abroad, mostly so that I can change locations each year, travel and be immersed in different cultures. What kind of certification do I need, or how would I figure that out? How do I decide how to get that certification? Is there anything else I should be considering and researching? I just really need some direction! Thanks!

I have been teaching 17 years with 3 teaching credentials and a MA in Educational Counseling but honestly about 90% of what I know about teaching I learned from observing other teachers in their classrooms or asking them to teach demo lessons in mine (teachers are always thrilled to do that its very flattering) and borrowing ideas and lesson plans. The education classes I took gave structure to my knowledge-made sense of what I was doing and gave me some new ideas. I think you must have a mixture of education, training and experience and especially supervision by someone more experienced. Why don't you get a certificate in ESL from your local university? Since you've never taught before it will be a good place to start. Good luck.

ricktea · Post by **ricktea** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:37 am

I wish you luck in your career, but whatever you do avoid the
i to i online esl course, they will take your money quickly and
leave you with no help or advice afterwards in obtaining a job.

sparkysadie · Post by **sparkysadie** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 8:59 am

I was in the same situation as you, jamiedavison, with a BA and experience working with kids but no acutal teaching experience. I was able to get a job teaching in Beijing, but pretty much only because I had connections with the school.

I was just thrown into teaching with no help or really even advice, and I've had to design my own lesson plans without guidance. It's been really difficult, and I sometimes feel like I'm not really succeding in teaching my students a thing!

There are many programs out there that will set you up with a job AND training. If I were to do it over I would do something like that. But if you do, make sure to do your research because I'm sure you know there are many scams out there. This site is great for doing such research.

Best of luck to you!

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New to ESL, how do I get started?

New to ESL, how do I get started?

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