Anyone done a TEFL course and is teaching abroad?

[shereen]

Just after a bit of information from people who have done it.

How many hours should I be looking to do? I have read at least 120 is needed realistically. This seems to be 20 hours in the classroom and 100 hours online.

I'm also a bit confused as to what accreditation I should ensure the course provider has, there are so many providers and accreditation's out there it is bloody mind numbing.

I would also be possibly looking to do a degree after the course if that makes any difference to what I should be going for.

Any help or advice would be amazing.
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[charlie74]

my suggestion on this would be to work the problem from the end to the begining,

ie, find out what qualifications the (good) schools require, then what you need to get them

tefl was something me and the wife considered a while ago, and then it was easy, and you could bumble your way around from school to school

now it seems that the schools are being a bit more selective as they have a whole generation of english speakers locally and more investment from outside business's looking for call center staff etc

[shereen]

[fatpies]

There is Trinity and Cambridge. I currently work as a trainer for CELTA rookies. CELTA is more recognised.

Anything on-line is WORTHLESS anything which can be done in less than 3 days is worthless.

Costs about £1400 for a one month intensive course, that's having to go and attend classes.

Anything which has a 100% pass rate is also worthless.


Its not really useful unless you are going for a teaching qualification like a PGCE/DTTLS. As a TEFL qualification allows you to skip over one module of PTTLS (PTTLS is level 4 CELTA is 5).

This doesn't really mean much though as PTTLS isn't exactly difficult its a 15 minute teach on a subject of your choosing and a 2500 work report, reflection essay and critical reflection.

While for other courses it just proves your English is up to scratch... (you can just show them your GCSEs). But again this depends on what university you go to! Most will give you a conditional offer and tell you to study at a partner college to get your level 2.

(Note level 1 - SATs l2- GCSE L3 -Alevel , L4/L5 Undergraduate L6 Post grad, L7 MA level L7 Phd)

Anyway do the undegrad degree first then any qualification. A lot can change in 3 years.SOV.
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[Hetzer]

I just ran off a 1-1 from York uni on the photocopier at the 7/11 around the corner.
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[Clanger]

I did the Trinity Cert TESOL at Chichester University, it was a three month intensive course (can't remember the cost now), and its an internationally recognised course. I was accepted on the back of that certificate at a school in Sulawesi and two schools in Greece. A colleague on the same course went to China and works in Shanghai and another works in Brighton at a language school. I don't know about the others.
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[Zen Dog]

On the other hand, if by S E Asia you mean Vietnam, I met loads of people teaching English with nothing more than "Its my first language" as a qualification. The more stringent places wanted a degree (in anything).

I met a guy with a degree in Engineering and an Irish accent that would strip paint off a barn door, getting paid good money (by their standards) to teach English.

Zen Dog
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My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[Visitor Q]

Yep, I'm in China now teaching English.

Very few here are NES or have a degree. I work with a Ukrainian student, an Italian and 2 old NES's without degrees or certs.

They still keep hiring Ukrainian students, on the same wage as me. Which is why I now teach in jeans, t-shirt, farming boots and shaved my head a day or two ago.

I know a Bulgarian who teaches English, and his English is appalling. Fluent, but appalling.

To be fair, I see next to no difference in wage or salary between those with teaching Certs, and those without. Especially not Mickey-mouse online ones, which is why I still don't have one after 3 years and nearly 10 different teaching positions. At best they get your foot in the door.

Oh, and there are PLENTY of ghetto jobs about in rural hell holes that only require you are white and have a pulse.

But, if you actually want a stable long-term job in a nice place to live, at a high-end school, it might be worth the investment.
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From September 2014 to January/February 2015 I will not be using any English, nor reading any. As such, I won't be on here. PM at will, but I won't be checking/posting unless in emergencies. Certainly not for the first couple of months. Please berate me savagely if I break that rule...

[Visitor Q]

Oh, and women are in high demand. Men hate working with kids. If you're willing to teach young kids you can walk in to a job anywhere with a bit of confidence.
____________________
China traffic/travel bike vid - When I make a sweeping statement, please add the word 'statistically' in to the sentence before you bitch...
From September 2014 to January/February 2015 I will not be using any English, nor reading any. As such, I won't be on here. PM at will, but I won't be checking/posting unless in emergencies. Certainly not for the first couple of months. Please berate me savagely if I break that rule...

[Asharin]

Do you need to be able to speak the foreign language as well? Or did those of you going out there pick it up as you went along?

Just wondering, in case I ever decide to do something like this myself hehe

[Zen Dog]

The people I met didn't speak the language at all. They had "assistants", who seemed to be the actual teachers, who spoke to the class, and the role of the english speaker was to give the correct pronunciations. Bit of a weird setup to be honest.

I have no idea if thats the general way it works.

Zen Dog
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Current - '94 VFR750FR (Dead), '00 VFR800FI, '11 600 Hornet - Previous - '11 CBF125, '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[Visitor Q]

[shereen]

Well I am even more confused now

Bonny - If I wanted a proper long term teaching job could I get away with doing the TEFL course? Or would your advise going straight for a degree?

I'm looking to move permanently to Indonesia in the next 2 or 3 years and teaching would be my only income.
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"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had"

[Hetzer]

[Visitor Q]

[Zen Dog]

[Hetzer]

[Skudd]

So to be an English teacher in China/Japan/etc all you need to be able to do is speak English and recognise when Johnny Foreigner doesn't?

I'll go get my Passport.
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[Hetzer]

[Chinaboy]

Bonny, where in China are you?

I am in Fularji near Qiqihar

[Visitor Q]

[Chinaboy]

[Visitor Q]

[Chinaboy]

Dammit..... I am dealing with the idiots all day long too.

It is warming up here, 27degrees this afternoon, but I believe it gets up to the high 30's in a few more weeks. Are you in for the long haul? I intend to stay for as many years as I can or until I have enough together for a self sustaining business back home in Phils. How long are your contracts?

[Visitor Q]