Teaching English Abroad

[Brij]

Hi guys,

I am a bit stuck on which Institution to get certified with, and I know there are a few people on here that are, so please advise!

I've weeded out the dodgy-ish ones, and the ones I don't like the names of, and come down to 3 choices. If you have any suspicions any of the below are scams, please say so! Or if you have done a TEFL/TESOL course and have any advice, speak up!


'the International TEFL Corporation' - IATQUO certified, 100 hour diploma, seems okay? Good price!

Norwood English - have emailed, but no info on if accredited/reliable by a TEFL body, they have sent a copy of their business reg. and seems like a thorough course, middling price, but also the middle choice for comprehensiveness of the course.

London Teacher Training College - more expensive, but VERY comprehensive, but doesn't seem to be accredited by any higher body, though the name/site seems pretty reliable to me


I have emailed some language schools in Paris for their advice, since it is them I'll be hoping to get work from, but this being France, I don't expect a reply any time soon!

Thanks guys

[southeast-isher]

Hi Brij,

I wish i could help more specifically but i may be able to send you in the right direction to look. My TEFL friend highly recommends Dave's ESL Cafe on the web - if the info is not on the site then you can go to the forums which are categorised into the countries where you teach or wish to teach. Try this link which takes you direct to the forums:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/index.php ... c821ce79f4

[Brij]

Thanks, SEisher!

[gdb]

Hej Brij!

I dont know a lot about it, so I could be miles off the mark - apologies if I am - but as far as I know in order to teach English in France, officially, you'd need to pass the teaching concourse. And that is a right old slog. (And in French). Do you know if that is the case?

But to teach English - as a self-employed teacher/freelancer - you wouldn't need an accredited TEFL certificate at all.

Like I say, I could be miles out, but I'd make sure what is needed at the French end before I go through the TEFL course.

[george]

Hi Brij,

I am currently teaching English abroad and I don't have a TESOL or anything. I do, however, know a bit about them. And yes Dave's ESL cafe is pretty useful sometimes.

Where do you want to teach? As I understand it if you want to teach in Europe or the UK, you really need a CELTA which from my research also seems to be the most practically useful course. A friend of mine did one in the UK somewhere and he said it was the best EFL course he had taken. If I was going to do a course that is what I would do.

If you want to teach in Asia for some countries you don't need one but if you have one it can increase your pay a little. However, there are many rubbish TESOL courses out there.

I hope that helps.

George

I just noticed you said you wanted to teach in Paris. A quick search for jobs in France shows that mostly they just say TESOL or CELTA required.

[the.fee.fairy]

I'm in the same situation as George, different country, same job.

Here, all you need is a degree to be able to teach. I got someof the more difficult classes because my degree is in English Language and Literature.

I'm going to do the i-2-i TEFL Online course in March (don't have time to do it at the moment, will wait until after the Winter Holiday), as i understand it at the moment, having a TEFL qualification is good for more pay, and to teach in certain countries (i'm only doing it because i want to get a paid teaching post in India for 3 months.

As understand it, a classroom based TEFL course is preferable but if you have the course and classroom experience, then that's acceptable too.

[Stonehead]

The Other Half did her TEFL certificate with IH World, but that was more than 20 years ago. She taught English in Cairo.

The OH said the International House course was fairly good—and she's speaking as an English teacher with a couple of master's degrees, a media studies diploma, a PGCE, and her original degree.

IH World is still going...

http://www.ihworld.com/

[Brij]

Thanks for all the advice guys! I'll have a good look into all of your suggestions

It seems the TEFL job market out here is fairly well saturated, so I'm going with one of the online courses for the moment, either something will crop up and I can do the CELTA/Trinity (or equivalent, which is accepted by most schools out here - the 4 week on-site course, which isn't an option right now), or it won't, and I won't have lost anything by trying!

gdb - the teaching concourse is for teaching in what we would call primary, secondary, middle or upper schools in the UK, I'd rather teach to teens/adults, either as part of an association of teachers or a private school, it's not necessary for that.

[bobleponge]

Hi Brij

Have you looked at a company called Acodamia?

Its who I teach with over here, with no TEFL. I do have a degree (still not sure how) but anything equivalent to or above the Bac will suffice to get you a job. They are recruiting currently, and have very few native English speakers on their books, certainly where I live.

You are employed as a "soutien scolaire" following the syllabus of the relevant French academic year group and are expected to stay with the child/ren throughout the school year.

Rewarding, frustrating but certainly a way into teaching in France.

Good luck