Hi guys and gals,
Anyone done a TEFL course and gone on to work in Asia? How did you find the experience.
Anybody working with a TEFL and no degree?
Thanks
I`m in the same boat. I`m doing mine 23rd of November, in Saigon .
Ive got no degree also, so i`m not quite sure what to expect job hunting .
Have you booked a course yet ?? How much did you pay ??
Stay away from online courses, they wont give you practical training for a class room, and from what i`ve heard they are pretty crap as far as certificates go .
I did the online tefl course and I have a degree and I am now living and working in S Korea. My experience so far has been very good. I work in a great school, the hours are good and the money is pretty good too. I get free accomodation and get paid over £1000 a month. I also had my airfare paid for me. The living style is good here as I am in the area of Korea that has great beaches and mountains so I spend a lot of time at the beach (although not at the moment as it is now autumn. Its still in the 20's degrees and very sunny but not really beach weather) and I go to the mountains a lot and they are beautiful. I am 3 hours away from Seoul by bus so I go there quite a lot as it is an amazing city.
Unfortunately you can't work in Korea without a degree, but my friend back in the UK has just done the full TEFL course without a degree and he is now heading off to Argentina to try to find work there.
Overall I would definately recommend it if you want to go see another countries culture, but don't treat it as a long holiday. Yo will not enjoy it if you do. A lot of people in Korea treat it like that and they just annoy the locals and their schools and just about everyone else! At the end of the day it is a real job so it should be treated as such. But it does come with great benefits...living in a warmer climate, seeing other cultures, seeing some amazing places and meeting great people. It makes the weekends much more exciting than when I was back in the UK as I now always have a trip planned. For example this weekend I am going to the mountains to see the autumn leaves where the whole landscape turns bright red! Next weekend I am going to Seoul for some Halloween fun!!
Good luck with your plans and I hope I have helped a bit.
Unfortunately in Asia, you should have a degree and a TEFL certificate before you can start working. Though you can still teach, but getting a work permit and visa is not possible.
Teaching is a passion for me and to be able to teach and live in a wonderful country with such diversity is a bonus!
Teaching English involves a few essentails
Firstly you need to be able to and WANT to teach
Secondly you need the right qualifications for the country you want to teach in.
You need to realise that you have STUDENTS - there is a responsibility to them - teaching is not just passport for you to get cheap holidays.
If you ae going to teach in Thailand - you need a minimum of a degree and a recognised TEFL: cert.
My advice on Certification is to get an INTERNATIONALLY recognised one either CELTA or Trinity - so many others are simply crap - and you will take a long time to get over your poor training and learn how to teach - experience is the final key to teaching.
For the best info on teaching in Thailand go to ajarn.com - there is a page there that outlines the FULL qualifications, certification, paperwork, work permit and visa requirements - it's no small ask and you'll need your school to sort this for you.
If/When you DO start working in Thailand remember that your work permit will be Job and LOCATION specific - you would be able to switch easily form one job to another without redoing all your papers.
PS - you will hear of people working in Thailand without degrees - or worse FALSE ones - most of these people are constantly looking over their shoulders in case the Thai authorities have a "clampdown" or someone with a grudge informs the local immigration or Labour Dept.
Ajarn.com
http://www.ajarn.com/
With TEFL can you choose the age group of the students you are set to teach once you atain the necessary qualification?
Hats off to all you guys for going out and achieving it. I have thought about living in South America with my wife and we talked briefly about TEFL but to be honest we were fairly naive on the subject. I have thought about teaching in this country (already have a honors degree) but haven't done anything about it as yet as planning to travel again (SE Asia this time) in 2 years time.
Think there are some great posts above stressing the importance of the responsibility as a teacher. It is a job with many perks but with it comes some serious responsibility.
I believe that you if you are really a teacher, whether it's about teaching a foreign language or other subjects, it doesn't matter who or how old your students...
The preference of what age group you can teach or would like to teach is entirely up to you, some teachers work better with older student while some with children, kids especially if you are teaching an entirely different language.
I find it amusing how one can see teaching as a 'sideline' kind of thing to be able for them to stay and at the same time earn some money while travelling when you are looking at hundreds, thousands of students waiting for you to actually teach something not just a new language.
You teach the customers of your company.
if it's a school you teach those age groups
If it is a business school you will largely teach adults......what are you thinking? You walk not a class take a look and turn round and say
"no thanks too old for me" - ?????
Amongst other things, I have been involved in Teaching training HR and admin in thailand for several years.
Whereas in THailand desperate schools may be able to wangle you the necessary paperwork, the better paid jobs won't.
Teaching is a JOB - you have to turn up to teach every time - if you prove to be unreliable you will eventually find yourself out of work.
If you think it is a way of financing a holiday - think again - it is a JOB!
Apart from qualifications - experience is the most important thing - so I would recommend taking on any short term work you find just to get your hand in - even if the pay is crap. start at the bottom and work your way up.
THe more you work the easier you will find it to get other work - many teachers supplement their income form teaching in schools by teaching evenings to business students.
Finally a word of warning - the recession has hit Thailand as anywhere else - so companies have tightened their belts - this often means the closing of any EL programs - the result is there are a lot of teachers running around S.E. Asia looking for work - so you will find competition for jobs - especially in the major industrial ands tourist areas is very intense.
You teach the customers of your company.
if it's a school you teach those age groups
If it is a business school you will largely teach adults......what are you thinking? You walk not a class take a look and turn round and say
"no thanks too old for me" - ?????Amongst other things, I have been involved in Teaching training HR and admin in thailand for several years.
Whereas in THailand desperate schools may be able to wangle you the necessary paperwork, the better paid jobs won't.
Teaching is a JOB - you have to turn up to teach every time - if you prove to be unreliable you will eventually find yourself out of work.
If you think it is a way of financing a holiday - think again - it is a JOB!Apart from qualifications - experience is the most important thing - so I would recommend taking on any short term work you find just to get your hand in - even if the pay is crap. start at the bottom and work your way up.
THe more you work the easier you will find it to get other work - many teachers supplement their income form teaching in schools by teaching evenings to business students.
Finally a word of warning - the recession has hit Thailand as anywhere else - so companies have tightened their belts - this often means the closing of any EL programs - the result is there are a lot of teachers running around S.E. Asia looking for work - so you will find competition for jobs - especially in the major industrial ands tourist areas is very intense.
I'll thank you for the reply but I don't appreciate the the condescending start to the reply.
I asked about age groups as I was curious, not particular or fussy. I have an interest in teaching children as I get on very well with them for reasons am I unsure of myself. They seem to like me. Maybe its my approach.
Anyway, I fully appreciate its a JOB as you put it.
0 Response to "TEFL Certificate? How far did it take you?"
Post a Comment