ESL Jobs Forum

[paisstat]

Hello,

I am interested in getting started in ESL and hoping I can get some help with questions. First about myself: I am 26, I'm an American and a native English speaker, and I have my B.A. in Political Science. Additionally, I have a little experience in foreign cultures as I studied and lived in Spain for three months and traveled throughout Europe.

That said, I have no TEFL certification and no teaching experience. Of course I plan to get the ball rolling on these fronts as soon as possible and plan to begin volunteering as a literacy teacher in the next few months. Besides the great fulfilment I believe it will give me helping an adult learn how to read and write, I am hoping it will help me to gain teaching experience and help me in my search for ESL work. My primary question at this point is: "Will this type of teaching/volunteer work be viewed as applicable by prospective employers?" With regards to the certification, I have neither the time nor the money to miss four weeks of work to travel to an onsite course. Are there any online courses that will get my foot in the door? And if so, will getting my foot in the door with experience be enough to move into more valued jobs in the future, without the CELTA or equivalent?

I have narrowed my search of potential job sites down to three disparate countries: Chile, China, or Poland. I belive teaching in Chile would be of great value to me in improving my knowledge of the Spanish language, so I'm really leaning in that direction. Any comments or answers anyone has would be of great help.

Thanks.

[Orangeboy]

HI there,

I don't know about Chile but I tried to apply for a job in Poland and no where wanted me without a proper EFL qualification.
I taught in China for four years with just a BA degree. My degree did provide teacher training though. China was an amazing place, very diverse. It is easy to get cheated though in terms of wages etc.
If you're leaning towards Chile perhaps it would be best to go there. It would also be closer to home so that if you feel it was a major error it shouldn't be too hard to get back to life.
China was a little far away and I was very glad I loved it because the flight was too long and expensive to just pop back for a week or two.

Alan

[vanbeard]

Hello,
Well, to start with, I did read once that there is some kind of online course available, but it's been some time so I've forgotten the name of it! Check it out on the internet. The thing is, I don't think you can get from it what you get from doing a course such as a Celta - along with other people. It gives you the human link, which is vital in this subject as well as being an invaluable experience. Think about it! It is a qualification, however the course is only one month long and is itself a foot in the door as well as a step towards further development in teaching.
In some places people can do an EFL course part-time, over several weeks, enabling them to stick to their jobs.
You say you want to get the ball rolling with literacy...but let me tell you, literacy is a completely different ball-game. Anyone teaching it, whether to native speakers of English or not, will tell you the same. You are dealing with different issues and skills here, which in reality require different training to a Celta or equivalent course. Hopefully with support from someone who has been in the field a long time, you could gain experience working locally. I can't speak for prospective employers and what they're looking for but I can honestly tell you it's a different world to EF/SL.
Many people have gone into teaching without any teaching qualifications but I think if you are serious about this, I would strongly recommend you do some training first. It is fair to say that gaining the certificate is more than worthwhile. The best employers or better-paid jobs will ask you for atleast that basic qualification and many foreign universities will ask for a BA coupled with an EFL certificate.
Good luck!
V

[Guy Courchesne]

Good points VB, particularly on literacy. I think most newcomers can be a little surprised as to just how much English is already being used in the rest of the world...many EFL teaching positions (I'll quote Chile for my neck of the woods) involve communicative competency classes to adults or general English as a second language classes to children of all ages, and much work in business English with classes given directly to company groups.

Training is a must for most parts o the world. You'll open yourself up to more opportunities by attending a minimum CELTA or TEFL program with teaching practice. You can even do some of these courses abroad, in the country you've chosen for job seeking. Not sure about China, but Poland and Chile have course providers as do many other Spanish-speaking countries.
_________________
Life is a verb, not a noun - Now Bloggin' and Working Hard

[paisstat]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I have been looking at online courses and researching their accreditation. Moreover I have read a few books on the subject, including Jeff Mohamed's "Teaching English OVerseas," whom I understand is somewhat of an authority on the subject. The problem is that I have not really gotten any concrete answers one way or the other.

I really don't think I'll be able to afford to take off work and travel to take the CELTA or equivalent. During my online searches it seems that there are many jobs, especially in China that require only a B.A. Am I wrong to believe I will be able to find at least a beginners job with only a B.A. and an online EFL course certificate? I do realize the working conditions and pay may not be the best, but that is something with which I would be okay. Wouldn't it be possible to get better jobs afterwards by having that year or so experience?

As far as the literacy teaching, I realize that its a whole different ballgame but thought it would be beneficial to have at least that as experience. Does everyone disagree?

[Guy Courchesne]

You are right...the minimum requirements of a BA and an online cert will earn you the minimum of jobs. I would suggest asking others about the work they've done in China on the same path. You are right as well in expecting the year of experience to be valuable down the road, though, there is still no substitute for proper training (including teaching observed teaching practice) to make the overseas teaching experience safe, rewarding, and worthwhile.

Adut literacy and teaching is not covered in a 4 week TEFL or CELTA course, nor in an stand alone online course.
_________________
Life is a verb, not a noun - Now Bloggin' and Working Hard

[paisstat]

Guy Courchesne,

Thanks for all your help. I was looking at the innovative-english site. I have researched similar programs online and guess something like that would theoretically be possible, but farther in the future.

[vanbeard]

Celta may, rightly or wrongly, have more clout, but there are cheaper courses that are also good. You may want to consider that some places will offer you a job position upon completion of the course.
As for literacy, of course it's a worthwhile experience in itself - as any experience is, don't get me wrong, but it is not to be taken lightly! If you want help looking for ESL work, you may be better off with a related job, for example working as a receptionist in a language school, or as a teacher's assistant. The teaching skills you need for ESL are quite different. Teaching literacy cannot be placed on a par with starting at the bottom rung of the ladder - because teaching someone to read or write requires a lot of skill, more than people realise.
Whatever you decide to do, try researching your options as much as possible, who knows, you may find opportunities and you may not want to go back to your old job anyway.
V

[Ian]

Hello all,
I don't mean to dampen anyone's parade. But I think a university degree, if that is "all you have", is all you plenty need. I ask, how much constructive, comprehensive English is actually used in any class by any instructor/teacher? I mean, how much time is spent speaking clear concise fluent English and how much time is spent playing games? I don't know; I've never taken any of these certifications that are supposedly necessary to instruct adults to learn English, but how much more English "power" does one need than in a degree?
_________________
'I believe in karma and destiny, and that is all I need to know.'
'Be the change you want to see.' -- Gandhi
'Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.' -- Albert Einstein

[Guy Courchesne]

You would be greatly surprised.
_________________
Life is a verb, not a noun - Now Bloggin' and Working Hard

[spanishsueños]

I agree with Guy!

Don't you think that your job might be a little easier if you had training specific to what you were doing? Also, your students will surely benefit.

There is definitely a lot out there regarding methodology and approaches which will help you in the classroom. You could do the research yourself, but why not participate in a course which will teach you the basics of second language teaching. Plus, if you take a course, you will earn a certificate which is recognizeable by employers.

I think a course is just the start ...

[mrcards]

Here's my account of just starting out teaching....
Here you go, it's your first day of teaching. You're as nervous as you could possibly be. There are about 30 kids in front of you looking at you like you're from another planet. What do you do? Well, if you are really here inside the classroom in front of a bunch of kids, I sure hope that you've already prepared for the class. Preparation is what will make your class go smooth and easy. Body language is also very important. If your students don't know very much English, they're going to need to see your body language in order to get a better idea of what you're talking about. Body language is also an great way to keep your students awake, interested, and paying attention to you. Facial expressions, hand gestures, and the level of your voice are great tools for you to use. Make sure that you involve every single student in your class. I'm not talking about making each person stand up, one at a time, and answer your questions. You can do this, but you must also mix it up. Try getting the boys to stand up, then girls, the right half of the class, the left half, pairs, groups, and the class as a whole. You have to keep this class interested, on their toes, learning, and having fun. Good luck to all of you!

mrcards