Jobs And Interview

admin · Site Admin Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 689

Career break

Q.

I am currently working in London and have been teaching TEFL for two years. However I am finding it increasingly difficult to support myself on my salary and am considering taking on temporary secretarial work. I am planning to return to Italy next September to teach, would a break at this point in my teaching career jeopardize my my future plans to teach abroad in any way?
A.
Obviously the more experience you have, the more it is to your advantage. However, if you need to take a year out, you could continue your professional development through reading, participating in relevant (online) lists, attending conferences/workshops etc. The important thing is to document these and to include them in your c.v/portfolio when applying for future tefl positions.

PGCEA or TEFL?

Q.
I currently hold the PGCEA. Do I need to retrain, or would that qualification be accepted as an equivalent by most employers?

A.
It really is a question of looking at what employers want in your target country/area. Some prefer the general education content of a PGCEA while others opt for a purely TEFL focus.

Is a Masters appropriate?

Q.
Would a Masters degree in TESL or a certificate in TEFL serve me (and my future students) better. Practical teaching is my primary interest now but in the future, with my background, doors may open to me in administration as well.

A.
It rather depends on the content of the Masters program. If it includes observed and assessed teaching practice, it is possibly the better bet. It also depends on the country and type of schools you are targetting. I suggest you research what qualifications they generally ask for, before making your decision.

CELTA Benefit?

Q.
I have just completed my TEFL course (intensive 2 week) and am wondering if it would be a good idea for me to do a CELTA course. I do not have a degree. Would the CELTA benefit me more? Also, do you think that the Certificate in advanced English and Certificate of proficiency in English are worth taking?

A.
Depending on the content and scope of your TEFL course, CELTA may be a duplication. The Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) and the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) are English language qualifications for non-native speakers and are not teacher training qualifications. If you are a non-native speaker, they may be of value to you. Otherwise. no.

Salaries

Q.
Does Business English Teaching pay better than General English?

A.
In general terms, yes, particularly is you are well qualified and experienced and operate on a freelance basis, i.e. cutting out the middle man.

TEACHERS OR AMBASSADORS
Q.
It strikes me that in times of world crises our students see us as being representatives of the countries we come from and their policies as much as being their teachers. How do we handle sensitive political issues in these difficult times?

A.
It is probably wise to avoid politics in the classroom, indeed some countries' laws forbid it. Instead it is to be hoped that by being a caring, sensitive teacher who tries to provide for the students language needs, in some small way we can help to bridge any divides that may exist.

MASTERS VERSUS DIPLOMA

Q.
What is the difference between a Masters and a Diploma in TESOL? Are they equal in value?

A.
The diploma is a post graduate level qualification which is generally taken before a Masters and sometimes instead of one. UK and Europe tend to consider the diploma to be a more practical course and therefore more useful to practising teachers while a Masters is thought of as being more academic. However, the US usually prefers its teachers to have a Masters.

TEACHING ABROAD IN TIMES OF CRISES

Q.
I am currently thinking of teaching English abroad but am very concerned about the crisis at hand and am wondering how advisable it is right now to be moving abroad. I know no one can predict what will happen, but I am just wondering if your organization has had students express concerns of any sort and just how safe things may may not be in general. I know this may be an unanswerable and akward question but I don't want to be foolish while I also don't want to miss out on a great and life changing experience.

A.
Anything can happen at any time and for that reason it is always a good idea to research your intended destination well and consult with your country's foreign affairs department for its official information and advice. Much of this is available on the Internet and can be found using a good search engine.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR NON-NATIVE SPEAKER TEACHERS

Q.
I have a question for you concerning getting a certificate of teaching English (in Asia or South America for instance). Since I am an English teacher (upper secondary school), although educated in Sweden I have the necessary teaching skills, and normally people hardly hear an accent when I am speaking. I assume I still have to take a test/course (or equivalent) in order to obtain a ESL/EFL-certificate, but I do not know how to go about it here in Sweden.

A.
You should be able to find a list of courses available by searching our teacher training directory here . If your English is of native or near speaker proficiency you should have no problem being accepted on to most courses. Otherwise there are the COTE and DOTE (Certificate & Diploma for Overseas Teachers of English) qualfications which you might consider.

BUSINESS ENGLISH OPPORTUNITIES IN RETIREMENT

Q.
I am a lecturer in Management Studies and wish to travel and teach English when I retire. Is it fair to assume that there will be opportunities to do so in the corporate world of business?

A.
You will probably find that you require to be in one place for a considerable amount of time in order to coincide with local business needs and also to get known in the local business network. You would also probably be expected to have a TEFL qualification in addition to your management training experience.