TEFL/TESOL

I've only recently gotten into the idea of doing TEFL, if anyone has any general information that might not be mentioned on guides elsewhere I would appreciate that. Also, if English is the required college major is another concern of mine during the application process.

>>1121694
I'm OP but I can at least tell you that studying English at college isn't required. I'm English so I don't have a major but my degree was in politics, and at my interview for the course 3 of the 6 people didn't speak it as a first language.

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Thought on having CELTA but no bachelors? Bachelors is going to take fucking ages and I don't want to wait that long.

Also your motherfucking image, OP, 10/10 saved

>>1122115
i asked that quesiton before but it seems very unlikely, the basic answer was
>"why would they hire you when theres somebody else with more qualifications"
there was some russian anon who did something like that and when asked about his degree/diploma he just answered "oh its in home and my moma seems like cant find it, she will send it soon" and get away with it but its not a safe call, where you live? here you could go to some shitty private university and get a shitty degree in like 3 years and then go for it

I've just started considering it too and I'm finding it difficult to find general info. as well. I have been trying to figure out if I should do any of the certifications like TEFL or CELTA but I don't have the money or time really to do the 4 week course things. I considered doing one of those online only ones and then volunteering in local ESL classes or something to save money but also (hopefully) gain the experience and knowledge. I still haven't found out if that's an effective way. Also, any advice for interviews or anything about the process would be appreciated.

>>1122577
Where you live senpai? heres my background:
>be mexican
>near border
>know this british guy
>ex corporal soldier
>not education besides midle school as far as i know
>get hired without problem for teaching english without problem because where he comes from
in some othere threads i got adviced that if you are not a native speakr you should at least hold a bachelor degree, and some kind of certification like TOEFL, at least here is very cheap (about 40 usd) and just requires a very long exam to aprove it

>>1122691
I live in Kentucky and I will have a bachelor's after this fall. I was really wanting to go to South Korea but they act like you have to have particular certifications. Your story gives me hope though.

I'm on the JET Program, fourth year, and thinking about spring for an MTESOL or a Masters in Linguistics so I can move on up to university teaching.

1. Anyone here with any experience or advice?

2. Considering an English program at a Japanese university, Temple University Japan (Japanese branch of an American uni) or my home university of Arizona State University back home. Which is best? The Japanese universities are like half the price of the American options, but is an MTESOL or Linguistics degree from a Japanese university really worth anything?

I'm considering taking the CELTA next year, but I have some questions which I hope you guys can answer.

1) How intense is the CELTA programme? I have to travel to another city (4 hour retour) in order to attend classes, and I want to stretch it out over a couple of months (so I do 1/2 classes a week). Is this doable or are the classes too intense?

2) Does anyone have experience giving English in Japan? How is it? How accepting are the Japanese? How is the pay/cost of living relation? Is it worth it?

3) What are the best places you anons have given English? Any particular awesome experiences?

4) Do you have any general tips with regards to CELTA?

>>1123777
Thanks, I guess. It's just that some people said that lesson planning etc takes quite some time and effort, that's why I asked.

Also, what are some places/countrues I should stay away from?

>>1123759

1) I did a 4 week CELTA course. It wasn't what I'd call intense but it was a fairly steady amount of work for the duration of the class. If you do it over a couple of months it will be very easy. Most of the work is lesson planning and showing exactly why you chose each part of your lesson, how you will accomplish your objectives, etc.

4) the course I took was more than satisfactory. I felt like I got a good amount of beginner teaching experience. Enough that I didn't feel overwhelmed at my first teaching job. Everyone I took the course with went on to get ESL related jobs so I would say it's helpful with employment.

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>>1123992
this is reassuring

Just got my TEFL, it's coming in the mail. Looking at Korea first, private schools not the EPIK program
>but hogwons are awful!
i'd be impressed if my life could be any worse than it is right now, i just want to spend one year in Korea, then move on to Japan, Vietnam and China

>>1125269
good luck brother

>>1123270
I went to Temple! Not the Japan campus though.

I heard good things about it from the people that did the international program. Temple is very good with that sort of stuff.

>>1122115
You do know these are kids right?

international travelling ESL teachers are a joke in the education field, and usually it is because of people like you who just see it as a quick paycheck, thankfully it seems you wont make it through the very basic of requirements.

I know I sound like a dick, but if you can't make it through 4 years of university, you shouldn't be in any educational position in regards to children.

>>1125312
>mfw reading about korean dating
>super repressed so they just want short term relationships with a foriegner they know will dissapear with all evidence of their romantic interlude

This is the official song of me dating in Korea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FowLDgIXGG0

>>1125269
Good luck dude, and hagwon all the way. I have no experience teaching in them, but fuck a public school hey.

>>1125269
>>1125456
What is actually the difference between teaching at private or public schools in Korea?

Does the degree subject matter? Could I do TEFL with any degree, such an engineering or law or math, would it be frowned upon by prospective employers. I'm not looking to do language as my entire career.

>>1125507
I know that some countries don't care (Japan), but others are more strict. Depends on where you want to go and who you want to teach and how.
Check their requirements in any case

>>1125269

Good luck. I think a lot of us TEFL people are in the same boat. I've been doing this for a few years now, and can't go back. My life was shit before, and it will be shit if I go back. I'm stuck doing TEFL. But it's better than McDonalds back home.

>>1125476
Public schools have more students 20-30. Standard 8am-4 shift. More vacation.

Hagwons have between 8-12 students.
Usually later shift like ex. 3pm-10pm. 2 weeks vacation. Potentially higher pay(i make 2.5mil) At the mercy of your boss if he's cool or a POS.

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Last piece of paperwork is almost here, then i can apply!!!!!!!!!!!!

A few questions friends.

1. How much do these TEFL jobs pay you on average? (in dollars)

2. What is the difference between CELTA and TEFL?

3. Is getting a job hard?

>>1126588
Literally all that shit is 5 seconds to google.

>>1126588
>1. How much do these TEFL jobs pay you on average? (in dollars)
Depends on the country
>2. What is the difference between CELTA and TEFL?
Celta is better but less important as in Tefl is usually the required while Celta would be nice to have but in some places it just doesn't matter
>3. Is getting a job hard?
Depends on the country

>>1126588
CELTA is longer (I've heard), pricier, and accepted more widely, but is usually not necessary. Certain places like Australia require ESL teachers to have a CELTA by law, so always check the requirements of where you're going.

>>1121690
Vietnam and Latin America are your most viable options from the places you listed.

Are there any Americans here who have taught in Vietnam?
They're cool with us now, right?

Would Gulf States be the worst? They pay the most, but I've heard Saudi Arabia is properly miserable.

>>1128709
of course with all the money you have to pay out the ass for any "fun"
If you drink or fuck hookers you are out of luck and dating locals is probably out of the question

you can get payed similar wages in Korea and Certain areas of China.

>>1128709
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlDi1PgqF5c

Kuwait is probably a better option
this Black lady seems to have had a decent time of course she has a Counseling certificate
so you have to have real Qualifications.

I have a Bachelors in English and History.
I am currently doing Honours in TESOL.

Am I fucked or in a good position?

>>1128975
She's probably getting sponsored by an Arab with a fetish desu

>>1128970
>of course with all the money you have to pay out the ass for any "fun"
If you drink or fuck hookers you are out of luck and dating locals is probably out of the question

This is bullshit. When you work in Saudi you spend your weekends in Bahrain or UAE. Plenty of alcohol and hookers there. As far as dating, plenty of Filipinas and Malaysians to fuck. If you can get onto the compounds there will be alcohol and orgies, enough

>>1130050
>When you work in Saudi you spend your weekends in Bahrain or UAE. Plenty of alcohol and hookers there. As far as dating, plenty of Filipinas and Malaysians to fuck. If you can get onto the compounds there will be alcohol and orgies, enough
Ok while i may not have been entirely right those girls aren't local to SA nor the middle east and that fun is located in 2 smaller nations not SA
that being said i';ll admit that i hadn't even thought of that.

>>1130034
lol, you may be right Arabs seem to have a a sizable population fetish for literally every ethnic group of women (and trannies)

>>1130096
Those countries are also options to teach in. I used to live in Bahrain, their currency is locked to Saudis. 10 Saudi Riyal is 1 Bahraini Dinar. You don't even have to change bills. There is a bridge that connects the countries. Bahrain is flooded by Saudis every weekend and during holidays. Glad I won't be there this Eid Mubarak.

Would being an established writer count for anything if I don't have a degree? I'm willing to live in the middle of nowhere or volunteer.

>>1130297
>>1130297
most places that don't require more than high school and the Tefl certificate are in South america

>>1122577
Online is a total waste of your money. It's purely to fleece dollars from idiots who don't know any better. No one 'in the biz' takes online degrees seriously.

CELTA teaching = British
TOEFL teaching = American

I sorta prefer CELTA, although I'm not British.

>>1123186
and you do. You'll find shitty back alley 'schools' that will pay you peanuts to work long evening hours to cram little kids, but you won't like it, and you'll be treated like shit. Good luck getting your money when they forget to pay you.

>>1123270
Linguistics doesn't help you become a better teacher. Unless it's applied linguistics, but most linguistics departments are not. In my experience, although linguistics can be interesting, it's a pretty arcane knowledge with little real-world value, even in language teaching (because your students don't care, and their eyes will glaze over if you ever use linguistic terms).

>>1123759
1) The idea is not that lazy bums can pick and choose when they feel like coming. The trainers don't do training the whole year because the trainers are busying earning their living by actually teaching the rest of the time. They take time out to train your ass. Your OWN training involves actually teaching learners at the school, and they'll want to see how you handle ONE group from 'start to finish' in one month.
2) not me, nope.
3) to be honest, I personally don't want to say. I have a good gig probably not on the radar. Although my job is fairly secure and my hiring profile strong, I don't really want more competition floating around. Cryptic and jerky, I know, but that's how it is.
4) I prefer it to the American TOEFL program, although TOEFL has its strong points too.

>>1123829
I've been teaching for years and never make lesson plans anymore. To be fair, I have old ones in a binder and just pull 'em out if I need to review something, but by now I have most of it internalized regardless. Although I think it's a good practice to keep when you're starting out...

As other anons said, lesson planning is not hard if you aren't a retard. There are a lot of retards who pay for English-teaching certs who probably shouldn't be in front of a classroom.

>>1130297
>established writer
lel

Dude no one cares about your self-published poetry.

>>1130681
Okay, so what exactly is your suggestion? The TOEFL? When I search that I just find a bunch of test stuff instead of an actual training program.

Lol at all these people thinking they can get by without a degree.

Fucking buckle down and go get a bachelors in English senpai, it's not that fucking hard.

>>1131458
No offence, but Your google-fu must be pretty shit, which doesn't bode well for imparting knowledge to other people, because it only took me a matter of seconds. If you want to teach English, you will have to learn to be pretty damn self-reliant.

Try adding 'certificate' or 'teaching' to your search terms. I found plenty, but I don't know where you live.

I think CELTA is better like I said, but both it or TOEFL are industry standards. Don't even waste your time or money with online bullshit, that's all a scam. Get into a real classroom. This isn't something you can learn in between fap sessions on your PC in your darkened room in the middle of the night.

>>1131832
Why do you feel CELTA is better?

>>1131711
>Lol at all these people thinking they can get by without a degree.
i know these lazy assholes
meanwhile i work two jobs i can can pay for my classes at a local school and someday go do this stupid job

>>1131841
I just think the quality/standard is higher, and it's focused on teaching adults. It's a 'brand' in a way.

TOEFL is the test, actually, but you can train to be a tester or a general English as a foreign language teacher. In the latter case, a TESOL/TEFL, etc. cert is needed. Who issues these varies widely, there are 'brands' as well as online nobodies who'll print you a bullshit cert for $1000. Research who's doing the training, as they should be reputable.

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Sup everyone! i thought i would ask my question here.

Im 26 and Ill have my bachelors in history within the next year. English is my native language. Would the TEFL course give me a comfortable foundation on which to build my lesson plans for my classes? Will it teach me how to teach my language effectively?

I would like to teach in Eastern Europe. Has anyone done this? Im led understand they do not pay a lot, but do they pay enough to make it happen?

>>1131850
So if my main focus is youth, would TEFL or whatever it is be better? Already becoming a teacher hear in the USA and this would be an extension of that

>>1131863
If you intend only to teach to kids, then a general TEFL would be acceptable, yes. It's fairly basic stuff, that's all, not really specific to anything. Teaching only to kids is an excellent way to pigeon-hole yourself and ensure you don't develop to a level where the (slightly more lucrative) positions open up.

Why is your main focus youth?

>>1131873
Because I enjoy teaching in general, TEFL is not the end goal, but the opportunity to teach abroad. The end goal would be to teach a subject or grade level in a traditional or international school setting. I know outside of your teaching credentials having some sort of foreign language training is helpful. Hell I have been told by a teacher that the tefl/CELTA was more important than a teaching license in getting hired, if you have your bachelors or masters.

>>1131873
I'love have a couple or few thousand dollars of passive income by the time I start so money is not an issue. This is me wanting to teach abroad. Not teach so I can live abroad

>>1131873
My main upper level potentials I would eventually wamy to progress to would be university positions. But regardless I want to teach in a traditional classroom setting.

>>1131876
>I'll have

Auto correct thought the ll was solo and changed it to love>>1131878

>>1131878
you'll never work in a university if you teach ABCs to children.

there are 'traditional classroom settings' without having to baby sit.

>>1131883
BS, and when I say youth I mean K-12 at a school. Not a some language school mill.

>>1131832
Tried your suggestion by adding "certification" and found this:
TOEFL Certification Isn’t for Teachers

If you’re a teacher (or want to be a teacher), you may be thinking about TEFL certification. This is a constant source of confusion! TEFL means “Teaching English as a Foreign Language,” which is quite different from the “Test Of English as a Foreign Language”—the TOEFL. TOEFL Certification IS for Institutions

When we say “TOEFL certification,” the only thing it really means is becoming certified to administer the TOEFL at your business. If you want to administer the TOEFL at a language school, university, library, or any other business with a computer lab, you will need to be accredited by ETS, the company that makes the TOEFL.

I guess you are better at googling because everything I find on google points to TOEFL being a test, not a certification program for prospective teachers.

>>1131861
Good job on getting that degree and not thinking "I'm too old to go to college". It was the smart thing to do.

The most important things TEFL will give you are
1) Shows your first potential employers that you are prepared to invest (at least some) time and money in being an ESL teacher.
2) The chance for you to break your duck in the classroom. The first few classes can be a bit awkward. So it's best to do them in a training environment where you can get the hang of your classroom personality.

...although sure it will probably give you a few useful ideas, too.

Eastern Europe - the salary won't be much at first but neither will the cost of living. You'll have to work at it a couple of years to build up a decent salary but it can be done. Smart move would be to pick a country, learn the language a bit (so that you're comfortable there), figure out how to be a good teacher and then try to get in with an international school where can make good money - possibly teaching your degree's subject instead of or in addition to ESL.

That was my route; ESL in China, degree subject teaching at a dodgy international school in China, then teaching it at a better international school in China and now teaching in a private school in the US.

>>1131888
See: >>1131873 and >>1131850 where I corrected myself.

I have a CELTA myself, besides a Master and yet another independent teaching cert from a uni. I've been teaching for 6 years, but do occasionally invigilate TOEFL exams. Just a brain slip at 1 in the morning, so calm your tits chief.

But yes, I am certainly better at googling, because I still found plenty of results on where to do cert training. Try harder.

>>1130033
Anyone?
Pls ;_;

>>1132016
>>1130033
a good position for what?
Goals?
I mean you didn't say much
What are we evaluating?

I'm currently saving $1400 a month working in korea. I got a good job, pays well(2.5mil) but I'll finish my contract next march.

I was thinking about saving up 20k to go back to get a masters in teaching but I'm not sure if the payoff is worth it. Will a masters really benefit if I'm teaching around overseas vs a bachelors?

I already got 2 years exp and a TEFL. I'm a 23 year old American. So basically 100% of the money i save would be for my fucking uni costs for graduate studies.

Is this kind of work worth it if you're black? I've heard that Asian schools can be quite discriminatory, would I have better luck teaching in Europe?

>>1132238
I know black teachers in Thailand and the Middle East. I have heard on this board about blacks being preferred even for the JET program, like it's easier to get accepted if you're black. I have seen black teachers in China in youtube. I think Korea is the only popular spot I have never heard of blacks teaching

>>1132244
>blacks being preferred even for the JET program, like it's easier to get accepted if you're black
LOL

Sorry, let me read that again...

LOLOL

>>1132238
I know a south african guy teaching in korea. He's been here 5 years. He's an asshole though.

I mean it must be a good enough lifestyle for him to stay here half a decade. I couldn't do it personally but to each his own.

>>1132315

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LibTvk46HGA

>>1132306
>>1132244
Koreans almost never hire black people

>>1132547
I guess we're just ignoring the South African guy

>>1132594
south african can also be white kappa

>>1132596
But the context of the response implies he is black

>>1132547
I'm in korea right now. I'm just gonnna be blunt and say you're fucking retarded.

>>1133018
he's probably a /pol/ summer fag

what if i have significant university experience (projects, good gpa and honors) but wound up dropping out for a lot of unfortunate reasons? how much would doing a TEFL cert help me if i wanted to teach in india provided that i could basically speak a local language?

>>1134138
of course i know a tefl is necessary, i just want to know if im fucked anyway

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>>1132035
Is it more valuable (higher pay, wider range of choice, better working conditions) to have Honours in TESOL from a university?

I was thinking either:
1) Japan.
2) Netherlands.
3) Finland.
4) Korea.
5) Poland.

>>1134138
>wanting to teach English in India, where English has been the language of education for nearly 200 years.
>where English is a subject in school
>where people are relatively poor
Don't waste your time m8.

>>1134158
>Is it more valuable (higher pay, wider range of choice, better working conditions) to have Honours in TESOL from a university?
No.

>>1134176
i've done more research than you

>>1134301
Don't be so sure, m8. You can do better.

>>1134309
doing 'better' would be a waste of my time. i'll take all the derision in the world from someone who has actual experience/knowledge about teaching in india, preferably east india

This is an odd question, but I guess it's worth asking. I have experience teaching ESL in the USA, TESOL, a BS in Education, et cetera. I'm trying to figure out what the best place to teach overseas would be, but I have one condition. I would like for it to be cold year round (or close to it). Is there anywhere that fits this description? I was thinking of Russia or another Eastern European country, does anyone have any thoughts on/experience with this? Most places people teach ESL seem to be tropical or moderately temperate, which I'm not really a fan of.

>>1134930
Kazakhstan
Nepal
S-Korea
Northern Japan
southern Argentina
Central Chile

finding it hard to seperate the facts from the hype

wanting to do the classic TEFL in china, but I'm not sure about a lot of things

I'm happy to do a longer TEFL course because I can see the need there, but I've heard a lot of conflicting things about the need to have a random university qualification
It seems really prejudicial and just a quick way for them to weed people out

and I'm also concerned that I wouldn't have much freedom of movement because I would be tied to a school and working hours are long

>>1132059
why not just continue what you are doing? you save 1400 a month! That is insane. Any other benefits with your employment?

>>1134138
Dude if you are going to teach in India, you won't make money. That is totally fine, but I am sure you want money, right? India does not have a fetish for native english speaking teachers like other Asian nations, and English is already established as the unofficial 3rd language that most Indians that can afford an education already speak.

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What are the agencies you can apply to to get one of those 'assistant' teaching jobs with just a degree and no certificate? I know there's Jet/Interac. I don't have the time or money to do a CELTA course yet.

>>1135160
all you need is a cert and a degree

>>1135193
that isn't my question

of course you can do it with a tefl course and a degree, but can it be done without a bachelors?

nobody has ever called me dim, but Inever went to university and I'm worried about being discriminated against for not having a qualification which is in many ways an intellectual status symbol

>>1135321
>but can it be done without a bachelors?
this was answered earlier and yes you will have a hard time or impossible is most counties do you have an associates?
not there are barley any counties you can teach in legally, but tons that will hire you illegally if you are white. >>1131711>>1131861
http://www.internationalteflacademy.com/blog/bid/74176/No-Degree-No-Problem-The-6-Best-Countries-to-Teach-English-Without-a-College-Degree

that is a good list of counties that don't need a degree , you will likely have to teach in a smaller town, with shitty pay.

>>1135321
TaLK program

>>1135374
What's that?

>>1136306
Teach and Learn Korea

>>1134945
>S-korea

No never. We have cold fucking winters and hot and humid summers.

Did you not read his post?

>>1135164
The money and savings is good yeah but I worry about burnout because my vacation is only 2 weeks. One in summer one in winter. I've done this for a year and a half now.

I get all standard korean ESL benefits. Plane ticket allowance, insurance, national pension(i get this $$$back), living accommodation. Contract bonus after a year.

I really enjoy my job but there's alternate factors that make me want to switch it up.
*can't travel freely due to low vacation time
*abandoning my little sister(7) and brother(17) for years.
*Too much time in one place would make me stagnant( everytime i see people in korea longer than 2 years they're usually strange individuals with social issues)


Ideally if I got a masters I could make even more money while having nearly triple the vacation time. I'm just having trouble deciding because it'd take another 2 years of fucking college.

>>1134930
Even Russia can reach 30C in the summer, in cities far from the coast. Your best bet may be a city like Vladivostok on the coast, Hokkaido, or even Mongolia (but again it can still get very hot in July). It's not easy to pick and choose exactly where you want to go though.

>>1136419
2 weeks vacation is awful for working in a school.

>>1136414
my other suggestions are good honestly didn't realize that skorea wasn't cold was going off memory

>>1136447
It's standard hagwon protocol. I know it's terrible but the money and savings is too good to pass up. But it is a factor on why I'll leave after my 2nd year here.

>>1136511
What are the holidays like?

>>1137228
Meaning are there vacation days for holidays. How much

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How controlling are these contracts provided by employers through recruitment agencies or english teaching job sites? Particularly in Russia, for this is where i plan on teaching.

I want to have the freedom to explore and live there like a local.

>>1136447
>even Mongolia
ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!?
Ulaanbaatar will duck you suit up m8

I need some help. Bad. Is it worth getting an English degree JUST to teach overseas? What happens if you want to move back and settle down? Teach American kids English? People are constantly telling me an English degree isnt worth it and Im not entirely sure myself anymore. And advice on whether or not ita worth it?

>>1138198
Read up. 2 weeks is standard for hagwons. More for public school. You get all red days (national holidays) off as well.

>>1139275
English degree is worth it for teaching English. Why are you stressing?

>>1139429
Its more for long term goals. Sure I can survive paycheck to paycheck teaching English abroad but what happens when I have to settle down and come back to the US? The salaries here are abysmal and wont be enough to say sustain a family?

>>1139433
Well you don't need to know a plan 10 years from now. If you want to teach and travel, do it. That's what thousands of 20/30 year olds are doing. Myself included.

What are your options?
Also why is settling down in the states your priority?

You'll be making a lot more than paycheck to paycheck by the way. Unless you're trying to teach in a country without a booming ESL market.

Expect to save roughly half your paycheck, more or less depending on your lifestyle. This is for the Asian market. I'm the dude from Korea saving $1400 a month.