TEFL (teaching English as a foreign Language) - Page 2 - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!



Go Back   TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards! > Backpacker College Student Travel Message Boards > Studying, Living, Working, Volunteering Abroad, Expats

Studying, Living, Working, Volunteering Abroad, Expats Currently or planning on studying abroad, living abroad, working abroad, and volunteering abroad. Expats talk for all of you Huck Finn's out there. You rebels with a without a cause. Summer travel is child's play to you.

Raileurope.com: See Europe by train
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-04-2006, 04:58 AM   #21
lover of Germany
 
expatben's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Ontario,Canada
Posts: 2,660
Thanks: 4
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally posted by scottishbhoy@Jul 3 2006, 05:20 PM
Im looking at doing my course in Barcelona aswell, the TELF. Looking at going next Feb to do it.
http://www.teflcourse.net
is the one im looking at aswell but cant find any reviews as such from people who have been there. Looks a good thing to do, i love Barcelona and have been a good few times now - would love to do it there but how do i find out if this is a good place to do it?
[snapback]129362[/snapback]
Interestlingly enough I went to tefl world back when it was called TEFL International. I wonder why they changed the name? Anyways um well, I liked the course and I thought the teacher was cool but some people I knew did not. It wasn't the course per se but rather how it was ran like for instance it said it was being held in Rennes and then on the day I leave for France I find out it was in Paris! Stuff like that kept happening.
The certificate is legit though and it has gotten me work.
__________________
I have been to: Canada, USA, Iceland, Britain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Poland, Germany, Sardinia, Switzerland, China, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Morocco.

Do to list: [color=blue][color=black] Australia, New Zealand, Austria India and Bolivia.

[color=blue][i][font=Verdana][color=black]"I'm just another stranger lookin' for the promised land"
expatben is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2006, 03:48 PM   #22
Assistant to the Manager
 
IDDQD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Posts: 795
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via MSN to IDDQD
Default

2/3 done my TESL course! I cant wait to have a piece of paper that says i have more gooder english than most other people. Then its time to start contract hunting!
__________________
It's always funny until someone gets hurt...

....And then it's just hilarious
IDDQD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2006, 08:51 AM   #23
Members
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(expatben @ Jun 30 2006, 04:15 PM) [snapback]128843[/snapback]</div>
Quote:
Yeah i-to-i is known through the esl community. Some people like it others are not so sure. Sorry to be negative but I fall into the latter catagory. Basically its mostly done through the internet with like, a weekend training. I was just on their website now and find it a but strange how they can teach the skills without class time.
When I got my TESOL I went the more traditional route and am glad I did.

Yeah the folks on Dave's can be a little rude sometimes although they do have a lot of knowledge on teaching ESL.
[/b]

it's known probably because it seems to have been going for a relatively long time and has some accreditation. My opinion, for waht it's worth, is that it's fine for travelling and a couple of years work but not right for a full-time career. If you don't want to belong to the 'Dave clique' ie make it your life times work the i-to-i cert is probably fine. Looking at the site today they seem to offer various options. Maybe they have some extended teaching practise on offer?

Good Luck!
fergusrory is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2006, 10:34 AM   #24
lover of Germany
 
expatben's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Ontario,Canada
Posts: 2,660
Thanks: 4
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Default

Yiou don't need to spend a lifetime getting a TESOL but I am weary of Internet courses.
__________________
I have been to: Canada, USA, Iceland, Britain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Poland, Germany, Sardinia, Switzerland, China, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Morocco.

Do to list: [color=blue][color=black] Australia, New Zealand, Austria India and Bolivia.

[color=blue][i][font=Verdana][color=black]"I'm just another stranger lookin' for the promised land"
expatben is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2007, 08:26 AM   #25
Resident Junglist
 
buzzingtalk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: somewhere over the rainbow
Posts: 474
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via MSN to buzzingtalk
Default

at uni i found out about a scheme where students can teach to immigrants, and people that dont speak english well in schools and hospitals and so on in the community, and in return i gain experience and a TEFL qualification. i am currently applying for this - they want experience and the only experience i can offer them in living in a multicultural family and living in asia in summer - so i have a lot of experience with people with different levels of english speaking. im hoping i get it!!

if your at uni - or even if your not - see if theres any schemes like this in your community!! im going to get free training and will be helped to learn how to lead lessons and how to guide people through learning english. i will then be ab qualification abraod - im hoping i can teach music and english (im doing a BA Hons in Music) and hope to work with music therapy abroad too!! so look out for schemes that can help you!
buzzingtalk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-10-2008, 08:23 AM   #26
Members
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 5
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

I am from the UK but took mine in Prague with ITTP.
I know that when I was searching for a course I soon discovered that some of the posts on forums were a little bit too positive
Yep, I had a nasty experience with one particular school called The Language House. Was about to sign up based on the fantastic feedback I was receiving from some of the list of 'grads' they have on their website but funnily enough all the IP addresses were the same
There r loads of TEFL schools out there to choose from but just do your research first
Tarzanova is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2008, 06:35 PM   #27
Members
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

I also researched the same school, Tarzanova. Of the dozen or so past graduates that I contacted, not a single IP address was the same. Either you are clueless about determining IP addresses or you enjoy telling bold-faced lies. I seriously hope it's the former.

However, as you've been bashing The Language House every chance you get on this and other websites (I'm sure I'm not the only one who's visited similar websites and noticed the pattern), I have a feeling you have other issues.

My advice to hopeful TEFL teachers is to do as I have and take no stock in whatsoever in Tarzanova's opinions. Keep on researching.
clara is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2008, 11:14 PM   #28
Guac it up!
 
AKguacamole's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 156
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

This is great info, but can anyone who's used their cert. tell me how teaching is? I know you can teach at all age levels, and I would love to do this, but I think I would be slightly intimidated as I am not good at speaking in groups! (much less a large classroom of adults...)
Was it fun? Boring? Was it relatively easy to form or follow lesson plans?
__________________
Cheers! To friends, to lovers, to warm nights and cold drinks.
AKguacamole is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2008, 11:55 PM   #29
To Smart For Mensa
 
TheJake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Salt Lake City
Posts: 5,585
Thanks: 3
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to TheJake Send a message via MSN to TheJake Send a message via Yahoo to TheJake Send a message via Skype™ to TheJake
Default

http://www.viatoru.com has a great program offering a TEFL cert through i-to-i

If ya'll are looking into it, they are fantastic, internationally known and the program helps me get out debt. Do it.
__________________
Adventure needs to be as much about discovering yourself as it is about discovering the world.
TheJake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2010, 03:05 AM   #30
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Do you know this school?

Hi, I need help too. I found this school in Italy:
learningcentertuscanyDOTcom
did anybody study there?
Thanks

K.
katybar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2011, 01:10 AM   #31
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 5
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by AKguacamole View Post
This is great info, but can anyone who's used their cert. tell me how teaching is? I know you can teach at all age levels, and I would love to do this, but I think I would be slightly intimidated as I am not good at speaking in groups! (much less a large classroom of adults...)
Was it fun? Boring? Was it relatively easy to form or follow lesson plans?
I taught in South Korea for five months (kindergarten & elementary) and Palestine for three (teenagers) before getting certified. Then I got my CELTA in Prague in May and I'm now an English teacher in Istanbul with a private academy, teaching adults.

There are benefits and drawbacks to each age group. With kids, you can loosen up and have more fun with the lessons- but on the downside, you HAVE to make it a constant parade of fun or they'll get bored in a big hurry. Adults are much better at buckling down to doing exercises or whatever. Kids are less shy generally, and you'll often have an easier time getting them to speak English- but on the flipside, usually the younger the students, the more discipline issues you're going to deal with. Another issue is your own age. I'm 23 and almost every single one of my current students is older than I am, many by decades. More than one coworker has recommended pretending I'm at least 25 (which is hard because I look about sixteen) because some people will find it difficult to respect a teacher who's barely out of their teens. I prefer not to lie about my age, but I definitely do feel extra pressure to know my stuff inside and out when I'm working with adults. Kids don't care how old you are- as long as you're at the front of the classroom, you might as well be eighty.

Overall, I do prefer adults. I'm pretty calm by nature and not up for clowning around with my students all the time or trying to herd 20 eleven-year olds into their chairs.

As for the public speaking issue... I've never been good at giving presentations or anything of that nature. I turn red and stammer a lot. For whatever reason, teaching is not like that at all. I'm always nervous the five minutes of the first day, but after that, for whatever reason, it's no big deal. Can't explain it and can't promise it will be the same for you, but I expect it would, if only because I've known some awfully awkward people who make wonderful teachers. Shyness or hating public speaking, oddly, seem to have little bearing on how you'll feel in the classroom. Seems counter-intuitive, but that's been my experience.

Lesson plans... breeze. After CELTA- I haven't taken any of the other courses obviously, but I highly recommend CELTA because it's recoognized everywhere and it's a great course- anyway, after CELTA, you'll be able to lesson plan in your sleep. I learned a lot on the course, even having taught before.

Teaching is a lot of work. It's not like a desk job where you can daydream for half an hour at a time if you want (not to disparage desk jobs)- when you're working, you're WORKING. There's also lesson planning and prep time to factor in. Still, it's hardly slavery. Most places, a "teaching hour" is 45 minutes rather than 60, so you get paid for an hour but only work 3/4 of that time. On top of that, a full-time teaching schedule is rarely more than 30 of these "hours" per week, in recognition of the fact that if you're any kind of decent teacher you're probably putting in a lot of time outside the classroom photocopying, planning, cutting up bits of paper, grading, etc etc.

Hope that helps
__________________
HTML Code:
<a href="http://www.hikeast.com">Free guide to Turkey</a>
Primitive Hovercraft is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply






Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Teaching English Overseas *SOLD* TheJake Classified Ads 0 09-19-2005 01:38 PM
teaching English in Japan maradika Studying, Living, Working, Volunteering Abroad, Expats 2 06-06-2005 07:42 PM
TEFL in Taiwan TimmyJames1976 Studying, Living, Working, Volunteering Abroad, Expats 12 04-29-2005 06:25 PM
TEFL TimmyJames1976 Studying, Living, Working, Volunteering Abroad, Expats 3 01-26-2005 12:14 PM
TEFL? WTF? arbiter13 Studying, Living, Working, Volunteering Abroad, Expats 3 09-30-2004 08:05 PM


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:53 AM.



 

Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.2.0 (Unregistered)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121