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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: What Tesol course do you recomend for a teaching overview?
I have managed to get a job with an international school but have no experience or TESOL qualifications (think they were desperate considering how close it is to CNY). So I am wanting to know if someone can recommend a short tesol course online (around 50 hours) which could give me a few ideas and tips to help me ensure I'm not completely green when I start after CNY.
Thanks!
11 years 32 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - Shanghai
I got my Tesol certificates from American Tesol. I know they have Tesol programs around the globe. As far as I know there are like four different certificates that you can receive. Depending on what level you are gonna teach you can get a certificate to teach children, business, and also an expert certificate that will give you training to teach classes to foreigners who will study English as a second language.
Let's see. Unqualified and unskilled English teacher working illegally in China for a school that can't get a teacher. Bet it's not long before we hear back from this one, complaining about being cheated.
willstevenson:
unqualified and unskilled - okay sure, just like I was before my great teaching experience in china. But illegal? where did that come from? you threw that in there like "yea, of course, must be illegal too". The person just wants some idea of how to put a teaching plan together, which clearly threatens you for some reason.
Traveler:
Because he needs two years teaching experience and TESOL qualifications to legally get a job in China. The school, the teacher or both will have to lie to get his work papers. That means he is working illegally. As, I suspect, are you.
the.epicurean:
I agree with Will - why the scathing attitude? The person is asking a question and wants to have an experience in a foreign country. Why the negativity? When I was at school just because the teacher was trained did not make them a good teacher. I understand many foreigners arrive here and should not teach but I am a trained Chef who has tutored many students in cookery and my partner is a journalist major who has been highly rated in the University she works at. Does this mean we are not suitable to teach in China? Life skills are sometimes just as important than being trained in most employment scenarios and the character of a person should not be questioned when they ask a legitimate question.
Traveler:
A journalist major, yes. A chef, definitely no. You are not there to teach them life skills, or how to make apple pie. They want to learn English, and they want to learn it properly.Stick to what you're trained at, rather than something you're not.
the.epicurean:
Okay, a chef/business owner who gained 96% in university English. You, how did you go? The skill needed and relevant success in the classroom is in the personality of the teacher and his/her willingness to be tolerant, prepared and driven . It's English, not rocket science - your argument is exceptionally weak.
Traveler:
I have a Masters degree in Education (TESOL major). I train people to be TESOL teachers.
Being able to speak English does not qualify you to teach it, any more than being an airline pilot qualifies someone to pilot a ship. Different skills are required.
the.epicurean:
I go back to my previous comment. I learnt Japanese from a good friend who spent two hours a day with me - he was a kitchenhand. Still, he managed to teach me his mother tongue. You and I in a classroom dynamic - perhaps the students would prefer my style to yours.
Traveler:
I do not understand why you ask a question, then become hostile when you get an answer that isn't what you want to hear. You attack my abilities and experience in my profession, abilities and experience which you don't have. That sums up your capacity as a teacher.
It appears all you want is someone to tell you that being an unskilled (in this field) and illegal worker is OK. That isn't going to save you from being thrown to the wolves by the school when you eventually get caught.
The reason this school is desperate for a teacher is because no one else wants to work for them. You work out why that is.
the.epicurean:
I have asked no question, I am commenting on someone elses question. I have not attacked your ability, you are in fact attacking mine. Were you wronged by a native speaker in the past? Why this ridiculous viewpoint? Do you wish to be the only westerner in China?
Traveler:
It's simple. Your partner is qualified, and you're not. Do you have feelings of inadequacy about that, and want to try to justify yourself as being equally competent?
Editing your previous answers, and then falsely attacking me for "getting it wrong," doesn't really improve your lack of qualifications, or your credibility.
the.epicurean:
Now I see you are a blatant liar also, and nasty. I have edited no comment whatsoever! You should not be teaching tomorrows teachers anything in my opinion.
I would not recommend TESOL to someone in your position. Half the textbook you would get is about theory and approaches to teaching... I just don't think it is relevant or useful or worth the money. It's good info for getting a well rounded degree in education, but for someone like you or me I'd say just look at ideas that others have come up with and find plans that make sense to you. Take it seriously, but not too seriously. Remember that you are there because you are an English speaker, and have fun trying to improve your students' ability.
I can't recommend any 50 hour courses... especially an online one. There are some suggestions you might get from them, but you can find them on any ESL forum (under 'classroom ideas').
The experience you'll get in your first couple of months will far outweigh any online course (proving it to be a complete waste of money... unless you got it only for the piece of paper).
If you're serious about being an ELS teacher, there's only 2 pieces of paper that will do the trick... Trinity and Cambridge. After that, go up the chain with Master's degrees, DELTAs etc...
Global TEFL has a 150 hours online course that can be of some help. By using a New York Times coupon offer, I only paid $78 for it.