Question on Tefl,


I was told by a friend of mine in Sicily that a friend of hers in Sicily orginally from Edinburgh has a language school and that I could possibly teach there, there is a problem though.

Ok two!

I am not a teacher and I do not have the TEFL qualification. I did just take a quick look online but it seems to be a lot of reading.

Does anyone have or use TEFL on here and which one is realistically required?

If you teach in Italy or Sicily in particular I would be very keen to know as much as possible about your experience.

thank you


Kenny


PS - I have no intention of doing this full time, I would hope to do maybe 6-12 hours per week.

First question - have you ever taught before? If not, another problem is that you may find you don't like it.

If you do need a TEFL qualification you cannot get away from the fact that it's a lot of reading and quite a lot of work. But have a word with the woman who runs the school - it's quite possible that he/she may not insist on TEFL, just want it.

As for what sort, there are two options. Firstly the 'conventional' TEFL qualifications - CELTA and TESOL - both of which require something like a month of fulltime study and observed teaching practice. And cost accordingly, you need to budget £1000 or so. These are wworthwhile internationally-rrecognizedqualifications. Then we have the 'online only' courses, typically consisting of 40 to 120 hours of study, with no practical experience whatsoever. Costs are lower, from about £200 upwards. But being realistic they have little credibility, and are only recognized by those schools who value being able to say they have 'only TEFL-qualified teachers' above all else. Some may consider this a somewhat harsh judgement. But consider an analogy. If a person (complete beginner) takes an on-line only course in English, with no independent verification that they have produced written work on their own and without help, and no spoken production - then how confident would you be in their ability to converse in English?

Finally be aware that 6 - 12 hours teaching will actually involve about the same amount of time again in preparation, admin etc, especially at the beginning (for which you almost certainly wouldn't be paid). And the pay will be low - I don't know about Sicily, but I would expect EUR 12 to 18 per hour gross.

Sorry to appear negative, but while work as an English teacher here is the easiest job expats can get, it is nothing like all roses. If (and it's a big if) you can get private students then the situation would be much better.

Hello


Thank you for your reply.

Its not negative, if that is how it is then its good to know.

To be honest, I run my own company and do not want to spend the time or money to get a posh version of the TEFL qualification. I really thought it would be a good way to make a few pennies whilst doing something more social than tapping away on my pc!

I have never taught before other than informal assitance to Italians in the UK.

Ideally I would like to do help individual students as a tutor.

If I were to attempt the TEFL course It would only be online, I do not have the time to spare doing the formal classroom based course.

This is not a lifelong ambition of mine and was suggested to me by a friend of a friend as perhaps something to consider, I have only taken a cursory look at the TEFL site and appreciate the info.

I have a good degree as well as Scottish Higher English (A), I am confident that it would not take too much to convert this to teaching.

thanks

you can do a basic TEFL and work in most schools here. I'll add a link at the end of this, the money is not great but often hours will be to your advantage.

There's a 40 hour course available here. Any questions just drop me a PM.

http://www.i-to-i.com/tefl-course/

I've been teaching English for 4 years and don't have any English teaching qualifications, i've found that having experience is enough for most companies. Which doesn't help you much! I'd recommend you get a book on grammar so that you can explain it - it looks awful if you get a tricky question you can't answer! For example "when do you say i'm going to do something and when do you say i will do something?"
Whether you actually like teaching tends to depend on the students
If you're expected to use a text book for lessons you shouldn't need too much prep. If not you'll do a lot.
If you want to get qualified a CELTA is worth having, online TEFL isn't.

Hello


I am only really considering doing the most basic exam or course to then do the most basic teaching or tutoring.

I do have a company that I run so I am not looking for a career only a few euros doing something a little different.

I have helped a few Italians with their exams in the UK.

I have never heard of CELTA?




kenny

Yes, I think we understand the situation. However, what is being said to you is that you may not need to get any sort of TEFL qualification in order to teach. That's why I put 'need' in bold in my answer before. It's not at all a given that it is necessary. DaniL teaches without one, so do I, and so do lots of others. As I have already advised, before spending money and time, speak to the school and find out what they require.

It's only some schools that insist on a formal qualification, and any school that insists but will then accept the sort of 'qualification' awarded by companies like i-to-i is, IMHO, barking mad or plain hypocritical. Any worthwhile school will know that these online-only courses have very little real value. Thay most certainly cannot be said to prepare you to teach.

As for CELTA you could, with respect, re-read my previous post?

this is going to sound pretentious and arrogant but here goes. I have a CELTA, and shortly a DELTA - and have taught in universities, state and private schools. What really bugs me is that I spend alot of my time reteaching English to people who are convinced they know English because they were taught by some tizio who thought they'd earn a few bob and had no idea of grammar or the rules of English. If you're going to do something, why not do it properly?
If you have a CELTA you will earn more, and be a better teacher. Why add to private schools profits by just making up numbers?

It is not a full time career for me and never will be, its more a case of doing a few hours work to get a little more involved in the community where I will be living.

I will do the basic TEFL online and maybe look at opportunities to work as a tutor. My ideal would be helping students who study business and have to do an English course. I get the impression TEFL is like a Cub Scouts badge! But if it works then that is good enough for me. I run my own company and will not be spending a lot of time on this.

k

you're right. It does sound pretentious and arrogant.

The big thing that puts me off spending out all this cash on it and time is getting it back teaching the few little private jobs I do in the evenings for very little money as I tend to help out people who cannot afford stupid amounts of money. I personally enjoy teaching and when I get back to UK I am going back to do my PGCE as I already have a degree in literature which has a language element to it obviously... I also paid myself to do the i-to-i course when I first started out to hone MY confidence in my grammar skills. I agree it's not for everyone but there are gits in every profession....

I guess this falls into two camps. The ones who spent a crap load of time and money to get CELTA.. DELTA (isn't that an airline?) and the ones who can get a TEFL and get by.

If you go for a TEFL and make a few 'bob' then all power to you. Plenty of people go down this route, What is it the government ad said? ''those who teach can''? If you're a bad teacher you'll get found out soon enough anyway.

Bits of paper saying that you can do something mean nothing... Unless you can do it.. CELTA, DELTA ,TEFL, MILF. I know which one I'd do...

"Bits of paper saying that you can do something mean nothing... Unless you can do it"

Pretty much my thinking too!

Ok lets put it this way - how would you feel if your kids were being taught by someone who simply claimed to know what they were teaching without having any documentation to back it up? How would you like to fork out a lot of money on language lessons with someone who just so happens to speak the language but has no knowledge of how to teach? Or would you be happy to let someone rewire your house when they'd had no experience or training whatsoever in electronics, other than watching their dad when they were little? I agree that it can be infuriating having to jump through hoops to prove that you are qualified to do something, but let's face it, we all feel a lot better knowing that our doctors, electricians, teachers, builders etc have those pieces of paper. They represent a minimum standard that we can expect from these people.

CELTA or Trinity (the two main and most respected qualifications) don't just raise your awareness of English grammar, they also train you in teaching methodology, prepare you for the classroom and give you vital experience. As a CELTA qualified teacher I can go anywhere in the world pretty much and my employer and students know that I have been trained to a specific standard.
TEFL, that is Teaching English as a Foreign Language (for the person that seemed to think it was an alternative option to CELTA, which stands for Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) is just as important as any other aspect of education and teaching standards need to be regulated just as much as they do in any other subject. TEFL is also big business, not just for the actual schools, but also for the University of Cambridge, various publishing houses, the British Council etc, etc.

Once you are CELTA qualified (i.e. you've completed either the part-time course or the one month intensive course - online courses are worth nowt and are rarely recognised as teaching qualifications by legitimate schools) you can take advantage of a global job market, and in return your employer and students will know what to expect from you.
Even if you don't want to teach full time, it is definitely an investment I would recommend, although you may find it difficult to just teach for six months - the academic year lasts for nine months and I can't imagine many schools being happy about you leaving two thirds of the way through the year, especially as that is when the hardcore exam prep gets underway. However, if you know the owner then you may be able to come to some sort of agreement.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

That's pretty much what parents and students here have to put up with every day despite the language teachers having some documentation and claiming to know what they are teaching.

If the language teachers did indeed know the language better there would not be such a big need for parents to fork out loads of money in private lessons for their kids. It's one thing them possibily knowing the grammar rules inside and out, but a hell of a lot of them do not know the language which is why so many Italian kids think that words like biskwit and frueet are correct and why business men/woman want conversation lessons with a mother tongue.

what she said.
I don't really help to make a huge profit from people either. Most of the people I help are friends and they are already having the 'proper' lessons at school and yet still not quite getting it cos the teachers who teach them don't quite get it despite having that 'piece of paper'. Most of these people couldn't afford €30+ an hour which is what the schools round here charge and I can't afford to do a private course. What I often do wonder is, what happens to all these people who fork out loads of money for a CELTA or other TEFL course and don't or can't make the grade? Do they just write off their £1000+ or do they get their certificate eventually seeing as they've paid out the money?