TEFL - any experts about?

[CallMeBarbara]

Thinking of the next adventure in my life/ career as a soon to be empty nester…

I’m looking for a reputable TEFL course either in the Brighton area or, if that’s unavailable, abroad.

I’ve been a primary teacher for over 20 years; I have a degree and PGCE.

I think that I’ve managed to establish that celta and tesol are the best qualifications but can’t find anything locally.

What would be the best all round course type for someone who wants to work with children and adults, either online or abroad?

I quite like the idea of training abroad but as I’m 50 I worry about being on a course with only gap year students!

On the issue of age, does anyone think it’s be hard to find work as an older teacher? I think I read somewhere that there can be age discrimination… ( I’m not an old 50, ifswim and have DDs 18 and 21 to keep me on my toes 😆)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Where are you thinking of going?

I took my CELTA at Stafford House, with online teaching practice and the class was made up of about 30 of us, all different ages and at different stages of life/career. It was hard work but a genuine joy to do and made me fall in love with adult teaching again.

I don't think you'll have any problems finding work as a fully qualified teacher with experience though, I'm over in Europe and there are plenty of vacancies especially within the British/American private school system.

Good luck!

Hello! You're right that Celta and Tesol are the two recognised qualifications, so definitely go for one of those. If you're interested in working abroad, I'd be tempted to do the qualification where you want to end up, as then you are on the spot to build up teaching hours. I'd suggest looking at the Interrnational House website in their teacher training section, as they have branches all over the world that offer the Celta course.

CELTA offer online courses i think?
I did a LOT of crying when i did the (in person, intensive) course.

Wow! Such quick responses. Thank you so much.

I’m definitely not looking to relocate permanently but would like to be able to go abroad for a few months (maybe Asia) to teach or volunteer.

I’d also like to be able to do online teaching from the uk as a bit of a wind down career. Nothing too intensive like teaches hoards of teens at summer camp!

I’m a bit confused about the online aspect. I’ve read that face to face courses are the way to go but how would that equip you for online teaching??

@Brefugee why the tears?!

My niece lived in Spain for a year to reach English. The pay didn't cover her rent, and my sister had to sub her.

Teach English

The intensive celta was the hardest thing I've ever done. My tears mingle with Brefugee's!

I'm not sure you'd need the celta tbh esp if you're going to places in Asia who are likely to value your professional teaching quals/exp over it anyway. But St Giles language school in Brighton does one and they are a good language school by reputation if you really want to.

@Mardyface and @Brefugee okay is it simply the steep learning curve of learning to be a teacher and the anxiety of standing before a class that brought the tears? ( If so, then I got over that hurdle on my pgce!) Or is there something uniquely tear inducing about TEFL??

I don’t think St Giles Brighton is still running the course…

I definitely would like to do a course of some kind @Mardyface as I don’t feel knowledgeable about EAL in the UK, let alone TEFL (unless I was following a lesson plan provided by someone else!)

You could easily do your CELTA/Trinity overseas... I did the Trinity in Barcelona about a million years ago.

Celta do have an online and blended course as well as the usual face to face course which I would honestly recommend. Both the CELTA and Trinity are tough and you need all the support you can get from your tutors and other trainees. I also remember being in tears after a diastererous lesson .... helpful hint.... do try to recreate the wheel, pretty much every resource you'll need is already out there.
Face to face teaching (in my opinion) is far preferable to online classes and there are UK language schools where you can work with adults a few days a week so doesn't have to be summer schools.
Some countries do have age restrictions (mainly visa requirements), mainly Middle East and some parts of Asia so that's something to think about. Also remember that it will be more difficult to get work in the EU now unfortunately.

@katscamel thank you. Is it likely to be so tough for me with 25 years experience, though? Honestly not trying to sound conceited but wonder if I’m missing something, here…

I confess to knowing nothing about post Brexit working arrangements/ visas but tbh I’m not sure to work in Europe anyway, unless it was just for a few weeks at a time.

For me it was both the steep learning curve and the class organisation and the planning along with the fact that when they say 'intense' they really mean it!

Mine was a long time ago and it may have changed but I seem to recall full 9-5 days of being taught, an essay due twice (?) a week, grammar cramming (I had just done a linguistics degree and still found it a stretch), practice plans and then actual plans and then teaching practice and feedback so squeezed into 4 weeks. I think the approach is different from pgce type teaching being much more focused on communication as the main goal in everything, but of course you would have a huge head start with your qualifications and can bypass all the classroom nerves. I must say though that teaching 15 tired business people who haven't been in a classroom for 15 years and don't especially want to be there is different even from mardy teenagers who at least expect to be bossed about.

@katscamel which would you recommend- you mentioned both types of course so unsure which you were referring to 😊

@Mardyface thank you… maybe I’ll stick with teaching children so that I’ll have more transferable skills! Sounds grim 😂

@CallMeBarbara I trained with ex teachers with about the same level of experience and have trained teachers and yes it is difficult as you often have to forget about you old teaching methods which are often seen as outdated (rightly or wrongly) and adapt to new approaches.
You will also have different ages in a class... a class of adults for example anything from 18-80 with a while range of learning styles and motivation.
If teaching kids classes then classes of bored teenagers who want to be out doing teenage things not studying

If you want a job with a reputable organisation then you need a CELTA as a minimum which you've already established.

In the summer months you could get a job in one of the hundreds of summer centres with a PGCE and experience, especially now that post Brexit, EU TEFL teachers are having difficulty getting their visas. There are agencies who send PGCE qualified teachers to teach EFL on summer courses. Not ideal for either party, but plugs a gap.

In the same way, it will now be much more difficult to get a job in the EU for British teachers, who used to have the monopoly due to not needing a visa.

I think you'll find a CELTA easier than someone coming at it with no classroom experience tbh.
The online teaching practice CELTA courses are fine- as long as you are getting some observed classroom experience.

The online market is absolutely saturated and virtually unregulated. You'll get a job tomorrow if you're prepared to hold up pre-made (by the "school" ) flashcards and read from a pre-made script to Chinese 6 year olds. You'll be paid peanuts. There are various Facebook groups (search "online teachers of English" and have a look- no qualifications, no idea of English grammar, no classroom teaching experience- they claim to be earning a fortune, and they probably are, but they're not teaching , they're reading from scripts to gullible punters for whom an English voice is enough)

With a CELTA you might get into online teaching with a reputable company, but they usually ask for X years' experience as well, and as they're reputable, you're paid properly and above board so they might ask for either self-employed status, or to be tax domiciled in the country you're working into.

This is the right time of year to do a CELTA. I checked TEFL.com the other day and there were 155 ads for teachers for the coming summer. Yes, they're teenagers, but they've paid a lot of money to be in the UK and in my experience are anything but unruly. Also much smaller classes, usually a maximum of 15, some as low as 8.

Actually @katscamel and @Mardyface , your posts have really helped crystallise what I do and don’t want 🙏

I think what what I actually want to do is either teach younger children abroad (eg Asia, think short term aging- gap year adventure) or online 1:1 with adults or children who want to learn.

Or a bit of both!

Basically I want an easy life and so pro need to adapt my OP to asking for the least strenuous route into TEFL for a tired but experienced person!

PS you mentioned Stafford House- they're very good, highly reputable and are advertising for the summer as well.

@So1invictus x post. Thank you so much. Such a lot to process there! Do you think that my X years experience could be general teaching or specifically TEFL.

I don’t actually want to do a really arduous course. I rather fancied 4 weeks in Paris or Barcelona while training but think I may have romanticised that!!

I did the CELTA 4 week course in Barcelona and absolutely loved it. It was really not that challenging compared to a PGCE and working in a state school in my opinion (I'm a secondary teacher now).

Maybe I could do a lower calibre online course to learn some of the principles of TEFL and then try to get a short term job abroad, based on my teaching qualifications/ background.

I’m not bothered about working for a top company, as long as they’re ethical.

@Bobbybobbins interesting… I’m primary, as I said, but these days teach groups/ 1:1 for interventions rather than whole class. I’m also a qualified dyslexia teacher and assessor.

General teaching is fine. I've always said I'd rather have a non TEFL teacher who knows how to teach, than somebody who has done a 4 week CELTA but has no experience or knowledge beyond that. CELTA is definitely arduous, but again, I'd say not so much so for someone who has been through a PGCE! The numerous part-time CELTA courses might be an option though.

I agree with @Bobbybobbins as well. I'm a state school teacher here in Italy year round and academic manager on a summer residential July and August and I know which one is easier 🤣

Hi,

I did a PGDE (Scottish PGCE) in primary teaching and worked as a primary teacher for a few years before moving into TEFL teaching, which I've been doing for about 15 years.

Definitely do the Celta, don't waste time/ money on a intro course. I did the one month intensive and it was hard, but I found it easier than others on the course as I was already an experienced teacher. I didn't have to get used to being in front of the class, classroom management etc. However it was still really challenging! You are getting input sessions or doing/ watching teaching practice 9-5, then writing assignments and planning lessons at the evenings and weekends.

However, although it was full on, it was SO interesting and the best CPD I've ever done up until now (I'm doing Delta at the moment - so hard but so good!). Celta makes you rethink the way you've been teaching over your whole career! The feedback you get is incredibly detailed and very useful, if a bit upsetting at times. You also get to watch the lessons your fellow trainees do and lessons by experienced ESOL teachers.

With a Celta you can travel, but there are opportunities here too. The summer schools are good fun - teaching is normally just in the mornings as the students go on trips in the afternoon, so it's not too tiring. FE colleges teach ESOL (I work in one at the moment) and although it's hard to get a permanent job without Delta, they are always on the look out for supply teachers. I thought I would hate teaching adults, but I really love it! It's incredibly rewarding, (most) students are very motivated, very little behaviour management, and they are such good fun and get really competitive when playing language games! You really feel like you are making a difference to people's lives.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

I've worked abroad teaching English for more than 20 years. I 've taught all sorts of ages, 3-75+. I found tesol very helpful.
I'd say this. Teaching English to people who already know the language is obviously different to those who are having to learn it, however you will have many transferable skills and so it will be a case of adjusting your focus.
Something to not underestimate is how you use language to connect and ultimately "control" your class in the uk. Imagine having to teach your own primary class using only body language and at maximum 20 wordsThis connection has to be formed without or with limited words.
I enjoy all ages, but in my experience primary age is one of the trickiest. You don't have the advantage of the younger children's natural acceptance of not understanding, and you can't rely on teenagers' ability to at least understand basic English.
Teaching adults who want to learn is quite relaxing in my opinion, especially when they want to improve their language, so you can talk about anything really.