Types Of Tefl Certificates Accepted?

[len12345]

Hi.

I'm thinking about doing a Graduate Certificate in TESOL here in Australia at a university.

Does anyone know if this plus a BA will be accepted by MOE to teach adults English in Thailand?

They keep changing the rules all the time and it pays to make sure. About 10 years ago, all you needed

was a BA. A few years later it was a BA + a TEFL (this didn't need to be face-face). 100 hour online TEFL certs

were ok. Then again, a couple of years later, TEFL Certs had to be face-face.

[aussiestyle1983]

Hi.

I'm thinking about doing a Graduate Certificate in TESOL here in Australia at a university.

Does anyone know if this plus a BA will be accepted by MOE to teach adults English in Thailand?

They keep changing the rules all the time and it pays to make sure. About 10 years ago, all you needed

was a BA. A few years later it was a BA + a TEFL (this didn't need to be face-face). 100 hour online TEFL certs

were ok. Then again, a couple of years later, TEFL Certs had to be face-face.

Depending who you are, who you know, and who you work for, you don't need any formal qualification to legally teach in Thailand. But, for most peole, you need something, and that something is often disputed.

If you allready have a BA, or any bachelors degree, that should be enough to get you legal and land you a decent job. I only had a TEFL certificate and was legal. I taught all age groups from 3 to 55 or so.

I think a post-grad degree would make your case stronger, but is not necessary. The rules seem to not be set and always change. I am working on a BA now just in case I come back so I can get legal easier. I was going to do a Grad Cert in TESOL from UOW, folowed by a Dip and eventually a MEd in TESOL as well, but have decided unless I plan to teach TEFL or TESOL again one day, it would be pointless in getting. However, since you are planning to teach, why not? It would only help, but, I wouldn't do it if you think it is necessary, because it is not.

Good luck! What uni are you looking at?

[len12345]

Depending who you are, who you know, and who you work for, you don't need any formal qualification to legally teach in Thailand. But, for most peole, you need something, and that something is often disputed.

If you allready have a BA, or any bachelors degree, that should be enough to get you legal and land you a decent job. I only had a TEFL certificate and was legal. I taught all age groups from 3 to 55 or so.

I think a post-grad degree would make your case stronger, but is not necessary. The rules seem to not be set and always change. I am working on a BA now just in case I come back so I can get legal easier. I was going to do a Grad Cert in TESOL from UOW, folowed by a Dip and eventually a MEd in TESOL as well, but have decided unless I plan to teach TEFL or TESOL again one day, it would be pointless in getting. However, since you are planning to teach, why not? It would only help, but, I wouldn't do it if you think it is necessary, because it is not.

Good luck! What uni are you looking at?

Thanks for getting back to me on this. I first went to Thailand in 2000 and worked for one of the largest private English language schools there for two and a half years. All I needed to get a teacher's licence and a work permit at the time was my bachelor's degree which was totally unrelated to teaching. I left that job and started working for them again three and a half years later and was told that I needed a TEFL certificate in order to get a work permit and that an online one would suffice. So, I went ahead and got myself one. It wasn't a mickey mouse course by any means. Infact it was recommended by a guy I was working with who did it and used it to get his work permit. Anyway, I sumitted my application to MOE for a teacher's licence and it was rejected. Was very frustrating and one of the reasons why I left Thailand to return to Australia.

I'm thinking of doing the Grad Cert in TESOL at Flinder's Uni in Adelaide. Only 18 points in course work required compared to 24 points at UOW.

[Ijustwannateach]

Part of it depends on whom you are working for, as well as what your qualifications are- and whether or not the official who reviews your case had a good lunch that day. There's no consistency.

I would guess that a graduate level certificate would work, but no one can give you any guarantee.

[ChiangMaiFun]

I believe not - CELTA or Trinity are recognised internationally to be the only two worth anything (not to say this is 'fair' but that is the accepted norm - that's my understanding). I think if you walked into a school in UK without one of these it is unlikely they would take you on - a supporting degree in English helpful but it must be relevant

[Loaded]

I believe not - CELTA or Trinity are recognised internationally to be the only two worth anything (not to say this is 'fair' but that is the accepted norm - that's my understanding). I think if you walked into a school in UK without one of these it is unlikely they would take you on - a supporting degree in English helpful but it must be relevant

Rubbish.

I know a few teachers teaching TEFL in the UK with a Thai TEFL.

[ChiangMaiFun]

I think you need to take a more balanced view - to be recognised by UK Ministry of Education you need a CELTA or Trinity - that's not to say, of course, that some private schools don't accept alternatives and they may be just as good... but that's the way it is.

[Loaded]

I think you need to take a more balanced view - to be recognised by UK Ministry of Education you need a CELTA or Trinity - that's not to say, of course, that some private schools don't accept alternatives and they may be just as good... but that's the way it is.

The UK Ministry of Education is not an employer. Employers in the UK set their own requirements. I agree that to work in a formal school in the UK you may need something more than a TEFL but that would be a BEd or a PGCE and not a 4-week CELTA/Trinity TESOL/TEFL. Also, I would imagine there's not a big demand for TEFL teachers in a school of native English speakers (well, maybe in Glasgow)). My understanding is the industry in the UK is mostly private and not governmental anyway.

Edited February 25, 2009 by Loaded

[ChiangMaiFun]

To be fair thats true... anyway I'm sure the Thai courses are just as good - Peace