Internationally Recognized Tefl

[MrHammer]

Hey

I have decided to join the ranks of english teachers at least for a while.

I want to take a tefl or other licensing that is internationally recognized. I am most interested in something that can get me a teaching job in Japan or Korea.

It is hard to find solid info on what courses are the best.

What do you recommend?

Thanks!

[purushanti]

My understanding is that TEFL International is the way to go, unless one would feel comfortable with the British approach, namely Cambridge or Trinity.

[PeaceBlondie]

There is no international sanctioning body for 4 week 120-hour courses that are officially approved by all countries. SEE and TEFL International and many others claim to be internationally recognized, and that is good, honest advertising. It is false to claim your course is the only one approved by the Thai Ministry of Education, although you should take an approved course. There are 180 countries, some of which have nearly 100 subdivisions such as states/provinces. If Japan or S. Korea has a list of every course in the world that they recognize, I would love to read such a list

[Loaded]

There's only one sure way for any company's business to be recognised around the world without question: ISO 9001. I don't think any TEFL course has this yet, but it is the way forward for any TEFL company that wants to be truely recognised anywhere on this planet.

[MrHammer]

There's only one sure way for any company's business to be recognised around the world without question: ISO 9001. I don't think any TEFL course has this yet, but it is the way forward for any TEFL company that wants to be truely recognised anywhere on this planet.

Is there any course in Thailand that has this?

[Ijustwannateach]

[markg]

Yeah just to add to this, do a course with a provider that is well known. Your prospective employer will be able to easily check about the course.

from what i understand, a TEFL course is now NOT a requirement to teaching in Thailand. It's been 'replaced' by the Thai cultural awareness course.

Thailand is a cheap and nice place to do a course though. Just pick your provider carefully.

[Loaded]

Yeah just to add to this, do a course with a provider that is well known. Your prospective employer will be able to easily check about the course.

from what i understand, a TEFL course is now NOT a requirement to teaching in Thailand. It's been 'replaced' by the Thai cultural awareness course.

Thailand is a cheap and nice place to do a course though. Just pick your provider carefully.

I don't think anything has been replaced by anything Mark well at least in Chiang Mai.

A degree will get you a wp. A director's letter can get you a wp if you don't have a degree. An application fee will get you a non-imm B visa. A TL, or temporary TL, is required to renew at Nan and Tak but this must only affect less than 1% of teachers in Thailand. A TEFL is a bloody good idea if you have never taught languages before. It's also a requirement of many employers.

The private schools association ran a 3-day cultural awareness course last year at Yupparat Government School in Chiang Mai. Of the teachers who spent 5K plus for the privilege of attending non, that I know, have been asked to show when extending visas or wps this year.

Edited April 2, 2009 by Loaded

[MrHammer]

Just pick your provider carefully.

Could you name a few?

[markg]

You know how it works in Thailand, Loaded.

They bring in some daft rule. Wait a couple of years, or more, and then begin imposing it.

When this fiasco law about the new regulations came in, (actually in 2003 i believe?) there was NO mention of a TEFL course being needed to get a teachers licence.

It is Ba degree plus the Cultural course.

I know no one has yet been asked for it when extending a visa. But they suddenly will in the future. Probably!

To Mr Hammer. No, i cant name a specifically good TEFL provider, but as someone who interviews prospective teachers, it would help if they had a TEFL course from a provider that i'd heard of. For example, if someone has a TEFL cert from JohnDoe's supa dupa tefl school, then it's not gonna impress me. One from a mainstream TEFL provider might just swing it though.

Whilst i maintain that a TEFL is not now a legal requirement, like Loaded says, it's a bloody good idea. A decent TEFL school will get you through the first 6 weeks of the semester, and over the full year you will rely on it less and less. I'm entering my 6th year now and i can clearly remember wanting to jack it all in many times during the first month. I'm convinced that if i hadnt done the TEFL then i wouldnt be here now.

There are a number of providers in Phuket that have a good reputation. They are from the bigger, well known companies.

A good idea might be to email the companies and see if they can put you in touch with some of their recent graduates.

Hope this helps.

[Loaded]

A good idea might be to email the companies and see if they can put you in touch with some of their recent graduates.

Hope this helps.

Always a good idea. They may have a page on Facebook as well where you can meet recent graduates as well.

[aitch52]

Fully agree with loaded, a TEFL course is a bloody good idea, which one to go for is a little trickier, I completed a course in December with a well known recognised provider. Pros and cons with that course but very valuable and worthwhile to get you through the initial semesters and as you gain experience you come up with your own material and style.

Be careful out there

Chris

[BruceMangosteen]

Hey

I have decided to join the ranks of english teachers at least for a while.

I want to take a tefl or other licensing that is internationally recognized. I am most interested in something that can get me a teaching job in Japan or Korea.

It is hard to find solid info on what courses are the best.

What do you recommend?

Thanks!

The TEFL is not a license. There in fact aren't any licenses I'm aware of which get you jobs in Japan and Korea. It is all about qualifications, and four-six week courses are what they are, nothing more. In Thailand, the TEFL certificate means very little and are not required to teach or anything else, VISA, WP etc.. I've read and heard that in Japan and Korea most don't require TEFL certificates either. So what you have is a trade course of value to you personally, expensive, and a building block if you want one. If not, take the leap up and give it a go. Despite what will follow, you are not "hurting" your students if you don't have a TEFL certificate and the four-six week course that goes along with it. Either you "got it" or you don't, much like repairing cars of giving speeches. Sorry to be so long winded.

Edited April 3, 2009 by BruceMangosteen

[Jonson83]

Yeah just to add to this, do a course with a provider that is well known. Your prospective employer will be able to easily check about the course.

from what i understand, a TEFL course is now NOT a requirement to teaching in Thailand. It's been 'replaced' by the Thai cultural awareness course.

Thailand is a cheap and nice place to do a course though. Just pick your provider carefully.

I don't think anything has been replaced by anything Mark well at least in Chiang Mai.

A degree will get you a wp. A director's letter can get you a wp if you don't have a degree. An application fee will get you a non-imm B visa. A TL, or temporary TL, is required to renew at Nan and Tak but this must only affect less than 1% of teachers in Thailand. A TEFL is a bloody good idea if you have never taught languages before. It's also a requirement of many employers.

The private schools association ran a 3-day cultural awareness course last year at Yupparat Government School in Chiang Mai. Of the teachers who spent 5K plus for the privilege of attending non, that I know, have been asked to show when extending visas or wps this year.

I thought the course wwas at montford? but i think the 'test' will be at Yupparaj this year....?