Anybody Have Any Experience Of...

[andyst]

Hi, I was just wondering if anybody had any opinions on the PELT course offered by TEFL International. From the descriptions of it, it looks pretty good. I realise it's not going to be of the same standard as a 120 hour CELTA certificate, but that isn't really within my budget at the moment.

I already have teaching experience in Asia, but I want improve myself and learn a little more of the theory behind teaching (most of what I have is practical experience). Also there's the ever so gray area of the WP, I would like to have a qualification if it really is necessary to obtain one.

Basically, I was wondering if anybody had any type of experiences, good or bad about this course. Also, anybody in the know about that type of thing, how highly (or not) are these qualifiactions looked on by potential employers?

Thanks.

[westybrook]

This is a course I will take when I move out to Thailand in Jan or Feb. For me the course has everything. I personally don't want to be in a class for a month doing an intensive course.

A week of good quality tuition on the basics and fundamentals of teaching is what I want to learn.

The best way to learn anything in my opinion is hands on experience. To get straight into the thick of the action and the PELT does this.

I may do it and be totally disappointed with it, or it could meet my expectations, which I hope it does.

[kenkannif]

It's basically a 'buy a job' course. 4 or 5 days training and then you're thrown into a 'full' time job with zero observation. So you're paying for the benifit of teaching (and getting paid a lower rate) with minimal training.

Probably easier and cheaper just to get a job, although some training is better than zero training I suppose. But as a lot of schools will help you find your feet anyway.....pretty much money for old rope.

A week is hardly enough time to teach you how to lesson plan etc. well, let alone teach well.

There was a thread on this before, it wasn't particularly complimentary.

Also you'll find that some of the lesser schools don't accept it as a 'proper' certificate (AUA for example don't accept it) so you'll definitely have problems at the better schools with it as it's a distance/online learning course. Also some of the more 'particular' countries and recruiters (for example Kuwait) won't accept it.

[westybrook]

But this is a new course and so they very well may change if this becomes more popular!

[kenkannif]

The reason they have changed is because of courses like this. You don't teach students English by distance or online learning so it makes no sense to learn to teach in this way.

[ajarnwannabe]

I have taken the PELT course back in June and actually I thought it was ok but I had previously studied a 60 hour TEFL back in the UK. I would recommend the full course because of the lack of observed teaching and the DVD's are well boring but apart from that the PELT course is well organized and well taught. I also managed to land a teaching position over 30K and it's outside of Bangkok and I have had positive feedback from my co-teachers so I think with the PELT it depends on the ‘person’ and also the first day in the classroom is nothing like peer teaching and that is the only teaching practice you receive with the PELT.

[Bluffer]

A guy I work with has just finished the PELT.

The reason he chose that rather than the 4 week full time was basically time. He is working and obviously cant afford the time off. His general comments were pretty complimentary especially about the DVDs with Dave Hopkins.

He was actually observed in our school, so this may be something they have just introduced or wanted to do before and couldnt but there is observation and feedback.

Now the drawback was that the person who observed him ddint appear to be a particularly experienced trainer, so the feedback was not to the level he expected.

If he had had the time, he said he would have gone for a full time course but as he didnt, this suits him and the MOE just fine. He reckons it is good for a more experienced teacher with no certificate but a new teacher wouldnt get as much out of it as a full time course.

[andyst]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I think I'll opt for this course when I land in Bkk in November. Several factors involved lead me to think it's the best option open to me right new. If anyone else is interested in this course, I found a link to a review of it on ajarn.com.

PELT course review

Thanks again for the help guys.

Edited August 27, 2005 by andyst

[westybrook]

When you do the Pelt course could you please write a review on what your opinon is on it. If you did that would help many of us, how may do it in the future.

Thanks and good luck for November