Sorry if there already loads of threads about this (It’s hard to search for them because you end up pulling up loads of results from job vacancies “TEFL certificate preferred…ETC”).
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone could offer me any advice. I will be arriving in Taiwan in February to start looking for a teaching job. I’m from the UK and have a BSc but I have no TEFL certificate or experience. I know from friends who are ‘proper’ EFL teachers that the only certificates worth anything internationally are the CELTA and the Trinity TESOL. Most cram school adverts say they prefer some kind of TEFL certificate, so if it’s not a CELTA, does it matter what online course you do? Do they care whether it’s a 120 hour i to i, or some other 20 hour online course?
THOSE OF YOU who found teaching jobs… were you required to have your TEFL/TESOL notarized before hand? (paid a fee at your country’s taiwan embassy)?
yes?
Im curious how often will they require you to notarize your certificate
[quote=“bigduke6”]A one millisecond TEFL course is fine. It can even be imaginary.
You can even make your own with your computer.
Have it laminated to add an air of professionalism, and you are golden. Its not like anyone will check.
Anything else is a waste of money. The run of mill TEFL certificate make no difference, and no one would check the authenticity anyway.[/quote]
I can confirm that this is completely accurate. I had a real Trinity TESOL certificate and the schools coudn’t have cared less. That was a while ago, so maybe things have changed (but I doubt it).
[quote=“bigduke6”]A one millisecond TEFL course is fine. It can even be imaginary.
You can even make your own with your computer.
Have it laminated to add an air of professionalism, and you are golden. Its not like anyone will check.
Anything else is a waste of money. The run of mill TEFL certificate make no difference, and no one would check the authenticity anyway.[/quote]
That’s just bollocks, good luck to you if you want to teach at a decent English school , or teach in professional schools in countries where you can make good money, such as UAE. You will need a recognized teaching cert, such as a CELTA.
[quote=“Dougster”][quote=“bigduke6”]A one millisecond TEFL course is fine. It can even be imaginary.
You can even make your own with your computer.
Have it laminated to add an air of professionalism, and you are golden. Its not like anyone will check.
Anything else is a waste of money. The run of mill TEFL certificate make no difference, and no one would check the authenticity anyway.[/quote]
That’s just bollocks, good luck to you if you want to teach at a decent English school , or teach in professional schools in countries where you can make good money, such as UAE. You will need a recognized teaching cert, such as a CELTA.[/quote]
I am pretty sure the guy is talking about teaching in a run of the mill buxiban in TAIWAN. This isn’t UAEMOSA.COM.
If I am not mistaken, Funkymonkey owns his own school, so he might have a little more insight into the industry than most posters.
There are some jobs in Taiwan that require 2 years+ post CELTA (or equivalent) teaching experience. These tend to be the higher paying gigs. However, for the majority of gigs even such basic entrance level qualifications are of little importance.
If anyone is planning on doing this kind of work long term, then I would definitely recommend them to take a CELTA etc. Not because it will immediately improve their chances of getting a job in a a typical Taiwanese buxiban (it won’t), but because in the future it will open doors.
[quote=“bigduke6”][quote=“Dougster”][quote=“bigduke6”]A one millisecond TEFL course is fine. It can even be imaginary.
You can even make your own with your computer.
Have it laminated to add an air of professionalism, and you are golden. Its not like anyone will check.
Anything else is a waste of money. The run of mill TEFL certificate make no difference, and no one would check the authenticity anyway.[/quote]
That’s just bollocks, good luck to you if you want to teach at a decent English school , or teach in professional schools in countries where you can make good money, such as UAE. You will need a recognized teaching cert, such as a CELTA.[/quote]
I am pretty sure the guy is talking about teaching in a run of the mill buxiban in Taiwan. This isn’t UAEMOSA.COM.
If I am not mistaken, Funkymonkey owns his own school, so he might have a little more insight into the industry than most posters.[/quote]
I’m sure funkymonkey knows his shit, and l know that any presentable looking caucasian-faced male or female can make money teaching on this small little rock, but when/if teachers want to move away and teach elsewhere at a decent language school, they will need a CELTA/TEFL. Kindy schools and all the other dodgy busibans and the like want teachers with bags of enthusiasm and freshness, western looks. It’s up to the teachers who come here I suppose. Basically, if you are serious about teaching, invest money in a globally recognized certificate.
Can anyone tell me whether they think this is worth it or not? Cheers![/quote]
It is about as beneficial as spending the squid on rat poison, and snorting it like a gram of Columbia’s finest.[/quote]
So it’s not even going to give me 50 quids worth of an edge on the next fresh off the boat foreigner with absolutely no experience and an arts degree, when applying for a job at a cram school?
Having a TEFL certificate is great. You can use it as scratch paper, or toilet paper if you’re in a bind. If you fold it up just right it could balance out an uneven coffee table or refrigerator.
Fact: The vast majority of cram schools in Taiwan give zero shites when it comes to TEFL certificates, despite whatever their ads say. The hiring process is something like the following checklist…
Pre-interview:
_ Is white
_ Is normal looking
_ Is from the US/Canada (or UK/Aus/NZ/ZA)
_ Meets qualifications needed for ARC, or willing to work illegally
_ Is willing to work for shit wages starting tomorrow
Interview:
_ Not substantially different from photograph on resume
_ Sober
_ Didn’t leave any bruises/marks on the children during the demo
If you can tick all those boxes, congratulations, you’ll be hired!
