Should I get a CELTA, TEFL, or Bridge-IDELT?
I have a Bachelor's degree in Int'l Business, a US passport and citizenship, an excellent understanding of languages, but no formal teaching experience. I would like to teach abroad for a year or two (preferably in Spain, where I have already spent some time, Portugal, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, or Colombia - my ABC's ;), and be able to earn enough to cover my basic cost of living, in addition to making some small payments on student loans. I'm a native English speaker, but I also speak Spanish and am learning Portuguese. :) That said: can you recommend what certification I should get? I want to be able to teach well, but I think a CELTA might be overkill. Is BridgeTEFL a reputable organization (I've already seen the www.teflcoursereview.com site, but that's just one source)? Let me know if you have any personal experience with these types of programs. I have a friend with the same basic credentials (American, bachelor's degree, non-EU passport) who teaches in Spain, so it can be done. It's an interesting point, however, that the best pay is to be found in Asian countries - I'll take that into account. Thanks!
Teaching - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
teaching in those countries isn't super profitable. you want to make those little tudent loans pays be thinking of korea or china, and tefl is fine for anywhwere you go
2 :
The fact that you speak the languages will work in your favor, but the other answerer is correct in that Asian countries pay better. (But the cost of living is also higher: Tokyo is considered the most expensive city in the world to live in.) While you may think that CELTA is overkill, the more respected your qualifications the better the job you can get. I spent 9 months doing an RSA Diploma, although I was a qualified teacher with an MA, and I never had any trouble getting work.
3 :
Keep in mind that to teach in Europe you need a EU passport. CELTA, Trinity CertTESOL and TESL Canada are the best courses in the industry because they require course providers (Many of them colleges and universities) to offer an advanced level of training and include a teaching practice module.
4 :
To get an entry level job in all those countries you'll need a degree and a TEFL Certificate. The degree you already have so that's no problem. As for the TEFL Certificate, any certificate from a reputable school will suffice. You can take it either in-house or online at your own pace which is a much cheaper option (see http://icalweb.com). I would advise against CELTA at this stage as in my opinion it's for teachers with at least a couple of years experience. It's a very intensive course and without previous knowledge of the subject many students flounder. As for working in Europe, yes a passport from a European country would help a lot and although it can be done without, it is much harder to find work. There's a link below with much more information on this subject.
5 :
I think CELTA would be just right for you - you're obviously fairly smart and hard-working. It's a tough course, but if you prepare for it by doing some pre-course reading, you should be fine. I don't know if you think it's 'overkill' in terms of time or money, but it will be much more widely accepted when job-hunting.
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