Happier Abroad Forum Community

Previous post now redundant.

Mr S wrote:There are positions available where I work in Manila if you are an English or TEFL teaching/training professional. Basically you should have at least a BA in English plus CELTA/Delta or TEFL certificate or have a BA in another discipline and have a masters degree in TEFL/education.

Why does anyone insist on a degree in English? Don't people realize that English courses are now bullshit and their graduates are idiots? A lot of English grads don't even know basic grammar these days.

There are two other options other than having a BA in English as stated above.

All Liberal Art degrees are pretty much BS nowadays and many other degree programs as well. It's what you do with the pieces of paper after the fact that determines ones success or not whether one decides to go into their field of degree or elsewhere.

You go to places where they might still have some weight. Getting an English degree in a native speaking country is kinda stupid and trying to use it there. It's not unless if you know you will go overseas to a non-native English speaking country and teach or use it there, that is where it has purpose and is in demand.

I have the Ph.D., and getting the CELTA shouldn't be a problem. I think I'll wait a year, though, while I work here and rebuild my cash reserves.

Salary?

Where are you currently located/living?

They probably won't hire again for another 2-3 yrs from now, FYI. If you already have a PhD you may want to just do the DELTA rather than CELTA for the higher value it provides which would create better opportunities for possible admin/management opportunities or more lucrative overseas teaching positions. You have to stand out of the crowd to get the pick of the more lucrative highly valued locations around the world. If your PhD isn't in English literature or education this is the better route to go.

Mr S wrote:All Liberal Art degrees are pretty much BS nowadays and many other degree programs as well. It's what you do with the pieces of paper after the fact that determines ones success or not whether one decides to go into their field of degree or elsewhere.

You go to places where they might still have some weight. Getting an English degree in a native speaking country is kinda stupid and trying to use it there. It's not unless if you know you will go overseas to a non-native English speaking country and teach or use it there, that is where it has purpose and is in demand.

If it is known that English degrees are bullshit then it is silly to insist on them as a hiring requirement. Other non-bullshit degrees should be required.

Mr S wrote:They probably won't hire again for another 2-3 yrs from now, FYI. If you already have a PhD you may want to just do the DELTA rather than CELTA for the higher value it provides which would create better opportunities for possible admin/management opportunities or more lucrative overseas teaching positions. You have to stand out of the crowd to get the pick of the more lucrative highly valued locations around the world. If your PhD isn't in English literature or education this is the better route to go.

What's the difference between DELTA and CELTA?

I also have a PhD and I've had plenty of job offers for teaching English even though I don't have a teaching certificate.

Teaching is really a last resort though - there are better jobs out there if you dig around (especially if you're not that interested in teaching).

Cornfed wrote:

Mr S wrote:All Liberal Art degrees are pretty much BS nowadays and many other degree programs as well. It's what you do with the pieces of paper after the fact that determines ones success or not whether one decides to go into their field of degree or elsewhere.

You go to places where they might still have some weight. Getting an English degree in a native speaking country is kinda stupid and trying to use it there. It's not unless if you know you will go overseas to a non-native English speaking country and teach or use it there, that is where it has purpose and is in demand.

If it is known that English degrees are bullshit then it is silly to insist on them as a hiring requirement. Other non-bullshit degrees should be required.

Complain to Cambridge in the UK, I don't make the rules regarding what is or isn't considered a qualified English expert professional.

xiongmao wrote:I also have a PhD and I've had plenty of job offers for teaching English even though I don't have a teaching certificate.

Teaching is really a last resort though - there are better jobs out there if you dig around (especially if you're not that interested in teaching).

Who said it was a teaching position? Teaching is a means to initially get overseas and maintain a living/okay salary but it's not the only means to an end once you get overseas and start making contacts with others.

You're in China, they'll offer any European looking person a job teaching English whether you know English or not.

Hero wrote:

Mr S wrote:They probably won't hire again for another 2-3 yrs from now, FYI. If you already have a PhD you may want to just do the DELTA rather than CELTA for the higher value it provides which would create better opportunities for possible admin/management opportunities or more lucrative overseas teaching positions. You have to stand out of the crowd to get the pick of the more lucrative highly valued locations around the world. If your PhD isn't in English literature or education this is the better route to go.

What's the difference between DELTA and CELTA?

I guess I can put it this way: A CELTA would be like a BA degree and a DELTA would be like a Masters in the English certificate world. Be aware though that they are not degrees but glorified TEFL certifications rubber stamped by Cambridge in the UK. A DELTA just holds a lot more prestige then a CELTA. However, doing a DELTA is sorta like a trial by fire, it's not for the faint of heart or someone who isn't an English grammar guru or can't get a hard on for the English language and/or likes to learn other languages. Basically it's for wannabe linguistics who don't want to get an actual masters degree in linguistics and wants a certified credential in less than 6 months. It usually allows one to get masters degree teaching TEFL position jobs without having to do an actual masters degree.

I was considering this certification. Is it not good enough?

http://www.oxfordseminars.com/Chicago-t ... ish-abroad

Hero wrote:I was considering this certification. Is it not good enough?

http://www.oxfordseminars.com/Chicago-t ... ish-abroad

Not really. I would stay clear of TESOL/TEFL certificate programs if you want to be serious about teaching overseas as most are just fly by night companies with no accreditation to back up their piece of paper. They will work in countries like China or Korea where they are desperate for English teachers but if you want a better job in some other countries they will only accept accredited certifications backed by Cambridge so doing a CELTA/DELTA is a much better investment. Although I heard the courses are kinda hard and run by feminist man hating wackos or sympathetic beta men, you won't get discriminated against if you apply for a school run by British personnel. UK people tend to discriminate against North American English teachers and won't recognize TEFL or TESOL certificates by American companies unless they are accredited by an American university.