Teaching English

Hi,


I recently graduated from the UK and i'm currently staying in Hong Kong and would like to Teach English. I've heard about the couses below:



CELTA

TESOL

Cambridge ESOL CELTYL courses

TEFL


and would like to ask about the differences between the courses, which one is better and is there any other ones not mentioned that are more suitable. If anyone can give me some advice as i'm really running low on money and i'm very confused as to how the whole procedure works.


I'm also thinking of just tutoring people, i.e. going to peoples houses and teaching english and would like to ask how i can go about in doing it i.e. courses i need to do, how i can find clients etc and by the way i can speak fluent cantonese, although i cannot write or read, does that make a difference.


Thanks

Hi eveyone,


I too would liek to tutor/teach english in HK. But most of the course in Hk are somewhat very expensive, over $20k. I have heard about taking course like the TEFL in countries like Vietnam. Can anyone give me some clues as to what it will cost course wise, and the living accomodation whilst I'm there on the course.


Many thanks for your help.

Hi eveyone,


I too would like to tutor/teach english in HK. But most of the course in Hk are somewhat very expensive, over $20k. I have heard about taking courses like the TEFL in countries like Vietnam. Can anyone give me some clues as to what it will cost course wise, and the living accomodation whilst I'm there on the course.


Many thanks for your help.

Johnny Quest, If you are a local, that would explain why you're here. If not, you can still get jobs teaching English. Some schools will teach you how to teach it.


mrsmith, i don't think anyone disliked the Aussie accent, but the person was saying locals prefer non-locals even if they have thick accents, which isn't always advisable to pick up since it makes you harder to be understood if you speak a second language and learn from someone else with a strong accent. There tends to be more room to be misunderstood that way.

Good luck.

If you are not a local, you might find it diffcult to get sponsored for the ID card as many schools don't want to fall foul of immigration if they make too many applicaitons. It's a problem in the industry that teachers often up-stumps and do a midnight flip. (Remember in Japan 12 people did this on one day - all met up at the airport no-one knowing that others had planned to do the same thing!)


CELTA is a basic requirement, but it's worth doing the young learners supplementary course as well, however if you are not comfortable teaching young children than don't bother. Children are the bread and butter of the industry, unless you want to work for Wall Street English in China (min. students age 17), and you can't escape them. With any amount of training you'll never be any good if you're not comfortable with the young'ns. At the end of the day - english schools are businesses and as a teacher you are always marketing yourself and the company - if students start leaving or complaining about your lessons you may well end up out on the street.

There must be quite a few ex-pats who "teach English" in their spare time for pin money, on a one-to-one basis, although they have no formal qualifications for doing so. But if you want to teach in schools, or a university, even part-time, you will need at least a TESOL/TEFL certificate -- and yes, they are expensive to get here. I got mine in the UK years ago for about 40% of the price -- but then, I was temporarily staying there. If you contemplate getting the certificate in Vietnam, for instance, you have to figure in the cost of airfares and accomodation of course -- and if you normally live here anyway, overall it may not be cost-effective.


But there are other things to be considered too, and I am sure you will weigh those into your final decision.