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Groupon TEFL offer

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  • 07-03-2013 7:32pm
    #1
    El Inho
    Registered Users Posts: 3,647 ✭✭✭


    Hey guys,


    I've been considering TEFL for some time now to expand my employment prospects, with a view to teaching English in Germany.

    http://www.groupon.ie/deals/national-deals/TEFL-INK/18519093

    This is offered on groupon, with a huge saving which interests me, but also wakens the inner skeptic in me.

    I've heard there are different ones and just wondering if this one is any good?

    Thanks for your help guys!


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    #2
    Holly Golightly9
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭Holly Golightly9


    Hi El Spearo,

    First of all, online courses are generally a bad idea. If you intend to teach in almost any country in Europe the only employers who will take you on without the accepted qualifications (CELTA / ACELS / Trinity TESOL - 12 week or so courses with classroom experience etc.) will most likely not be very reputable and may treat you quite badly ( and by quite badly I mean - not inform you of classes cancelled, ask you to work classes which could be miles apart, not pay you during holidays, class prep time, or for teaching materials and ultimately not pay you for hours worked).

    There are a lot of English teachers with these qualifications so while it may be more than enough to go to certain places in Asia, Africa and even parts of Eastern Europe where there is a higher demand than supply of trained English teachers, Germany, Italy and Spain etc. would prove a lot more difficult when trying to find a job, even with the proper credentials, experience is a requisite and many properly trained beginners experience difficulties finding a nice recruiter in the beginning.

    From my personal experience, I would not recommend a course such as this. If you are looking to go into this area, first of all, you'll get out what you put in. Secondly, in the world of TEFL, always trust the inner skeptic!!! There's so much thievery and dishonesty!
    Finally, Germany's one of the top places to work due to the economy etc. so if you've got your eye on Germany in particular, I would definitely get a good course under my belt (ACELS or CELTA) and do tons of homework.

    Viel glück!


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    #3
    El Inho
    Registered Users Posts: 3,647 ✭✭✭El Inho


    Holly Golightly9 wrote: »
    Hi El Spearo,

    First of all, online courses are generally a bad idea. If you intend to teach in almost any country in Europe the only employers who will take you on without the accepted qualifications (CELTA / ACELS / Trinity TESOL - 12 week or so courses with classroom experience etc.) will most likely not be very reputable and may treat you quite badly ( and by quite badly I mean - not inform you of classes cancelled, ask you to work classes which could be miles apart, not pay you during holidays, class prep time, or for teaching materials and ultimately not pay you for hours worked).

    There are a lot of English teachers with these qualifications so while it may be more than enough to go to certain places in Asia, Africa and even parts of Eastern Europe where there is a higher demand than supply of trained English teachers, Germany, Italy and Spain etc. would prove a lot more difficult when trying to find a job, even with the proper credentials, experience is a requisite and many properly trained beginners experience difficulties finding a nice recruiter in the beginning.

    From my personal experience, I would not recommend a course such as this. If you are looking to go into this area, first of all, you'll get out what you put in. Secondly, in the world of TEFL, always trust the inner skeptic!!! There's so much thievery and dishonesty!
    Finally, Germany's one of the top places to work due to the economy etc. so if you've got your eye on Germany in particular, I would definitely get a good course under my belt (ACELS or CELTA) and do tons of homework.

    Viel glück!

    Thanks a million for the advice. It does all seem a little good to be true, and it makes sense that classroom experience would be important.

    Think I'll let this slide for a little while.


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    #4
    Hidalgo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,845 ✭✭✭Hidalgo


    El Spearo wrote: »
    Thanks a million for the advice. It does all seem a little good to be true, and it makes sense that classroom experience would be important.

    Think I'll let this slide for a little while.

    Without being an expert in this field, the only place TEFL might be helpful is Korea & Japan. Most other places require CELTA or something similar or be a qualified teacher.
    The key requirement in many countries is that you already have experience in teaching in a classroom environment. The online 120/140 hour TEFL won't bridge this gap


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    #5
    El Inho
    Registered Users Posts: 3,647 ✭✭✭El Inho


    Yeah, I think getting the classroom experience and going the extra mile would be worth it.

    So roughly I'd be looking at about a grand to get qualified to teach in Germany?


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    #6
    Hidalgo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,845 ✭✭✭Hidalgo


    El Spearo wrote: »
    Yeah, I think getting the classroom experience and going the extra mile would be worth it.

    So roughly I'd be looking at about a grand to get qualified to teach in Germany?

    I'm not too well up on figures, think c.1200 euros but that could be outdated. AFAIK for whatever length the course runs for needs 100% of your time, its quite intensive by all accounts.


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    #7
    El Inho
    Registered Users Posts: 3,647 ✭✭✭El Inho


    This is the most frustrating thing of all. I am a full time student, doing an MA and want to teach for a year to improve my German before commencing a PhD...yet deadlines and timeframes never allow for people who are already in systems. It's a shame!

    Thanks though for your continued help!


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    #8
    Holly Golightly9
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭Holly Golightly9


    If your thesis has to be in by August as mine does, do it at the end of August. Schools generally don't start until Oct (well that's in Spain anyway so you could look into that for Germany). Otherwise, you could go over to Germany and do your Celta there which is a good option because you can be looking for employment etc. while your there. Alternatively, you could do what my plan is and do one-to-one classes when you arrive and never intend to look near a school, though again I could not comment on the situation in Germany and it took me a while to gather and weigh up all my research regarding Spain. What's your area of study?


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    #9
    El Inho
    Registered Users Posts: 3,647 ✭✭✭El Inho


    Holly Golightly9 wrote: »
    If your thesis has to be in by August as mine does, do it at the end of August. Schools generally don't start until Oct (well that's in Spain anyway so you could look into that for Germany). Otherwise, you could go over to Germany and do your Celta there which is a good option because you can be looking for employment etc. while your there. Alternatively, you could do what my plan is and do one-to-one classes when you arrive and never intend to look near a school, though again I could not comment on the situation in Germany and it took me a while to gather and weigh up all my research regarding Spain. What's your area of study?

    Currently studying Irish social history, but really want to eventually move towards a Germany social history.

    Most likely it will be just bear out the PhD at this stage


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