What ESOL qualification is the best?

To the poster above Teaching English as a Second Language to adults/ children is very different to teaching in a school. If you want to teach ESL then a PGCE/BEd won't help particularly. There are lots of ESL techniques and resources specific to that discipline.


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There are PGCEs/PGDEs/BEds specifically about teaching English as a second language to different age groups. Hence I said relevant.

Not to mention they also equip you with more knowledge and skills in education - there's a reason why they take a way longer time to be completed.

I'm a qualified teacher, so yes, I know how long teacher training takes. And every teacher has training in teaching children with EAL (English as an Additional Language). I wasn't trying to upset you in my post above but clearly you have taken it as a criticism.

There are lots of language schools, which refer to themselves as schools, and the teachers as teachers which are specifically for teaching ESL. The CELTA and other qualifications designed for this really are the best qualifications for teaching in such a language school as they are specifically for this - English Language teaching. Someone who does a BEd or PGCE with specialisms in ESL or EAL is actually training to help children access the whole curriculum (maths, science, art etc) in another language in a school setting. It's a different set of skills.

Exactly where in the original post did the poster say s/he is looking to teach in a tutorial school instead of a proper school? Even the first respondent mentioned 'decent schools'.

Not to mention if you're teaching in Asia as a white person in a tutorial school, a CELTA or any qualification beyond an undergraduate degree would not mean much to them. Having a CELTA or any other certificate like that does not qualify you as a teacher, it's only a very short course to perhaps give you the basics and to some people, a chance for them to write 'University of Cambridge' on their CV despite the fact that they may have never even visited the country or the continent or the hemisphere.

I assumed (perhaps wrongly, although you could see how I would make the mistake) that when the OP asked about ESOL qualifications that they wanted to teach in a language school as that is all ESOL qualifications are designed for. And I also assumed (again, perhaps wrongly) that "decent schools" meant "decent language schools".

As you say, a full "decent" international school would require full and proper qualifications from the country whose curriculum is being taught, and usually a few years teaching experience in the home country as well.

Sorry, wires crossed, I didn't think the OP was wanting to teach in a "proper" school, I assumed they were after English language teaching, in which case CELTA (et al) is specifically designed for this.

As I understand the market within Britain is not that big, and I will admit that I have no idea how it works within the UK.

But if you're referring to teaching in Asia, for example, as I've said you don't need a CELTA. You just need a degree, preferably from a prestigious university, with no need of it being in a relevant discipline. Experiences can be claimed in dodgy and misleading ways.

What are 'decent' language schools and 'indecent' language schools? If by that you mean 'those who charge lots' - my boyfriend is working in one in Hong Kong with only a BA in history as a fresh graduate, and his school is charging £75+ per hour for his service from individual pupils. If by that you mean those who claim all those As - hardly any of them got a CELTA, all they do is marketing.

It doesn't hurt you to have a CELTA, but it is anything but an actual teaching qualification.

I think you are right the market in the UK isn't that big. Most people would do a CELTA or equivalent with a view to teaching English abroad, mainly in Asia I guess.

By "decent" language schools I meant those schools abroad that will help you when you arrive, help you sort out your accommodation, pay a fair wage, have a good reputation for teaching and for looking after their staff. I guess the opposite would be an indecent one

Those would be boarding schools or education consultancies, not language/tutorial schools.

Is £75 fair? Don't need a CELTA.

Maybe different in different countries, when my husband as teaching ESL he was with a network of schools that were quite helpful to their staff - he went to Japan, Prauge and Barcelona with the same network and they always helped him. It was a while ago though so perhaps things are different now. Not sure that network exists.

75! wow! As a qualified teacher doing an hours tutoring in any subject in the UK a student would pay between 20 - 40 pounds, in my experience, maybe a little more in London. And that could be for A-Level Further Maths tutoring, or English tutoring, or help with Year 1 maths! So 75 is a lot, but then is Hong Kong a lot more expensive? I'm in Nepal at the moment so it's the other way here - tutoring would be barely 5 - 10 pounds an hour. Does you b/f get to see much of that money? Or dies the school take a big cut?

CELTA or trinity. They're interchangeable and are the basic level of qualifications most decent schools ask for.


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The relevant PGCEs/PGDEs/BEds.

To the poster above Teaching English as a Second Language to adults/ children is very different to teaching in a school. If you want to teach ESL then a PGCE/BEd won't help particularly. There are lots of ESL techniques and resources specific to that discipline.


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CELTA.

CELTA is certainly the most recognised around the globe. Wouldn't think you'd have any problem getting a job if you had Trinity either, but it has slightly less 'brand recognition'.


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There are PGCEs/PGDEs/BEds specifically about teaching English as a second language to different age groups. Hence I said relevant.

Not to mention they also equip you with more knowledge and skills in education - there's a reason why they take a way longer time to be completed.

Exactly where in the original post did the poster say s/he is looking to teach in a tutorial school instead of a proper school? Even the first respondent mentioned 'decent schools'.

Not to mention if you're teaching in Asia as a white person in a tutorial school, a CELTA or any qualification beyond an undergraduate degree would not mean much to them. Having a CELTA or any other certificate like that does not qualify you as a teacher, it's only a very short course to perhaps give you the basics and to some people, a chance for them to write 'University of Cambridge' on their CV despite the fact that they may have never even visited the country or the continent or the hemisphere.

Thanks for your reply. Okay, so you're saying that a PGCE/BEd isn't that useful as people think. So, what would you recommend?



Thanks for your reply. What do you recommend I do? Go to university then get a CELTA qualification?

I assumed (perhaps wrongly, although you could see how I would make the mistake) that when the OP asked about ESOL qualifications that they wanted to teach in a language school as that is all ESOL qualifications are designed for. And I also assumed (again, perhaps wrongly) that "decent schools" meant "decent language schools".

As you say, a full "decent" international school would require full and proper qualifications from the country whose curriculum is being taught, and usually a few years teaching experience in the home country as well.

Sorry, wires crossed, I didn't think the OP was wanting to teach in a "proper" school, I assumed they were after English language teaching, in which case CELTA (et al) is specifically designed for this.

As I understand the market within Britain is not that big, and I will admit that I have no idea how it works within the UK.

But if you're referring to teaching in Asia, for example, as I've said you don't need a CELTA. You just need a degree, preferably from a prestigious university, with no need of it being in a relevant discipline. Experiences can be claimed in dodgy and misleading ways.

What are 'decent' language schools and 'indecent' language schools? If by that you mean 'those who charge lots' - my boyfriend is working in one in Hong Kong with only a BA in history as a fresh graduate, and his school is charging £75+ per hour for his service from individual pupils. If by that you mean those who claim all those As - hardly any of them got a CELTA, all they do is marketing.

It doesn't hurt you to have a CELTA, but it is anything but an actual teaching qualification.