Global Leadership Travel - TESOL TEFL

so I'm looking to relocate in the highlands of Dalat or Chiang Mai. ;)

Until it is winter in Chiang Mai and you have to deal with the burning trash and air pollution so thick you can't breath.

Ruth

The old tea planters in India had it right everbrite. Up into the mountains in the summer and down into the valleys in the winter.

Chiang Mai in April and May can be very unpleasant, because it really can be as hot as hell there in those months. 38-40C (100-104F), high humidity, and not a breath of wind. Also high risk of bad air quality in March-May as mentioned above, due to smoke drifting across from the burning of grass and scrub in neighboring Myanmar.

It's lovely at other times though! Especially November - February :-)

Thanks for the advice all, but I'm well aware of the blight of Chiang Mai's "burning season". Besides, like most Chiang Mai farangs, I'd simply "get out of dodge" for a spell for those 3 months.

But as I said, it is just as likely (perhaps even more so) that I'll settle in Dalat.

Now then, back on topic - wonder what emma has decided about the online TESOL...

So I have loved reading about the opportunities that are available, and I truly wish I had done some proper studies (like studying teaching at uni) but 5 years study is not really an option for me now. I have decided that I will see how I go without the TEFL/ TESOL course until the time comes that I feel I may truly need it. As in, take the course I the need arises within a country I have the opportunity to teach with this certificate.

The life you live travelnlas is something I dream of, but I do
not have the backround needed to do that.

To others doing the Groupon certificate- I think that if it's online, get it when u need it and save the cash in the off chance that you don't. That money can go a long way in Asia..

I did an online TEFL and I do not recommend it... I didn't learn anything and it was just a piece of paper to help get a job but not really necessary for that either.

If you're serious about teaching an in classroom TEFL or TESOL is helpful but they are quite expensive and do not gaurantee any job placement (even if they say they will).

Sounds like a fine plan Emma, as long as you have a bit of a stash (which it sounds like you do at least if you hang out in cheapo Asia and steer clear of Europe/the U.S.). Moving around can be a bit expensive though, so you'll likely want to travel S.L.O.W. (i.e. stay in one spot for awhile before moving on to a new sandbox) so as to stretch your travel beans as far as possible until you find your bliss (i.e. a teaching gig or whatever).

Just one tne thing I want to clear up/make clear - though a university degree is highly recommended (mainly for competing for EFL jobs in the good schools, along with often required for long term work permits, etc.) - you do not, repeat DO NOT, need a TEACHING degree per se. Not at all. Any ol' degree will do, even basket-weaving as long as it a legit accredited degree (and yes, the good schools WILL check for an apostilled original).

In any case, I wish you all the best in your wanderings. No doubt bountiful adventures and amazing experiences lie ahead.

There is no way these reviews are real. I am taking this course right now, and it's okay, but not professional. They sneak in questions about jesus and "the good book" every other sentence and I'm not sure there's actually a lot of value in the course. I have no issue with christianity but it's bizarre to take a course that's so heavily flavored with it in every lesson- I would have appreciated knowing that before paying for it. (ok my mom did, having no idea that it was definitely a shit course.)

There are literally questions where you need to AGREE with the premise of christianity in order to answer them correctly, which to me seems really inappropriate for an international course that will naturally attract non-christians.

there are better courses for your money. As far as the rest of it goes, the website is wonky for me. I frequently receive exams and quizzes before their corresponding lessons- with no way to access the lessons until I take the quiz, and of course, do poorly on it. The lessons themselves are often overly pedantic.

If you do things wrong, you can't access the lessons or quizzes to review and figure it out. Just, too bad, so sad!

I'm also 100% sure they plant a lot of reviews online talking about how much their course has helped people, b/c I tried leaving my angsty note several places as a warning to others. no employer would take this course seriously.

I purchased the same TESOL course through Groupon for $60, and it is terrible. There are many questions on the quizzes and tests that were not covered in the lessons, yes the actual website is very glitchy and sometimes hard to use, and feedback from the administrators is hardly quick or professional. I would highly recommend NOT using this course. That being said, I have already invested a lot of time into it, so I plan to complete it, but if I had read the reviews of it as I should have beforehand, I would have happily passed on it. I would like to ask those who are teaching overseas and loving it if the CELTA is the consensus way to go. I have heard that sometimes you don't need one with an actual degree, but I want to be as qualified as possible. I already have 2 AS, a BS, and a MBA, but none of it is in education, and truth be told, I would rather teach other subjects than English. One caveat, for those that have degrees from an american college, did you have to get your diplomas or transcripts certified? I read something about the State Department stamping your diplomas so that overseas schools will accept them. Anyone know about this? Thanks so much for answering.

I have to agree with cmpeters. I bought the TESOL course through Groupon as well, because my husband and I are relocating to Europe and I thought this would be a nice certification to have in my back pocket. Just FYI, I have a BS and an MS in Electrical Engineering and work towards a PhD in the same. I have countless hours of technical writing under my belt and I'm also a published author... Here's what I found:
1. There is a TON of useless information about the origins of the English language. My understanding is that this is to teach you to speak English, not write a doctoral thesis on it.
2. The instructors are probably overloaded. I did get answers to most of my questions, but usually it was just to reset the quiz/lesson and let me try again. I even received one explanation that was, basically, "Because I said it's that way and so it's that way..." I still don't know why I received partial credit for answers that I'm SURE are correct.
3. Starting in Unit 2, there are thinly veiled references to Christianity. The Good News, The High One, Repenting for your sins and seeking Joy instead of Pleasure. There was even a discussion on the Tower of Babel as the beginning of all languages. I found that the 'hidden' references made it positively creepy -- as if I was being indoctrinated into a cult.
4. The useful mechanics of the language was so basic that I aced every single one of them without even looking at the material. I do have to admit that I finally know how to use 'lie' / 'lay' and 'sit' / 'set' correctly, so I'll give them that.
5. The web interface is terrible and can only be accessed through Firefox. And, halfway through my course, they completely changed the look and feel and I have no idea where anything is. The Customer Service numbers are useless as is any kind of email support.

Even for $60, this is a rip-off. I, too, was going to struggle through and finish it, but my time is too valuable. I'm off to try something else.

Ciao, tutti!