My first teaching qualification
Sounds a bit like “my first make up kit” or “my first bra”, but no- it’s about the often asked question of how you should start your TEFL teaching career. Here’s my twopennyworth, which I posted just now on Dave’s ESL Mafia Forums and is probably being torn to pieces by a pack of MA TESOL-qualified wolves as we speak (will I never learn??). Here it is:
Should my first teaching qualification be a CELTA or an MA TESOL?
Auntie Alex says:
I think doing an MA before you have any teaching experience could possibly ruin your practical teaching skills for life (depending on your personality etc.). There is a danger that you will analyse too much before you do anything in the classroom and never pick up teaching as a skill rather than as applied knowledge. How many textbooks do you want to read before you get on a bike, or start swimming or SCUBA diving?
I say four week certificate (e.g. CELTA), then at least 2 or 3 years’ experience before you do a Diploma (e.g. DELTA) or Masters. Best of all in terms of developing practical classroom teaching skills, assuming you have all the time in the world.
CELTA, then three years teaching, then DELTA, then two or three years teaching-, then MA that gives you credit for DELTA
PGCE in language teaching is also a good start point, but any other PGCE, especially Primary, needs to be followed by a CELTA or equivalent before you start teaching adults.