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Friday 10 September, 2010

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	Converting TEFL Certificate? "I have a TEFL certificate which I believe is American Chamber of commerce. I took this course in prague Czech Republic. I am actually British living in England do you know if there is some way to convert the certificate so that is it recognised by people who want the Cambridge or RSA certificates having problems getting work in London. " [Click for answer] Visit Knowledge Base Search Knowledge Base:

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AN AMERICAN IN EUROPE - WHICH COURSE?

Q.
I am an American living in Europe, and teaching English on a private basis. I already have the RSA CTEFLA and am interested in educating myself further, but feel so confused by all the courses available in the states and the U.K. I have several questions. 1) For continued work in Europe (possibly at some time for a school again) would it be better for me to get the RSA DTEFLA as well, or are other DTEFLA programs as acceptable? 2) In Europe are UK English Teaching Courses more respected than the American ones? 3) If I do the DTEFLA, and then decide to go on to an MA TEFL/TESL/Applied Linguistics, will I be given credit for the DTEFLA within the master's degree? If so, how much credit? What does this depend on? 4) Would it be a bad idea for me, as a native speaker in Switzerland, to do a DOTE program here? Is that as good as a DTEFLA? 5) How do the MA TEFL, MA TESOL, MEd, MA in Applied Linguistics, MEd ELT, MEd TESOL differ? 6) What will an MA or MEd program give me that a DTEFLA program won't?

A.
It is impossible to say whether British qualifications take preference in Europe. If they do in certain circumstances, it is probably because it is what employers know regarding content and standard. Really any employer worth their salt should want to know what your qualification entailed and to what standard you performed and the easier and more transparent you can make your qualification, the better, e.g. with an easily accessible, reader-friendly portfolio. Masters programmes will tend to be more academic, albeit with reference to practice, while diploma courses are more practical. Each programme is fairly idiosyncratic and one should first look at one's own academic needs, then what is provided on the programme and choose what best matches one's needs. I believe the DOTE qualification no longer exists.

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