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usalax98 wrote:

Any feedback on the courses offered by these institutions?  I will welcome any thoughts about the course content, instructors, job search assistance.  Thanks.

Dan

Language Corp:

The TESOL Certification Program Fee in Vietnam is US$1,750 US$1,650.

The TESOL Plus Program Fee in Vietnam is US$2,295 US$2,195.

The Flagship Program Fee in Vietnam is US$3,495 US$3,395.

They're looking for suckers.  I hate the hype behind the CELTA, but it would be a much better bet, for the money.


ILA:  They do offer the CELTA, and you'll be accepted IF they think you meet THEIR criteria for a new hire.

Apollo: Their lead CELTA trainer is not as nice as he tries to act, but I'd go deal with him before I'd set foot in ILA's facility.

There's another course that is a "hybrid", meaning you do most of the coursework at home, then you have one week of classroom training and observed teaching. I don't know a lot about them, yet, so I'm not recommending them.  I do know that the course is $500, however.



I've been thinking about it and with a Phd, in education I assume, you would not need a teaching certificate to obtain a work permit, unless they've changed the regulations.  The school may require one though. 

Don't do anything until you get here, if you can afford to kick back for a few weeks and size everything up.  You may be able to land a job immediately.  I'm more than willing to point you toward the schools that I think will hire you, including my current employer.

Have heard nothing but bad things about Apollo, ILA course is really demanding and hard but its a respectable school, dont know about their job placement I think they try and recruit for their schools, Dont know about language corp.

Mark In Saigon (not me) lambasted ILA in the following thread.  I believe everything that gentleman posted.



The head wanker at Apollo told me I wasn't "CELTA-worthy".  That comes as a great relief to me, because if HE'S the standard they're using...

They actually talk about the CELTA like it's a living entity!  "CELTA" doesn't like it when you do that.", etc.  Give me a freakin' break!  Teacher Mark doesn't likle CELTA!

I've read both of these books that were penned by Scott Thornbury.  You won't find them being used at any of the CELTA training centers in Vietnam, however.  Theyb prefer bombarding trainees with handouts.  I guess they know better than Mr. Thornbury, who is an ESL God.  If you do make the mistake of taking a CELTA course, read them first.

I was in ILA today and they have both those books by Thornsbury and 5o others, they dont use them as their training manual but as a point of reference. The amount of handouts and busy work they give you is ridiculous, but once you get the CELTA its for life and you will get better pay and jobs in most cases.

wrightEd wrote:

I was in ILA today and they have both those books by Thornsbury and 5o others, they dont use them as their training manual but as a point of reference. The amount of handouts and busy work they give you is ridiculous, but once you get the CELTA its for life and you will get better pay and jobs in most cases.

"CELTA" buries a "candidate" in an avalanche of information and assignments, but then tells you not to overload students.  That's what I'd call ironicalisticastic, which isn't really a word, but could be some day!

Got cash?  The New School in NYC would be my first choice, were I rich.



They've got hours upon hours of videos uploaded on YouTube.  Lectures by Thornbury, Harmer and Caroline Graham, whom I adore due to her work with Jazz chants and other methods of using music in the classroom.

My CELTA experience at ILA was a possitive one. They will even reimburst your fee if you work for them.

First class facilities and trainers. I took mine in 2010 and the trainers then were Rob, Ian and Vera. All very experienced and humble people. I understand that of 2012, Rob and Ian are still there.

There were CELTA candidate of all ages, some bad, some exeptional and there was lots of support from within to get through it.

If I had to dig deep to find something to complain about, it would be the toilet paper. A bit to rough and cheap. I prefer Andrex (from UK)  but heard it clogs up the sewage system.

My name is Duane and I'm living and teaching here in HCMC, Vietnam but like others am considering taking the celta for a better job, pay, etc. (Got my california english credential back in '83).  I'm 57 and 'heard' that ILA smugly only hires twenty somethings.  I also heard that they allow into the course only those they plan on hiring, yet the students are all ages.  Then I read that Apollo sucks, without detail as to why.  I need to decide between the two schools; fees and content are about the same...any suggestions. duane

hello my name is pete and i am doing a Certificate IV in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages it will take me 5 months at TAFE in South Australia ( tafesa.edu.au ) just after some
ideas for myself as well, on jobs if you can send me some information thanks.
thanks pete.

for tefl jobs, try tefl.com or seriousteachers.com --those are my two favorites.  Dave's esl cafe has a few other than (moderated) china which is what his site seems to mostly promote.  China sucks (tried it twice).  A few teachers like it but most leave there bitter like me.  You can teach at my last university in saudi arabia and make $4K a month plus free rent but arabia sucks; the worst place I ever lived; no babes, bacon or booze as they say.  (moderated: offensive post)  duane

BritViet wrote:

My CELTA experience at ILA was a possitive one.

[...]

There were CELTA candidate of all ages, some bad, some exeptional and there was lots of support from within to get through it.

I'd echo this. I took my CELTA there in 2011 and don't have any particular criticisms.

Probably around half of the candidates from my course applied to work at ILA (others returned home, went to teach in China, etc). A friend of mine that took a later course got offered a job at ILA. She is over 60 years old. Most of ILA's teachers are young but there are several teachers who've reached middle-age or more.

But working for them is a different question, and so also has a different answer. But that wasn't your question.

BritViet wrote:

They will even reimburst your fee if you work for them.

They only reimburse your course fee if you sign a full-time contract, but sadly they only offer hourly contracts to in-country hires. That's where they get you.

Thanks for the input.  I've decided on ILA, plus I can almost walk there from Bui Vien where I live.  Duane

After reading for detail I now see, that you have it all figured out.  Good luck!