| 9:33:30 AM - Mon, 30th May 2011 |
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This is an interesting question I was asked recently. Someone was looking at which degree they would take at university and was considering a TESL degree.
In the end, I advised them against it.
There were two main reasons for my decision.
Firstly it's to do with the qualifications you need to become a TEFL teacher.
They are (basically) a degree and a TEFL Certificate. In many cases the degree is required for the visa rather than for the school; in other words, to teach in South Korea, for example, you need a TEFL certificate to ensure you get a decent job and then a degree for the visa requirements. And it doesn't matter what degree you have. You can have a degree in Engineering, Chemistry, TESL, English or French for the visa.
Secondly it's to do with restricting yourself.
If you have a degree in TESL you can teach English and little else besides. In fact, many employers outside education will not have the faintest clue what TESL actually means and this will make it doubly hard for you if you leave the profession and decide to move into banking!
On the other hand, if you have a degree in, say, English then you can teach TEFL and then if you decide to return home and enter banking your potential employer will see you have a recognised and familiar degree and accept it for what it is.
So, to sum up, I think a TEFL degree is only necessary if you are 100% dead set on entering the TEFL profession. Otherwise, look at something more general which will give you more options in the future.
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Edited On 9:34:51 AM - Mon, 30th May 2011 by WikiSysop
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