Summer TEFL Courses for Latin America

Still plenty of time this summer for a TEFL course to take advantage of job placements in Mexico and Central America this fall.

Next course dates are posted on our website at Teachers Latin America.

July 8th, 2013
July 29th, 2013
August 19th, 2013

Carnaval

One of Latin America's most outrageous and colorful pageants is in full swing this week and weekend - Carnaval!

The festival is famously celebrated in Brazil and Mexico, and of course Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Carnaval is celebrated in many other locations as well.

Veracruz Carnaval

Next TEFL Courses January, February and March

Don't forget, upcoming TEFL courses in Mexico City with job placements throughout Latin America are now enrolling.

http://www.innovative-english.com/dates.html

January 17th, 2011
February 7th, 2011
March 7th, 2011

Come visit us at Teachers Latin America to learn more. This is the season for English teaching jobs from Mexico to Argentina.

Teaching in Ecuador - A Discussion

There are plenty of opportunities to teach English in fascinating Ecuador, South America but plenty of challenges as well. Let's follow a discussion among new teachers and Ecuador veterans over at the ESL Cafe.

Tinman writes:

I have a few questions about Ecuador.

When is the best time to look for work, especially for university jobs?
I have heard about an " investor's visa" that one can get by depositing dollars in an Ecuadorian account. Does anyone on the board have one? If not, is anyone sure that this option actually exists?

I am planning a job hunting trip to Ecuador in June. Any help would be appreciated.

Gary B responds:

Wha'z up?
I can give you some names of places you can check out once you get there. I taught and lived in Quito for 5 years before coming back to the States for 2 and a half years so I still know the place quite well. In fact, my Ecuadorian wife and I are anxiously awaiting for our trip back in May. You can always find work in the many English language institutes. Key Languages, English First (known simply as EF). Inlengua, South American Spanish Institute (name might have been slightly changed on this one, but it's right on Amazonas Avenue in Quito). If you have a college degree and are EFL/ESL certified you can try the universities such as Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Quito or La Universidad de San Francisco in Cumbaya. They may hire you on only with a college degree and no ESL/EFL certificate. The best paying jobs are in some of the private primary and secondary schools, but I think you need to have credentials in education and it's a lot of work and you have to be a special breed of cat to handle the discipline problems. Timing isn't so important because in many cases people come and go except for the university positions where they obviously have semesters. Of course it depends on what city you want to hang out in as well. You could also post notices on the many message boards in the gringo joints around Quito anyway advertising that you'll do private lessons.
Chow for Now,
Hope This Helps Enjoy Ecuador, I Know I Did Both Good And Bad From Motown Gary B.
PS: If you want further info e-mail me. Word of warning. Since the country dollarized their economy, prices have gone up drastically and wages have gone up very little in comparison to inflation. I have a friend that's still teaching there and he gives me all the latest scoops.

Just A Mirage adds:

Ive been living and teaching in Ecuador for about six years now. An investors visa requires that you deposit 25k into a bank CD, or you can also buy property of at least that amount.
I have to disagree about discipline problems. I have worked in a couple of high schools, both for wealthy students and fundacion schools and have found the discipline to be much better htan when I taught in the states. In Quito and north areas, school is the same as in the states, but in Guayaquil and other southern cities, it is the opposite as we are in the opposite hemisphere. School here starts in March or April.
Ive heard people enjoy Canadian House, but they reportedly arent good about getting you a visa, and you cannot work legally in Ecuador on a tourist visa. If you work illegally on a tourist visa, the likelihood is that you will be taken advantage of, and may not be paid. And you will have no recourse. Canadian house reportedly pays about $4 an hour which is not much.

TEFL Destinations

This week - Costa Rica!

Costa Rica, a Central American nation of 4 million people, is a popular destination for those teaching abroad and punches above its weight for job availability.

More info on Costa Rica at this site.

Talk directly to teachers working in Costa Rica through the ESL Cafe.

And how to get there? Through Teachers Latin America TEFL Program of course!

Where will you be this winter?

Next TEFL Courses - November

http://www.innovative-english.com/

Teachers Latin America announces openings in the next TEFL courses beginning November 15th and the 29th. These courses close out 2010 as we look forward to more great things in 2011!

All course dates for 2010 and 2011 listed on our site.

Teaching Abroad this Winter

Thinking about how to escape the cold and snow this winter? How about teaching abroad?

Teachers Latin America offers a TEFL program that will connect you to teaching jobs in Latin America. Start in Mexico City and spend the winter teaching English in one of several countries, including Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, and more.

Much more information on teach abroad programs, TEFL and TESOL courses, and ESL and EFL employment in Latin America at our website at www.innovative-english.com

See you soon!

TEFL Courses - Online on In the Classroom?

These days, there are many choices on TEFL courses. You can take them abroad or in your home country. You can now also choose to take them online or to take them in a class with other students.

Which is better? -by Guy Courchesne, Teachers Latin America instructor

Online TEFL courses tend to be much cheaper. This is simply because the course is very easily delivered via the internet, without the overhead costs of a bricks-and-mortar school. But, it is difficult or impossible to include observed teaching practice into this form of training.

In-Class TEFL courses, abroad or at home, are more expensive than online courses. For these courses, you have access to other students and a variety of teachers and instructors. Most courses will include a block of observed teaching practice hours.

So how to decide?

I am in the position of being a TEFL course instructor in both media. I have about 8 years experience teaching the in-class TEFL course in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Acapulco and almost 6 years as one of the instructors for the online version of the same course.

In many ways, they are incomparable.

The intensity of the two-week course here in Mexico City is, well, intense. In two weeks, we cover so much ground that there’s barely time to catch your breath. Both the student teachers and I feel drained afterwards. It’s a tonne of information to absorb and apply in such a short span.

The online course is interesting in that it can be done over an extended period. There’s more time to research references online and as the instructor, I get the opportunity to take my time in offering theoretical feedback.

But, it’s the actual teaching practice that makes all the difference. Often, TEFL course participants show a strength in theory and a weakness in practice. The reverse can often be true as well. Making the leap from class discussions and theory to application in the practice class with real Mexican EFL students is the most important step of the program, and shapes the future for the person looking to go out and actually teach later. Experience is truly the greater teacher in such a program.

The online medium is catching up...slowly. Using technology such as rapid distribution of video over the net, Podcasts, and teleconferencing, there is a bright future ahead not only for online TEFL courses, but for all education in general.

I’ve recently added some of my own personal reference material to the TEFL online program I instruct and it has made a large difference. I’m also experimenting with bringing a ‘live discussion’ aspect to the course, whereby certain Internet forums that feature TEFL debates and discussions can be linked into the course material ‘on the fly’.

How should you decide?

In most cases, a TEFL course is the first time a person is exposed to the methodology and the experience of being in the classroom. In these cases, I’ll most often advise an In-Class TEFL course.

Others may already have classroom or tutoring experience. An online TEFL course may serve these people well.

Teaching Pronunciation - a Discussion

Over to the ESL Cafe Mexico section for a discussion on teaching pronunciation, or avoiding it.

It seems to me that we really don't teach pronunciation and intonation these days. I know that i am guilty of thinking that maybe it's too difficult (for me to get my head round), so I'll just steer clear of pronunciation and more importantly intonation practice.

Do you do the same? Why is this?

In another thread we are talking about how salaries and teachers values haven't increased over the years- maybe we should re-evaluate what we're teaching!

Any student can arguably learn grammar and vocabulary from a book or off the internet, but pronunciation and intonation is a clear point of difference for us native speakers.

I'm going to be incorporating a lot more of it into my classes from now on. Maybe THIS is the future....?

The "sounds of the English Language", in all its complexity, is indeed a challenge to teach if your students are already too old to be good mimics. But, I'm going to attempt it, and hope to see some improvement you can spot.

Working in the SAC and using the program called, Clear Speech from the Start, Cambridge Univ Press, I'll be offering active practice for those who desire it, as a test of its usefulness. I plan to make before and after recordings, and invite native speakers to identify "which is which".

I'm hoping for an eight week commitment to an hour a week, in two half hour sessions. I hope somebody signs up....

Teachers Latin America - Teaching in Mexico