Frequently Asked Questions
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Is there fast, easy, free access to the Internet at the school for students and instructors?
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What percentage of people who take the course find a job teaching English?
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I was wondering if there was representatives or alumni in the US that I could contact.
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Will you guarantee me a job once I earn the TEFL Certificate?
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I speak English pretty well. Why do I need a certificate to get a job?
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What kind of job will I be able to get with this certificate?
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Will the TEFL Certificate enable me to teach in US public schools?
Even though I
didn't major in education in college and do not have a teacher's certificate,
would that still make me eligible?
This course was created for students who, even though did not major in
education in college and do not have a teacher's certificate, wish to become
English teachers. Our course is designed to allow students to participate in a
TEFL Certification course in a foreign country while simultaneously attending
an intensive course in Italian language and culture. This allows you to acquire
professional knowledge and skills imperative in teaching English to speakers of
another language, as well as develop cross-cultural understanding and
awareness. By attending Italian language classes and living in a foreign
country, you are immediately confronted with second language training issues.
Through this experience, you are made aware of the hurdles that a TEFL student
must overcome. By playing the role of the teacher and the student at the same
time, you are able to develop both aspects of a language learning experience.
is there fast,
easy, free access to the internet at the school for students and instructors?
Yes, there is a computer lab with P4 1.6 GHZ PCs connected to the
internet via DSL. (Currently the fastest access method available in Italy).
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WILL
I BE ABLE TO DO ANY TRAVELING DURING THE COURSE?
The program is very intense during the week. Attendance is mandatory. We
encourage trainees to use the weekends to explore Ro me. We do recommend coming
back Sunday afternoon. For further information on possible weekend activities
look at our minitour link on the TEFL home page.
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Will it be
difficult if I do not speak Italian?
No, you do not need to know Italian to attend the TEFL course. You will
learn Italian within our program. Every day for 2 hours you will attend a
course at your level.
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What percentage
of people who take the course find a job teaching english?
With our job guidance program we
can effectively help trainees
who have passed the course. If you have successfully passes the course and
decide to participate in our job placement program, we will work for you in
order to obtain the best conditions for you teaching positions.
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I was wondering if
there was representatives or alumni in the US that I could contact?
For reference call:
Joseph Pantano
Director of Foreign Studies
The New Village School of Italy
PHN: (603) 3032925
EMAIL: jpantano@TheNewVillageSchool.com
Donnamarie Kelly Pignone
Director of Multicultural Student Services
Saint Anselm College
100 Saint Anselm Drive
Manchester, NH 03102
PHN: 603-656-6028
FAX: 603-656-6220
EMAIL: DPignone@Anselm.Edu
Is the TEFL
course a graded course?
Yes. At the end of your course you will receive a certificate if you have
successfully passed in three major areas: Teaching practice, Theoretical
application and Professionalism and attitude.
Will you
guarantee me a job once I earn the TEFL Certificate?
Although we do offer life-time placement assistance, we do not guarantee
employment. One should seriously question any program that offers or guarantees
job placement prior to evaluating your teaching abilities. The TEFL course
offers an excellent placement assistance program, and our graduates have little
trouble obtaining teaching positions in Italy. If you are selected by us as a
qualified teacher, or if there is an opening as a teacher, you will obtain that
position. If you are not selected, we can introduce and recommend you to
another language school in Italy, but you must "carry" the personal
interview. Our staff will prepare you to accomplish this task successfully.
Why Teach
English?
Becoming an English teacher will not only be a challenging and rewarding
opportunity in itself, but also a means toward attaining other goals. It
enables those who want more than a superficial tourist's view of a country to
find work so they can settle in for a longer stay. Pomezia certainly provides a genuine Italian living experience,
facilitating immersion into local culture.
Taking a Certificate course will also enable those interested in career
teaching to get some first hand experience in the field before having to invest
thousands of dollars in graduate school.
If you choose to teach English overseas, you will also benefit from the fact
that many companies and graduate schools value international experience. People
who have lived overseas are able to offer an international perspective and
awareness that is often an asset both in the classroom and in the professional
world. Whatever your ultimate career interests are, the knowledge and cultural
awareness gained by living and working in another part of the world will be
invaluable to you in the long-term.
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I speak English
pretty well. Why do I need a certificate to get a job?
Currently, overseas school administrators are more strict about who they
hire than they once were. In the past, especially in countries that were
lacking native speakers of English, any mother tongue English speaker could
find a job simply by asking. Not all native speakers, however, have the ability
to teach. Language teaching, like any teaching, is a challenging job that does
not come naturally to everyone. It requires a certain amount of creativity,
patience, and curiosity, and can be improved by familiarity with various
language-teaching techniques.
A TEFL Certificate shows employers that you have been in a classroom before and
are acquainted with the skills and methods of teaching English. It therefore
makes you a much more attractive job candidate.
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What is the
meaning of ESL, EFL, TEFL and TESOL?
All of these terms are ways to refer to students of English as a subject
from the perspective of a non-native speaker or the teaching of English to
non-native students.
ESL refers to teaching English as a Second Language. ESL classes are often composed of
multicultural groups of immigrants and focus on the information that an
immigrant might need to function in an English-speaking country, such as the
language skills needed to fill out a job application or a medical questionnaire.
EFL refers to the teaching of English as a Foreign Language. EFL students often study
English for tourism, business, or just for fun. In the United States, the term
ESL is often used to mean both types of teaching, and many language schools
will have an ESL Department rather than an EFL Department, even if most of
their students are learning English as a foreign, not a second language.
TESOL stands for Teaching English as a Second Language, and TEFL refers to
Teaching English as a Foreign Language. When people who want to teach overseas
have a job interview, they often find it useful to have participated in a TEFL
program. Foreign employers generally know what TEFL Certificate programs are (a
four-week teacher training program), and often look for applicants who have
completed such a program to fill entry-level EFL positions.
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What can I
expect from the Program? Will it be hard?
You can expect seminar style classes in which classroom participation is
not only encouraged, but expected. You will start out preparing very short
lessons to present to your fellow course participants, and work up to teaching
full classes of EFL students. Teaching for the first time is hard for everyone,
so don't be discouraged if you find it difficult. Practice teaching will always
be under the guidance of experienced teachers and these teachers will give
plenty of feedback to help you hone your skills.
This is an intensive program, and so you should plan to set aside time to do
some homework, such as lesson planning and reading the course materials. You
should not expect a holiday/study atmosphere, but a rather rigorous program
that will give you the foundation of what may become a future profession. You
can be sure that when you leave, you will have a solid foundation upon which to
build your future growth as a teacher.
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In what
countries can I get a job?
English teachers can find jobs all over the world. Countries that have
especially high demand for native speakers of English include those in Asia
(Korea, Japan, China, Thailand…), in Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Mexico…),
Eastern and Central Europe (Poland, Hungary, Russia, Czech Republic…), and in
the Middle-East. You can also find work in European countries. Turkey and
Greece, for example, often hire people from North America.
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Why should I
take the TEFL certificate course?
The course provides practical teacher-training in which the
participants develop skills in planning lessons and in teaching English
conversation, listening, reading, writing, grammar and culture. The sessions
are highly interactive and experiential. The course involves planning lessons
and being involved in teaching 36 hours of classes to ESL students with each
participant averaging 5 hours of individual, observed teaching. The trainers
will observe you teaching and give practical advice after each session.
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Who teaches the
course?
The TEFL Certificate course is taught by two full-time trainers working
in tandem. In most cases, the trainers will have an equivalent of a Masters or
PHD degree. Trainers are experienced teachers who have worked with adult
learners and have previous training experience.
The trainers teach the course content, process discussions, coach participants
in developing lesson plans and in planning and teaching. They also observe
participants' teaching and provide feedback to participants after each teaching
session.
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What kind of
people take this course?
Participants are a diverse group. Many are college age students who are
interested in traveling and working overseas after graduation. Some are working
professionals preparing to enter alternative careers or retirement. Non-native
English speakers, with strong English language skills also take the course so
they can teach English in their own countries or elsewhere.
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What kind of job
will I be able to get with this certificate?
This certificate can help you find an entry level position in a language
institute or an adult education program in the United States or overseas.
However, most college and university teaching positions require you to have a
master's degree in education.
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will the teFl
certificate enable me to teach in us public schools?
No. To teach in a public school in the U.S. you need the public school
certification, a process which generally involves an undergraduate degree
followed by period of full-time student teaching in a public school under the
direction of a veteran teacher. Specific requirements vary from state to state.
However, the TEFL certificate may qualify you for an aide position in a public
school program.
Can I get
college credit for the course?
The New Village School does not offer undergraduate or graduate credit
for the course, but participants can petition a college or university to
recognize the course hours spent in the program and issue academic credit. If
you are interested in pursuing this option, you should check with the
Registrar's Office at whatever college or university you are attending or plan
to attend.
Does everyone
who attends the course get a certificate?
No. Acceptance into the course is not a guarantee that you will receive
the certificate. If trainers feel that any participant has not successfully completed
or mastered any segment of the course, or has not completed the written work
satisfactorily, the participant will not be awarded the certificate, but will
be awarded a letter of course attendance instead. To complete the certificate
successfully, you must meet all the program requirements:
1.
Attend
all the program sessions (allowances are made for absence due to emergencies).
2.
Communicate
effectively and fluently in written and oral English.
3.
Successfully
meet the goals and objectives of the program.
4.
Successfully
complete all the student teaching requirements and all program assignments.
5.
Trainers
in the course will meet with you to give you feedback on all aspects of your
work in the program. You will also complete a self-assessment and a peer
assessment evaluation as part of your program.
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