Becoming an adult ESL teacher (en anglais seulement)

TESL Training
Training, Professional Development and Certification

Throughout the year there are a number of opportunities for people who want training to teach ESL or provide settlement support to immigrants.

Teaching ESL (TESL) to adults is a field of educational expertise with its own body of professional knowledge and skills. Programs generally look for a combination of training and experience when hiring staff. People who want to become Adult ESL teachers can earn TESL certificates or degrees from several post-secondary institutions in Manitoba. For practicing teachers there are also a number of professional development (PD) opportunities offered each year through professional organizations. People who volunteer with ESL students can also participate in special training sessions offered throughout the year. Training sessions for people working in the settlement field may also be available each year.

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Teacher Education Opportunities

Here are a variety of courses and programs for individuals in Manitoba interested in becoming ESL teachers. The following information is a brief summary of those teacher education opportunities. For more information, contact the programs directly.

The University of Manitoba:

The Faculty of Education of the U of M offers courses at three levels of study. The Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.) offers six elective courses in TESL, and encourages B. A. Linguistics courses. The Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Education (PBCE) allows for a concentration of TESL courses. And the Master of Education (M.Ed.) provides for a major in TESL for experienced ESL teachers to take advanced courses and to do research and development in TESL. For more information and/or an application, Phone: (204) 474-9042 or (204) 474-9079.

In addition to the above course, the U of M Faculty of Education works in partnership with Continuing Education to offer a Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (CTESL). This certificate program of five courses is intended to provide initial preparation for teaching ESL or EFL. For more information, contact U of M Continuing Education at (204) 474-8190 or Faculty of Education at (204) 474-9042.

The Universities of Manitoba, Alberta, Calgary, Saskatchewan and Victoria have formed a consortium and collaborated on the design and delivery of a Certificate in Adult and Continuing Education program, which offers campus-based and distance education courses. Included in the certificate program are a variety of elective TESL courses. For more information on admission and program content, contact:


The University of Winnipeg

The University of Winnipeg offers a variety of TESL and related courses through its Bachelor of Education program and its Faculty of Arts and Science. For more information, phone (204) 786 – 9491.

Providence College and Seminary

Providence College and Seminary, located in Otterburne, Manitoba, offers a Certificate of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CTESOL). The certificate can be taken for undergraduate or graduate level credit. The program can be completed in one year of full-time study by those without Bible College training.

Those who hold appropriate Bible College credits can complete the one month intensive training program that is offered in both June and August or by attending classes at the College during the regular semester.

Providence College and Seminary also offers a BA in Intercultural Studies which has a concentration in TESOL, as well as an MA in Educational Ministries and an MA in Global Christian Studies which have concentrations in TESOL.

For more information, write the registrar, Providence College and Seminary, Otterburne, Manitoba, R0A 1G0. Phone (204) 433 – 7488.

The University of Saskatchewan

The University of Saskatchewan offers a distance education Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (CERTESL). This is a home study program designed to meet the instructional needs of current and prospective teachers of ESL.

For more information, contact the CERTESL Program, Extension Credit Studies, 326 Kirk Hall, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0W0. Phone (306) 966 – 5563.

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Professional Organizations

Professional organizations provide a vital opportunity for those interested in teaching ESL to meet colleagues, explore areas of interest and further develop their professional expertise. The following organizations address the needs of ESL teachers:

TESL Manitoba

TESL Manitoba sponsors the TESL Manitoba Conference in February of each year. This one-day conference presents internationally known ESL authorities as well as a variety of local experts.

There are a number of workshops for teachers working with ESL learners in the early years, K – 12, and adult levels. For more information, write: TESL Manitoba, c/o MTS, 191 Harcourt Street, Winnipeg, MB R3J 3H2.

Teaching ESL to Adults in Manitoba (TEAM)

TEAM provides a variety of professional development opportunities throughout the year, including an annual Teacher/Learner Conference in the fall and a teacher PD event in the spring. For more information, write: TEAM, c/o 3-123 Main Street, Winnipeg, MB R3C 1A3.

Overseas Work (Paid and Volunteer)

Organizations that provide opportunities to teach ESL overseas are listed in books such as What in the World is Going On?, a CIDA/CBIE publication.

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Looking for an Adult ESL Teaching Position

In this section prospective Adult ESL teachers will find Employment and Hiring Information: A Career Resource for Prospective Adult ESL Teachers in Manitoba.

This resource provides information about the various Adult ESL programs in Manitoba. In addition, teachers interested in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) will find some useful suggestions, many shared by practising EFL teachers around the world in the resource,

Going to Teach English Abroad?

Here's Some Information and Advice....
Employment and Hiring Information Guide:
A Career Resources for Perspective ESL/EAL Teachers 2005 (PDF 283KB)

Employment and Hiring Information Guide:
A Career Resources for Perspective ESL/EAL Teachers 2005 (WORD Document)

Going to Teach English Abroad? Here's Some Information and Advice...

There are many more English language teaching jobs world-wide than there are native-speaking teachers to fill them. Canadians usually find jobs reasonably easily in areas such as Latin America, Asia and Eastern/Central Europe. The highest paying jobs in Asia are in Korea and Japan. Elsewhere, the best salaries are paid by employers in the oil-producing countries of the Arabia Gulf. The only job markets which are difficult to break into are those in other English-speaking countries, Western Europe (unless you have a European Union passport) and Africa. If you are hoping to go overseas and teach English, there are some things to know.

To begin, there are a number of acronyms used in the profession to describe different teaching situations:


Teaching ESL or EFL is an area of educational expertise and, although it is possible to get a teaching job with no training, most good EFL schools prefer to hire teachers with some credentials in the field. In competitive markets, it is advisable to get a certificate to improve your employment chances. ESL/EFL teacher training courses may take 3 to 18 months to complete, depending on the type of credential and whether it is full or part-time. There are several programs in Manitoba that offer ESL/EFL teacher education programs.

Generally, courses of only a few weeks duration are considered to be of limited value if you want to be hired as an ESL teacher in Manitoba. Even overseas, many of the good employers require a more substantial credential although there are some recognized exceptions. One such exception is the four-week CELTA/RSA offered by Cambridge University, which is a well-recognized certificate worldwide. In Canada, the CELTA/RSA is offered at the following Canadian locations:

Columbia College, Vancouver
E-mail: jrjanz@columbiacollege.bc.ca
www.columbiacollege.bc.ca

International Language Institute, Halifax
E-mail: study@ili.halifax.com
www.ili-halifax.com

Kwantlen University College, Vancouver
E-mail: celta@kwantlen.bc.ca
www.kwantlen.bc.ca/esl/CELTA.htm

Language Studies Canada, Toronto
E-mail: celta@lsc-canada.com
www.lsc-canada.com

As in any profession, even with training, most teachers would agree that it is once on the job that a lot of learning takes place. However, most EFL teachers would urge you to get some training prior to going abroad, even if it is a short course. It will give you an invaluable starting point, some helpful teaching strategies and suggestions for good teaching resources to get you going.

Here is some advice for the trained/untrained novice teacher, which has been provided by some experienced EFL teachers worldwide:


In addition to the professional support it can provide, the local English teachers' association can be a source of personal support as well. There will be local people who can explain the culture and introduce you to facets of it (outside the classroom) that you may otherwise not have discovered.

There will also be other expatriates, some long term veterans, who can help you with moments of adjustment both personal and pedagogical. And rightly or wrongly, you will be accepted immediately and treated as a professional equal merely by signing up."


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What to Take with You

If you are a traveler who hopes to teach some English during your trip, you may not want to be lugging a bunch of books around with you. If you do get a job teaching EFL, probably your colleagues or even your predecessor will provide you with some resources to get you going. If you have been hired by a foreign school before departing your home country, ask the school if they provide teaching resources. If you want to go armed with some materials, any of the following suggestions, which come from EFL teachers, may be helpful. (For ordering information, consult the various publishers' web sites)

"How to" books

Grammar Reference

Grammar is frequently a mainstay of EFL instruction. Hopefully you'll be able to teach it in context as it relates to various language tasks, but likely your school and students will want it taught as a focused-on subject. You don't necessarily have to be really knowledgeable in grammar when you start out, but you should be able to find the answers to your students' grammar questions, such as "What part of speech is the word NOT?" Remember many EFL students have to pass challenging language exams to pursue their university education, and grammar is frequently a major feature of those exams. Here are some favourite grammar books of both teachers and learners:


EFL Classroom Books

Dictionaries

Many teachers said you probably don't need to take a dictionary because they'll have them at the school. However, the dictionaries that have been suggested include the following:


Other Handy Resources for the Canadian Teaching Abroad

Miscellaneous Items (if you have the space in your luggage)

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Web sites for ESL & EFL teachers

Because you often don't know the level of your learners until you arrive, it is difficult to select classroom books to take with you. Even if you are told you will be teaching a particular level, it is not unusual for it to be changed unexpectedly. However, there are many terrific web sites for ESL & EFL teachers that offer great activities, exercises, games and other materials to download. You just have to find a computer with internet access.

Here are just a few of the many sites you can find online:


TESL-L

TESL-L is a well-moderated listserv with a variety of interest sections. It provides a stimulating forum for electronic discussion. Experienced and novice teachers alike can receive great practical advice from ESL and EFL teachers in diverse teaching situations worldwide. You can join by sending a message to listserv@cunyvm.cuny.edu with the following command: SUBscribe TESL-L yourfirstname yourlastname. For example: SUB TESL-L Charlie Canuck

Once you've subscribed, you will receive instructions on joining their sub-sections and posting messages. They also have an archive of past postings and longer documents, such as articles, lesson plans, surveys, conference info, etc.

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