# TEFL teaching - private and/or business lessons?



## toebeenz (Oct 17, 2009)

As a British national with TEFL Certificates in standard English and business English I would like to link with someone who can offer comments on the viability of teaching privately in Spain (or any other EU country)? I would want to teach adults, or motivated teenagers, but not children in a school.

I have two potential disadvantages. I am a senior and my only experience is teaching adults in Thailand. But I have a potential advantage in that, during my working life, I appeared in front of the public and often addressed large gatherings.

My objective is to find somewhere agreeable to live within easy reach of the UK and to supplement my income in a self-employed capacity or at least with a degree of freedom. 

I would be particularly interested to learn what I might expect to reasonably charge for an hourly rate for this type of service. Also, as an EU national, do I require any specialised permissions?

All replies gratefully received...

Many thanks.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

toebeenz said:


> As a British national with TEFL Certificates in standard English and business English I would like to link with someone who can offer comments on the viability of teaching privately in Spain (or any other EU country)? I would want to teach adults, or motivated teenagers, but not children in a school.
> 
> I have two potential disadvantages. I am a senior and my only experience is teaching adults in Thailand. But I have a potential advantage in that, during my working life, I appeared in front of the public and often addressed large gatherings.
> 
> ...


Hi & welcome to 'Spain'

as an EU national you don't need special permission to work in Spain


now get yourself a coffee or whatever is your pleasure, a comfy chair, something to snack on...................and settle down for a long read 


http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/26226-teaching-english-spain.html


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## toebeenz (Oct 17, 2009)

*Teaching English...*



xabiachica said:


> Hi & welcome to 'Spain'
> 
> as an EU national you don't need special permission to work in Spain
> 
> ...


Thank you 'X' for your swift and informative reply. I will need to digest it at my leisure. 

My initial comment is that a TEFL appears to be looked upon as 'inadequate' and exists in the shadow of a CELTA? I wonder how those promoting TEFL courses feel about this? There must be many, like myself, who took TEFL courses in good faith who must now feel somewhat short changed?

More, in due course!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

toebeenz said:


> Thank you 'X' for your swift and informative reply. I will need to digest it at my leisure.
> 
> My initial comment is that a TEFL appears to be looked upon as 'inadequate' and exists in the shadow of a CELTA? I wonder how those promoting TEFL courses feel about this? There must be many, like myself, who took TEFL courses in good faith who must now feel somewhat short changed?
> 
> More, in due course!


Which TEFL course did you do?

Once upon a time I wrote smth about TEFL and CELTA, but I can't find it now and I got up to page 20 of the teaching English thread...

Here's some more info on 2 (much shorter) threads
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...pain/59865-celta-vs-tefl-tesol-do-i-need.html

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...-living-spain/68905-advice-moving-madrid.html


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## toebeenz (Oct 17, 2009)

*TFL teaching.*



Pesky Wesky said:


> Which TEFL course did you do?
> 
> Once upon a time I wrote smth about TEFL and CELTA, but I can't find it now and I got up to page 20 of the teaching English thread...
> 
> ...


I took a 5-weekcourse at a language school in Phuket, Thailand in 2008.
I felt that the standard of teaching was very high and the course well structured. I later took the 'business English' with the same school.


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## macdonner (Oct 24, 2010)

I took a 20 hour weekend TEFL course with TEFLScotland before I left. I basically did it as a "feather in my cap", something that may stand me in good stead should I decide to look for some form of employment when living here. This last week I have been browsing the TEFL jobs on offer and I have to agree with you that it appears that potential employers seem to prefer potential employees to have CELTA instead of TEFL. They are also keen to have someone with experience (which unfortunately I do not) and also teachers with knowledge of preparing for Cambridge exams etc (again, something not covered in my weekend course!) This leaves me thinking that should I decide to use my TEFL certificate it would have to be in a private lesson capacity!


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## toebeenz (Oct 17, 2009)

My own feelings as well!


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## Trubrit (Nov 24, 2010)

*Never Asked*

Both my daughter and I are both teachers in Madrid with TEFL certificates but neither of us have ever been asked to produce them. It seems to me that the majority of the academies here are just looking for people to teach, regardless of qualifications. Whilst on the subject of academies, I am surprised at the number of so called professional academies that want to pay in cash. At first you probably think that cash is king until you come to realise that little or no social security payments have been made or you try to get a loan from the bank who will look down their nose at you if your salary is not paid to them directly. My next door neighbour is an architect with a good salary of 6000e a month, she recently applied to the bank for a car loan and was refused, why? because her boss prefers to pay in cash, Nuff said.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

toebeenz said:


> I took a 5-weekcourse at a language school in Phuket, Thailand in 2008.
> I felt that the standard of teaching was very high and the course well structured. I later took the 'business English' with the same school.


TEFL just means Teaching/teacher of English as a Foriegn Language so it isn't a qualification although many people say I've got a TEFL. The Celta is a qualification, and more than that it's a recognised qualification.
If you haven't got that, then most employers want to know that you've done teaching practice because whereas almost anyone can learn the theory, not everyone can teach it. If teaching practice was part of your course, I'd include that info in your covering letter and any grade that you have. Also perhaps references from the teachers on the course and details of the course content.
Unfortunately, a weekend course is usually advertised as a kind of pre course 'cos that's all it is. If you like it and are prepared to invest more time and money, you can do the real course.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Trubrit said:


> Both my daughter and I are both teachers in Madrid with TEFL certificates but neither of us have ever been asked to produce them. It seems to me that the majority of the academies here are just looking for people to teach, regardless of qualifications. Whilst on the subject of academies, I am surprised at the number of so called professional academies that want to pay in cash. At first you probably think that cash is king until you come to realise that little or no social security payments have been made or you try to get a loan from the bank who will look down their nose at you if your salary is not paid to them directly. My next door neighbour is an architect with a good salary of 6000e a month, she recently applied to the bank for a car loan and was refused, why? because her boss prefers to pay in cash, Nuff said.


I am also a teacher in Madrid and _*have*_ been asked to produce my qualifications on occasion, but not often, and more when I was starting out and didn't have experience. Now on my CV the experience is much more important than some qualifications that I got 30 years ago, although British Council, IH and other big names will ask for some evidence of qualifications.
If a school didn't even bother to ask me about qualifications I'd doubt the seriousness of the school and it wouldn't surprise me if groups collapsed after a few weeks, if I was owed money, if I was asked to change timetables etc. So, in other words, if I wasn't desperate, I wouldn't take the job.
The thing is I haven't worked in an academy for about 10 years now, and I am surprised that companies don't ask to see qualifications either.
Truebrit actually employs other teachers, so the question is, did you ask to see certificates etc? Do you get your teachers to do a demonstration class? Do you follow up with classroom observations? What's your interview process?
I've never been asked about qualifications by individual students.


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## Trubrit (Nov 24, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I am also a teacher in Madrid and _*have*_ been asked to produce my qualifications on occasion, but not often, and more when I was starting out and didn't have experience. Now on my CV the experience is much more important than some qualifications that I got 30 years ago, although British Council, IH and other big names will ask for some evidence of qualifications.
> If a school didn't even bother to ask me about qualifications I'd doubt the seriousness of the school and it wouldn't surprise me if groups collapsed after a few weeks, if I was owed money, if I was asked to change timetables etc. So, in other words, if I wasn't desperate, I wouldn't take the job.
> The thing is I haven't worked in an academy for about 10 years now, and I am surprised that companies don't ask to see qualifications either.
> Truebrit actually employs other teachers, so the question is, did you ask to see certificates etc? Do you get your teachers to do a demonstration class? Do you follow up with classroom observations? What's your interview process?
> I've never been asked about qualifications by individual students.


Hi Pesky, I never ask to see a Tefl certificate because they are not worth the paper that they are printed on. Tefl certificates can be obtained on the net for as little as 60e. I always ask for a demonstration class but feel that after 38 years in education I can spot the bullsh****** with little effort. I always do a follow up.


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