Have been looking into doing a four week course. The Celta course seems to be the most highly regarded, but is mainly concerned with teaching adults and most of the available jobs are for teaching children. Can anyone recommend a course, not necessarily in Cambodia, that is well regarded, but more concerned with teaching children? It may be that the Celta, due to the effort required in completing it, is still the best one to get as far as employment goes but I am interested in hearing what past and present teachers have to say. F.W.I.W I do have a B.A in English (as a redneck farmer who gave me a ride while hitch-hiking a while back called it- "a bugger-all in bugger-all").

Qualifications aren't required, nor are criminal record checks.

It is true. Mostly you dont need it for little kids and the schools do not care in many cases.

frank lee bent wrote: ↑Sun Dec 30, 2018 7:46 am It is true. Mostly you dont need it for little kids and the schools do not care in many cases.

Unfortunately the above statement is quite true. You will be valued primarily as a living tape recorder for purposes of accent only.

Afterthought.

It does help if you can play a guitar and have a "Johnny Sunshine" personality.

Any decent school will have their own program of instruction. The white monkeys are there for marketing purposes and as taa barang observes for accent.

^^Thanks for the (very prompt) responses. Yes, I had gathered that this was the case from comments I have read previously on the forum. I guess there would be 2 things I would gain from such a course- to improve my chances of gaining employment at one of the less "mickey-mouse" schools and to hopefully do the best job possible. I've spoken to parents who are spending a significant part of their limited income on education- it's a shame if they aren't getting value for their money.

Putting aside the need (or lack of it) to have these types of qualifications in Cambodia, I'd advise looking at the bigger picture. You may find yourself wanting to teach in a different country in the future, and there's no doubt that CELTA is a recognised qualification that can open many doors.

But as you rightly say, the CELTA is aimed at teaching adults, not young students. There is a world of difference between how adults and how young children 'learn', and also of course in classroom management techniques.

You can take a TEYL course (Teaching English to Young Learners). There are a couple of online courses offered, (although I'd suggest that in-class experience is an absolute must).

For me, the most useful teaching certificate that opened doors for me to teach at international schools was:

- Jolly Phonics training course - being certified to teach phonics (letter sounds) is a sought-after skill for teachers of young learners. https://jollyphonics.cpdcollege.com/

I also studied the British Council set of (about) 6 online courses in teaching students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). That includes teaching in a multicultural setting, teaching gifted students, ADHD students etc.

I have a Montessori method certificate. I think this is really only useful if you want to teach very young students - I haven't really had to use what I studied on that course.

Kammekor wrote: ↑Sun Dec 30, 2018 8:33 am

If you want to do 'the best job possible' get a degree. Will take 3-4 years. Expecting a course of days or weeks will provide with the skills to teach is naive.

No guarantee for 'doing the best job' though. Even back home loads of 'qualified teachers' do a sub-par job.

Seems like you're pretty keen to label me naive Kammekor. I have a degree. In English- as stated in the O.P.
I wouldn't expect a 4 week course- or a degree- to "guarantee doing the best job"- that would be naive. I would think though, that a good course might give me "the tools" to do the best I could do.