The following is a short article which I wrote in the Winter semester of 2010. I felt the article was still relevant, although it needed a few edits to reflect the current strong teaching climate, and as I am on holiday this week with my family I don't have the time to sit and write a new post so this is a regurgitation of a previous bit of writing:
For many years, Prague has been a mecca for TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) training but how is the industry evolving and what should you know before committing to a TEFL (TESOL) course?
The Czech Republic (and Prague in particular), has in the past picked up the reputation of being a sort of lush grazing ground for certified and uncertified English teachers and at one time all the credentials needed for standing in front of a classroom of paying language students was a passport from an English-speaking country.
Demand for Native English and non-Native English speaking English teachers is consistently very high and Prague still remains one of the hubs in Europe where Aussies, Brits, Kiwis, North Americans and South Africans (and non-Native English speakers from other countries) rub shoulders with local Czechs, while teaching English and soaking up the local flavor of the city's well-deserved international reputation as a city of culture and general jovial frolics.
Taking an internationally recognized TEFL course will provide you with the foundations from which you can teach English and travel, and Prague is the city of choice for many who opt for TEFL training with an eye on afterward remaining in the city to teach or heading off after certification on a world travel epic.
The absolute best time to take a TEFL course in Prague is either at the beginning of the new school year (September), or in January - at the start of the new school semester. This is when language schools open up new courses and when typically there is increased demand for English teachers. However, teaching positions are available almost any month of the year in Prague and we find that graduates of the ITTP program find little difficulty in securing well-paid teaching positions at any time of the year - with the exception perhaps of the month of August which can be slower.
It's important to note that in some countries the school year has a different start date so if you are wanting to head off to South Korea after your TEFL course for example then you want to be planning ahead for a March start date for your new school teaching year.
The following are answers to 10 of the more frequently asked questions by TEFL students wanting to come study in Prague:
1. Do I need to speak the local language in order to teach English?
The simple answer is that you don't. TEFL gives you the tools with which you're able to teach English from Absolute Beginner level all the way up to Advanced level and this goes for any country where you can interview for an English-teaching job.
2. What kind of people take the course?
A whole range of people from many different cultural backgrounds graduate from the TEFL course and TEFL schools encourage and welcome all applications - regardless of sex, age, race or nationality.
Conditions of entrance are set by international guidelines. These are that applicants:
• should be native English-, or non-native advanced English-speakers (i.e., English is your first language or mother tongue and/or you speak English proficiently)
• must be 18 or over
TEFL schools encourage and welcome applications from both Native English and non-Native English speakers.
3. Which is the right TEFL course for me?
It's always recommended that you take either an onsite residential one-month or combined online/onsite course if you have no previous teaching experience. Both the combined online/onsite or one-month residential onsite course are intense-but-rewarding learning experiences and you will gain the necessary tools needed to then feel confident going into any classroom in the world and teaching a class. Straight online courses are recommended for people with previous teaching experience and are the course of choice for people already in the teaching industry but who don't have any official teaching qualification.
4: Is there a dress code?
To a greater extent it's left up to the individual teacher to decide what they choose to wear to classes (in TEFL training classes and paid English-teaching classes). Some teachers dress up in blouse/skirt or shirt/trousers, whilst other teachers prefer a more casual approach and head off to classes in jeans and T-shirt. As a general rule, for every first new meeting you should dress smartly to ensure a well-received first impression and for women this means smart blouse and skirt/trousers and for men a smart shirt and trousers (with the option of wearing a tie and jacket). Czechs tend to be relaxed in their dress so there is no need to wear a tie to class and most teachers do tend to adopt the smart/casual approach of jeans and blouse/shirt.
5. Do I need to have a degree?
While you don't need a degree to teach English in Prague and the vast majority of European countries you will need a degree for some Middle Eastern and Asian countries, most notably Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Taiwan. I myself finished university early and have never experienced issues with not having a degree - in most countries it is the TEFL certificate which you need for completion of visa documentation.
6. What does 'Prague 1' mean?
Prague is divided into districts 1-22 and Prague 1 is in the center: the place where you want to be taking your TEFL course. The center is the throbbing, pulsing, cobblestoned heart of the city -- where all the historical sights of interest are and where the city gets its reputation for café culture and party nightlife. Prague 2 and 6 are also considered central Prague and recommended places to hang or live.
7. How much should I bring over with me?
This is a tricky question to answer because people's consumer needs vary a lot and Prague has multi-layered pricing systems. As an example a glass of beer can cost 25 CZK in one bar but in another go for as much as 250 CZK. The simple tip is to avoid eating and drinking where tourists go and, as early as possible, to try to find local eateries and watering joints. You can get by on as little as 500 CZK per day for your general day-to-day necessities, with the odd spoil here and there. To be on the safe side, though, plan to bring $1,000+ (USD) spending money for each month you plan to be here while you aren't working and remember that most schools won't pay you your first month's wage until the second month of teaching.
8. Will I be busy?
Any full-time TEFL course will be intense. However, and lets be frank here, it isn't rocket science. No matter how much TEFL schools like to lay on the mustard and claim that their course is the most intense experience you will ever ever go through and while it is an intense experience, TEFL courses are designed for the general public and if you attend all classes and do your homework then most people find that they have enough time between classes and homework to enjoy the city and take long weekend trips out of the city (or within the city). That isn't to suggest that a TEFL course is a breeze - because it isn't. However, TEFL is not about curing cancer or trying to fire particles faster than the speed of light and part of the lure of taking a TEFL course in Prague is experiencing Prague.
9. Do I need a visa for the TEFL course in Prague?
Citizens of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and New Zealand don't need to prearrange visas and are issued a (free) 90-day tourist visa upon arrival and don't need a study visa. Citizens of other countries should check with their local Czech embassy or consulate whether they require a pre-arranged visa for trips to the Czech Republic. If you decide to stay on and teach after the course then it is necessary to apply for the work visa and this can be done on the ground here in Europe. The typical pattern is to take the course, secure a teaching job, and begin teaching immediately and while your work visa is being processed.
10: Is Prague safe?
Compared to many Western cities, Prague is very safe and the vast majority of visits are trouble-free. However, you must be very aware of petty crime such as pickpocketing and other thefts - a real issue in the city but avoidable by using common sense and not flashing your valuables in public.
Prague has an enormous wealth of options to offer the most varied of tastes and taking your TEFL in the Czech capital is a great way to experience the city either as a one-month sojourn before heading off to teach English in another worldwide location, or making Prague home and staying for a while - either for a few more months until the tourist visa expires or for longer.
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Showing posts with label Onsite-Course-General. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Onsite-Course-General. Show all posts
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Monday, 7 November 2011
ITTP TEFL Prague: Preparation for the ITTP TEFL Prague course - before you leave
ok, so you have got yourself booked onto the course and you are wondering what you should bring, what will be difficult to find over here, and perhaps what you shouldn't bring to avoid over-packing and incurring additional airfare fees. Here is my list for you of 10 travel preparation tips before you hop the pond:
1. Travel documents. Make sure that you have a valid passport and that your passport has at least 6 months validity from your date of travel. Don't book the course and then scramble around for your passport - get your passport in order first before committing to the course so that you avoid this unnecessary stress. I also strongly recommend as a precaution making scanned copies of your passport photo page and any other important documents which you will be traveling with and emailing these to yourself so that you have easy access to them in your inbox should you lose them. All work permit documents can be arranged on the ground in Europe if you decide to teach here. This might not apply if wishing to teach outside of Europe so please feel free to pop me an email if you are planning on teaching outside of Europe after taking the course so I can help you out with any pre-course documentation advice. Thank you.
2. Set up an email account with a name which represents your professional side. If you have a hard to spell email address, or one which might give off the wrong impression then I would recommend keeping that email address for your personal affairs and getting a separate one set up for your professional affairs. When applying for jobs this might have an influence on whether employers take your application seriously and remember that you never get a second chance at a first impression.
3. You will get homesick. It's a fact of traveling and even the most hardiest of travelers find themselves missing friends and family back home. Get a free Skype account to keep in touch with folks back home and make sure that your family and friends also have Skype.
4. Most commodities in Prague are very reasonably priced but clothes are not one of these. Clothes here are relatively expensive and the quality tends not to be overall that great. As an example, a pair of jeans here will sent you back from US$50 upwards. A standard pair of Levis sell for around US$130. It can get very cold and wet in the Winter months so I definitely definitely recommend bringing a warm Winter coat and good pair of boots. For interviews you should plan a smart/casual approach - again, that first impression is really important. Once you begin teaching it is fine here in the Czech Republic to wear casual clothes.
5. Invest in a laptop or ipad. Electronics are also quite pricey over here in Europe in general. All Mac products are approx 25% more expensive here. You can find cheaper alternatives so if you are not a Mac lover then HP for example do some great deals on excellent compact computers (again, more affordable in the States). To save you the stress, buy a universal adapter before leaving so that you don't have to run around when you are here trying to find a shop which sells them. Continental Europe has the 2 prong plug sockets.
6. If your phone will work in Europe, bring it. This means that if your phone will work on the Europe network, and in that case if you can replace the sim card with a European one (if the phone is not locked to a particular provider). Don't worry though because mobile phones can be picked up for an affordable price here but having your own phone which you are familiar with does have its advantages (plus you save money on a new one).
7. Bring an affordable and compact camera. You are going to be visiting one of the most beautiful cities in the world so take snaps. Also, you will probably want to take snaps of your fellow teachers and students.
8. Booking your airline ticket. This is a really important area which unfortunately usually boils down to simply price and date of flight. There are many airlines plying the Atlantic route but not all of them provide the same service. If you don't want to transfer then there are some airlines which fly direct to Prague. I regularly fly the Atlantic route and find that Lufthansa and Swiss tend to offer the best price/service ratio. Airlinequality.com is a useful resource website for airline reviews and seatguru.com is essential reading if you want to make sure that you get the best possible seat for yourself. Unfortunately these days airlines rarely offer complimentary upgrades but some Economy seats are a lot different in comfort than others. As a general tip, try and get an Emergency Exit seat or bassinet seat. For British and Irish travelers we recommend either British Airways, Easy Jet, or Aer Lingus. For S.African, Australian, and New Zealand travelers we recommend flying Emirates.
9. Arranging travel and health insurance is important for piece of mind. Both can be easily purchased upon arrival to Prague for a fraction of the price that they can in the USA/UK/Australia/New Zealand. You might however want to be covered for your flight just in case it is subject to cancellation or baggage loss - not essential but if you want to then it will provide additional piece of mind.
10. Over-packing. If you over-pack then you run the risk of running up additional charge at the airport. Remember that most of the daily items which you need can be found in Prague. Even Lifesavers as an example can be found in some Expat stores and for the Brits like myself we can stroll into any Marks and Spencers and walk out munching on a packet of Walkers crisps. I would definitely stock up on clothes and of course invest in a compact computer, but I wouldn't worry about bringing too many toiletries or books because these take up space and add to weight. One of the most important things to bring is an open mind and remember that when in Rome to do as the Romans do.
Happy travels!
Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com
1. Travel documents. Make sure that you have a valid passport and that your passport has at least 6 months validity from your date of travel. Don't book the course and then scramble around for your passport - get your passport in order first before committing to the course so that you avoid this unnecessary stress. I also strongly recommend as a precaution making scanned copies of your passport photo page and any other important documents which you will be traveling with and emailing these to yourself so that you have easy access to them in your inbox should you lose them. All work permit documents can be arranged on the ground in Europe if you decide to teach here. This might not apply if wishing to teach outside of Europe so please feel free to pop me an email if you are planning on teaching outside of Europe after taking the course so I can help you out with any pre-course documentation advice. Thank you.
2. Set up an email account with a name which represents your professional side. If you have a hard to spell email address, or one which might give off the wrong impression then I would recommend keeping that email address for your personal affairs and getting a separate one set up for your professional affairs. When applying for jobs this might have an influence on whether employers take your application seriously and remember that you never get a second chance at a first impression.
3. You will get homesick. It's a fact of traveling and even the most hardiest of travelers find themselves missing friends and family back home. Get a free Skype account to keep in touch with folks back home and make sure that your family and friends also have Skype.
4. Most commodities in Prague are very reasonably priced but clothes are not one of these. Clothes here are relatively expensive and the quality tends not to be overall that great. As an example, a pair of jeans here will sent you back from US$50 upwards. A standard pair of Levis sell for around US$130. It can get very cold and wet in the Winter months so I definitely definitely recommend bringing a warm Winter coat and good pair of boots. For interviews you should plan a smart/casual approach - again, that first impression is really important. Once you begin teaching it is fine here in the Czech Republic to wear casual clothes.
5. Invest in a laptop or ipad. Electronics are also quite pricey over here in Europe in general. All Mac products are approx 25% more expensive here. You can find cheaper alternatives so if you are not a Mac lover then HP for example do some great deals on excellent compact computers (again, more affordable in the States). To save you the stress, buy a universal adapter before leaving so that you don't have to run around when you are here trying to find a shop which sells them. Continental Europe has the 2 prong plug sockets.
6. If your phone will work in Europe, bring it. This means that if your phone will work on the Europe network, and in that case if you can replace the sim card with a European one (if the phone is not locked to a particular provider). Don't worry though because mobile phones can be picked up for an affordable price here but having your own phone which you are familiar with does have its advantages (plus you save money on a new one).
7. Bring an affordable and compact camera. You are going to be visiting one of the most beautiful cities in the world so take snaps. Also, you will probably want to take snaps of your fellow teachers and students.
8. Booking your airline ticket. This is a really important area which unfortunately usually boils down to simply price and date of flight. There are many airlines plying the Atlantic route but not all of them provide the same service. If you don't want to transfer then there are some airlines which fly direct to Prague. I regularly fly the Atlantic route and find that Lufthansa and Swiss tend to offer the best price/service ratio. Airlinequality.com is a useful resource website for airline reviews and seatguru.com is essential reading if you want to make sure that you get the best possible seat for yourself. Unfortunately these days airlines rarely offer complimentary upgrades but some Economy seats are a lot different in comfort than others. As a general tip, try and get an Emergency Exit seat or bassinet seat. For British and Irish travelers we recommend either British Airways, Easy Jet, or Aer Lingus. For S.African, Australian, and New Zealand travelers we recommend flying Emirates.
9. Arranging travel and health insurance is important for piece of mind. Both can be easily purchased upon arrival to Prague for a fraction of the price that they can in the USA/UK/Australia/New Zealand. You might however want to be covered for your flight just in case it is subject to cancellation or baggage loss - not essential but if you want to then it will provide additional piece of mind.
10. Over-packing. If you over-pack then you run the risk of running up additional charge at the airport. Remember that most of the daily items which you need can be found in Prague. Even Lifesavers as an example can be found in some Expat stores and for the Brits like myself we can stroll into any Marks and Spencers and walk out munching on a packet of Walkers crisps. I would definitely stock up on clothes and of course invest in a compact computer, but I wouldn't worry about bringing too many toiletries or books because these take up space and add to weight. One of the most important things to bring is an open mind and remember that when in Rome to do as the Romans do.
Happy travels!
Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com
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