CELTA in Thailand - top quality?

[Dexter Jambles]

Well...after originally leaning away from a CELTA in favour of an online TEFL course with the impression a CELTA is excessive to my requirements, I've had a change of heart & think that the benefits of a CELTA are worth the extra $$$ if only to give me some peace-of-mind being a first time teacher. Hopefully the qualification will also pay for itself by opening doors to jobs that may have been otherwise closed.

Someone pointed out to me however that I should do the CELTA overseas, as:

1. It can be much cheaper
2. You experience another culture
3. I am one step closer to my target county, ultimately saving airfare

However, this has raised some questions.

Is the quality of a CELTA overseas the same?

I guess this really depends on the school you go to as all the curriculum and assessments should be identical, so it's really in the delivery that counts. But does the quality of delivery vary from country to country?

Will the fact that I completed this qualification in Thailand make any difference to a prospective employer?

Has anyone obtained a CELTA in Thailand? Any comments on the major schools of ECC, IH or Elite?

[BBrian]

Undergoing a CELTA course will generally be the same no matter where you take the course. There is no if's and but's about a CELTA course. They are all 4 weeks full-time study with minimum hours of supervised teaching practice. They all follow the same coursework with the same exams and assignments due. That's the reason why a CELTA certificate holds the same weight whether you choose to do the course in Thailand or whether you choose to do it in Australia.

The costs also don't vary. The only aspect I can see varying is the instructor presenting the course to you. Just because you do the CELTA course in Thailand, doesn't mean your instructors are Thai. It would be crazy to think this, as a non-native English teacher definitely wouldn't be able to teach any CELTA or TEFL course.

If you have ever done a PADI diver's course, you will realise that no matter where in the world you do the course, the quality and standards are the same, and so are the prices similar.

[Dexter Jambles]

Thanks BBrian.

Whilst I ackowledge that the course should be the same, what I'm more concerned with is whether prospective employers recognise this also & that a CELTA gained in the US (for example) is not more favourable to one attained in Thailand? While we know they should be the same & assessed by the same institution (Cambridge University) do employers also realise this?

Originally Posted by BBrian

The costs also don't vary. The only aspect I can see varying is the instructor presenting the course to you.

It seems that the costs do vary. It costs approx AUD $2600 to do the course here in Oz, but USD $1400 (which converts to approx AUD $1900) in Thailand.

[BBrian]

I don't think an employer will favour 1 CELTA over another just because it was done in another country. What are the chances of other applicants for the same job being equal to you except for where they did their CELTA course?

$1900 vs $2600 seems similar enough to me.

[Antonio]

When hiring teachers, I don't care whether their CELTA would be from a Thai school or a US school. They are both the same qualification and both have been trained equally well.

[Dexter Jambles]

Good to know!

I think I may trip to Thailand to complete my CELTA as it will give me the opportunity to experience another culture and network at the same time, all for only a few hundred more than it would cost to do it here.

Bankok here I come!

Has anyone had experience with the major schools of ECC, IH or Elite? I would love to hear your thoughts.