teaching english in colombia

chutzpah says on Jun 1, 2005, 03:11:

Thats such an old topic, teaching E in Col.
why not use the search function.
With that one you will find a lot.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

cdn says on Jun 1, 2005, 03:28:

Gosh, chutzpah Chutzpah, you have been a member for a whole 2 days now. Maybe even a veteran like you can spare a kinder word for weeksy about old topics.

Weeksy, please pardon chutzpah, he is compensating here for deficiencies elsewhere.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

chutzpah says on Jun 1, 2005, 04:08:

OMG CDN,
you have really got no idea.
Do you want ME to do the search FOR U?
4 Ur info:
You dont have to have years of poorbuthappy experience to be able to use the search function.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

marcitos says on Jun 1, 2005, 04:20:

How are you gonna teach english to spanish speakers when you are still learning spanish yourself? Not a very bright idea, heck why dont everyone just go to Colombia and teach english!? Teach english while learning spanish? I hope your joking! Next topic.........

marcos

0 funny, 0 helpful.

cdn says on Jun 1, 2005, 04:27:

OMG yourself I'm not actually searching myself, but yes. I want you to do the search for weeksy, for your insolence.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ElViajero says on Jun 1, 2005, 04:32:

Marcitos, I think it is a good idea to learn English from someone unable to speak Spanish. It is a real challenge for you and make you to think in English soon.

El Viajero Paisa

0 funny, 0 helpful.

TioJoe says on Jun 1, 2005, 05:43:

weeksy Teaching English as a Foreign Language is not as easy as most people think it is -- I suggest, since you will need certification to get a job and a work visa in Colombia, to enroll in the "Bridge-Linguatec Online Course" it is inexpensive and will allow you to see what it really involves. { www.bridgeliguatec.com } --- learning Spanish prior to teaching would benefit you more than your students -- you will then have an appreciation for the difficulties they face. Conversational English is often what students seek since many have been taught English already. Best of luck

0 funny, 0 helpful.

marcitos says on Jun 1, 2005, 07:45:

I understand that, but this person wants to teach english (teach), when they dont understand what the students are thinking, let alone can't even communicate with them. If a student is having problems in a certain area, how is the teacher suppose to break down and thoroughly explain to them at their level? The teacher not being able to communicate, will just frustrate the students and make matters even worse.
When I took my first Physics class in college, my professor was from Russia with a strong accent. Everyone was frustrated with him, because we didnt know what the hell we was saying, and he was speaking English.
This person with their bright ideas wanting to go teach in another country, with out speaking the lingo breaks down to one word: "stupid"

marcos

0 funny, 0 helpful.

caulfield2 says on Jun 1, 2005, 09:10:

Unless you're going to teach at a school or academy where the classes are taught in English (bi-lingual school) and they ask the teachers/professors not to speak in Spanish if possible. These schools deliberately seek our American/European/Canadian teachers for the prestige and the "Western perspective" on things, which makes these schools more marketable and expensive for native students and families.

This is undoubtedly the best way to learn English, but frustrating in the beginning when just starting out. With high schoolers, it's a little bit easier than K-8 students.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

madisan27 says on Jun 1, 2005, 09:14:

Teaching English in Colombia I've used the Search Engine to locate schools in Colombia looking for English teacher's, however a lot of the dates posted go as far back as 1999. Can anyone suggest another tool or Website for more updated information. I would appreciate it.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

daver says on Jun 1, 2005, 09:54:

caulfield2,

I couldn't agree more. Even if you can speak Spanish, they tell you never to communicate with your students in Spanish.

Learning a new language is so difficult, that it would be too tempting for the students and teacher to go the easy route and speak Spanish.

Good Colombian English teachers will not speak Spanish to their students either.

Dave

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Jun 1, 2005, 10:29:

I didn't speak a word of Spanish when I taught my first class in Colombia. I don't know if my students learned any English but I sure learned a lot of Spanish...
I didn't speak so great English either at that time. I could carry a conversation and my pronunciation was ok, but I didn't have the slightest idea what I was supposed to do in the classroom. I was given a book and a ten-minute introduction to English teaching in Colombia. The main idea was if your students walk out of the classroom when the bell rings smiling and talking and looking happy you've done good job.

Later when I had learned how to speak Spanish it was extremely difficult not to let a Spanish word a phrase to slip in the teaching situation. I believe that the less Spanish you speak to your students the faster they learn English, within certain limitations. I always thought it was a total waste of time keeping your students guessing what you meant explaining grammar in English to beginners when you could get them to see what you meant in two minutes in Spanish.

It's really easy to slip into teaching your students about the language instead of teaching them the language.

Cheers,
Desi

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

TioJoe says on Jun 1, 2005, 12:50:

Madisan27 Try www.tefl.net -- www.tesol.org -- www.tefl.com -- www.eslcafe.com -- www.eslemployment.com -- www.eslcareer.com -- these links should get you started and certainly provide you with many others to facilitate your search

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ColombiaBoard says on Jun 1, 2005, 16:10:

Get a TEFL Since nobody ACTUALLY answered the main question , here it goes:
You need a TEFL certificate AND a working visa issued by a colombian consulate in your country otherwise don´t do what many english speaking foreigners do, the just show up here and then try to find a school or institute to teach english, they won´t let you unless you have a visa or they´ll propose some illegal deal and that´s not good for you.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

carter says on Jun 1, 2005, 17:35:

Marcita please refrain posting on subjects........... that you know sweet FA about.

You do not need to be a fluent spanish speaker to teach english in fact depending on who you work for you may be banned from speaking any spanish in class. I knew no spanish when I started teaching as did many of my friends.

The institutes often use Colombians to teach lower levels and native speakers to teach the higher levels.

Weeksy I apologise there are some wankers on this site. More info can be found using the search. As for qualifications you can get work without any but for the better institutes you will need them.

I suggest getting the Student visa and teaching cash in hand on the side. Try picking up private students through the Uni as many will pay more and the institutes aren't the most fun to deal with.

If you have any other q's private message me.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

carter says on Jun 1, 2005, 17:39:

Colombia board You can just rock up and get work though. It may end up being a bit more of a hassle but you will save money on the TEFL and organising things before hand isn't easy.

Just a quick note as someone mentioned above teaching English is not as easy as you may think.

Yes its an illegal deal you get with the institutes just make the deal on weekly on monthly payments.

but private cash in hand on the day of class is the way to go.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

weeksy says on Jun 2, 2005, 00:36:

agree yes i just went to colombia and spoke to people in schools and they said that they ask u to not speak english in any of the classes. i am just thinking of doing this. i have a best mate who is going back home soon to medellin, so i might go back and stay with him for 6 weeks or so.

i already have connections to get a great job in a private school

0 funny, 0 helpful.

weeksy says on Jun 2, 2005, 00:38:

Thanks madisan 27 for those connections

0 funny, 0 helpful.

weeksy says on Jun 2, 2005, 00:41:

OMG CDN yeah do know how to search just wanted to know what people thought. only find this website forum thing last night.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ElViajero says on Jun 2, 2005, 05:16:

I have learnt English in Limerick, Ireland, where no body could speak Spanish around. The teachers never used any Spanish word to make me understand. Surely, in the beginning I was so confused, but I could leant quickly just because my Colombian desire to say something funny in English to my unforgettable Irish friends. So, I think there is not need to know Spanish for teach English to Colombians. Nice for you to learn Spanish, and please do it, but do not worry.

El Viajero Paisa

0 funny, 0 helpful.