Teaching English without any Certification

Welcome to Expat.com Laxmee!

Hope that you'll soon be advised.

Harmonie

(moderated: please post your advert in the jobs section)

Dear person (forgot to note your name).  I have decades of esl efl experience and a state of cal english cred. and a tefl BUT what everyone wants here and elsewhee is a CELTA which costs around $1600. and takes a month.  I'll be taking mine at ILA Vietnam.  I've been here 5 weeks in HCMC and love it here but everyone is into the paperwork, plus I'm older (57).  Most teachers, maybe you, are younger, that helps, but you still need the paper; the celta.  good luck, duane

Thanks, Duanef, for your informative response!
I do have 4-6 weeks before I travel, but $1600 is a little much for me since I just got out of grad school!
Glad to read you're loving it in Vietnam... I can't wait to be there! Once I get this job thing figured out, of course

Hi Laxmee,
Hope you are well. I am looking an english teacher for my husband. He is quite ok in vocabulary and grammar, and just need to learn to make conversation.
I wonder if you want to help us. You can propose the schedule and price you prefer. Thanks a lot for your feedback.
Cheers, Nhung

Hi, NhungPHAM. Thank you for your response! I am currently based in the United States and will not be travelling to Vietnam until this summer. I'll be sure to message you once I'm there

in short can you do it. Answer yes.

Now the downsides are your pay will be very poor.

Get a cert, the investment will be worth it. Celta\tefl both 4 week courses at around $1600 here.

Being white female native speaker will put you in the premium rate bracket. My wife is a teacher and most of my teacher friends envy her schedule. She works Monday - Friday all private students (90% adults) and gets well paid for it.

Unlike most teachers in the down times she is not scratching around trying to make some money. She has work all year round and often turns work away.

May seem like a lot, but guess it depends on how serious you are about being a teacher v just wanting to make some money while traveling.

Thanks for your reply, laidbackfreak!

I think I'll go with Duanef's and your suggestion to enroll in the CELTA course once I get there.

I am a native speaker, but I'm not white...brown, rather I hope that doesn't mean I'll get paid less!

I'm planning to get an online TEFL for now; it doesn't cost too much and will give me SOME sort of certification. Let me know if y'all think that's a good idea!

Laxmee wrote:

I'm planning to get an online TEFL for now

Don't bother! Most places won't accept them. Those that do, will probably accept you without it.
Have a look online for teaching resources by all means, but don't waste your money for an online course.

Thanks, laidbackfreak! You just saved me $200 and 50 hours

Hi Laxmee,

Do you have experiences in teaching English?

i will soon looking for someone on corporate basis ( with some travelling around Vietnam) for hotel operation's needs.

Skype : hhervier

Cheers

Hugo

laidbackfreak wrote:

Being white female native speaker will put you in the premium rate bracket.

I think he means you are from a non-Asian country (you could still be of Asian descent) where English is the native language. Not necessarily white skin. Right, Laidbackfreak?

My skin is pretty brown from all the sun exposure here - actually darker than my Asian wife. But here I'm still called a white guy.

saigonmonkey wrote:

I think he means you are from a non-Asian country (you could still be of Asian descent) where English is the native language. Not necessarily white skin. Right, Laidbackfreak?

My skin is pretty brown from all the sun exposure here - actually darker than my Asian wife. But here I'm still called a white guy.

That's funny! Although, I wouldn't be surprised if I DO get paid less than my White counterparts. I'm ethnically Indian (the South-asian kind) and white skin is, for lack of a better word, worshiped in South Asia. I'm not sure if it's the same in Vietnam, but my friends have told me that lighter skin = more attractive...


@ Hugo: Hi! Thank you so much for your reply! I have experience teaching public speaking to college students. I am not certified to teach ESL and think will hold off on that until I get certified.

I've read a few threads on here and believe it's unfair to both students and other teachers since it drives down quality and salaries.

Teaching without getting certified is out out out, now!

Hi Hugo,

I am an American male living in D7 in Ho Chi Minh. I speak clear Midwestern American English, which is the easiest of the English dialects to understand.  I have a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, although I do not have a teaching certificate. I am an extrovert and have run a remodeling company in the United States for the past 12 years. I know how to handle difficult clients and to impart knowledge to my employees in a fun and understandable way.

If you are still looking for a person for your position, please drop me a line.  I don't know how to attach my CV to this email program, but could send it from [email protected]

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Take care.

Sincerely,

Stephen Levick