DELTA or MSc TESOL

[islacat]

Hi there, can anyone advise on which course would be best for me? I got my CELTA in 2006 and then have been teaching since then mostly in Spain and then South Korea, but also a bit in the UK. I have a place to do the masters in September but I am thinking that the DELTA would be a more practical and more widely recognised qualification as far as employers go in the UK. Any thoughts?

 

[5jj]

Personally, I think that the DELTA and Trinity Dip TESOL are more relevant to the practical needs of most teachers - and are much better value for money.

However, if you want to teach in the university sector at any time, youwill stand a much better chance of finding a job if you have an MA/MSc in TEFL/(Applied) Linguistics.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

Certain universities (King's College London, for example) will consider the DELTA to be a third of a masters, so if you want to do the DELTA, then you can come back to the masters later and do it much quicker (and slightly cheaper) than usual. From what I've heard, the DELTA is considered the more practical qualification, whereas the masters is more of an academic thing.

 

[islacat]

Hmm, thanks for your replies. I am still stuck then I guess, as I do want to get the practical stuff from DELTA in order to teach in language schools for the forseeable future. But I am also interested in teaching in the university sector eventually too...I suppose I want the best of both worlds...

 

[5jj]

I suppose I want the best of both worlds...

Can't help with that, I'm afraid.

 

[islacat]

Thanks anyway. I will have to have a bit more of a think.

 

[Tdol]

Does anyone not recognise an MA in the UK?

 

[islacat]

Hi, yes one employer I approached - the head of dept at a local college with a community based ESOL dept where I currently volunteer - said that they always ask for DELTA from prospective employees and that have not accepted masters in the past. I wrote back and said that this particular masters that I am thinking of doing - at Edinburgh University - has a teaching component. She then said that she would look into it and that perhaps she was not up to date with the teaching element on that particular course. She hasn't got back to me yet. But she was certainly pro DELTA and not at all sure about the masters....

 

[5jj]

When I was concidering people for jobs, I tended to prefer people with DELTA/Trinity Dip to a masters if I had to choose between two candidates with otherwise similar qualifications, experience and references. This was mainly because of the absence of observed teaching in most MA courses at the time. Also, it seemed to me (I stress those words) that the diploma courses related the theory work more closely to the teachers' experience in the classroom than many MA courses.

 

[islacat]

Thanks fivejedjon. I hadn't actually considered the Trinity Diploma as an alternative, so I will look into that too.

 

[5jj]

Thanks fivejedjon. I hadn't actually considered the Trinity Diploma as an alternative, so I will look into that too.

I have a Trinity Diploma myself, and found the course interesting and useful. It is recognised as being at the same QCA Level 7 as DELTA.

The one silght downside is that it is less well known than the DELTA, but this is not normally a problem.

 

[islacat]

Yes, I have just had a look at their website and it certainly looks good. Also looks cheaper than the DELTA.

 

[Tdol]

Hi, yes one employer I approached - the head of dept at a local college with a community based ESOL dept where I currently volunteer - said that they always ask for DELTA from prospective employees and that have not accepted masters in the past. I wrote back and said that this particular masters that I am thinking of doing - at Edinburgh University - has a teaching component. She then said that she would look into it and that perhaps she was not up to date with the teaching element on that particular course. She hasn't got back to me yet. But she was certainly pro DELTA and not at all sure about the masters....

Interesting, though I can't say that I am impressed by their attitude.

 

[islacat]

No, I agree; it's all a bit depressing!

 

[Tdol]

I asked a friend and he said that he was told to get a DELTA if he wanted a full-time contract and he has an MA and a doctorate. He's planning to leave the UK. ;-)

 

[5jj]

I asked a friend and he said that he was told to get a DELTA if he wanted a full-time contract and he has an MA and a doctorate. He's planning to leave the UK. ;-)

I have some sympathy with his decision. If he has relevant teaching experience, he must feel more than a little disgruntled.

On the other hand, I have had to explain to some candidates for a teaching post that a couple of masters degrees and a PhD do not necessarily mean that they can teach.

We know that people with a DELTA or Trinity Dip have had their teaching observed and assessed, and that they have had a minimum of a year's teaching experience. Some people with higher degrees have never taught in their lives.

 

[islacat]

I have some sympathy with his decision. If he has relevant teaching experience, he must feel more than a little disgruntled.

On the other hand, I have had to explain to some candidates for a teaching post that a couple of masters degrees and a PhD do not necessarily mean that they can teach.

We know that people with a DELTA or Trinity Dip have had their teaching observed and assessed, and that they have had a minimum of a year's teaching experience. Some people with higher degrees have never taught in their lives.

I can see your point there. What is difficult with my Masters course is that it does have a taught component (TEFLQ) but it is quite a new course (2 - 3 years I think) and it just doesn't seem to be very widely recognised. I am really beginning to think that DELTA or Trinity Dip is the easier option. I can't be doing with explaining and justifying my course for the rest of my career!

 

[Tdol]

I have some sympathy with his decision. If he has relevant teaching experience, he must feel more than a little disgruntled.

On the other hand, I have had to explain to some candidates for a teaching post that a couple of masters degrees and a PhD do not necessarily mean that they can teach.

We know that people with a DELTA or Trinity Dip have had their teaching observed and assessed, and that they have had a minimum of a year's teaching experience. Some people with higher degrees have never taught in their lives.

Lots of experience and was working there- it was about getting a full-time contract.

 

[5jj]

Lots of experience and was working there- it was about getting a full-time contract.

Then he is better off not working for idiots like that.

I would not differentiate between an MA and a diploma when combined with experience; I'd look at the person