DELTA or MA?

[flapdoodle]

After two years of teaching experience with a CELTA, plus a BA in English Literature and a PG Dip. in English Literature (yes I know I should have got the MA - it is a long, boring story) - is it best to do an MA or the DELTA next?

 

[Raymott]

After two years of teaching experience with a CELTA, plus a BA in English Literature and a PG Dip. in English Literature (yes I know I should have got the MA - it is a long, boring story) - is it best to do an MA or the DELTA next?

You haven't said what your needs are.
If you want further experience in teaching, you'd do DELTA.
If you want more experience in analyzing literature and writing a thesis, you'd do the MA.

 

[flapdoodle]

Thanks for your response. I meant in terms of furthering my career as a teacher of english. Should I get an MA under my belt before doing the DELTA, or do it the other way round? Or does it not really matter all that much?

 

[Raymott]

Thanks for your response. I meant in terms of furthering my career as a teacher of english. Should I get an MA under my belt before doing the DELTA, or do it the other way round? Or does it not really matter all that much?

It would depend on the job you wanted. Also, I can't answer for your local conditions.
If you're teaching English to immigrants to UK, probably the DELTA would be better.
If you're teaching English-speaking undergraduates or High School English, then an MA would be better.
All other things being equal, I'd finish the MA first then do the DELTA - but that's me. The MA is probably more difficult, and I'd want to get it out of the way while I was still motivated to study.

But what I'd really do is contact potential employers and find out how the pay and condition rates differ between what you have and what you are planning to do.
Perhaps another UK person could be more specific.

 

[Tapsi]

Hi. I am an engineering graduate who is planing to change her career to TESOL.
what wold be the best way to begin?
MA TESOL or some certification like CELTA or CertTESOL?

 

[elmariachi]

I'd do it the other way around. Do your DELTA first. It's short, sharp and painfull. It'll help you refine and develop your teaching skills. It's like the CELTA but enormously harder.
The MA is great for theory and understand the language, but won't help your teaching at all unless you have DELTA level teaching skills and know how to integrate the ideas into lessons. It also takes for longer to do so that next step in your career is a long way off. Having said that, 2 years experience isn't a lot to take to a DELTA. I think it's the absolute minimum in fact.

As to the post about changing careers, do a CELTA. It's the most recognised course worldwide - it'll get you the job.