Best options?

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Alchemeister
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2019 10:17 am

Best options?

Post by Alchemeister »

Hi everyone. I'm new to the site. I just realized I may have posted this in the wrong forum so I’m reposting it here.
About me:
- I'm from Michigan.
- I have been teaching English in Japan for 8 years.
- I am currently teaching my own classes at a private girls' secondary school.
- My degree is in Communications.
- No certificates.
-Married with one kid.

I want to improve my teaching skills/get a higher qualification. I want to study something that will improve my salary/credentials in Japan, but I also want to be able to find a job when/if I go back to America. The best option would be a MAT in TESOL but I haven't found any that you can do from over seas / are affordable. 3 questions.

1. What is that fastest way for someone in my situation to get a teaching certification in the states which I could then transfer to get a Michigan teaching license or transfer to get a QTS?

2. Which Masters would give me the most practical knowledge in terms of English teaching.

3. Which of these two things would I be better off focusing on first?

Thank you for any insight, I've already learned a lot from this forum.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Reponse

Post by PsyGuy »

The fastest would be to complete the Teach Ready program, which takes 9 months and costs about USD$6K. Assuming you do that relatively soon you should be able to use the FL Professional (professional grade) credential to get QTS through mutual reciprocity. You would also be able to transfer it to Michigan.
You can however start with something like the MA provisional credential in ESOL while youre working on another credential or qualification route. You cant use it for QTS or for a Michigan credential but it requires only two exams and an application.

Which ever Masters has the most opportunity for internships or practicum experience.
Temple has a program in Japan that offers a MA in TESOL, its pricey though (they just moved to a new shared campus).
Uni. Portsmouth has a online 1 year (FT) ,2 year (PT) M.Res you could do in education that you could do your research in ESOL education if you wanted to, the program cost is £4600. They also have a 3 year (PT) online MA in TESOL thats £7K for the full program. UoPe in the US has a online M.Ed in teaching thats USD$2600 for the full program, you can complete it in a year.

A credential. A masters and other qualifications are not credentials, though there are lower tier ISs that will accept a Masters as a working qualification for an IT.
Alchemeister
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2019 10:17 am

Re: Best options?

Post by Alchemeister »

Thanks Psyguy.
You mentioned Teacher Ready but I'd have to go back to the states to take the tests as far as I know.
What about TeachNow? Can it still be converted to a QTS if you're American as opposed to British? I'm assuming TeachNow would also be able to be transferred to a Michigan teaching license as well?
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

@Alchemeister

Yes, you would have to travel back to the US to take those exams (the FTCE) for FL, though it doesnt have to be FL, you can take them in many major cities in the US.

Yes, the DC Standard (professional grade) credential can be used to obtain the Michigan Standard (entry grade) credential without additional requirements.

Maybe, if you applied right now before the holiday. Otherwise the work flow is going to be its easier and less of a risk to the TCL/TRA to just require everyone who completes Teach Now to verify completion of field experience in the US. Theres still some very niche questions of what qualifies as "in" the US, but for practical matters unless you have a US DS that is willing to write you a letter of verification you would have to resort to various types of subterfuge to get Teach Now to work if you did your field experience in an IS and you wanted to do it right away.

Incidentally, the Dfe is one of the few gov. agencies in England that would LOVE a hard Brexit.
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