Director of Studies at Edith Cowan College Craig Munsey shows the true value of an English teaching career, both for students and teachers alike.
After many years teaching English, both abroad and in Australia, I remain consistently amazed at the breadth of knowledge and experience that English (ELICOS) teachers hold. The wealth of my own team’s teaching and life abroad experience, if mapped, would total more than 50 countries. And these types of numbers are not special nor unique to my own college. English language centres and colleges around the planet would reflect similar statistics. From the Bahamas to Brazil, Italy to Indonesia and Switzerland to Sri Lanka, ELICOS teachers can be found working in tiny, owner-operated schools, large university centres, government departments and anything and anywhere in between.
I believe English teachers are some of the most resourceful and creative educators who bring a wealth of knowledge and skills to any workplace.
For many English language centre and school educators, the Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) has been that passport and springboard to an overseas career in teaching. The qualification is highly regarded world-wide and a must have for teaching work here in Australia. I completed my own CELTA during a five-year contract teaching primary school in Brunei Darussalam. Luckily, the course cost was largely off-set by the British company I was working for. Most CELTA candidates are traditionally self-funded. However, many who complete the course quickly come to the realisation the qualification will lead to a totally new career or teaching pathway (pre-COVID 19 anyway).
The worldly experience
of English teaching
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