English teaching/qualifications (reader's question)

Question taken from the SFN Facebook page

Hello all, would like some advice, I am a member of SF. I work as a nurse in a public hospital in the Var. I give paid English lessons to student nurses at the school of nursing.

The director of the hospital would like me to give English lessons to the personnel but wants me to do a "formation de formateur" first, he said to give me a piece of paper to say I can teach others and also that I can speak English adequately. There isn't really anything suitable here, but I wondered about the TEFL online course.

Has anyone any experience of this, is it considered "worthy" enough by French authorities. I would like to do a course that improves my teaching skills and might eventually open other doors for me, especially given the dire state of the health service here, they reducing staff levels daily.

Thanks very much.

Tags: english, france, in, teaching

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Comment by Victoria Butcher née Richings on March 10, 2013 at 11:02: no it isn't anymore, everything changed a few years ago, there is no funding for it now, I have TEFL, it is good for private sector, but not government!

Comment by HEATHER WARD on February 17, 2013 at 22:06: Hi Elaine, nice one first of all for getting work with Greta. I couldn't as I didn't have the capes. I did however work as a vacataire in a college & lycee only because I have a lea, degree in applied languages. I don't thinkto be honest they are really fussed about my pgce. I haven't heard about the qualifications u speak of but would go for it if offered. Another thing to bear in mind, depending on your qualifications is that u can be a vacataire in a school & it can be your main job. I was eventually offered a year's contract which does have some obvious benefits and is also a way of sitting the internal capes exam, which is easier.

Admin Comment by Catharine Higginson on February 17, 2013 at 18:35: I've got a piece of paper saying I have done a "formation de formateur" - the course was provided FOC by one of the companies I work for, for all of their (interested) staff.

Comment by Keith Randall on February 17, 2013 at 18:29: I'm a teacher in France in the public sector (yes, I'm afraid so, I'm a "fonctionnaire") but I have never heard of a "formation de formateur".

There are various names for the work you can do in the public sector without being formally qualified.

There are lecteurs/lectrices in higher education who can give conversation classes, but don't count as real teachers.

There are vacataires, who can do real teaching, but for whom their work cannot be their principle source of income.

Then there are those who have taken the public exams, the way teachers are recruited in France, and are qualified in the same way as teachers of English who are French. Believe me, it is no help being anglophone, with recognised teaching qualifications from the UK, when it comes to taking the exam - even the oral, grrrr....

The TOEFL exam, TOEIC, Cambridge First Certificate and other qualifications on offer are really for French students looking to work or study in the UK or in the USA, I don't think it's worth forking out 70 eurobucks or more to sit an exam that doesn't really add to your CV in France.

I take it the director of the hospital didn't explain which particular "formation de formateur" he had in mind - just wants you to come back with something official, right? I have a friend who teaches student nurses, I'm fairly sure she has no formal qualifications. She's bilingual in the true sense of the word, having been brought up in both countries. She still can't teach in a state school in France.

Good luck!

Keith

Comment by Elaine Small on February 17, 2013 at 18:22: Thanks Andrew for your comments.... and yes for teaching privately suits me fine and I have had plenty of work, too much at times... (not complaining on that one)

Comment by Andrew Hearne on February 17, 2013 at 18:03: Elaine, the company should never have said that! I have a PGCE in languages, degree in languages and maîtrise from a french uni in languages - I can teach in private schools and in state schools as a remplaçant but still have to pass the capes to be titulaire (full time post). TEFL is fine for private teaching but that's as far as it goes and to be honest you're probably better to stick to teaching privately if you get enough work ;-)

As for the situation given above - it's pretty much ALWAYS worth doing the french qualification for working in france for obvious reasons. I'd go for the formation offered and do a tefl as well if you're not comfortable with your teaching level. After all, being a native speaker and teaching the language are two completely different things!

Comment by Elaine Small on February 17, 2013 at 16:26: I did a TEFL course and passed the Diploma However.. My personal experience is that although I teach on a private basis, I am unable to teach in schools, the authorities tell me they dont recognise the diploma, although the company with whom I did the TEFL course, did say it would be recognised to teach in french schools... However, Im sure you will get some advice from other SFN members on this...

Comment by Alexander Keith Watson on February 16, 2013 at 10:16: Try Brian Milne's Working in France Group...