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.

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!

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.

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.

Elaine, the company should never have said that! I have a PGCE in languages, degree in languages and maƮtrise from a french uni in languages - I can teach in private schools and in state schools as a remplaƧant 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!