With every device that is invented (hardware) and every program that is written (software) someone has to use it and in order to do so, they wil lrequire training.

Trainers can start right at pre-school level, teaching basic computer skills totoddlers, right up to and beyond university level teaching people to get their Doctorate in computer science! At all stages where ICT touches individuals, training and education are needed.

Having a degree or diploma that allows you to find a position in the ICT industry, coupled with a few years experience will allow you to apply for a training position.

OFO No: 235301

TESOL/TEFL Teacher

What is a TESOL or TEFL Teacher?

• TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
• TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)

English is currently used as the world’s primary business language and this means there is a great demand from non-English speaking countries (eg Korea, China, Indonesia, Thailand, etc) to employ either TESOL or TEFL Teachers. And parents want their children to learn.

TRAVEL

TESOL/TEFL Teachers may find work all over the world.  This can be a very exciting career for people who want to explore the world.  Many young people choose to do TESOL/TEFL teaching as part of a gap year before settling down however, some enjoy it so much they embrace this profession and continue to teach English for the rest of their lives.

Some teachers study further and specialise in ‘Business English’ etc. This is branch of English teaching is also in demand and particularly lucrative.

ONLINE

Another option to consider – is to teach English online.  If you have a computer and good internet access you can even teach from the comfort of your own home.

What does a TESOL or TEFL Teacher do?

• Teaches people (from very young to old) for whom English is a foreign language.
• Assesses exactly how difficult it will be for a student to learn English.
  Note: Many employers train their teachers and supply the lesson plans as well as assess the level of the students.
• Researches interesting tried and tested lessons
• Prepares lesson plans
• Designs new teaching materials
• teaches students one-to-one and in small groups
• Teaches students English language skills using a variety of different methods
• Gives homework, sets exams, marks exams and tests
• Gives positive feedback to students, parents or guardians or companies paying for the student’s tuition

Are you . . . ?

• In possession of a degree (preferably a BA English)
• Passionate about English as well being good at English grammar?
• Passionate about teaching?
• A clear speaker without a heavy accent?
• Tolerant and patient?
• Interested in other cultures?
• Creative – be able to design exciting lesson plans?
• Organised?
• A good communicator?
• Happy to live in a non-English speaking country – if you want to work overseas.

How do I become a TESOL or TEFL Teacher?

Many public and private schools offer the TESOL/TEFL programmes that are usually aimed at people who have a Bachelor of Arts degree.

These programmes usually range from 3 months upwards and include practical exercises/teaching as well as theory.

WARNING!

There are a lot of scams being run so please check out that there the training institution:

• a physical address,
• a landline telephone number and
• a registered business with permanent physical business address.
• the lecturers and trainers should also clearly list their qualifications on the TEFL/TESOL website.

This is an international organization with good accreditation and can act as starting point for your search for a reliable source of standards and information:

https://www.internationalteflacademy.com/tefl-tesol-accreditations

Here is a South African Organization:

https://www.tefl-southafrica.co.za/faqs.html

Find an employer

These sites list countries where you can teach and employers.
https://www.internationalteflacademy.com/

https://www.tefl-southafrica.co.za/faqs.html

VIDEO

This is a very informative video by Palessa Jonas, a South African who is teaching in Korea. But she also talks about online teaching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61qtAt19QEA

Once you have watched this video, there are many other videos on the YouTube channel which may be useful or at least interesting.

OFO No: 234201

In demand! – The ETDP sector has identified a need for over 3000 Childhood Practitioners.

What is an Early Childhood Development Practitioner?

Early Childhood Development (ECD) is the phase between birth and the school-going age (pre-school or creche). This is when children learn foundational cognitive abilities, attitudes, and skills, preparing them for primary schooling and the rest of their lives.

Early Childhood Development Practitioners plan, organise and conduct activities to help pre-primary school learners develop a wide variety of skills including speech, reading, writing, motor skills and social interaction.

Other names for an Early Childhood Development Practitioner:

What does an Early Childhood Development Practitioner do?

• Plans ways to teach children indoor and outdoors
• Chooses educational material to suit the needs of the children
• Co-ordinates activities to help develop motor skills, build confidence etc
• Promotes language development through story-telling, songs and discussions
• Keeps children safe at all times
• Discusses progress of the child/children with parents or guardians
• Applies first aid for sick or injured children  
• Stays in contact with parents in case of an emergency

Are you … ?

• interested in the development of young children?
• patient?
• caring?
• wanting to teach?
• understanding?
• willing to research new and improved teaching methods and materials?
• observant?
• a good communicator with children?

How do I become an Early Childhood Development Practitioner?

You will need a qualification. There are lots of ways to become an Early Childhood Development Practitioner.

• Further Education and Training Certificate in Early Childhood Development (NQF Level 4)
• National Diploma in Early Childhood Development (NQF Level 5)
  Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Development (NQF Level 5)
• Advanced Certificate in Education – Foundation Phase and Early Childhood Development (NQF Level 6) (this qualification is usually followed by people who are already qualified as educators)
• Bachelor of Primary Education in Early Childhood Development (NQF Level 7)
• Bachelor of Education in Early childhood Development – Foundation Phase (NQFLevel 8)

You can do some of these at a TVET (FET) College and some South African universities.

• CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you.

• NOTE: Each institution has its own entry requirements. Check with your institution of choice that you match theirs.

Once you’ve graduated, you will be required to register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) as an Educator.

• SACE: SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL of EDUCATORS

http://www.sace.org.za/

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Art Teacher or Foundation Phase School Teacher

Is becoming an Early Childhood Development Practitioner the right career choice for me?

What is a Special Needs Teacher?

Special Needs Teachers are in demand!

The ETDP sector has identified a shortage of more than 5800 Special Needs Teachers!   

If you are considering a career in teaching and you have a passion for young people with special needs, this may be a career choice worth considering.

Special Needs Teachers teach academic and living skills to primary and further-education-and-training students with particular learning difficulties, using various techniques. They promote students’ social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.

Special needs learners is a term referring to learners who have needs and differences (disabilities) which reduce their ability to learn under general education conditions. Special Needs Teachers make it possible for these learners to learn. They use the latest technology, different approaches to learning, special learning spaces etc to accomplish this. 

 What does a Special Needs Teacher do?

• assesses learners’ ability and limitations
• plans and organises programmes specific for learners limitations
• teaches basic academic subjects
• teaches self-help skills to physically handicapped learners like hearing-or-sight impaired
• helps to train and rehabilitate learners
• prepares reports and keeps records
• discusses learner’s progress or problems with parents or guardians

Are you . . . ?

• interested in teaching?
• compassionate and patient?
• nurturing?
• a good communicator?
• a good listener?
• organised?
• patient?
• observant?

How do I become a Special Needs Teacher?

There are 2 ways of becoming a Special Needs Teacher:

• ONE:

Bachelor of Education (BEd): Special Needs Education

• TWO:

Complete a Bachelor’s degree followed by a Postgraduate Diploma: Management of Childhood Disabilities.

These can be done at most SA universities.

TRAINING:

• CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you to see what they offer.
• Make sure you understand their entry requirements for each course.
• To avoid scams, make sure your institution is registered with the Department of Higher Education.

Once you’ve graduated, you will be required to register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) as an Educator.

• SACE: SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL of EDUCATORS

http://www.sace.org.za/

TEACHERS’ UNIONS

• SADTU

www.sadtu.org.za 

• NAPTOSA

 www.naptosa.org.za

Department of Education’s Education White Paper 6 – deals with special needs education. This can be downloaded at http://www.gov.za/

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER:  Ambulance Worker or Clown

Is becoming a Special Needs Teacher the right career choice for me?

07-04-2015 – Posted on Facebook

What is a Foundation Phase School Teacher?

Foundation Phase School Teachers have the exciting and rewarding task of teaching children the foundations of reading, writing and literacy.

They are also responsible for helping children to develop their thinking skills. 

They teach from Grade R (reception) through to Grade 3. They usually teach all of the subjects in the curriculum to the pupils. 

An important part of being a Foundation Phase Teacher includes promoting the child’s social, emotional, intellectual and physical development. 

Foundation Phase Teachers (FPT) do a lot of administrative work which includes preparing lessons, exams, writing reports, marking etc. 

Sports and cultural activities are important throughout this phase so FPT’s might be asked to help as part of the work programme. 

Other names for Foundation Phase School Teachers:

• Foundation Phase Teacher
• Primary School Housemaster
• Primary Teacher-Librarian
  

Foundation Phase School Teacher do?

• prepares lessons
• researches new teaching methods and teaching aids
• develops students’ interests, abilities and co-ordination through activities
• discusses every child’s progress and problems with the parents/guardians, student counsellors and senior teachers
• guides and supervises the work in class
• maintains discipline and order in the classroom
• works with the parents/guardians
• maintains records
• takes part in staff meetings, educational conferences and other programmes
• prepares, conducts and marks tests and exams
• supervises student teachers

Are you . . . ?

• interested in teaching?
• patient?
• a person who loves small children?
• understanding?
• nurturing?
• able to deal with stress?
• prepared to work long hours?
• calm under pressure?
• methodical?
• able to communicate well with young learners?
• able to communicate well with adults?

How do I become a Foundation Phase School Teacher?

You will need a qualification:

There are 3 ways of becoming a Foundation Phase School Teacher:

• ONE:

3 year Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree in Early Childhood Development, Foundation Phase

• TWO:

2 year National Diploma in Education: Foundation Phase (NQF Level 6)

• THREE:

Postgraduate Certificate: Education: Foundation Phase. This route is for those who have already completed a degree (NOT BEd) and want to become teachers.

Once you’ve graduated, you will be required to register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) as an Educator.

• SACE: SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL of EDUCATORS

http://www.sace.org.za/

Training Institutions:

• CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you.

• NOTE: Each institution has its own entry requirements. Check with your institution of choice that you match theirs.

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Special Needs Teacher or Art Teacher

Is becoming a Foundation Phase School Teacher the right career choice for me?

27-02-2015 Posted on Facebook

Other duties:

• plan the arrangement and cataloguing of records. Some records might need to be transferred to a different medium to avoid damage from repeated handling
• need to stay abreast of technological advances in electronic information storage
• be up-to-date on preservation methods, the elimination of hazards such as fire and water, and storage area pest control
• sometimes archivists need to restore damaged records themselves – they therefore need to be qualified in this aspect of their work as well

• advise or assist users on how to use resources such as references such as reference books (e.g. bibliographies, encyclopaedias, atlas), catalogues, indexes, CD-ROM databases, on-line information services and the Internet to compile their research
• ensure library users find the correct information from the correct source by asking questions about certain aspects of the information they require

• teaching algorithms ( a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations, especially by computers),
• data structures,
• program design,
• software engineering,
• operating systems analysis,
• computer graphics theory,
• user-interface design,
• simulation, modelling and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques.

Driving Instructors teach people to drive motor vehicles as well as teaching them the theoretical aspects of motor vehicles and road use. 

Many driver-training cars have an extra set of pedals on the passenger side, so that a Driving Instructor can brake or accelerate in an emergency, if a student makes a mistake. Driving Instructors make sure the learner driver’s technique is at a satisfactory level of competence so they may acquire a driver’s licence.
Practical training includes starting the vehicle, driving, parking and learning how to handle various road conditions and situations.
Theoretical training includes lectures/demonstrations on: vehicle emergencies, driving techniques and the basic mechanics of motor vehicles.

TYPICAL TASKS:

• meeting with learner and putting them at ease
• teaching and demonstrating basic motor mechanics, laws and regulations of the road
• teaching courtesy (manners) and awareness
• teaching safety techniques including adjusting mirrors, seats, safety belts etc before starting the vehicle
• teaching emergency and accident procedures
• providing on-the-road hands-on instruction in driving, parking, hill starts etc

ARE YOU …

• a peoples’ person?
• good with young adults as most learners will be in this group?
• patient?
• understanding?
• a good communicator?
• confident?
• a good driver with a clean driving record?
• calm and mentally stable?
• able to react quickly to a situation

TRAINING:

Driving Instructors need a valid certificate in the class of vehicle they are qualified to instruct learners in.  You must also be registered with the Provincial Department of Transport.

Recommended:  It is advised to have at least 5 years driving experience and a clean driving record for any job application.  Obviously any further training, for example, advanced driving skills training will be an added advantage.

To get your Driving Instructing License – you must go to a DLTC (Driving Licence Training Centre) in your area.  You will be required to re-write your Learners License.  Your marks need to be higher than a regular learners licence. (The test is the same though).  When you have passed your Learner’s License you will then need to make an appointment for and successfully pass your k53 driver’s test.

To book your test date – go to your nearest driving licence testing centre (DLTC) with:

• a completed application form for registration as a driving instructor (RI)
• a completed application form for a PrDP (some provinces require this too)
• application fee (each province is different, so find out from your DLTC what yours will be)
• a Medical Certificate form (MC)
• a police finger print clearance
• valid driver’s license
• valid identity document

The permit may be ready in six to eight weeks.

What is a Teacher of the Sight Impaired?

A Teacher of the Sight Impaired teaches learners who are partially blind or completely blind. 

A Teacher of the Sight Impaired is responsible for the academic, social, emotional, physical and intellectual wholeness of all the learners in their class.

What does a Teacher of the Sight Impaired do?

• tests and assesses learners to define their needs
• designs or adapts curriculum to suit the needs of the sight impaired learners
• uses special techniques and aids to teach these learners
• enforces discipline
• stimulates and develops students’ confidence interests, abilities, manual skills and coordination
• liaises with other staff members and parents
• uses various testing techniques to assess progress of learners
  

Are you . . . ?

• patient and caring?
• a person who loves children?
• a person who loves teaching?
• interested in working with people living with a disability?
• organised?
• reliable and punctual?
• willing to keep up to date with modern teaching methods?
  

How do I become a Teacher of the Sight Impaired?

You will need a qualification.

There are 2 ways to qualify:

• ONE:

Complete a Bachelor of Education: Special Needs Education degree at a university

• TWO:

Complete a Bachelors degree followed by Postgraduate Diploma: Management of Childhood Disabilities.

Once you’ve graduated, you will be required to register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) as an Educator.

• SACE: SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL of EDUCATORS

http://www.sace.org.za/

Training Institutions:

• CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you.

• NOTE: Each institution has its own entry requirements. Check with your institution of choice that you match theirs.

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Teacher of the Hearing Impaired  or Optometrist

Is becoming a Teacher of the Sight Impaired the right career choice for me?