Native English Teachers

[kerrigraceb]

Hi everyone,

I've recently been offered a NET position in a Kindergarten pending the approval of the HKCAAVQ for teaching post (not general purpose) assessment of my credentials. I only have a Bachelor's degree and a CELTA plus experience. The school that offered me the position asked me to apply for this assessment on my own, knowing that I do not have a proper teacher credential from my home country, the US. I asked them if my qualifications were enough and they simply just told me to call the HKCAAVQ hotline. So helpful! So I'm wondering if any of you know if I will pass the assessment because I don't want to apply and get rejected. I have called the hotline and haven't gotten through, but will keep trying. Thank you in advance!

[Firemin]

Well, regardless of the fact that they can't assess a course over the phone, they won't tell you in advance whether they will approve your qualification - they will say send us the documents and pay us the money first!!!

In any event, having been through this (or more accurately currently going through the process with my wife's teaching qualification) I can offer a few pointers.

First, have a read of thr EDB requirements for teaching in HK - it's on their website. TLDR version is you can apply to be a 'permitted teacher' (teach a specific subject in a specific school) or a 'registered teacher' (can teach anywhere in HK). For permitted, you just need a degree in the relevant subject, for registered you need an approved/recognised teaching qualification. In both cases you must have your qualifications assessed and approved by HKCAAVQ before you can apply with the EDB.

My advice is to read up of their (HKCAAVQ) website about what information they require, and make sure you have it all before you start your application. For example, they need full academic transcripts and grades for each module, not just your final degree certificate.

For assessment of a teaching qualification (for registered teacher status) it is a lot more complicated - as well as all the stuff normally needed, they also need a letter from your uni/college detailing the content of the teaching qualification and a letter stating the number of weeks and hours of supervised teaching practice.

Because this is HK, everything is done in a very tickbox way - unless your letter states that your teaching course has at least the same number of supervised teaching practice as the HK PGDE, they will not recognise it. Furthermore, if you can't supply this letter, it is pretty much guaranteed that they won't approve it.

You could, for example, have been teaching for 10-20+ years and have qualified teacher status in your home country, but if you can't produce that letter it means bugger all!! That is what we fully expect to happen with my wife's UK qualification, despite it having been 'on the job' training where she was conducting supervised teaching over the course of an academic year, because the uni keep no formal record of the precise number of hours (which is different for each student/placement school depending upon timetabling)... furthermore, she graduated over 8 years ago, and her uni only keeps detailed course records for 5 years!

Assuming your bachelors degree is in an appropriate subject and from an established university (i.e. not some online degree) then I would suggest you would be ok for permitted teacher status. Having said that, there might be different requirements for kindergarten teachers (my wife is a secondary school teacher) so maybe first point of call should be the school...

[SpeakCantonese]

Permitted teacher should be no problem.

1.) Recognised degree in any discipline. (I think even a higher diploma is okay)
and
Recognised English teaching cert. (CELTA/TESOL/etc...not 120 hours online or such)

2.) or
a relevant degree

[Golem]

Agreed, you won't get the registered teacher but you can get the permitted teacher. I believe the school has to apply for you as it's school and position specific.