Busy, busy, busy!

So far, 2011 has been a busy year here at The Knowledge Workshop. We've been signing up new students from far and wide while looking at new and exciting opportunities for our trainee teachers. We have trained 30 new teachers so far this year, many of whom have taken contracts overseas. Popular destinations this year include: South Korea, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Denmark, Mexico and Brazil but you are by no means limited to these destinations. Our TEFL/TESOL training prepares you to work anywhere in the world!

We have also just organised a highly successful speech contest at Ikamvalethu - assisted by some of our TEFL trainees -  where the first prize winner received a mountain bike and accessories, supplied by TKW, and all 10 short-listed finalists received English Dictionaries, supplied by Oxford University Press.

Editorial from the Peoples Post 29/3/11

Aside from day-to-day excitement, we have been busy with various other improvements to the business, including joining the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Cape Tourism. We have now also started a website overhaul, which will be ongoing for the next few weeks. Send us your suggestions, contributions and testimonials, if you would like to be included! Please bear with us if you notice irregularities (or send an email to alert us) on the site during this time.

Cheers for now!

Outings and Social Events

At The Knowledge Workshop we have a social program for our foreign students to help them make the most of their stay while having fun with their co-students and engaging in English.

We have regular day trips to local attractions, activities and points of interest, and unlike most other language schools, we do not make a charge for this service other than a small donation towards costs.

Popular outings include...

- Long Beach tour: shipwreck & pizza

- Visit to the penguins and False Bay coast

- Braai (BBQ) at various scenic locations

- Seal Island boat trip

- Ten pin bowling

- Hiking on Table Mountain

...with countless other possibilities!

Recently we had a great trip to Kalk Bay to explore and have the freshest fish and chips available at Kalky's, in the harbour.

See the photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theknowledgeworkshop/sets/72157625408261648/

Cape Town Stadium visit

Rowan Minaar, one of our TEFL trainees, organised an outing for the Ikamvalethu football team to visit the Cape Town stadium. This was a great gift for the young players, many of whom had not been near the stadium before.

We were treated to a behind the scenes tour with access to the players changing rooms, the VIP area and even the holding cells!

Check out the photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theknowledgeworkshop/sets/72157625004094510/

The infamous Jabulani

It was an inspirational day and a great time was had by all - Thanks Rowan! :)

Teaching Adventures in South Korea

We've received an interesting account of arriving in South Korea to start work as an English teacher for EPIK (English Program In Korea)

Deborah Brown's report is a valuable insight for anyone who is thinking about or actively pursuing teaching English in South Korea - especially if you are not sure what to expect!

Check it out here (latest entry in The Knowledge Bank):

http://www.theknowledgeworkshop.com/knowledge_workshop_knowledge_bank.html

Deborah did The Knowledge Workshop TEFL course in April 2010. 

Bibimbap - S.Korean cuisine

The Mother City after the party...

The Mother City

Since the end of the Soccer World Cup, the vuvuzelas have died down, the Grand Parade has been returned to a car park, and Cape Town has returned to normality. Relaxed and laidback, Cape Town is often referred to as Slaapstad (sleepy town in Afrikaans), or The Mother City due the hospitality of the locals, the stunning location, the mixture of cultures that can be experienced here or, just the feeling one gets when looking up at Table Mountain.

The World Cup has done a lot to promote South Africa as a destination. We have a great combination of first world services, rich, local cultures and breathtaking natural beauty.

Cape Town is also an ideal "edu-tourism" destination for anyone wanting to study English or train as an English teacher (TEFL facilitator). With English being the 1st official language of South Africa and widely spoken throughout the country, there's a great opportunity for foreigners to immerse themselves in the language whist enjoying everything that the country has to offer - from hiking to nightclubbing to paragliding to wine tasting and whale watching - at rates that are considerably cheaper than European destinations.

Maybe for these reasons, we have seen an increase in European and Asian students at our centre. Since the World Cup our international registrations have increased dramatically, popular courses are the 60hr General English and TOEFL preparation but all courses have welcomed new faces from all over the world. Also, with summer starting, it's the ideal time to visit; the weather is warm and pleasant; the indigenous flora is blooming and the whales are in False Bay.

These are just a few reasons to seriously consider studying in The Mother City, but why not contact us to find out more?

Andrea Ariefdien's Blog: Life in South Korea

Andrea did The Knowledge Workshop TEFL course at the end of 2008. She is now in her second year of teaching in South Korea and still enjoying it. Take a look at her blog for interesting anecdotes and information on adapting to life in South Korea.

http://travelandrea.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the insight Andrea!

Emerging Opportunities

Aside from the established destinations for TEFL teachers there are many other countries welcoming native English speakers to assist with language acquisition. For some of these countries, a degree is not seen as an essential qualification. Knowledgeable teachers backed up with only a TEFL certificate and 50-100 hours of experience can now gain meaningful employment in a large number of cities worldwide.

Good examples of countries recruiting based on merit rather than qualifications are Turkey, Brazil, China, Vietnam, Angola, DRC and probably many other African countries, but in Africa we are only just starting to scratch the surface of a huge continent of possibility.

Rates of pay, visa requirements and working conditions vary dramatically in these countries, with countries like Brazil offering a wonderful experience but since the rates of pay are marginally higher than the cost of living - you won't get-rich-quick! Turkey's rates of pay are quite reasonable and the cost of living quite low, but as a visitor to the region you are likely to want to spend your spare cash on trips around the country or possibly a Turkish carpet!

As these are emerging destinations it is advisable to do plenty of research. There are number of websites catering to EFL teachers, some of which have forums where you can read about the experiences of others or ask for advice. A good starting point is Dave's ESL Café, but essentially your imagination is the limit when it comes to finding work.

If you require further advice on where TEFL could take you, please contact us.