Which program? Which school? Feeling confused?
So you're trying to prepare yourself to teach overseas and you're interested in taking a TEFL, TESL, TESOL or CELTA certificate course. Good work! Though it's not a requirement, one of these courses will definitely help you out.
TESL, TEFL, TESOL, CELTA or any other certification is usually not required for employment, but we highly recommend checking into some form of ESL teaching certification if you want to be good at what you do. Each course is very similar when you consider that they are all about how to teach English. TESL, TEFL and TESOL differ mostly by semantics; the acronym depends on whether you are teaching English as a second language to someone while they are immersed in their own language and culture, or if they are learning English while immersed in a foreign language or culture. CELTA sets itself apart from most ESL certification courses in terms of price and professionalism. While there are some absolutely fantastic TESL, TEFL or TESOL programs out there, CELTA is a standardized course in which each course provider location is constantly checked to ensure complete standardization and that objectives are constantly met.
On a personal note, I didn't have certification prior to going. I thought, "Why bother? I don't need it. Why waste the money?" I paid for it in other ways. My classes were terrible, the kids walked all over me, and I hated my job. Two months after arriving in Korea I signed up for a course and it made the next five years of my life infinitely easier!
Benefits of TEFL or TESL Certification:
- offers you a higher starting salary
- prepares you for the experience of teaching
- prepares you to identify and use teachables
- teaches you how to prepare for units and yearly plans
- teaches you how to plan lessons and have clear teaching objectives
- teaches you class management
- teachers you class discipline techniques
- teaches you English. Most native English speakers are not familiar enough with proper grammar - re-educate yourself. I would guess that more than 80% of all first-time ESL teachers without certification have no idea what a compound adjective or a past infinitive is. Can you give me a definition without really having to think about it or without looking it up on the Net?
Getting certified not only educates you in grammar and planning, but it also shows your dedication to the industry and provides a great networking opportunity.
How do you find a good school?
Since there is no regulatory board determining which TESL, TEFL or TESOL programs are good and which are not acceptable, we recommend you check out each program thoroughly.
Most large schools will have either RSA, CELTA or Trinity College Certification. These are the most recognized authorities with the best reputation. However due to the expense, many smaller schools cannot afford the name.
What to look for in TESL/TEFL training schools:
- course should be 100hrs
- should include 20hr practicum
- there needs to be a pass/fail evaluation
- you should evaluate the teachers - how long have they taught and what are their credentials?
Courses will range in price from $170 USD to $3000 USD. Most courses meeting the above requirements hover around $1000 USD and will take you a month to complete.
ONLINE, WEEKEND and SHORT TEFL COURSES: For some people, investing a month of time and close to $1000 is simply not feasible, and luckily, there are less involved options out there. Some are completely online and some have a combination of in-class (weekend) and online components.
If you are looking into one of these courses, make sure that you know what you're getting into. Do your research and find out about the course before you hand over your money. The most important thing to keep in mind is: if you're interested in a specific job that requires TEFL/TESL/TESOL certification, make sure you know the exact requirements for that opportunity. There are a number of jobs posted on our website that require that your certification be a minimum of 100 hours and it must be in-class.
If you are considering taking a course and would like us to check it out to make sure it will be recognized, or if you are currently offering a course and would like to be linked here, please contact us.
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