It can be challenging to know where to begin if you’ve never taught abroad before. A TEFL certificate is an excellent and essential starting point. If you want to teach English in another country, you’ll need to take a TEFL course first.
Want to live and work in a foreign country like Italy, China, or Argentina and have the adventure of a lifetime while getting paid to teach English?
Any native English speaker can teach English abroad; you don’t need a degree in education or experience in the classroom to get started. However, if you don’t have a degree in TEFL (also known as TESOL), getting a good TEFL certification is essential.
The ability to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL) is in high demand around the world, and a high-quality TEFL certification will provide you with the knowledge and abilities necessary to succeed in this field. Taking a TEFL course will open doors to higher-paying teaching positions overseas and equip you to provide your pupils the excellent education they deserve.
However, if you spend even 5 minutes Googling “TEFL certification” or “teaching English abroad,” you’ll be overwhelmed by the sheer number of options for TEFL training. What do you need to look for in a TEFL certification program, and how can you tell if it will provide you the skills and experience you need to land the best possible teaching gig?
Let’s go over the most important things you should think about when selecting a TEFL course.
Please note : that some of the acronyms used here may be unfamiliar. Look at our dictionary of ESOL and TEFL phrases.
Which is better, a TEFL course taken online or in person?
You can get trained in the fundamentals of EFL teaching by enrolling in one of the many available TEFL programs, both online and in person. On-site classes are often more hands-on and intensive than online ones, but online courses offer greater flexibility and convenience. Furthermore, most approved on-site TEFL courses are four weeks (full-time, intensive), while most online TEFL courses are part-time over 2-4 months; this can be a problem if you’re in a hurry to finish your certification.
Virtual courses, however, are adapting to the new realities of the modern world. Practicum components, or sections of courses where you teach real ESL students in front of a mentor teacher and receive feedback, weren’t usually included in online courses in the past.
However, this is starting to alter. According to Marcella of CIEE TEFL, “Our course, and some other online providers do, in fact, offer a hands-on assessed teaching practicum.” It’s 20 hours for us. While this was formerly a significant downside, many online educators are making strides to ensure their students gain valuable experience through practicum opportunities.
In short, a practicum is crucial for first-time educators because it allows them to put their knowledge and ideas into practice. It’s crucial for developing an initial sense of self-assurance and ease in a real-world classroom setting. For seasoned educators looking to round out their education, this isn’t necessarily a need.
Ultimately, though, whether you pursue certification online or in-person depends on your own unique set of circumstances. Taking classes in person, particularly in the country where you hope to find work as a teacher, can help you make connections, network for opportunities, and keep yourself focused. Some people simply cannot learn on their own and do better with one-on-one or small-group lessons. Totally understand it!
If you need more information before making a decision, we offer a more in-depth post comparing online versus on-campus courses.
THE BEST FREE TEFL COURSES ON THE INTERNET
The completion of these courses can be done at your own pace and in your own time, as the name suggests, because they are taken entirely online. It’s important to keep in mind that some online TEFL courses focus solely on covering theory and don’t always give any hands-on classroom experience, despite the fact that this is a need for many businesses who insist on having their teachers hold an official certification. Those who want to get their TEFL certification without taking time away from job or school can do so through online courses.
There is a wide range of options in terms of course duration and content, from 20 hours to more than 120. While a shorter course might be OK for you, most teachers, especially those just starting out, will want to find one that lasts at least 100 hours and ideally 120 hours. Certification in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) meeting these standards and including a practicum is required by the vast majority of schools that hire TEFL teachers.
The members of the Vagvadini Internationals forum have compiled a list of the top online TEFL certification courses available today.
- If variety is what you’re after, look no farther than International TEFL Academy. With a TEFL certificate from International TEFL Academy, you may join the ranks of the more than 5,000 graduates who teach in more than 80 countries each year. The total time commitment for the course is 170 hours (150 hours of lecture and 20 hours of lab).
- Toronto’s University’s Distance TEFL Program The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) TEFL Certification stands out since it was developed by experts at one of the world’s best universities, the University of Toronto.
- UNI-Prep’s Online TEFL Course (120 Hours): If you’re set on getting your TEFL certification online, one of the more cost-effective options is UNI-Prep’s online TEFL, which has received positive reviews across the board.
SUGGESTED IN-PERSON TESOL CLASSES
These lessons are conducted in a classroom with a certified ESL teacher. A course could be as short as a 20-hour weekend session or as long as several months of full-time study. The main benefit of these classes is the practicum (though not all on-site classes have this, so be on the lookout), but some students simply perform better in a classroom setting.
Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) are in high demand, and most companies prefer to hire those who have finished a course lasting at least four weeks (or its part-time equivalent) and consisting of at least 100 hours of study and six hours of supervised teaching practice.
There is a better chance of finding a job and establishing a support system before you even arrive in the nation if you are certified there. If finding a job after completing your TEFL course is important to you, you should look for one that includes job placement assistance as a reward.
Members of the Go Overseas community have recommended the following in-person TEFL certification programs:
- Organizations like i-to-i and LoveTEFL Nearly 200,000 people around the world have graduated from i-to-i and LoveTEFL programs, and the TEFL certification they offer in Vietnam is highly regarded. You can get a crash training in teaching English through their TEFL internship program.
- Become a certified TEFL teacher in Prague with The Language House! Because of its low cost of living and proximity to the rest of Europe (not to mention the city itself), Prague has become a popular destination for TEFL certification. The Language House offers a TEFL certification course of 130 hours that will prepare you to teach English in the Czech Republic or anywhere else in the world.
Is the TEFL certificate legitimate and accepted internationally?
One of the most often asked questions we get from the Go Overseas community is whether or not a given TEFL certification will be accepted by the school or program the instructor ultimately decides to work with.
When hiring an English teacher, the vast majority of schools and language institutes throughout the world will check to make sure you not only have a TEFL certification, but that it has been approved by a recognized, independent body within the profession. This is to ensure that your TEFL course has met minimum requirements for content, duration, and quality of instruction.
In the absence of accreditation from a credible third party, a website’s claim that their self-taught, online class with no practicum is 120 hours is largely useless.
In a nutshell, three elements will determine if your TEFL certificate will be accepted:
- Is the TEFL credential a brand name or associated with a well-known institution of higher education? Is the organization that issued your TEFL
- certificate recognized by a recognized accreditation body (such as CELTA or Trinity)?
- Does your TEFL certificate show you’ve had enough training to teach English as a foreign language? Coursework and instruction time of 100
- hours plus at least six hours of live practice teaching (practicum) is generally accepted as the international standard.
Examine the following TEFL accrediting authorities to verify the legitimacy of your organization and its affiliation with a recognized educational institution.
The World’s Leading TEFL Accreditation Organizations
To determine whether or not your TEFL certification will be recognized by one of these organizations, you can visit their respective websites to see if the TEFL provider you’re considering is included on their list(s).
In what capacity will you be certified to teach English abroad?
What is the distinction between TEFL, TESOL, and CELTA? is another frequent inquiry we get. Go Abroad even has individual pages dedicated to each of these abbreviations!
“TEFL” refers to English language teaching in general, “CELTA” refers to a specific brand of TEFL certification, and “TESOL” is a small variation on “TEFL” that encompasses a broader range of teaching options. It is also important to note that in the United States, “TESOL” is the term commonly used to refer to education in the domestic teaching of English to non-native speakers. TESOL is more commonly associated with teaching English in the United States in public schools, while TEFL is more commonly associated with teaching English in other countries.
You can find more information on the distinction between CELTA and TEFL in another article, but in short, they all amount to the same thing.
Does the TEFL course provide enough training?
The length of your TEFL certification is significant, as we discussed before. While a quick TEFL certificate can sound nice (and be cheaper), it could end up costing you the chance at a great teaching job.
A professional TEFL certificate for teaching English abroad must include at least 100 hours of classroom time and academic coursework, as accredited by a recognized independent body, in order to meet international standards recognized by leading accrediting bodies and thousands of language schools around the world. However, the typical amount of time spent in training is 120 hours.
A minimum of six hours of actual classroom instruction time is included in that 120-hour program. Many TEFL jobs need you to have a particular amount of teaching experience, so it’s important to find a course that provides at least that much.
A TEFL certification that is anything less than a professional level will not be recognized internationally. This includes weekend courses, two week courses, etc.
The duration of a TEFL course is a typical topic of inquiry. A TEFL certification course that meets all standards might take anything from four weeks to six months to complete. Shorter courses, typically lasting only 4 weeks, are typically quite intensive (30-40 hours per week). However, students who need to work or take care of other responsibilities during the period of their certification study will find that a longer course lasting 3 to 6 months is a more feasible option.
You may be able to determine how quickly or slowly you want to progress through the TEFL certification material if you want to take the course online. Advanced online courses, on the other hand, adhere to a stricter schedule and add elements such as peer feedback and live video conferencing into the learning process.
Is there a chance to put what you learn into practice in a real classroom?
This is crucial! You need a course that includes real practice teaching (practicum) if you want to be competitive for top jobs and ready for the challenges of managing an actual classroom. Period.
Working with real ESL students is essential for gaining the experience and confidence you’ll need to do well as a professional English teacher when you first step into a classroom in Tokyo, Madrid, or Buenos Aires.
Any professional level TEFL certification course must include at least 6-20 hours of live practice teaching with actual non-native speakers, as required by most schools and language institutes across the world seeking to hire English teachers, as well as recognized certifying agencies.
Although role-playing with classmates in a TEFL course might be helpful, real teaching experience with real ESL students is required for any TEFL certification to be accepted by employers.
It would be wrong to believe that online courses don’t involve any form of practical application in the classroom; in fact, they do. Not all in-person courses will have opportunity for real-world instruction practice.
As a practicum is a crucial part of any advanced TEFL course, you should make sure that the programs you’re considering provide one. You may make sure you have enough classroom time by enrolling in a hybrid online TEFL course.
It is important to keep in mind that traditionally, authorized TEFL courses have required practicum in a real classroom setting. The introduction of COVID-19, however, has led to a general acceptance of online virtual practice teaching.
What kind of training do the teachers have?
You owe it to yourself to get professional-level instruction from highly-skilled teachers if you want to be taught, qualified, and compensated as a professional English teacher.
A university-level instructor with a master’s degree in TESOL or a similar discipline and substantial experience teaching English as a foreign language and training instructors is the norm when it comes to TEFL certification courses.
One should use caution while enrolling in TEFL courses, especially those that can be taken independently online and boast the services of a “tutor.” Although some of these tutors may be skilled, they typically serve only as a support system for their students and do not take the lead in teaching or providing individual comments on assignments (particularly in the United Kingdom). They also frequently lack the credentials and teaching expertise of a typical university professor.
How much do you think the TEFL course should cost?
You’ll immediately realize that there’s a broad variety in cost for TEFL courses; the good news is that it’s a buyer’s market, and most are relatively inexpensive. Keep in mind your professional aspirations so that you don’t waste time and money on training that isn’t relevant to your work.
The average cost of a good TEFL course is between $1000 and $2500 US. You are, in a way, paying for the “brand name” with CELTA, which may or may not be important to you. Maybe it isn’t. Compare prices.
You can save money on your TEFL certification by taking a course in person (ideally in the nation where you plan to teach). By doing your on-site TEFL in a country other than the United States, you can save anywhere from $500 to $1,000 (but you may pay more for additional expenditures like travel).
Online classes can save you money, but as we’ve discussed, you need to make sure your TEFL program gives you actual classroom experience. The cost of a 120- to 150-hour online TEFL course can range from $500 to $2,000, with the best courses starting at around $1,200.
To give you an idea, the cost of a CELTA course in the US is typically around $2,000.
Is there any kind of help finding a job?
If you’re going to invest your time, money, and dreams in a TEFL certification course to teach English abroad, getting quality job placement assistance is a crucial element of any TEFL training program, even if it isn’t featured in the actual curriculum and coursework of a TEFL class.
It’s one thing to take a fantastic program and learn the basics of running a classroom, but it’s another thing entirely to learn how to navigate job markets, interviews, and recruiters to ensure you secure a wonderful job teaching English abroad.
Your chances of landing a wonderful teaching job overseas will increase dramatically if you take training from a reputable organization that can provide you with top-notch advice and individual support throughout the interview process.
Many reputable institutions also provide their students with helpful resources including connections to schools and recruiters, introductions to executive-level recruiters, and data on visas, interview seasons, and employment criteria.
Does the TEFL training exhibit any of these warning signs?
The teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) industry, like any other, has its share of shady characters who promise the moon but fail to deliver. Spending $1,000 on a course that doesn’t provide the necessary skills or credentials to apply for a fantastic job is a waste of money. Therefore, consider the following advice for telling quality from poor:
- Non-accredited: Any program worth its salt will have this seal of approval. Not certified? Don’t linger here.
- Lacking a “about me” section: I was wondering if it was simple to get individual contact information on the internet. If that’s not the case, you might want to investigate why they’re being so secretive.
- No alumni association: You should make an effort to connect with people who have graduated from the program you’re considering. Find out from them what they thought of the program and how well it prepared them to teach English in a foreign country. Did they eventually get employment as a result of this program?
Guidelines for deciding on the best TEFL training program
Keep these last pieces of advice in mind before you rush out and send queries to every TEFL program online or elsewhere.
- Before enrolling in a TEFL program, it’s important to do your homework and consult with representatives. Make sure the TEFL course you enroll in is the real deal before you commit your time, money, and hopes of teaching English overseas to it. Please investigate their website extensively and give them a call! Inquire about endorsement, internship, and employment opportunities. Is there a fee for finding a job? Don’t bother becoming certified through such an organization if they can’t answer fundamental issues like what you need to know to teach English in South Korea or how the visa process works for Spain.
- Avoid extremely cheap courses at any costs. While any training is better than none, if you think that a $89 Groupon for a self-paced online TEFL course will get you the professional accreditation and help with job placement that you need to succeed in Thailand’s competitive job market, you’re in for a rude awakening. If the price or offer appears too good to be true, it probably is. When it comes to things like training quality, course accreditation, and services like job placement aid, you get what you pay for.
- Enjoy the thrill of anticipation: It will take some time and effort to choose the proper TEFL course for you, but you shouldn’t let that stop you. It’s all a step on the road to experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime experience abroad. Don’t lose sight of the big picture (your pupils and their needs, in particular) and have fun with it.
Are you prepared to enroll in a TEFL program?
Spending the time and money on a high-caliber TEFL course is inevitable. A certification that will make you eligible for tens of thousands of jobs worldwide and allow you to live and work overseas at virtually any point in the future may be the best investment you ever make if you plan to move to a foreign country to live and work.
Now that you know what to look for in a TEFL program, you can use the information you’ve gathered here to select the best possible program to meet your needs.
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