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  • Advice on avoiding ESL, TEFL and TESOL teaching job scams September 2, 2009
    by Michael G. Hines I regularly receive emails from teachers asking whether certain ESL TEFL TESOL teaching job offers are ‘legitimate’. This interconnected world allows scam artists to thrive. As the global economic environment continues to change, the number of employment scams increases. In addition, the scams become much more creative and ing […]
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    by Catherine Luff It’s all too easy to get settled into the student life and feel like you have all the time in the world, but it’s surprising just how quickly that time can go! Better to get out there and get travelling while you can…. From the moment you become a student you instantly acquire [...]
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  • Effective Learners and a Learner-Centered Classroom July 10, 2009
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  • Teaching Large Classes June 26, 2009
    June on the TEFL Times has been set aside for a series of articles from Sharon K Couzens de Hinojosa, the creator and writer for TEFL Tips. Teaching English is challenging enough, but when you have a large class, things get even more difficult. But there are some things that you can do to make [...]
  • Maintaining Discipline June 22, 2009
    June on the TEFL Times has been set aside for a series of articles from Sharon K Couzens de Hinojosa, the creator and writer for TEFL Tips. Often something’s that both newbies and old hands struggle with is maintaining discipline in the classroom. Rowdy students can distrupt the lessons and making teaching difficult for even [...]
  • Teaching Young Students June 17, 2009
    June on the TEFL Times has been set aside for a series of articles from Sharon K Couzens de Hinojosa, the creator and writer for TEFL Tips. Teaching young children can be challenging just because it’s difficult to get their attention and keep it for an extended period of time. However there are a few [...]
  • Teaching Beginners June 12, 2009
    June on the TEFL Times has been set aside for a series of articles from Sharon K Couzens de Hinojosa, the creator and writer for TEFL Tips. As teachers it can be frustrating to teach beginners, everything seems to go painstakingly slow. But think how difficult it would be for you to learn a completely [...]
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5 Things You Must Check Before Choosing a Tefl Course

By Lisa Walker

Unfortunately there has never been one single regulatory body for the TEFL industry. Right now there are numerous TEFL schools springing up everywhere, all claiming that their course is better than the rest or, that they offer the most accredited TEFL certificate. It can be a daunting task trying to select the right TEFL course in a minefield of choices.

So how can you tell the good from the bad?

The answer is actually quite simple. Don’t overlook the obvious!

Here are the 5 things to look out for when choosing a TEFL course……





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1. How Does The Website Look? -

Is it professional looking, well organised? If a TEFL organization cannot organise a website properly then you can’t really expect them to organize a four week TEFL course!

2. Spelling & Grammar -

I’m always amazed at the numerous spelling and grammar errors on many TEFL websites. Do you really think these TEFL schools are capable of training you to be an English teacher?

3. Criticizing Competitors to Win Customers -

This is common practice for many cowboy schools who struggle to get enough students to fill their empty courses. They usually ask if you’re looking at any other TEFL schools and once you mention a name, they discredit them claiming the certificate isn’t accredited, or something along those lines.

Any reputable organization will focus on the features/benefits of their own course and won’t directly criticize their competitors or get involved in a slanging match.

4. The TEFL Trainers Experience -

A good trainer usually means a good course. Ask for details of the trainers experience and qualifications. Get some telephone numbers or email addresses of previous candidates and contact them for feedback.

5. How Many Students Attend Each TEFL Course -

Any more than 16 is far too many. Many international TEFL courses have 30+ students on each course, which is one reason why they’re so cheap. You cannot possibly receive quality TEFL training in such a large group of students. You Get What You Pay For!

So what about the actual TEFL certificate?

A Word of Warning; Weekend TEFL certificates may be a good introduction to TEFL but they are no longer accepted for teaching Jobs in most countries, especially now in Thailand.

The term ‘Accredited’ is used freely but it holds little essence. Most employers will expect you to have around 100 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of observed teaching practice with real students under your belt. They will prefer to see how you perform in a classroom and so the type of certificate you have isn’t always that important to them.

Make sure you choose a reputable TEFL course which has at least 6 hours of observed teaching practice with real students This will give you the confidence to walk into a roomful of expectant faces and not run out again screaming!

Good Luck!

About the Author:

Lisa Walker has extensive experience teaching English as a foreign language throughout Asia. Based in Thailand, Lisa works as a freelance Education Consultant for a number of TEFL schools around the world. Feel free to contact Lisa with any comments or suggestions at: http://www.worldteflschool.com

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December 9th, 2008 | Tags: , | Category: Advice, Benefits of certificates, Getting started in TEFL, Lisa Walker | 2 comments

2 comments to 5 Things You Must Check Before Choosing a Tefl Course

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