By TEFLTrainingWorld.com
TEFL – what does it mean? TEFL simply means Teaching English as a Foreign Language. This acronym describes everything to do with teaching English as a foreign language – the industry, the courses and qualifications and the profession.
Different types of people approach TEFL at different points in their lives. Some are on gap years, others on career breaks, others as a permanent career and yet others who see it as means to earn money and travel the world.
A lot of the people who start out doing TEFL on gap years or career breaks end up doing it permanently.
The next question must be ‘How do I become a TEFL teacher?’
How do I become a TEFL teacher?
The days of just turning up in a foreign country and landing a TEFL job on the strength of being able to speak English are slowly becoming a thing of the past. As the market has matured, the need for qualifications has become essential.
Before you consider taking a TEFL course you might want to think about where you are going to teach. Different countries have different rules regarding minimum qualifications of teachers. Some countries accept just a TEFL qualification while other countries will only accept a TEFL qualification with a degree. Qualifications may differ depending on the type of school you are going to work in, an International school may require a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education).
Choosing a TEFL course
There are hundreds of different courses to choose from, ranging from 4 week full-time courses to short weekend courses to online courses. The choice is overwhelming!
Do some research before choosing your TEFL course. If you know where you are going to teach, check what qualifications are needed and accepted in the country (or countries) you are going to.
Let’s have a look at some of the different types of courses on offer.
4 week full-time courses
The most well-known courses available fall into this category: the CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) and the Trinity CertTESOL (Trinity Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). These courses are generally offered full-time over a four week period (there are also options to take these courses part-time, for example at weekends, over a longer time period).
If you take one of the above mentioned courses, you fill find that they are recognised worldwide and nearly all language schools would employ you on the strength of one of these qualifications.
There are other four week courses available with a similar structure and syllabus. As long as these courses are 120 hours long and contain six hours of teaching practice, then they will probably secure you work in most language schools.
A typical day on a training courses of this nature would look something like this:
Morning session 1 – input (language analysis), break,
Morning session 2 – input (phonology), lunch, afternoon session 1 – teaching practice, break, afternoon session 2 – feedback.
The rest of the day would be spent lesson planning or completing written assignments.
Four week courses are intensive (hard work) but, if you are willing to put in the effort, worth it.
Short courses
If for any reason you can’t take a four week course, then a shorter course might be the option for you.
People choose the shorter courses for a number of reasons but primarily because of the shorter duration (usually a weekend, 2 or 3 days long or a week) and the cheaper cost. Although in the short term the savings on time and money might seem like a good idea, if you are going to teach for any length of time you will eventually have to take one of the longer courses.
Shorter courses are a great introduction to TEFL and some even give you some form of teaching practice. Generally, you can’t fail these courses but will receive a certificate of completion which can be used in making job applications.
If you are planning to use TEFL as a means to keep travelling, then a shorter course might be the one for you.
Online courses
A third option would be an online TEFL course. These courses can give you an introduction to TEFL. Online TEFL courses are generally the cheapest way of getting a TEFL qualification and usually you can complete them without giving up your current job.
The downside is that online courses don’t offer any real classroom experience (no teaching practice and no observation of other teachers). Online courses might not be recognised in the country or countries you are going to teach in.
Online courses can offer modules on areas like teaching English to young learners and teaching business English. If you plan to specialize in any of these areas, then an online course might be a good starting point.
Starting points
Search for information on TEFL courses:
www.cambridge-efl.org
www.trinitycollege.co.uk
www.cactusefl.com
About the Author
TEFLTrainingWorld.com is dedicated to getting those interested in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) the information they need to know.
