Sharon K Couzens de Hinojosa, the creator of and writer for TEFL Tips, discusses the merits of TEFL certification.

As far as visa requirements go, while countries may require a degree, I don’t know of any that require you to have a TEFL certificate. Although TEFL certs won’t help with visa requirements, they will make your life much easier as a teacher. Intensive TEFL courses, whether they be CELTA, Trinity, or any other course, will teach you how to teach English. Knowing the language and being able to teach it are two different things. There’s nothing worse than having a student ask you to explain something and for you to not know the answer.

Subscribe to The ELT Times by Email

These courses will teach you things such as grammar, how to teach vocabulary, language level, popular activities, different methods, and more. Not only do they help you learn about what to do in the classroom, the course trainers can give you advice about which countries to teach in, what to look for in a contract, and may even offer job placement. They’re a great way to get your foot in the door. If you decide to make teaching English your career, you should try to get higher qualifications as well, such as a PGDE or MA.

If you want to take a TEFL course, read Choosing a TEFL course to find out what you need to look for to find a good course. If you can’t take a TEFL course due to time, money or other reasons, don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world. There are plenty of other ways to learn about TEFL. See Learning about TEFL and Teaching.

About the author

Sharon K Couzens de Hinojosa is the creator and writer for TEFL Tips, The LA Job List, and The Ultimate Peru List. She enjoys answering people’s questions about TEFLing and Peru.