FAQ
This FAQ is about the course in
general. If you'd like to know about the course in Sydney - click
here
- There are so many certificate
courses advertised out there. How do I know which to apply for, and why
should I choose yours?
- What is the difference between
TESOL and TEFL? What is CELTA?
- What is the difference between
the TEFL International TESOL Certificate, the Trinity TESOL certificate
and the
Cambridge/RSA Certificate (CELTA)?
- What about Distance Learning or
Short courses?
- I've heard that these courses
are really tough.
- Can I get undergraduate or
graduate credit for taking the TEFL International TESOL Certificate
course?
- Can I get a job without a
degree?
- Do you provide Job Placement
Assistance?
- When is the best time to do a
course?
- What are the entrance
requirements?
- What about grammar? Mine is
terrible!
- What kinds of people take the
course?
- Is there an age limit? Am I too
young or too old?
- Do I need knowledge of other
languages?
- Last chance! Why should I take
the TEFL International TESOL course? Give me some good reasons!
- I'm still not convinced. Can I
visit your school and ask some more questions?
- Okay. I'm convinced. I want to
sign up online. How do I do that?
There
are many good schools
out there. Many are professionally managed and have qualified,
competent
teachers. Unfortunately, there is no law to prevent anyone from setting
up as a teacher-training center and there is nothing to prevent you
from
being "ripped off" by a company offering so-called recognized
certificates.
Important criteria that you need to look for in a TESOL Certificate
course
includes:
TEFL International’s TESOL
course
meets or exceeds international standards of 120 hours of instruction
and
6+ hours of Observed Teaching Practice. You don't just sit in a class
and watch teachers teach, then step up for a few minutes and do an
exercise. You really teach in front of real students for 6+
hours
within the course - that's what employers want to know you've done!
Every TEFL International
TESOL course is externally validated and moderated by an independent
examiner.
TEFL International also voluntarily complies with
the
standards of the British Association of TESOL Qualifying Institutions
(BATQI). Check any course you're thinking of joining to see if there is
an external moderating body. If it is just the college offering the
course and no one else outside the college is checking to make sure
everyone is learning, how do you know you're being taught
correctly?
TEFL International is the
largest TESOL course provider in the world, with locations in every
continent
(except Antarctica!). TEFL International is also the world’s second
largest
TESOL Certificate provider
and the largest that gives instruction of
teaching
both Adults and Children.
For all intents and purposes
the
terms TESOL and TEFL mean the
same with TESOL being more common in America and with large state
sector colleges in Britain (e.g. the Institute of Education in London)
while TEFL is more common in U.K. Language Schools and in the U.K.
press.
The CELTA (Certificate for
English
Language
Teaching to Adults) is a TESOL certificate course for teaching adults.
It was actually the
first course of this type of teacher-training course and was originally
an in-house training course for teachers at International House (a
large chain of language schools based in London). Because it was first,
its name is very widely recognized. The main focus of the CELTA is to
teach you how to teach English to adults following a school's
curriculum.
TEFL International began as a
Trinity course, and
was one of the largest and most popular Trinity courses before December
of 1999. As a result, the course content of the Trinity and TEFL
International courses are quite similar. Most importantly, all three
are monitored by external examiners. These external moderators set
these three
certificate courses apart from all others.
However, there are a few
areas in
which we feel
the TEFL International certificate and the Trinity College London
certificate course hold an advantage. The UCLES/RSA Certificate is
specifically designed for teaching groups of adults (hence the "A" at
the end of "CELTA"). On the other hand, the TEFL International and the
Trinity College Certificate provide for the teaching of younger
learners as well as adults, and one-to-one students as well as
groups/classes of students.
TESOL
certificate IV in Australia contains much the same information as other
TESOL and TEFL courses but is a bit more relaxed in delivery and
marking. As a result, organisations will offer the course as a weekend
and online option with the practical teaching component occurring
sometime in the year that you do the course! Some organisations also
promote that you won't actually need to teach much in that practical
component, rather you would just watch for awhile then spend a few
minutes presenting something!
While
that seems like a better deal, when you try and take that certificate
overseas you'll have a few problems convincing potential employers that
a) Certificate IV is a legitimate TESOL course and b) that it really
did give you what they expect you to have to be able to teach. If you
do decide to do a Certificate IV, do your best to get experience and a
reference from a college in Australia first before going overseas. NB:
If you plan to work in Australia, a lot of colleges require that you
already have a degree, a certificate in training and assessment, a
diploma in TESOL and at least 2 years experience. You're more likely to
get a full time job as an English teacher in Sydney if you have done a
4 year education degree at a university in Sydney, whereas in most
countries where English is a second language, all you need is a 120
hour TEFL International certificate!
These
are the main ones that people talk about but just about anyone can
create a TEFL course and teach you how to be an English teacher. Make
sure you know what you want and compare courses before you decide. Get
the one that gives you everything you need to get you started on the
path you wish to follow.
TEFL
International's TESOL certificate is designed to make you a
self-sufficient teacher. It's ideal for going to another country and
getting a job as an English teacher where no one speaks English! It
will give you the ability to pick up a
textbook, create a lesson plan and teach a class. You could also use
what you learn to start your own private tuition service if you wish.
You'll learn all the skills you'll
need to get you started as an English teacher. As a result, employers
prize people with a TEFL International certificate because they know
you've got the skills and experience and
they just need to employ you and put you in a classroom!
There are a lot of them and
they are
really cheap!
Here is what a representative
from
the Longman Pearson schools group in China had to say about this issue:
There
have been some new requirements [released] in regards to the issuing of
an Expert Teaching certificate by the local Foreign Affairs office.
They will only recognize TEFL with 120+ course hours, the short
programs will no longer be recognized unless the candidate has 2 years
of related teaching experience. Online TEFL [courses] are not
recognized unless
the teacher has two years teaching in addition to the
certificate.
Remember that most employers
are
looking for
certificates that meet the general criteria listed in point number 1.
And, let’s face it, any course that does not allow you multiple
opportunities to actually teach real students will have limited
benefit. It’s like learning to swim by reading a book.
These courses all contain a
great
deal of content
in only four weeks; yet the educational philosophy of those providing
the course can make a huge difference. TEFL International believes in
a mentoring, nurturing environment. We do everything within our power
to ensure that everyone passes our course; otherwise why accept them
into the course in the first place?
Similarly, our courses
encourage all
native
English speakers (or those with near-native abilities) to attend. Our
trainers would never discriminate because of different pronunciation
or slightly different
grammar. All are equally welcome.
While we have based our
curriculum on
the
generally-accepted British model, we have adapted this model to be more
international. We have brought in many Peace Corps and US training
techniques to balance and compliment the original model. So we give you
the best of both worlds - a TESOL certificate that exceeds the British
standards yet that is recognized for quality in the US.
If you are a current
university
student we would
be happy to contact your university and discuss the possibility of
gaining a credit. If you want
university credit for your participation, it is best to contact us in
advance before registering for the course as every university has
different criteria. If your university is open to considering credit we
would be happy to work with them to arrange credit where possible.
Working as an ESL teacher
without a
degree is
possible. The requirements are a high school pass and a TEFL/TESOL
certificate. Some countries that don't require a degree include China,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil,
Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, Croatia and
Africa. Please note that more countries are making a degree a
requirement to teach every year. You should choose your destination
carefully and be prepared for some hardships if you don't have one.
Rural areas are best for non-degree holders as there would be less
competition for the same teaching positions but some countries like
Korea strictly forbid any work by someone not holding a degree, even
for the lowest jobs. Please do your due diligence before deciding on
the country you wish to work.
The chances of finding a job
after
the course are
excellent. Many of our trainees have received a number of interviews
and job offers before they graduate! TEFL International will work
with you to find a job in the location of your choice. And, in
a few years, when you decide to move from Thailand to Spain (for
example), our Spain center will be there to help you find a new job.
TEFL International will
assist at
all stages of
the job search from putting a CV/resume together to interview
techniques to searching for jobs. TEFL International has many
contacts worldwide who approach us with suitable job vacancies! For an
example on the sorts of ESL jobs on offer worldwide, visit the Jobs
Director
There is really no best or
worst
time. Jobs are available year round with academic terms varying from
continent to continent.
You should be prepared to
work very
hard, have no
other distractions, and be mentally/emotionally fit, including having
no current domestic worries. You should also be presentable in
appearance. Finally, if you are to be a teacher of English, a high
standard of both spoken and written English is demanded. If you speak
English as a Second Language it is expected that you have at least a
band 7 in every area of Academic IELTS. You do not have to have a
degree to do the course but it would be useful in that many governments
have included possession of a degree to facilitate the issuing of a
worker's visa.
As a native speaker, you
know grammar
quite well. You probably just don’t know the terminology! We assume you
know
nothing about grammar terminology when you arrive, but you will leave
with the basics you need to teach.
We find that courses tend
to be taken
up by many different types of people:
Whilst there is no official
upper age
limit, you
must be at least 19 years of age for your application to be considered.
If you are a person of "more mature years" or a senior citizen, do not
let this in itself put you off from applying. Providing you are
receptive to training you should have no problems. If, however, you are
rigid in your ways of thinking and are unwilling to shake off past ways
of thinking and behavior (regardless of age), then you may have a
problem. We have successfully trained (and found employment for)
graduates of all ages. Please note that some countries have age
restrictions. In China, for example, it is difficult to get a job in
city areas if you are over the age of 55. It's best to check the
location you plan to teach before making the move.
No, you do not. TEFL
International
uses the
international standard communicative approach to teaching, where
English is the only language used in the classroom. If you want to know
the basics of a language before you go, enquire with Adult Language
School about their private language tutors.
Of course! Contact us and
we'll
contact the director of the school in the location of your choice and
arrange a tour for you. Contact us via our contact
form here.
You
can register and pay for your course online here today!
