Teach English in Sydney, Australia

Welcome! You want to become a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or a Teacher of English to Foreign Learners (TEFL) but don’t know where to start? Start in Sydney!

Our TESOL Course at the TEFL International centre in Sydney is the one to help you on your way to travelling the world as an English teacher.

The TEFL International course is specifically designed to teach you how to work in countries where English is a Second Language. If you’re looking to do something more challenging and worthwhile in your life than the usual 9 to 5 drudgery, living in a foreign country and teaching English while having an adventure is a great way to do it.

What you’ll learn
•    Various methodologies in teaching people to speak English
•    The different techniques for teaching Adults and Children
•    The different techniques for teaching private lessons
•    Phonology, grammar and pronunciation
•    Lesson planning

What you’ll do in the class besides theory
•    Teach private students
•    Teach a class of students
•    Create your own lesson plans
•    Observe other teachers teach
•    Acquire lots of teaching resources!

Overview of the course in Sydney
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 9.30am to 5pm. Wednesday: 12.30 to 8pm. These times may change to accommodate variations in regular trainee intakes.
Minimum 120 hours are included in the course (not including breaks) as per worldwide minimum requirement for a TESOL certificate. 

First week:
Monday: Introductions, guides, theory, lesson planning and preparation for teaching a private student.
Tuesday: Further preparation for teaching a private student then you get your first student at 1pm!
Wednesday: Continuing theory and grammar plus second lesson with your private student. At 6pm a 2 hour course in language acquisition to help you understand how ESL speakers feel learning English. We'll tell you the language on the first day.
Thursday: Continuing theory, grammar and lesson planning plus third lesson with your private student
Friday: Continuing theory, grammar and lesson planning along with a video presentation of teaching skills

Second to Fourth week.
Monday to Friday – theory, lesson planning and grammar. Classroom teaching starts. Trainees take turns teaching their lessons to a group of students. There is a minimum of 6 hours teaching practice for every trainee during the course. (This may include some tandem teaching to start) The group teaching practice is from 1pm to 3pm Monday to Friday though this may change depending on the number of trainees in the class. (If we have 7-8 in a class then the times will be 2pm to 5pm. Usually we have 6 in a class) The 2nd and 3rd Wednesday evening will continue the language acquisition part of the programme.

Within the Fourth week.
No language acquisition night Wednesday. Instead, come in at 10am on that Wednesday morning for final week exams. All assignments, lesson plans and other materials need to be handed in by the final Thursday for marking.

The final Thursday will look at resume writing, cover letter writing, interview techniques, job searching resources, and job ads will be given out specific to the city or country you plan to work in, depending on available jobs at the time. Note that job ads are seasonal and some areas don’t advertise. (We leave it to the last week as most trainees change their minds by then as to where they wish to go or what they wish to teach. Some trainees come into the class with a plan to teach children and by the end decide they really want to teach adults, so best to discuss job avenues near the end)

If there is time then your trainer will include some IELTS teaching methodologies and materials. This is very important for adults requiring PR in many native English speaking countries and could be a good private tuition pathway for you.

There is no classroom teaching Friday afternoon as it is time for final marking and certificate presentations.
Other notes
This course is especially for people who wish to teach in a country where English is a Second Language. While it can be used to teach in a country where English is the first language, it is not designed for that. A four week intensive certificate course cannot compete against a 4 year TESOL university degree course. Please do not expect a university style course. This is a very active, high energy and involved course with a focus on the communicative method that will help a native English speaker expand their knowledge of their language and enable them to teach English to anyone in the world. It is not a lecture!

Please note that it is important that you check the local laws, rules and visa restrictions of the countries you wish to teach in to make sure you're eligible. For example, to work in Japan, Korea or Thailand for example you will usually need a degree in any subject on top of your TEFL certificate. To work in a native English speaking country like Australia, the USA, UK etc you will usually require an education degree and a TESOL course specific to the government education system requirements, along with a couple of other training certificates and a police check. Every person has individual circumstances that may or may not allow them to work in particular countries and you will need to investigate this for yourself before deciding on whether the course would be for you.

This may not restrict you from all job opportunities involving teaching English though.

In Australia in Arnheim Land, the native aborigines need volunteer English teachers. Just your TEFL International TESOL should be enough.

In England, a number of private summer camps run by Koreans require casual teachers. Just your TEFL International TESOL certificate should be enough.

In India, Cambodia, Laos and many places in Africa, there is a need for native English speakers to volunteer or work casually at orphanages and the like. Just your TEFL International TESOL certificate should be enough.

In some countries, if money is not important to you, you could join a skill exchange service where you supply your English teaching skills in exchange for food and rent – you could live with a family for free and just give 3-4 hours of your time every day to teach English in exchange. This is becoming quite popular in Shanghai, for example.

So, even if you do the course then don’t do anything with the knowledge for a couple of years and change your mind about where you want to go and who you’d like to teach, there are endless opportunities out there for you in the world.

Top 5 Frequently Asked Questions about the course in Sydney. Other questions answered here

1.    Will you help me find a job?
On the final Thursday we’ll print out specific job ads relating to the area in which you wish to teach (if available) and advise you on your prospects. As part of the course we look at interview techniques, resume and cover letter writing and other situations relating to applying for a job. We also recommend a book called “Teaching English Abroad: Your Expert Guide to Teaching English Around the World” which goes into a lot of detail about the expected qualifications, opportunities and conditions available in different places around the world. Please note that in a lot of countries schools do not need to advertise at all. They only need to wait for people to knock on their door.

2.    Is the TEFL International TESOL certificate recognised around the world?
Yes. We have centres in over 30 places around the world and have exclusive agreements with major English colleges like Disney English in China. Also, with more than 50 agencies promoting our courses and thousands of graduates talking about us, most interviewers in most English colleges worldwide know about us. If you encounter a college that has not heard of TEFL International, (probably volunteer organisations or rural schools) the back of the certificate gives plenty of details about what you have learnt in the course.  TEFL International is the largest provider of TESOL courses on Earth and we continue to expand.

3.    Can I get a job in Sydney with my TEFL certificate?
That depends on the type of job you wish to do. If you wish to work for a private college and teach casually then, it’s possible, depending on available jobs. If you plan to work for a government department then you need a lot more than just a certificate. An Australian education degree with a major in TESOL, a Training and Assessment certificate, 3 years work experience in a similar role, and a number of references. And remember that Sydney is predominantly an English speaking city so competition is fierce. For every English teaching job available there are 300 resumes sent. That’s why our course focuses on helping people to teach in countries where English is a Second Language. We train you to leave Australia!

4.    Can I do this part time during the evening?
Unfortunately no. Due to the need to run it at the same time as the general English Conversation Course and to be able to get private students to join, it needs to be during the daytime. Also, it is necessary to attend for a minimum of 120 hours. 120 hours during the evening would be Monday to Thursday 5.45pm to 9pm for 10 weeks. Very unlikely everyone could attend every evening class and if a class is missed then you cannot receive your certificate unless that time is made up at additional expense. Also, as part of the cost of running a course is rent for the facilities, the price would be double.

We do have a part time course in Sham Shui Po Hong Kong. It runs on Sundays and is for 3-4 months. It is the only part-time TEFL International course in the world.

5.    Can I do this course online?
Unfortunately no – and we don’t recommend it. An online course is good if you already have the experience and just need further knowledge. If you’ve never taught before then the only way you’re going to get a job is if you have had experience teaching. If you start searching for TESOL jobs online you’ll quickly find most job ads say ‘no online courses accepted’

Other things about our course.
Katrina is a friendly, patient teacher that has taught the TESOL course for over 3 years. Using TEFL International’s Smooth Moves materials as a basis, Katrina builds on this with materials from many other sources. You’ll leave the course feeling you can be dropped anywhere in the world and with no resources at all, be able to teach English to someone.

Our classroom is cozy and friendly. It's a short walk from both Town Hall and Wynyard train stations in the heart of the city, not far from Sydney Tower, The Opera House, Hyde Park, Darling Harbour, the Harbour Bridge and other great places in the city.

We have a number of facilities available in the classroom. While hand-written work is encouraged (you may wish to go to a country to teach that doesn’t have anything but sticks and sand as a classroom!) we do have some computers available for research purposes, the main classroom has a screen for our 1st Friday video tutorial and we have a photocopier, a tea/coffee area, a microwave and fridge, a lunch room area and other facilities. We also have a pub night on the final Thursday evening for everyone to get together and talk about their experiences. James has an open door policy so even if he is answering his 100th email for the day he’ll be happy to talk with you when he's there.

Our school also caters to other languages so you’ll see private tutors about teaching students. It means the area is dynamic and active with lots of friendly people going back and forth.

James, the Principal and Director of Studies, set the TEFL International Sydney centre up to have a social atmosphere. It is a learning centre first and business second. It is also a non-profit business so reduced uses of resources are encouraged. Your course fee pays for the rent of the classroom, the trainer, the language acquisition tutor, the materials, advertising costs, agency costs, payment processes, enrolment fees and your certificate. No profits are made on the course. James volunteers his time at the school so he may not be there at all times but all trainees can email him directly anytime he's not there if they have any enquiries.

Location
Training room 102, level 1, 32 York Street Sydney

So, are you interested in doing the course? Great! We have a number of dates available in 2012:

• 06 February - 02 March 2012
• 05 March - 30 March 2012
• 30 April - 25 May 2012
• 28 May - 22 June 2012*
• 25 June - 20 July 2012
• 10 September - 05 October 2012*
• 08 October - 02 November 2012
• 05 November - 30 November 2012

* The start times of these courses have been adjusted to account for a public holiday.

Course Fees :

• 4 week course fee - AU $2200
• Deposit (non-refundable) - US $500 / AU $500 - Prepayment required to start the enrolment process
  
• Final Payment - AU $1700 Paid directly at the centre by the morning of the first day of the course.

Enrol via our website and pay your US / AU $500 deposit to secure your place in the next TESOL Course in Sydney, Australia.

Feedback from some of our graduates.
TEFL International feedback average for our centre is 4 out of 5 stars

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