The ABC s of TEFL Certification & Teaching English Abroad www.internationalteflacademy.com
The ABC s of TEFL & Teaching English Abroad Table of Contents OVERVIEW...3 CHAPTER 1 What is TEFL & TEFL Certification?...5 CHAPTER 2 Is a TEFL Certificate Required to Teach Abroad?... 10 CHAPTER 3 How Quickly Can I Get TEFL Certified & Begin Teaching Abroad... 18 CHAPTER 4 What All Can I Do With My TEFL Certificate?... 24 CHAPTER 5 What s the Difference between TEFL, TESOL & CELTA?... 29 CHAPTER 6 What Are My Next Steps?... 36
OVERVIEW
Congratulations! You ve taken the first step in making your dreams of teaching English abroad a reality. There s a lot of planning that goes into a successful move to teach English overseas and TEFL Certification is a key component. Virtually any English speaker can enjoy a fantastic international experience teaching English abroad even without prior teaching experience, a degree in education, and even without a college degree. You ll even get paid for it. The ABC s of Teaching English Abroad will give you an overview of the absolute basics of teaching abroad and TEFL Certification. This is STEP 1. By the end of this book, you ll have a better understanding of the industry what all it s about, why it exists, what the requirements are, and most importantly, how to get started. TEFL certification is the key first step; it s your golden ticket overseas. Your TEFL certification is your internationally recognized qualification that you need to work as a professional English teacher abroad. 4
CHAPTER 1 What is TEFL? What s Covered? The TEFL Basics TEFL Certificate Requirements
The TEFL Basics TEFL is the most popular and common acronym used to refer to teaching English abroad. A TEFL certification refers to the training courses and certificate that are commonly required by language schools and institutes around the globe seeking to hire English teachers. Also known as Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), English Language Teaching (ELT), and teaching ESL (English as a Second Language), the field of TEFL/TESOL represents one of the fastest growing educational fields in the world that presents thousands of excellent professional opportunities for teaching English abroad in all corners of the globe to native and fluent English speakers who earn their TEFL/TESOL certification. 6
Be aware that TEFL does not refer to a singular body, company, certification, or school. It is an industry acronym and there are many TEFL schools, TEFL training programs, and certification options of varying degrees of quality, length and expense. As you continue your research, you ll likely come across the acronym TESOL, Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages. When it comes to teaching English abroad, TESOL, like TEFL, is simply an acronym that refers to teaching English to non-native speakers and to a large extent, TEFL and TESOL are used interchangeably. In North America, TESOL is most commonly used when referring to teaching English to non-native speakers in native English-speaking countries such as the U.S. Hence, if you want to earn a Master s degree for teaching English as a second language at in your local public school system that degree will likely be in TESOL. 7
TEFL Certification Requirements To teach English in a foreign country (nonnative English speaking country), a TEFL Certification is typically required as schools and language institutes want to hire teachers who have received proper training. You don t need to possess a degree in education, prior teaching experience or even a college degree to get paid to teach English abroad. Language schools in countries all over the world like say, Spain, Japan and Argentina, want to hire teachers who have received a certain degree of professional level training. Internationally recognized standards require that a professional-level TEFL certification must meet certain standards established by leading bodies in the field. 8
These standards include: At least 100 hours of coursework; At least 6-20 hours of practicum (live practice teaching and observation with actual non- native English speaker and NOT role- playing with fellow TEFL classmates); An accredited curriculum from a recognized, independent organization within the field; Instruction provided by a qualified instructor (who has an equivalent to a Master Degree in TESOL or related field) It is also recommended that you take your TEFL certification course from an organization that provides comprehensive job search guidance. 9
CHAPTER 2 Is a TEFL Certificate Required to Teach Abroad? What s Covered? Do I Need a TEFL Certificate to teach English abroad? What are the Perks of Having a TEFL Certificate? Can I Teach Abroad Without a TEFL Certificate?
Do I Need a TEFL Certificate to Teach Abroad? The simple answer Yes. You need to be a trained professional to run an effective and efficient classroom. There are many schools and governments around the world that require English teachers to have this credential for employment, even if you are an experienced teacher with a degree in education. But I m a native English speaker. I ve been speaking English my entire life, why in the world do I need instruction on how to teach a language I already know? 11
Imagine walking into an accounting firm and it s your first day of work. You don t have any specific training in the field but hey, you ve been managing your finances your entire life, how hard could it be? Your clients are going to be awfully excited to hire you when they realize they re paying a professional without an ounce of training and zero credentials outside of day-to-day math that everyone already knows. Think of teaching English the same way. Your students are paying money to attend your class. They expect to learn from a professional, not someone off the street who just happens to speak English. 12
Are there schools out there that will hire an English teacher without the proper training and credentials? Yeah sure. That in mind, would you want to work for an employer that knowingly hires untrained teachers? Think about it. Ask yourself these questions: If I stepped in front of a classroom tomorrow in Tokyo, would I have the slightest clue how to provide English language instruction, or even how to communicate with my students? Especially since I don t speak Japanese! Would you pay $10, $20 or even $40 an hour to take a class run by a teacher with zero training aside from just being a native- English speaker? If I owned a language school, would I hire teachers off the street who have no professional training? You will show up to work on the first day and be greeted with a group of 10-25 students looking back at you, eager to learn from their new foreign teacher. You want to be ready. 13
What Are the Perks of Having a TEFL Certificate? As a trained teacher with a strong command of your subject matter and your responsibilities, chances are far higher that you ll enjoy a rewarding and satisfying experience teaching abroad. For that reason alone a TEFL Certificate is worth having, but here are a few perks you might not have originally considered: 1. Become a Competitive Candidate For Top- Tier Jobs In an age of tightening job markets, by having a TEFL Certificate you are giving yourself every advantage to succeed and go on to work at the best schools and receive the best benefits possible, even if you don t possess prior professional teaching experience or a degree in education. When interviewing for potential positions, you ll need to prove your competence as a well-rounded teacher. You ll need to show these schools that you know how to run a classroom smoothly and how to create effective lesson plans. You ll need to show these employers that you are the absolute best candidate for the open teaching position, which won t be nearly as difficult when you have a TEFL Certificate in your pocket. 14
2. Your Students Deserve a Trained Teacher Chances are you re not going to be the first foreign teacher your students have ever had. That in mind, students know the difference between a trained a teacher and one that just happens to speak English. It s obvious when someone s winging it and when someone has a plan. Attending English classes, especially with a foreign teacher, is a privilege for your students. This is a chance to learn from an authentic professional. You ll find that many of your students have aspirations to work for international companies, attend an English-speaking university, or even just hopes to travel abroad and be able to get around. It s your job to help your students achieve these goals, and just winging it isn t going to get them there. 15
3. Ample Flexibility and Opportunities to Teach Around the World Your TEFL Certificate is your golden ticket around the world. From Spain to South Korea, and Costa Rica to Dubai, your TEFL training allows you to find work as a paid English teacher. Could you get lucky and get hired without this training? Again, maybe you could, once, but if teaching abroad and traveling is something you are passionate about, then don t limit your options. It s impossible to predict where this experience will take you. Maybe you ll spend a year abroad and then go back to your home country and move on. Perhaps you ll end up country hopping and teaching in multiple different schools and countries around the world. Teaching abroad could become your new career for the rest of your life, you never know, and for that, it s worth having the flexibility for whatever situation arises. 16
Can I Teach Abroad Without a TEFL Certificate? Will some school somewhere hiring your without a certification Yes, probably. Stranger things have happened, but the vast majority of reputable schools and language institutes, both public and private, throughout the world will not consider you as a teaching candidate if you do not hold an internationally accredited TEFL certification. Again, could you book a flight to China and wander the streets and likely find a job teaching English? Probably. You ve been speaking English your entire life, how hard could it be, right? Wrong. Any school that is willing to hire a completely untrained teacher is likely not a school you want to be working for anyways. Imagine walking into a school in the U.S. without any training and trying to apply for an English teaching position solely because you speak English. It would never, ever happen. It s the same thing with teaching English abroad. 17
CHAPTER 3 How Quickly Can I Get TEFL Certified & Begin Teaching English Abroad? What s Covered? TEFL Course Options In-Person Courses Online Courses
TEFL Course Options Deciding how you want to get your TEFL training is one of the very first steps in the planning process for your move abroad. Simply put, you have two options Online or In-person. There are a few key factors to consider when deciding which version of training will be best for you and your goals. From finances to timelines, there s a lot that goes into deciding which route makes most sense. Below you ll find brief overviews of both training classes. 19
In-Person Courses Taking your TEFL course in-person is a great way to jumpstart your move abroad. For those who hope to be abroad within a couple months, in-person courses are for you. Assuming there are still course spots open, you could hypothetically register a few days before a class starts, fly to the location, take your course, interview for jobs at the end of the class and begin teaching in week five. Realistically though, the prospect of arranging flights and completely relocating your life overseas for training and a new job in a matter of days, or even weeks is not typically doable. It s highly recommend to enroll for any in-person TEFL course at least 90 days in advance, both to secure your spot and to allow yourself plenty of time to make all of the arrangements. You have the option of taking your inperson course in the U.S. in advance or abroad. Again, there is also a lot that goes into deciding where and when to take your in-person course. For example, certain countries have peak hiring seasons to consider, while others have year-round hiring. Some countries require in-person interviews while others interview teachers in advance. 20
But say you know you want to teach in Costa Rica and therefore opt to take your TEFL class in Costa Rica. Following your course, it s very easy to transition straight into a job, so this in-person course option makes sense. It s very streamlined and the idea of having a month in your new home country before jumping into a job is a great chance to get acclimated and settled. It s always worth noting that these 4-week in-person courses are extremely intense. Plan on this course being your life for the first four weeks abroad. It s by no means a vacation, but instead, a full-time, collegelevel course. Summer and early fall courses in South America and Europe are very popular and may fill well in advance 3 to 6 months in advance of the course start date. Timing your in-person course with regional hiring seasons will present you with the best job opportunities when you complete your course ends. With hands-on job search guidance from the in-person staff, students who earn their certification in-person usually begin working within two weeks of the completion of their course. 21
Online TEFL Course At first thought, the Online course option seems instantly like a consolation prize. There s no possible way an Online certification course could provide the same in-depth training and preparation as an inperson course, right? Wrong. There are also two common routes teachers will follow when opting to take the Online TEFL course. The first being taking the Online course with the intention of interviewing in advance before going abroad. Plan that your Online TEFL certification Course will take 11-13 weeks, and your job search will typically take 2-6 months from the time you actually interview for jobs to your actual departure date for your destination. This is not because it takes that long to receive a job offer, but because the process of interviewing, accepting a contract and then making travel and visa arrangements can take several months. 22
Your certification and your job search can be conducted simultaneously if you d like to speed up the process. This means that it will typically take you 3-6 months from the beginning of your online course to your departure abroad. You can also take the Online TEFL class and then fly to say, Costa Rica, after the class finishes to interview and begin teaching. Your Online TEFL course will take approximately 3 months to complete and in most cases you will need an additional month to make your travel arrangements and to take care of your personal affairs. Once you arrive in your destination country, the process of interviewing and getting hired usually takes 1-3 weeks. If taking this approach you should be sure to time your arrival in your destination country with a major hiring season to give yourself the best opportunities to land a good job quickly. 23
CHAPTER 4 What Can I Do With my TEFL Certificate? What s Covered? Will My TEFL Certificate Expire? Will My Job Search Resources Expire? Can I Teach In My Home Country?
Will My Certificate Expire? Lifelong TEFL certification gives you freedom and flexibility to teach English abroad whenever you wish in the future. Completing your TEFL certification, either in person classes or online, should be the first thing on your list before you teach English abroad, but once it s done, it s done. You have the freedom and flexibility to put your certificate to use immediately teaching English abroad or to simply check it off on your to-do list as the first step towards your adventure. Like a college degree, this is a qualification you will have for the rest of your life. You never have to take additional training or coursework to renew it. You can teach English in Mediterranean Europe in your twenties and then retire as an English teacher in a coastal city in Southeast Asia in your fifties. It is your golden ticket to use for the rest of your life whenever you wish to teach English abroad. 25
Will My Job Search Resources Expire? With your lifelong TEFL certification you also have lifelong Job Search Guidance. This means that if you teach in one country and then in one year, three years or five years, you decide that you wish to teach in a different country, you will be able to count on the resources, contacts and expertise of ITA s job search guidance to assist you in finding opportunities teaching English abroad all over the globe. As a graduate of International TEFL Academy you will enjoy lifelong access to the following resources: 1. Personal guidance from an experienced Job Search Advisor Our expert Job Search Advisors are available to speak with you and correspond by email to address all of your questions and to assist you with every aspect of your job search from writing your resume/cv and cover letter, to coaching you on the interview process in different markets, to helping you assess which destinations might be the best fit for you. 26
2. ESL job search manual All of our graduates receive a manual detailing all relevant information for major job markets around the world, including hiring seasons, academic standards, and the interview process as well as templates for resumes and cover letters. This manual also incorporates extensive listings of online resources, including nearly 100 ESL international job boards listing thousands of teaching opportunities around the world. 3. ESL worldwide school directory We will send you a directory of approximately 8,000 schools worldwide that you can contact directly regarding employment opportunities. 4. Referrals to preferred recruiters, placement agencies and language schools International TEFL Academy enjoys strong relationships with schools, recruiters and placement agencies throughout the world. 27
Can I Use My TEFL Certificate to Teach English in the U.S.? Simply put, yes you can. Is this the most profitable career path in the world? Not exactly. The key consideration here is location. If you live in a diverse city with a demand for ESL teachers, then this certification will certainly boost your resume when applying at private language centers. Another great option is teaching English online. This is a great way to get some experience teaching English while also making some money, too. Teaching English online is an option to always keep in mind, even for when you go abroad and want to boost your income. 28
CHAPTER 5 What are the Differences between TEFL, TESOL, and CELTA Certificate? What s Covered? Key Definitions to Know What Certificate Do I Need? How to Pick Your TEFL Provider
Key Definitions to Know So you ve decided that it s time to research more about the best way to live overseas. Teaching English abroad seems like it could fit the bill. When you get on Google to look up anything to do with teaching English abroad you re quickly buried in a complicated new world of different courses, programs, forums, recruiters, job boards and most of all, acronyms: TEFL, TESOL, CELTA, ESL, EFL, and so forth. A grasp of the core terminology can go a long way in helping you cut through the jargon and find the opportunities you are looking for to enjoy a fantastic experience living overseas. So, here is a quick overview of frequently used acronyms to assist you navigating your research for teaching English abroad. 30
1. ESL - English as a second language This acronym typically refers to English language education in countries where English is the official language. Examples of ESL students would be recent immigrants or foreign exchange students studying English in a country where they can be immersed in the language. 2. EFL - English as a foreign language While confusingly similar to ESL, this term is usually used when referring to English language education in countries where English is not official language (most of the world). Students in this situation often speak their native language in their daily life and only encounter English in a classroom. 3. TEFL Teaching English as a Foreign Language TEFL is the most popular and common acronym used to refer to teaching English abroad. A TEFL certification refers to the training courses and certificate that are commonly required by language schools and institutes around the globe seeking to hire English teachers. Be aware that TEFL does not refer to a singular body, company, certification, or school. It is an industry acronym and there are many TEFL schools, TEFL training programs, and certification options of varying degrees of quality, length and expense. To learn more regarding what you need to consider and look for in a TEFL certification course that will provide you with adequate training and a recognized qualification, check out 7 Key Tips to Evaluating a TEFL / TESOL Training School. 31
4. TESOL Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages When it comes to teaching English abroad, TESOL, like TEFL, is simply an acronym that refers to teaching English to non-native speakers and to a large extent, TEFL and TESOL are used interchangeably. In North America, TESOL is more typically used when referring to teaching English to non-native speakers in native Englishspeaking countries such as the U.S. Hence, if you want to earn a Master s degree for teaching English as a second language at in your local public school system that degree will likely be in TESOL. It is common for British, Canadian and Australian training centers to issue a certificate in TESOL as that is also used for domestic teaching and regulated by their governments. The US does not have any domestic regulation for teaching English in private language schools and therefore most US and European training and would use the term TEFL for teaching abroad. 5. CELTA - Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults CELTA is a specific brand of TEFL certification that is awarded by the University of Cambridge s non-profit assessment organization, Cambridge English Assessment. The course is offered by a variety of different schools and educational institutions around the globe. It is the equivalent of a 4-week, intensive 120-hour TEFL certification. It should be noted that many CELTA providers offer limited (usually local) job placement assistance or none at all. 32
What Certification Do I Need? The bottom line is that the acronym on your certification is not critical! You can take a certification course labeled as TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA and you will be earning a legitimate qualification IF, and this is critical, the course you take meets certain international standards recognized by employers worldwide, in addition to major accrediting bodies within the field. Again, these standards include: At least 100 hours of training and coursework (equivalent to a full-time 4-week intensive course) At least 6 hours of live practice teaching (practicum) with actual ESL students (not role-playing!) The course is taught by experienced university-level instructors (holding at least an MA in teaching English as a foreign language or linguistics, a DELTA or extensive professional training and English teaching experience), The course employs a curriculum that is accredited and externally monitored by independent, credible organization in the field. 33
There are many TEFL courses certification offered that do not meet these international standards. While some training is probably better than no training, if you want to receive the training you need to teach at a professional level and gain a recognize certification that will qualify you for tens of thousands of jobs worldwide, you need to an accredited TEFL certification course that meets the standards outlined above. In addition, you want to take your certification course for teaching English abroad from an institution that provides, comprehensive job search guidance to help you find job opportunities and with matters like interviews, working with recruiters, figuring out visas and other facets of your job search process. 34
How To Pick a TEFL Course There are hundreds of schools and institutions that offer any three of the above certifications all varying in price from $50-$4,000, so how is one supposed to know which certification courses are actually worth time and money? Here are some great resources to get your started: In a related article, How to Evaluate a TEFL Certification, we ve laid out for you the extensive details of what a legitimate and quality certification should hold. We ve also outlined What Mistakes to Avoid when conducting your research. Make sure you re getting something that meets the international standards of 100 course hours and 6 hours of live practice teaching with ESL students. Do your homework and ask questions. Make sure you research all of your options thoroughly and call any school that you are considering taking a TEFL class from and speak to a representative. Ask them about accreditation and practice teaching. See what sort of job placement assistance they offer and what it costs. You should also ask questions about job markets, hiring seasons and visas. You also want to make sure that any course is accredited by an international institution, and that you re going with an organization which has dedicated staff that will assist you in finding work once your training has completed. 35
CHAPTER 6 What are My Next Steps?
Downloadable Brochure: A 30-page guide to all aspects of teaching English abroad & TEFL certification Speak to an International TEFL Academy Advisor who will provide you with straightforward and realistic answers and information about TEFL certification and teaching abroad. FAQs & Articles: Check out more than 200 articles and FAQs about all aspects of teaching English abroad and TEFL certification from hiring requirements and salaries to accreditation and financial tips. Alumni Stories: Read Articles and Q&As from hundreds of International TEFL Academy. Country Comparison Chart: Compare all aspects of teaching English in more than 50 countries, including salaries, hiring requirements, cost-of-living, interview seasons, start-up costs, potential to save and more. 36