First Time Taste of TEFL

Many people go off traveling and do a bit of TEFL teaching along the way. For the footloose and commitment free, these are just stopgap jobs along their adventurous pathway. Many see teaching as an obstacle to getting some extra money, just a bind until they can save enough to move on with their journey. However, most of these are not TEFL or TESOL qualified, most do not sign any form of contract, and unfortunately many do not even care if their students learn (that’s not to say all, just many – some really try hard).

Now, with the gripe out of the way, there are many that would love to teach TEFL and would love to make a better future for overseas children (and adults). For those that don’t already know, TEFL is Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and TESOL is Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. To be honest, there isn’t a great deal of difference between them. There are good and bad teachers coming from TEFL and TESOL course. Although TESOL has a bit of extra focus on teaching English to speakers of other Languages, such as in a mixed environments like the UK.

Those who are currently in a secure job, eating western food and living a comfortable life, may well be having doubts about teaching in a foreign ‘3^rd world’ country. Now, I am not going to lie and say that life is great in all places, nor that it will be a paradise you couldn’t have dreamed of. There are certainly plenty of reasons why living in another country could turn into a nightmare. Fortunately, there are plenty of techniques to help make the experience one you’ll never want to forget - I will try to cover one aspect in each coming post.

Firstly - How do you choose where to get qualified? Just like the UK, in many Asian countries paperwork rules. Paperwork creates jobs, and so having the right certificates can certainly make your life easier. If the people dealing with your application can tick all their boxes, they are far more likely to help you. This applies not only to the employer, but also to getting your visa and work permit.

When shopping for a TEFL or TESOL school, obviously you need to weigh up your options. There are many online and full TEFL schools available. Nevertheless, make sure you check out the background of the TEFL schools you are considering. A search engine will normally provide you with many results about any TEFL school if you just enter their name with ‘key words’ like; accreditation, experience, review, problems etc. Try to make sure you research their accreditation, as often these ‘accreditation bodies’ are owned by the school/schools or linked to them in some way. That said, some accreditation is certainly better than none at all.

Once you have chosen the school which suites, you then need to choose your TEFL course wisely. Firstly, you have a think about whom you would like to teach. Although the coming statement may be ageist, this will often largely depend upon your age (or health/fitness). People with a lot of energy will often enjoy the active and lively approach to young learner tuition; where as someone a bit more relaxed or slowed in their ways will probably prefer teaching an older/adult age group. Fortunately, there are TEFL courses that are adapted towards specific groups.

Often when you book your first course, you will have the option to get an extra course at a reduced price. These are normally specialist courses targeted at teachers of either adults, a Business English Certificate, or teachers of children/teenagers, a Young Learners Certificate. It is a great idea to take the promotion, as not only will it look good when applying for work, but also will better prepare you for teaching your chosen age group. After all, being a good and effective teacher will always work in your favor!

Next will come the final difficult decision (for the TEFL). Online, or brick school? Online courses have their benefits. If you are currently employed or have a busy schedule, online study may be the only option for you. However, if you have time, a classroom course can often pay in the long run. Why? I hear you ask. Well, although the courses are basically the same, the assessed classroom time is something employers will value. They like to know that you have been in front of a class before, that you have been assessed while teaching and of course, that you taught and passed! Nevertheless, if you study online, there is no reason why you can’t get some classroom experience under your belt later on. You could volunteer, accept a lower paid job, or contact your TEFL provider for an overseas placement (yes, many schools are recruiters too – hand eh!). The experience you will get will be invaluable!

Good luck!

In the next post, I will try to cover the practical considerations to consider before accepting a job on the other side of the world.

Other related hubs include:

Teaching the English Language - Kids 'n' Cards

Little Monsters in the classroom can be turned into Little Angels

Will you be an Edutainer or Traditional Teacher in the classroom? Have you tried using a mini led projector?

Teach English in Korea (EPIK)

Issues you should consider when emigrating abroad! Part-1

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