There are many reasons why you might want to study for a TEFL or TESOL courses and they will inform the type of course you choose.
The last couple of years have been tough for many people. The pandemic put a lot of people out of work and the economy remains in sluggish shape. However, it has also been an opportunity for people to change careers and find a more flexible source of income that helps them meet all sorts of aspirations. One option has been to teach English as a foreign language. It can be a great way to open up a new source of income, find work-from-home opportunities, or even travel overseas.
Why you need a TEFL or TESOL course
If you plan to teach English as a foreign language you need a qualification. These come in the form of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) courses or Teaching English to Speakers of other languages (TESOL). These can be a gateway to all sorts of things from a new career to a way to fund an overseas trip.
- Additional income: The cost-of-living crisis is putting pressure on us all. A little extra cash couldn’t do anyone any harm. With a TEFL or TESOL qualification, you can teach English to speakers of other languages who are living or working in the USA. You can do this either physically in the classroom or remotely via video link.
- Overseas travel: There are hundreds of TEFL opportunities around the world which makes it a perfect way to explore other countries. Many TEFL courses come with specific help in gaining placements in certain countries. Entrust TEFL, for example, provides specific courses helping people to teach English as a foreign language in Thailand. It comes with specific information about all the things you need to know when teaching in Thailand as well as specific locations in and around Thailand.
Your choice of course will depend on what you intend to do next. The full TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course will be perfect if you want to travel overseas. This leads to an internationally accepted qualification that will be accepted anywhere in the world.
For those teaching English here in the USA, a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Foreign Languages) course may be sufficient. This arms you with the specific skills you’ll need to run classes for students when you don’t share a common language.
Whatever option you take it’s important to make sure they have an accreditation mark. This verifies that the company is legitimate and that it will provide value for money. Each accreditation company varies in structure and the way they verify companies. At the WTEFLAC, for example, They based all decisions on the code of practice. This assessed providers based on the contents of the courses, the experience of their tutors and their commitment towards continual improvement.
Only if a provider can satisfy every aspect of the code, can they display the WTEFLAC logo on their websites and marketing material. This mark, therefore, provides reassurance to any student that the provider is legitimate and that the claims in its marketing material reflect what you can expect from the course.
