Online vs On-site TEFL courses

The main problem with online certs is that there is no practice teaching component, but things are starting to change. Cambridge has recently come out with the online CELTA. You do most of the work online, and then have an on-site component composed of observation and teaching practice. Not all TEFL courses are created the same. Take a look at how to choose a TEFL course for more info.

TEFL Course Basics
The following information has been taken from Wall Street Institute.

• At least 120 hours over 4 weeks or more
• At least 6 hours teaching practice with real students
• Trainers should have a degree, a TEFL cert (preferrably a diploma), and at least 8 years teaching experience in 2 different countries.
• Exams should be oral, written, and teaching
• The curriculum should cover: grammar, methods, phonetics, classroom management, activities, use at least 3 different textbooks, practice with audio and visual aids, introduce international exams or Business English.

On-site Courses
The advantages of taking an on-site course are that you can take a course in the country you're interested in teaching in. By doing this, you can learn a little about the area and jobs available. In addition, your trainers will probably have experience in that country. Moreover by taking an on-site course you can interact with your fellow trainees.

The drawbacks are the time and expense. Not everyone has a month or so to take off work and study. In addition to the cost of the course, you're going to have to take into account lost wages. Then there's the whole matter of actually getting there, as well as food and accomodation.

Online Courses
The biggest advantage is the convenience. You can literally study anywhere in the world. You can work at your own pace too. These courses are often cheaper than on-site courses. Some popular online courses are the CCELT (100 hours) and the University of Toronto (100, 120, and 150 hours).

The drawback is the fact that it's online. Many employers view online courses as being a step down from on-site courses. This holds true for online masters degrees as well. Since it's online it's often perceived as being easier. Additionally, many online courses don't have a practical teaching component. It's like getting your license without ever having driven a car before.

So Which is Best?
Honestly, most people agree that an onsite course is the best, however, not everyone is able to take onsite courses. With that being said an online course is better than no TEFL cert at all. As mentioned above CELTA now has an online course. Since they also have a practical teaching component their online course is just as good as their on-site one.

Want to Take an Online Course?
Many employers will give you a raise if you have a TEFL cert and sometimes an online course is the only option. If you go that route, make sure they have a practical teaching section. They should also have 120 hours with 6 hours of teaching practice.

They should also offer lots of support and tutor feedback if you need it, in the form of email, skype, or phone calls. At the beginning of the course they should give you a clear syllabus to let you know what direction the course will take. Make sure they use a good online format.

Free Courses
If you don't have the money for a course at the moment, check out these free options. 

• The Peace Corps has come up with a guide to teaching English
• TEFL Boot Camp has both paid and free courses
• TESOL EVO offers a free course every once in while

In Summary
You really should get a cert and on-site ones are the best, followed by online ones with a teaching component, and finally online ones without a teaching component. It's only fair to your students that they have a teacher who knows what they're talking about. If you can't get a TEFL cert there are other ways to learn about teaching. Try reading is a TEFL cert necessary? to find out more

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How to Choose the Right TEFL Course for You

The following is a guest post from Teach Away and an explanation of their online TEFL cert from the University of Toronto.

TEFL vs. TESL - What’s the difference? 
TESL stands for Teaching English as a Second Language. If you are teaching English in a country where English is the official language, your students will be learning English as a second language.

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. If you are teaching English as a foreign language, you are teaching English in a non-English speaking country; for instance, teaching in Vietnam.

Not All Certificates Are Created Equal
A TEFL course is ideal for teachers planning on teaching English overseas. Courses can vary from a 20 hour course all the way up to a Masters degree in TEFL. Regardless of the type of course you enrol in, a good one will give you the strategies necessary to run a well organized and effective class, and prepare you to plan lessons and work with your students.

There are some key things to look out for when selecting your TEFL certification. We’ve put together some guidelines to help you to identify a Great TEFL course as well as a Not-So-Great TEFL course.

A Great TEFL Course
Here are some thing a great TEFL course should have.

From teflonline.teachaway.com

Course Length

• 100 hours or more - courses of less than 100 hours are not usually recognized by schools looking for teachers

Reputation

• Recognized worldwide 
• Reputable Educational institution providing and promoting the course (ie. University or College) 
• Follows a curriculum written by professionals in English language education 

Course Work

• Broken down into modules; students have a clear idea of what they will be learning in each lesson 
• Students submit assignments for assessment, and write tests or quizzes before they can complete course modules, ensuring that they have a complete understanding of the material before moving on.

Feedback and Communication

• Assistance is provided with any potential technical issues.
• There is a number you can call, an email address, and/or Skype ID. Someone should get back to you within 24 hours
• The course provides plenty of information prior to enrollment - for example, representatives hold webinars or information sessions, or provide detailed information on the course on their website or brochure. 

Documentation

• Students receive a certificate with a seal of authenticity from the developer of the course The certificate is professional-looking and can be shown to employers as proof of TEFL certification 

Job Assistance

• Assistance with overseas job placement provided after you graduate 

From teckgeek.com.au

A Not-So-Great TEFL Course
Here are some warning signs of a not-so-great TEFL course.

Course Length

• 20 hours, 40 hours, 86 hours (anything less than 100 + hours) 

Reputation

• They have a nice looking website 
• An English speaker wrote the course material 

Course Work

• Is a click through of web pages 
• No assessed assignments or tests, students can finish the course as long as they can use a mouse and keyboard 

Feedback and Communication

• Technical support is provided … maybe (if you can find contact information) 
• You’re told, “The best way to learn more about the course is to take the course!” 

Documentation

• Students receive a certificate of completion without a seal of authenticity
• Employers question whether you made the certificate yourself. 

Job Assistance

• Good luck! 

From teflonline.teachaway.com

The University of Toronto and Teach Away
The University of Toronto has partnered with Teach Away to provide the 100 and 120 hour TEFL Online course. The University of Toronto is a top 20 university in Canada. Their partners at Teach Away have been recruiting educators since 2003 for educational institutions all over the world.

The University of Toronto’s TEFL Online 100 hour course covers the six core modules - touching on classroom management, lesson planning and the pedagogical principles of ESL teaching. Their 120 hour course includes two additional units of specialization (depending on your area of interest). Teaching English to young learners? To Arabic speakers? Test Preparation courses? You can find these specializations within the University of Toronto course.

If you are interested in finding out more information, TEFL Online regularly hosts webinars, and you are always able to call and speak with a representative. As well - during the course, if you hit any snags, TEFL’s friendly full time web team will be able to assist you.

When you are finished the course, TEFL Online’s relationship with Teach Away works to your benefit - happy to provide placement assistance to TEFL grads, they will help you to explore your employment options as a new TEFL teacher.

Click here to find out more information.

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Hot Topic: Teaching English to Executives and Business Professionals

If you're lucky to land a job teaching business executives then you're golden because the pay is usually very good. They can usually be divided into two groups: those who can speak fluently and those who know very little English, but are being forced to learn.

If you teach the first group, then things are pretty easy, since you don't have to teach them English, but rather help them perfect it. If you teach the second group, then things can be challenging since they're stressed enough with work and now have to learn English, but rarely study.

If they speak English well, you'll probably end up conversing in English about their job, looking over their emails, or helping with reports. If they don't speak English well, they tend to not come to class and if they cancel at the last minute, you're usually paid.

What do you think?
Have you taught business professionals? What was your experience?

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Cool Link: Dave's ESL Cafe Idea Cookbook

You can find lots of ideas for your classes in the idea cookbook at Dave's ESL Cafe. If you go to the submit tab it says that new submissions will be accepted in 2008. Obviously that date is long past so you can safely assume that no more ideas will be added, but that can be good since you won't have to wade through tons of mediocre ideas. The ones in the Idea Cookbook are good.

They've got ideas such as how to teach Business English, discipline, games, grammar, ice breakers, the 4 skills, vocabulary, textbooks, and a whole lot more.  All the ideas are arranged alphabetically so it's easy to see where you left off.

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Cool Link: Purdue OWL

If you haven't heard of the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) then you don't know what you're missing. It's a great resource when teaching writing.

While it's aimed for people with a higher level of English or those in high school and up, there's heaps of info that you could use in your classes if you simply it. They even have a special section for ESL and EFL students. OWL is especially useful when teaching students about citing sources and not plagiarising. It's not only a good resource for students, but fantastic for teachers wanting to get published or doing research.They have general writing tips, research and citation, teacher and tutor resources, subject specific writing, job search writing, English as a Second Language, and exercises.


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Cool Link: English Test dot net

While not the most organised website out there, English Test dot net has free English tests for EFL and ESL students. They say their tests will help students with TOEFL, TOEIC, SAT, GRE, and GMAT.

They've got grammar, synonyms, Business English, common errors, as well as idioms. At the moment they have over 2000 English tests available for your students to take. This website is useful for students who want to practice on their own and get the results then and there.

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Job Site: Wall Street Institute School of English

I first heard about Wall Street when I was taking my TEFL course in early 2003. There was a man who had taught in Mexico for two years at Wall Street and said they had some neat ways of teaching, mainly using technology.

While I'm sure their method has changed a bit since then, they're still a professional business looking for quality English teachers. You can find their jobs on the job seekers tab on their site. They have centres all over the world, so chances are wherever you're looking to go, they'll have a centre in that area.


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ESL Educator's Blog Carnival: Tips for Teaching Specific Groups

TEFL Tips is hosting this month's carnival. The topic for is tips for teaching specific groups of learners. If you're interested in participating in this blog carnival please contact me.

. . .  from My Several Worlds
Teaching English as a Second Language can be a challenge for any native English speaker, even those with TEFL training. This month, Carrie Kellenberger offers three tips to teach specific groups of ESL learners, including tips for teaching kids, teenagers, adults, Business English, IELTS, and zero-beginners. You can find Carrie's tips and more at the ESL educator's guide - tips for teaching to specific groups of ESL students at My Several Worlds.

Carrie Kellenberger, a freelance writer and photographer living in Asia since 2003, writes about life as an expat, Asian travel destinations, and her experiences working in the ESL industry on her award-winning web site, My Several Worlds.


. . . from Wandering Educators
The Jo Sheppard Head Start Center in Florida serves immigrant and migrant populations. The classrooms are cozy, linguistically rich environments. There is a solid group of well-trained teachers guiding the cognitive, emotional, and linguistic development of the children in a variety of ways. The Center’s focus remains bilingualism: acquire English and develop Spanish. The school is a model for bilingual education. You can find Maria's tips and more at soar leaders tomorrow.

Maria Alvarez is the ESL Editor for Wandering Educators. She teaches ESL/Bilingual Endorsement Courses at Quincy University, and is a tutor and academic advisor IB/AP English and Spanish, College Prep.

. . . from TEFL Tips
Teaching young learners is particularly rewarding because they learn so quickly. However, it can also be challenging to teach when the girls are sitting nicely with their hands folded on their laps while the boys run laps around the classroom. Or when the boys are eager to do science experiments and the girls want nothing to do with them. No one can deny that boys and girls learn differently. Therefore it's only logical that you adapt your activities to suit them. Making simple changes will allow boys and girls to get the most out of class. You can find Sharon's tips and more at how boys and girls learn differently and what to do about it.

Sharon de Hinojosa has been TEFLing since 2003.  She started posting on Dave’s ESL Cafe and found herself regularly giving advice to newbies and thought it would be good to compile answers to FAQ that newbies often have and that’s how TEFL Tips got started.

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Poll Results December 2011: Where do you teach?

Question: Where do you teach?

• Primary school: 16% with 9 votes
• Secondary school: 16% with 9 votes
• Middle school: 14% with 8 votes
• Kindergarten: 13% with 7 votes
• University: 13% with 7 votes
• Private lessons: 11% with 6 votes
• Institute: 9% with 5 votes
• Business: 5% with 3 votes
• College: 3% with 2 votes

January's poll: How many years experience do you have? Be sure to vote now!

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Cool Link: Business English Study

Business English Study is a very simple site but they have a lot to offer. Using real life examples, they create exciting lessons that focus on the business aspect of English. The lessons use famous companies, such as Coca Cola, Facebook, ebay, and Lonely Planet just to name a few.

In addition to these lessons, they also have film lessons, so that students can watch and learn. These are the two main parts of the website, they also have a simple English test that your students might find useful. If you're looking for a site that's easy to navigate yet has a lot of information, check out Business English Study.

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Cool Link: Business English Online

Business English Online is part of MacMillan.While they have some items for sale, they also some free materials that you can use in your Business English and ESP classes. If you want the free material, click on "Resources" rather than "More Info".

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Cool Link: One Stop English

One Stop English has been around for a while and they've got lesson plan ideas and even have a forum. My favourite part of the site is the material related to specific teaching situations such as Business English, EAP, ESP, exam prep, teaching children, teaching teenagers, and CLIL. If you want to get more new ideas, you can subscribe to One Stop English.


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Cool Link: BBC Learning English

There's no denying that the BBC is a fantastic resource.  In addition to the regular BBC website and programmes, they have a special site, called BBC Learning English. They have general English as well as Business English.  For sport fans, they also have a Sport section.

Of course, they have grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.  The latter is nice since ESL and EFL students seem to constantly strive to have better English pronunciation.  There's a special section for teachers as well.

If you want to use technology in the class, every Tuesday they have a Flatmate video that your students are sure to enjoy. They also have podcasts, downloads, widgets, and a whole lot more, so check out BBC and make your lessons more exciting.


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Cool Link: ESL Lounge

ESL Lounge has two different levels on their site: free and subscription.  The free section will give you access to the basics and the subscription will allow you access to extra things, such as PDF lessons, flashcards, Business English and more.

The site has activities arranged by levels ranging from beginners to proficiency.  You can also find other material such as board games, songs, and kids' songs.  If you're looking for resources such as ESL books, teaching guides or quizzes you can also find them here.


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ESL EFL Roadshow: Job Interview Tips

TEFL Tips is hosting the first ESL EFL Roadshow this month: a group of bloggers from around the world. Lots of experience, tips, and ideas to help ESL and EFL teachers out. This month's topic is job interview tips.

From TEFL Newbie
Most people approach TEFL interviews the same way they would an interview back in their home country. Two problems with that. First, many of us are hoping to escape that uncomfortable and degrading process in a new world overseas. Second, more often than not your interviewer is not from that Western world and has distinctly different ideas about who they want to hire and why. Here's how to win that job!  Find out by reading Ted's blog TEFL Newbie.

Ted Tucker is a retired TEFL educator and TEFL Teacher Trainer. With an overseas career that started as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Botswana in 1989 - he has been abroad ever since working in countries throughout Asia and the Middle East. You can find him at TEFL Newbie.

From Istanbul's Stranger
Remember, you're interviewing them too. Four tips about weird job interviews that might be telling you something is seriously awry. Find out more by reading Istanbul's Stranger's blog.


Istanbul's Stranger is originally from Reno, Nevada and most recently from Portland, Oregon. Stranger came to Turkey almost 10 years ago. She had all kinds of education before that, which she's still paying for. Stranger's been working in the former Byzantium since she arrived, teaching adults at language schools and universities. She also did some freelance writing while on work-hiatus for baby-raising, and currently babysits grown-up children in the English prep department of a large university.

From Teacher in Mexico
Congratulations! You just finished your EFL teacher training, those grueling four weeks of sweating over coming up with interesting ideas for classes, of pouring over page after page of theory, of juggling type three conditionals. Well you're all done. So what’s next? The job interview. Find out more by reading Guy's blog Teacher in Mexico.

Guy Courchesne, TEFL course instructor, Teachers Latin America. Guy is a journalist and and EFL teacher that has lived in Mexico for 11 years. Guy has been teaching business EFL and TEFL courses for the last 9 years in Mexico City, Acapulco, and Guadalajara. Guy is a member of Mextesol and also gives English teaching workshops to language institutes around Mexico. You can find him at Teacher in Mexico.

From TEFL Tips
Interviews can be daunting but if you're prepared and know what to expect you'll have no problem acing your interview. Don't forget to ask questions as well! Find out what questions you'll be asked and what questions you should ask the interviewer by reading TEFL Tips.


Sharon de Hinojosa is your host here at TEFL Tips. I've been teaching English since early 2003.  I got started posting on Dave’s ESL Cafe shortly after and found myself regularly helping out other people and giving advice to newbies.  Over time, things progressed and I thought it would be a good idea to compile answers to FAQ that newbies often have about TEFLing and that’s how my wonderful TEFL Tips got started.

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Cool Link: Boggle's World

Boggle's World has been a long time favourite among TEFL teachers. You can find just about everything you need here from teaching English to kids to adults.

They have jobs, worksheets, songs, verbs, writing, the alphabet, Science English, Business English, English for Adults, articles about teaching, lesson plans, holiday worksheet, and flashcards.

The lesson plans and worksheets are fantastic and are organised by topics, such as giving directions or writing. The new phonic worksheets are great if you're teaching kids.

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Teaching Business English

This article has been published in HLT Magazine in October 2011. You can read the article here. You might also be interested in more tips for teaching Business English.

If you're looking for online courses, check out How to Teach Business English offered by International House, Oxford TEFL, St. George International, The Consulatants-E.

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How to Get Good Teaching Jobs

Updated 16 May 2014

Some people don't think you can get a good job by teaching English but they're out there. Having the right qualifications, experience, connections and luck will help you. There's lots of information out there worth reading on how to get a great job.

Korea's a good example. University jobs in Korea can pay very well and the long vacations (up to 5 months paid vacation!) are fantastic. Here are tips for how to get a university job in Korea. The Middle East is also nice since the salaries are tax free and there are lots of benefits. Find out which other countries have high salaries and good benefits by reading the best countries to teach in.

• Apply to jobs you're under qualified for. Not jobs that you are seriously under qualified for. However, if they want you to have five years experience and you only have four, you might want to apply. Or if they require a masters degree, but you're a semestre away from graduating. If you don't apply there's a 0% chance that you'll get a job. If you do apply at least you have a chance.
• Apply to religious schools. This is a touchy one as there are some schools that are super religious and there are some that are religious just in name. Some require a statement of faith or even a baptismal certificate. These places often get fewer applicants since people can be wary about mixing religion and work. Find out if you are required to participate in any functions, such as chapel. 
• Apply to schools outside big cities. It seems like everyone wants to live in a major city, meaning that if you apply to places outside bigger cities, you may have a better chance of getting the job. 
• Ignore start dates. If you find a school that you like, but you're not available now, send them your CV and let them know when you will be available.
• Have a stellar CV and cover letter. Cover letters are what an employer sees first so if your cover letter gets rejected the employer will never look at your CV. You'd also be surprised how many people can't write a good CV. Spend time on your CV and update it often.
• Nix chain schools. They usually have a high turnover and you will work long hours for little pay. The exception to this would be the British Council and perhaps International House.
• Get teaching qualifications and experience. If you plan on making TEFL a career the more experience and qualifications (BEd, PGCE, PGDE, master degree, or diplomas) you can get the better chance you'll have of getting a high paying teaching positions. If you don't have a TEFL cert, you should look into getting one.
• Share your knowledge. Getting articles published and giving workshops will help. They're nice to put on your CV and you can network at the same time.
• Ask for more. If you've got the experience and qualifications ask for a better salary and more benefits. You have to be willing to negotiate, but most places are willing to help you if you will give their institute a good name and bring in students.Salary's not the only thing: more vacation, better teaching hours, gym membership, or language lessons are just a few benefits you could ask for.
• Connections are key. Teachers leave good jobs and many of them aren't advertised. Instead, they're passed on to people within their network.
• Find a niche. EAP, ESP, teaching young children, exam prep, curriculum design, curriculum review, materials development, language test construction, academic writing, teaching exams prep, medical English, business English, legal English, and English for tourism, are all some examples. 

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Life After Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Updated 2 April 2014

TEFLing is a wonderful experience and a great way to learn about new cultures, however, some people look for new career opportunities after a while. Here are a couple options if you're looking to move on. You might also want to look at jpvanderwerf2001's post about careers after teaching abroad and his post on a career progression on Dave's ESL Cafe.

Skills Learnt
While TEFLing there are a number of skills that you can pick up along the way and use them to help you in your job search. You may find that you are:

• Adaptable
• Adventurous
• Constructive criticism: able to give and receive
• Creative
• Cultural appreciation
• Easy-going
• Empathy
• Energetic
• Flexible
• Focused on creating good lesson plans
• Goal orientated
• Humourous
• Independent
• Knowledgeable
• Language skills
• Optimistic
• Organised
• Passionate about teaching
• People skills
• Perspectives have changed
• Professional development
• Punctual
• Self sufficient
• Team player
• Tolerant
• Well-travelling
• Worldly view

Jobs in Education
Many teachers stay in education. Their classroom experience gives them knowledge that will help them in their second career. More ideas can be found in how to improve your TEFL career.

• Administrator
• ADOS (Assistant Director of Studies)
• Blended Learning Instructor. (E-learning, distance education, etc.)
• Business English Instructor
• Consulting
• Course-book writer
• Curriculum designer
• DOS (Director of Studies)
• EAP Instructor (English for Academic Purposes)
• ESP Instructor (English for Special Purposes)
• Examiner (IELTS, FCE, etc...)
• Government worker, such as a teacher at DLI in the US.
• International school teacher
• Manager: Here's an example CV and cover letter from Using English.
• Material designer
• Owner of a language school
• Publisher
• Researcher
• Teacher trainer
• Teacher trainer trainer
• University professor
• Writer

Jobs in Related Fields
As a teacher you have many skills applicable to other fields such as the ones below.

• Chain school positions (such as HR or accounting) at schools such as EF (English First), IH (International House), or BC (British Council)
• Editing / proofreading / writing
• Human resource management
• Intercultural communication
• International Relations
• Linguistics
• Management
• Public speaking / presentations
• Publishing (related to curriculum or materials design)
• Record keeping
• Statistical analysis (related to assessment and testing)
• Training
• Translator 
• Web design (related to CALL)

Changing Careers
Teaching gives you many skills such as management and organization. Like any job it will come down to how well you can sell yourself and make your teaching skills sound relevant. Try talking to people in the field you want to enter, doing some research about the current requirements, or taking a couple of courses. If you speak another language, you might be able to get a job within your field. For example, if you speak Chinese and you're an engineer, you might be able to get a job at an engineering company in China and be totally immersed in the language. Persistence pays off.

Cool Careers for Dummies recommends calling people who work in fields that you want to get into. See if you can ask them about their work. If they say yes, here are some things you can ask them.

• How did you get into this career?
• Can you walk me through a typical day?
• What do you find to be the best and worst things about your career?
• Can you think of anything I should know about this field that is unlikely to find its way into print?
• What skills have you found crucial to succeeding in your career?
• Can you think of anything you know now that you wish you'd known when you were deciding to enter this field?
• Tell them about your background and interests. Then ask: Do you think I should consider this field? Any other fields I should consider?
• Are there any particularly interesting specialities within your field?
• Any advice about the smartest way to prepare for this career?
• Are there entry-level jobs in this field that provide particularly good learning experiences?
• In this field, where are good job openings listed?
• What kind of salary can I expect?
• How is the field changing?
• Why might someone leave this field?
• Do you kow someone else you think I should tak with or something else I should read before deciding whether to pursue this career? Any events I should attend? Any organization I should join?
• Any other advice you'd give someone entering this field?

If the conversation goes well, you could ask whether you can spend an hour watching them at work. 

Update your CV
You need to take the time to update your CV and reflect what type of job you'd like. It might be worth hiring a professional CV writer. Think about how you present yourself. Take a look at these from ryleeys at Dave's ESL Cafe. While both options are true, Option 2 portrays the jobseeker in a better light.

• Option 1: Bob spent 3 years picking through trash to find cans to sell.
• Option 2: Bob spent 3 years organizing a recycling program in inner city neighborhoods.
• Option 1: Bob spent 4 hours a day staring at Chinese kids while trying to prevent them from peeing in the classroom, followed by 6 hours of heavy drinking 7 nights a week.
• Option 2: Bob gained valuable classroom management experience in elementary education. He also gained valuable insight into dealing with the nuances of a different culture.

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