Is Not Getting Renewed the Same as Getting Fired?

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The short answer is no. There are many reasons teachers don't get renewed ,such as . . .

• They want to clean house to avoid paying more into the pension.
• They can re-hire teachers and pay them less.
• They decide to have retroactive requirements. 
• You took maternity leave.

If you truly did something bad, a school wouldn't keep you on their staff and wait for your contract to run out. Don't take it personally. The bubble burst long ago and it's an employers' market.

Pick yourself, dust yourself, and move on. There are better jobs out there (the best TEFL jobs in the world is a good place to start looking) and you might as well get one of them. 

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Giveaway Grammarly Premium Test Account

Last updated: 8 May 2015

Yesterday's guest post about 3 reasons for learning English was written by Nickola Baron at Grammarly.

The people at Grammarly have sponsored a giveaway for a premium test account. There will be a raffle to choose the winner. The raffle will end at midnight GMT+9 on Thursday, May 7th. A winner will be chosen randomly on Friday, May 8th.

Click here to enter the giveaway.

Edited to add: the winner is John. Congrats!

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A Feather in the Hat for English Teachers

The following post is from a guest blogger from Grammarly. They have sponsored a giveaway for a premium test account. There will be a raffle to choose the winner. The raffle will end at midnight GMT+9 on Thursday, May 7th. A winner will be chosen randomly on Friday, May 8th.

A Feather in the Hat for English Teachers

Have you heard students complaining that they will never use what they are learning in class? Regardless of the subject matter, it seems that the future engineers and pastry chefs of America think that they do not need a well-rounded education. Would students be better off restricting their studies to subjects directly related to their future careers? If you teach English, here are three reasons why your curriculum should be a part of every student’s plan of study.

What Would Human Resources Say? 
Often, professionals responsible for hiring evaluate grammar to narrow down the pool of applicants. If they have several candidates that seem equally qualified, they will eliminate the candidates who have glaring grammar mistakes in their cover letters or applications. In a Harvard Business Review article, Kyle Wiens states this about applicants who use bad grammar: “I just think they deserve to be passed over for a job — even if they are otherwise qualified for the position.” If you apply for a sales or operations position at one of his two companies, you will take a mandatory grammar test. If you fail, your application will be discarded.

Grammarly’s Research on Elance Profiles
Do you remember learning about indirect object pronouns and subordinate clauses? Did you take notes in English class? If so, you may earn more than your peers! In a recent poll, a writing software company named Grammarly discovered that good grammar significantly influences the likelihood that you will be hired, as well as how much you earn and how highly you are ranked on Elance. Elance is a staffing platform for online freelance work. Contractors are rated using a system of stars. Grammarly examined the profiles of about 450 professional freelancers working in various categories and found that the highest scorers also had the fewest errors in their profiles.

More Time for Lunch 
According to the article, “The Advantages of Good Grammar in the Workplace”, writing accurately is practical for a number of reasons. First, it saves time. If you communicate well, you will spend less time answering questions from your colleagues. You also avoid giving misleading information that could result in costly mistakes. People perceive you as caring and professional if you communicate well. This may translate to promotions and positive evaluations later in your career. The research speaks volumes about the importance of communication and writing. Students belong in English class so they can learn how to express themselves to others. Even after graduating from high school or university, they need to continue to develop their writing skills. Applicants for jobs or professionals in their careers should make it a regular practice to use an automated grammar checker on their emails, memos, reports, and other communication. Doing so will save you time and effort. It may also affect how much you earn and how people view you. With this information in mind, is it not a good time to thank your English teacher for introducing you to commas?

By Nikolas Baron ------------------------------------------------------//------------------------------------------------------------- Bio: Nikolas discovered his love for the written word in elementary school, where he started spending his afternoons sprawled across the living room floor devouring one Marc Brown children’s novel after the other and writing short stories about daring pirate adventures. After acquiring some experience in various marketing, business development, and hiring roles at Internet startups in a few different countries, he decided to re-unite his professional life with his childhood passions by joining Grammarly’s marketing team in San Francisco. He has the pleasure of being tasked with talking to writers, bloggers, teachers, and others about how they use Grammarly’s online proofreading application to improve their writing. His free time is spent biking, traveling, and reading.

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Teachers Should Do Self-Evaluations

From Bottle Surf

There are a couple of types of teacher evaluations. I think it's very important to do all four of these when a teacher is being evaluated for renewal. It helps keep a balanced view.

• those done by admin
• self-evaluations
• peer evaluations
• those done by students

Self-evaluations are necessary because they allow a teacher to set and met goals. They also allow teachers to see what they need to work on. Admin should sit down together and decide what should go on a self-eval. Here are some ideas.

• Publishing
• Presenting
• Doing research
• Attending national conferences
• Attending international conferences
• Attending workshops
• Being observed by another teacher
• Observing another teacher
• Taking a short course
• Studying towards a masters or PhD

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Getting a Fantastic TEFL Job: How to Find Hidden Gems

From: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/best-jobs/ss/Top-10-Best-Jobs.htm

I recently finished my series on the The Best TEFL Jobs in the World and had a number of people ask me where I found all these jobs. Here are the ways I've found out about good jobs. I recommend making a list of good and bad jobs so the next time you are looking you know which ones to apply to.

Word of mouth
Network and get to know people. While I personally don't like recommending people for jobs nor asking them to recommend me, by talking with people you can find out key pieces of information.  Knowing where a school advertises and when is half the battle. There are so many job sites out there it's impossible to look at them all. In addition, some places only place adverts on their website or only recruit via word of mouth. Networking is key in finding a good place to work.

Read between the lines
Some job adverts don't give salary details. This may be because they're looking for professionals and not just people looking for the highest salary. It also may be because the salary is super low. Again, networking and talking to people will help you find out which jobs are good and which are bad.

Other times they post outdated salary info. This could be because a secretary just copies and pastes the info to a job board and never updates it.

Scour the internet
Here's a list of tons of TEFL job boards. Facebook and forums might also be a good place to find jobs. Find country-specific sites as well. I personally like these sites for Korea.

• Dave's ESL Cafe 
• Foreign Professors and University English Teachers  
• Jobs.ac.uk
• The Chronicle
• Craigslist
• Dave’s ESL Cafe
• Foreign Professors and University English Teachers
• The Guardian
• Higher Ed Jobs
• Korea Bridge
• TEFL Jobs Overseas
• TESOL.org

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How to Get Your MBA - Without Taking the GMAT

The following post is from a guest blogger.

Does the thought of taking another test just to get back into school scare the living daylights out of you? Perhaps you're not a great test taker but are better at applying your skills to everyday situations. A poor GMAT score could only be a detriment to your admissions material.

In that case, you might choose not to take the GMAT test at all. Hold up. How can you get your MBA without GMAT scores? Is that even possible? Turns out, it is. Check out these ways you can get your MBA without taking the GMAT.

Submit GRE Scores 

  

Image via Flickr by dieselbug2007


If you're scared to death about the GMAT, consider taking the GRE general test instead. The Graduate Records Examination is a more standardized test than the GMAT. That means that you're tested on more general knowledge rather than just analytical writing and problem-solving abilities.

A high score on the GRE is oftentimes enough for universities to accept your application without a GMAT score. US News recently published a list of schools that accept GRE scores along with GMAT scores (you can browse these in their business schools section).

As an added perk, the GRE test is about $50 cheaper than the GMAT. To take your GRE test, you'll have to schedule a time with one of 700 global prometric testing centers and be prepared for about four hours of testing. Your score is valid for five years after taking the test.

Use Your Undergrad GPA to Your Advantage 
What if you don't want to take a test at all? Doesn't taking the GRE test kind of defeat the purpose of skipping out on the GMAT? If you graduated from your undergrad program with high honors, then you may not have to take the test at all. A high GPA is a data point that you can use as "proof" to show your competency to admissions offices.

However, since most universities already look at undergrad GPA when considering students, a high GPA doesn't always mean you can get out of getting your test scores. Talk with your admissions counselor to see if your GPA qualifies you to skip the GMAT and what other options you have if it doesn't.

Enter a Program With a Waiver System 
If you're looking to get your online MBA, no GMAT is required for select programs that offer a waiver system. These programs will waive the test score requirements for qualifying applicants. To qualify, you often have to prove your skills by showing a high undergrad GPA and your achievements in previous work experience. If you don't want to take the GMAT, these programs are probably the best option for you since their goal is to encourage non-typical students to apply. That could mean that the program as a whole would be a better fit for you.

Having no GMAT scores doesn't mean that you have to limit your selection of program choices, nor does it mean that you have to rush to schedule your test time. Instead, you might choose one of the above options to help you get into an MBA program.

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Alternative Licensure and Getting a Teaching License Online

Updated 20 August 2018

Here are some ways to get your teaching license online or through an alternative programme. Find out more by reading teaching at an international school. There are also a number of good books that will tell you how to get an international school job.

Teaching Licenses and Awards Via Distance Education
All the places are in the U.S. unless otherwise noted. Some of them require you to complete student teaching on their campus while others let you do it at an international school overseas.

• You can see the requirements for all 50 Stat
• es at SagePub.
• ABCTE
• ACSI (The Associate of Christian Schools International) See also NICS.
• American College of Education (ACE)
• Bowie State with the University of Maryland for people in Japan
• Cambridge, U.K. has an International Teacher Certification
• Drexel University
• IBO, International (There are postgrad certificates and diplomas available for those who teach in or want to teach in IBO schools)
• iTeachUS
• Massachusetts Test for Educator License (MTEL)
• Montana State: Northern Plains Transition to Teaching
• Murdoch University, Australia
• Rio Salado University
• St Cloud State University
• Teacher Ready is through the University of West Florida. Takes 9 months. Here are some reviews of the programme. You will have to do the tests in the USA.
• Teach-Now is through Washington DC and takes 9 months. You do not have to go back to the USA to take tests.
• The College of New Jersey MEd and licensure completed over three summers in various countries around the world.
• University of California Riverside
• University of North Carolina Online
• University of West Florida has a programme called Teacher Ready. Takes 9 months.
  Here are some reviews of the programme.
• University of Western Texas
• University of Southern Queensland offers a GDTL (Graduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching), Australia
• Walden University
• Western Governers University

Licensure for American Citizens and Residents
This section is for Americans and those living in the US. Alternative Certification Programmes are becoming popular as are teaching fellowship programmes.  Be aware that often these positions are in high-needs schools, where up to half of the students dropout or in special needs schools.You can check salaries at Teacher Portal.

• All Education Schools
• Arizona Teaching Fellows
• Denver Teaching Fellows
• Education Degree
• Georgia Teaching Fellows
• I Teach Texas
• Memphis Teaching Fellows
• Nashville Teaching Fellows
• Teach Charlotte
• Teacher World
• Teach Now
• Texas Teaching Fellows

 Renewing Your License
Some states are easier than others 

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What Does Guaranteed Job Placement Mean?

If you've seen it once you've seen in a million times: TEFL certification courses that "guarantee" you a job upon successful completion of the course. If you stop and think about it it's just absurd.

How can they guarantee you a job unless it's with their company? Or if they pull strings to get you a job somewhere else? What happens if you do your TEFL cert in Europe, but want to work in Asia, can they guarantee that you'll get a job there? Probably not.

You've got to read between the lines. Most often than not, guaranteed job placement doesn't mean what you think. It usually means the following:

• They'll help you write a TEFL CV
• They'll show you where to find TEFL jobs online
• They'll give you some interview and demo lesson tips

That's usually the extent of guaranteed job placement unless they place you at their own school or at another school they have an agreement with. To be honest, it's really only fair that they do this. After all, they can't guarantee that you'll do well at the interview or have a great demo lesson. Nor can they guarantee that the person interviewing you will like you and want to hire you.

So the next time you see a TEFL course announcing that they have guaranteed job placement, take it with a grain of salt. No one can guarantee that you'll get the job: it's up to you to wow the interviewer with your personality, skills, qualifications, and experience.

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$100 discount on the University of Toronto's online course until September 30th!

Offer ends midnight September 30th, 2014!

The University of Toronto has 100, 120, and 150 hour TEFL certification courses. Save $100 during the September back-to-school special.

More and more employers and countries are requiring TEFL certs, so if you don't have one you should seriously consider getting one. Even though the University of Toronto does offer a 100-hour course, many employers are asking for TEFL certs with at least 120 hours, so consider taking the 120 or 150 hour one.

Earning your TEFL certificate online from the University of Toronto gives you the best quality TEFL training, combined with job placement from a global leader in international teacher recruitment. Travel the world while teaching English overseas as a TEFL-certified teacher.

Advantages of the University of Toronto’s TEFL Online 
ESL teachers who enroll in the University of Toronto’s online course have four distinct advantages:

1. The best quality training – The University of Toronto ranks in the top 20 universities worldwide. Graduates of the course receive a certificate with the official seal of the University of Toronto and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), ensuring that the certificate is recognized internationally. 
2. Worldwide accessibility – The University of Toronto’s TEFL course is 100% online and entirely self-paced. Access the course anywhere, at any time, from any internet-enabled device. 
3. Opportunities for elective specialization – The 120-hour and 150-hour TEFL certificates give teachers the chance to choose elective units tailored to their professional interests. By specializing in areas of TEFL, graduates stand out in their fields. Areas of specialization include Teaching English to Arabic Speakers, Teaching Business English, Teaching English to Young Learners, Teaching English to Korean Speakers, and many others. 
4. Job placement assistance – TEFL Online is partnered with Teach Away Inc., the world’s leading international teacher recruitment company. TEFL Online graduates receive free job placement consultation from Teach Away, giving them the best chance of landing a competitive teaching job overseas. 

Enroll now

TEFL Course Options 
ESL teachers have three options: the 100-hour, 120-hour, or 150-hour course.

100-hour course

• Six core course units

120-hour course

• Six core course units
• 2 elective specialization units

150-hour course

• Eight core course units
• 2 elective specialization units
• Additional unit on teaching abroad

Enroll now

About Teach Away 
Teach Away is the leading international teacher placement company. Every year, Teach Away’s international offices work with thousands of teachers to help them find teaching jobs in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. Teach Away’s placement coordinators match educators with international teaching jobs and conduct pre-departure training to ensure that teachers are prepared to live abroad.

Every graduate of the University of Toronto’s TEFL course receives free job placement consultation with a Teach Away placement coordinator after completion of the course.

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Hindrances to Getting Hired as a Teacher Overseas

The economy has a lot to do with things. If there are no jobs at home, more people will be looking at going overseas. Don't think there's going to be a huge flood of teachers though. While numbers do increase when the economy goes belly-up, many people don't want to deal with moving and uprooting their families. You can read more at Laid-Off Public School Teachers May Flood the Fairs.

Keep in mind that some schools, such as international schools prefer single teachers or teaching couples with few or no dependents. If you are married to a non-teacher it may be harder to find a job. If you are married to a non-teacher and have dependent children it will be harder. There's a list of the best international school job fairs for people with kids and bringing dependents with you.

Age can be an issue as well. The cut off age seems to range between 55-65 depending on the school and the country that it's in. You might be too young as well. Malaysia, for example, won't issue teaching visas to those under the age of 26.

Not enough experience. Some schools prefer you to have at least 2 years teaching experience. Others may be willing to waive this requirement. 

Nationality can be a problem too. While many teachers want to teach in Europe, some schools don't want to jump through the hoops of getting work visas for those without EU passports or those who can already teach there (for example, spouses of EU citizens). Read Europe for non-EU passport holders for more info.

If you want to teach at an international school check out what esl4everever says on this post, "From what I understand American schools do not require you to have any type of dual or EU citizenship. American schools are backed by the United States Department of State. The schools are supposed to be ran by US standards to a point although they are located in another country." Whether this is true or not I'm not sure. It's best to check with each individual school. I know that DODEA schools only hire Americans or those with permission to work in the US, so that might be an option.

Not being certified may be an issue, though there are ways around it. Here's some info on how working as a PNET (Primary Native English Teacher) in Hong Kong could help land you an international school job.

Not being a native speaker. Some schools are very strict on this policy and will only hire native English speakers.

More information. There are also a number of good books that will tell you how to get an international school job.

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Do You Need a License to Teach at an International School?

No Teaching License?

You can still get hired at an international school. Different schools have different rules. Your background will also come into play. Find out more by reading teaching at an international school. There are also a number of good books with information on how to get an international school job.

• The type of school. Some schools, such as Christian schools may will accept teachers with no license.
• Where the school is located. Those in less popular countries (such as Myanmar, China, Indonesia, Middle Eastern countries, Bangladesh, Azerbaijan) may accept teachers with no license.
• Even if you want to work in a popular country you could get a job, depending on your background and experience. Schools need people with real life experience and know-how.
• If you are already in country as a resident you might also be able to work full or part-time. The best thing to do is apply to schools and see what they say. 

What Do People At International Schools Think?
ISR wrote a post about in November 2009 called, International Teaching Without Credentials. They also have info about having a Master of Education, but no teaching cert. People are very opinionated about this topic, but many teachers as well as principals believe that non-certified teachers can be good teachers. Read their opinions below.
Against Teachers Without Formal Qualifications

• syed hammeed says that teaching without credentials doesn't fit the profession.
• Louis says quality of teaching doesn't matter; only licenses do.
• Pete Janda hires teachers and says it's better to hire teachers with licenses because they know how to teach various levels, write a lesson plan, and know the current education trends.
• Idaflorence says she can tell an unqualified teacher from far away.
• Nicola Scales says that she wouldn't go to a dentist, doctor, or lawyer without certifications so why should teachers be different?
• gaia says that they have had nothing but trouble with uncertified teachers. Schools can help people become certified as well.

Those On The Fence

• Mercury started as a non-certified teacher, but decided to go back and get his license.
• Amy says that good schools will not hire uncertified teachers but that there are also certified teachers who can't teach.

In Favour Of Teachers Without Formal Qualifications

• cbp disagrees with Louis and said quality of teaching doesn't matter; only licenses do.
• Chris Davis says that although he has an MEd and has homeschooled his three kids, been the principal of a school, and lecturer, he doesn't have a teaching license.
• teach 2010 says that there are many credentialed teachers who can't actually teach.
• Hellei has been teaching in international schools since 2000 and doesn't have a license. While it's hard to get a job, she shows that it's not impossible.
• DB says that a piece of paper doesn't mean you can teach. There are many licensed teachers who are unqualified.
• Between cultures says that she was raised abroad, but is a non-Japanese speaking Japanese citizen and because of that can't get a Japanese teaching license and can't get a US one because she's not American.
• Agunshka says that some teachers can be good without a cert and that it's hard for overseas teachers to keep their qualifications current. In addition, some certified teachers get to the top not because they're good teachers but because they're good at politics.
• Jill has over 25 years experience and has successfully taught at international schools without being a licensed teacher.
• lostone says you shouldn't just be judged on a piece of paper.
• D says that licensed proved nothing other than the fact that you can jump through the necessary hoops to get one.
• grm says that you have to promote quality education, not bits of paper.
• Soumaya is a school principal and has hired certified and non-certified teachers.
• Indigo Blue says that having real life experience has helped her teach and her students are happy to learn useful info.
• Chris states that although he isn't certified, there's a ton of useless info that students are learning in school and that is being taught by certified teachers.&
• molson says that 90% of the things being taught are a waste of time.
• Duras says that he say people switch their majors to teaching because it was the easier thing to do. He also saw qualified teachers stop teaching because it was too hard, they had too little vacation, were bored, etc. He also says there are too many programmes out there trying to get teachers.
• anonymous says being a good teacher is innate.
• Anonymous makes a good point by saying he would hire a person who has 10 years teaching experience with no certificate before a first year certified teacher. If a non certified teacher has managed to work hard for ten years, get hired by schools, make a difference in the classroom, and build a portfolio then why not? There are many exceptions to the rule, life is not one way.

Getting a Teaching License

• Some schools may help you get certified. Many Christian schools accept certification through ACSI and certification is relatively quick and easy if you have a degree. Salaries at NICS may not be as high as secular international schools. 20% get a full salary and benefits. 30% are offered a partial salary and the other 50% have to raise their own support.
• You can get your license online.
• Some international school recruiters may help you as well. Search Associates used to do this and others may as well. Find a list of recruiters here.
  

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$100 discount on the University of Toronto's online course until July 31st!

Offer ends midnight July 31th, 2014!
 
The discount has been extended to the end of July. The University of Toronto is offering $100 off for a limited time only. Use the promotion code "JULY 150" for the 150-hour TEFL certification course or "JULY 120" for the 120-hour TEFL certification course to get $100 off.

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Hot Topic: What To Do When Schools Hold Your Documents Hostage

From store.yankodesign.com

More common in some countries than others (Saudi anyone?) is when an employer holds a teacher's documents hostage. Some say that it’s to protect the teacher since their documents are in safe keeping. Others say it’s to protect the school since if they have your documents you can’t pull a runner. Whatever the case, more often than not it is illegal. This is especially this case when it’s your passport.

Passports are government property. Schools have to right to hold them. If a school wants documentation tell them you will give them a notarised copy. If you still have trouble, tell your school that you have to report them to your embassy. If that doesn’t make them give you your passport back then make good on your threat.

Other documents that they typically hold are your diplomas and certificates. Some places do need these at the beginning when your visa is being processed. They are just verifying that they are true and may have to show them at the immigration office. You usually get them back after the visa process is fined and you have your resident card. Other places aren’t too nice. Sure, they’ll tell you that you’ll get your documents back as soon as your paperwork is processed, but then they’ll refuse to give them to you. They’ll state it’s their policy to keep teachers documents until they leave the school. This is dishonest (since they said they’ll give them back) and deceptive (since they knew you’d agree to hand them over if they promised to give them back).

If this happens, pull the illegal card and say they have no right to have your documents. They are yours, not theirs. If that doesn’t work, say that you will report them to your embassy. In all honesty, the embassy probably won’t be able to help you, but the threat alone may be enough to get your documents back. If that doesn’t work call every place you know who may be able to help: the Labour Office, foreigner offices, or immigration. Another idea is to get the press involved. Tell them that you will call the newspapers and let them know what they’re doing. Getting other people involved is usually the extreme. More often than not threats of getting people involved are all that’s need. However, if push comes to shove and you need your docs back, do everything you can do get them. However, you have to realise that once you have them back you might not have a job anymore though. You will have to make a choice and choose what’s more important to you.

The lesson to be learnt is that you shouldn’t hand over originals. If they want originals, bring the originals and copies of the originals. If they won’t accept your copies, have them make their own copies, with you standing over the copy machine. If that’s not good enough, give them notarised copies of originals. If they say that they need the originals say that you cannot give them your original documents. Say that you will go to immigration with them and present your documents. If they keep asking for your originals, then you have to choose whether to hand them over or not. Copies seem to work in most situations. Always keep in mind that whenever you hand your original documents over you run the risk of not getting them back or getting them back in poor condition, such as folded, stamped, ripped, or written on.

If you're going to teach overseas, it's worth researching what you're getting yourself into. There's a lot of fun and excitement, but there are also issues that you need to know about. Here are some good resources for anyone looking at teaching English abroad. 

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9 Days Left to Save $100 on the University of Toronto's online TEFL cert

Offer ends midnight July 13th, 2014!

The University of Toronto is offering $100 off for a limited time only. Use the promotion code "JULY 150" for the 150-hour TEFL certification course or "JULY 120" for the 120-hour TEFL certification course to get $100 off.

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Earn a TEFL Certificate Online with the University of Toronto

I'm a big proponent of online and distance education. I've personally taken distance education courses during high school that counted towards my BA as well as done both my masters from brick and mortar schools online. There are lots of benefits to taking courses online, like not having to travel and having access to many schools rather than just ones nearby. Online education isn't for everyone. I know that some people can't get motivated or are wary of distance degrees. Here's an article that discusses more about  the pros and cons of online TEFL certs.

I understand that it can be hard to separate the good from the bad, especially when you're dealing with a school you may never visit. Many people look at price when deciding which TEFL course to go with. While that is an issue, please remember that you get what you pay for. Finding a great deal on Groupons for a TEFL cert that's less than $100 probably isn't going to mean much to a potential employer. Here are somethings to look for when choosing a TEFL course.

I think that the big three in TEFL certs are CELTA, SIT, and Trinity. However, the problem with these is that none of them can be taken completely online. SIT and Trinity are face-to-face courses. CELTA just came out with a mostly distance TEFL cert a bit ago, but some parts of it still need to be taken face-to-face and some people aren't able to do that.


If you're looking to take a TEFL cert completely online, I'd recommend going with the University of Toronto's. It's from a legit institute (one of the best in the world), can be done completely online, and is affordable. By doing a TEFL cert online, you won't have to take time off work nor will you have to travel to the city where the TEFL course is given. If price is still an issue for you, if you enroll before the end of November you can save $200 on the new 150-hour TEFL course by entering the code "tefltips" when you enroll. After November, you can still use the code to save $50.

More and more employers and countries are requiring TEFL certs, so if you don't have one you should seriously consider getting one. While the University of Toronto does offer a 100-hour course, most employers do ask for at least 120 hours, so consider taking the 120 or 150 hour one.

Earning your TEFL certificate online from the University of Toronto gives you the best quality TEFL training, combined with job placement from a global leader in international teacher recruitment. Travel the world while teaching English overseas as a TEFL-certified teacher.

Advantages of the University of Toronto’s TEFL Online 
ESL teachers who enroll in the University of Toronto’s online course have four distinct advantages:

1. The best quality training – The University of Toronto ranks in the top 20 universities worldwide. Graduates of the course receive a certificate with the official seal of the University of Toronto and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), ensuring that the certificate is recognized internationally. 
2. Worldwide accessibility – The University of Toronto’s TEFL course is 100% online and entirely self-paced. Access the course anywhere, at any time, from any internet-enabled device. 
3. Opportunities for elective specialization – The 120-hour and 150-hour TEFL certificates give teachers the chance to choose elective units tailored to their professional interests. By specializing in areas of TEFL, graduates stand out in their fields. Areas of specialization include Teaching English to Arabic Speakers, Teaching Business English, Teaching English to Young Learners, Teaching English to Korean Speakers, and many others. 
4. Job placement assistance – TEFL Online is partnered with Teach Away Inc., the world’s leading international teacher recruitment company. TEFL Online graduates receive free job placement consultation from Teach Away, giving them the best chance of landing a competitive teaching job overseas. 

Enroll now

TEFL Course Options 
ESL teachers have three options: the 100-hour, 120-hour, or 150-hour course.

100-hour course

• Six core course units

120-hour course

• Six core course units
• 2 elective specialization units

*NEW* 150-hour course

• Eight core course units
• 2 elective specialization units
• Additional unit on teaching abroad

Introductory promotion: To celebrate the launch of the 150-hour TEFL course, the University of Toronto is offering a very limited-time offer of $200 off the regular price – meaning that you’ll get the 150-hour course for the same price as the 120-hour course! Use coupon code "tefltips" (all lowercase letters) until November 30th, 2013!

Enroll now

About Teach Away 
Teach Away is the leading international teacher placement company. Every year, Teach Away’s international offices work with thousands of teachers to help them find teaching jobs in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. Teach Away’s placement coordinators match educators with international teaching jobs and conduct pre-departure training to ensure that teachers are prepared to live abroad.

Every graduate of the University of Toronto’s TEFL course receives free job placement consultation with a Teach Away placement coordinator after completion of the course.

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10 Days Left to Save $200 on the University of Toronto's online TEFL cert

Offer ends midnight November 30th 2013!

The University of Toronto has a new online 150-hour TEFL certification course. To celebrate they're offering $200 off during the month of November. Simply use promotion code "TEFL150". Here's some more information about teaching English abroad.

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US Dept of Ed Report Shows Online Students Perform Better

Yep, that's right. The study which was published in May 2009 states that . . .

Students who took all or part of their course online performed better on average than students taking the same course through traditional face to face learning.

In addition. . .

Online learning was more effective across a wide range of professions, backgrounds and learning styles. 

Online education is especially useful for courses that require reflection. . .

Online learning is most effective when reflection is encouraged. 

Time is also key . . .

Online learning provides the opportunity to spend more time absorbing new knowledge and reflecting on how to apply that knowledge.

Hopefully this will change the way employers see legit online degrees. Some places in the Middle East, such as the Ministry of Education (but not the Ministry of Higher Education) in Oman. You can see the full report on the US Dept of Education website or the PDF. 

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Save $200 on the University of Toronto's online TEFL cert

The University of Toronto has a new online 150-hour TEFL certification course. To celebrate they're offering $200 off during the month of November. Simply use promotion code "TEFL150". Offer ends midnight November 30th, 2013!

Disclaimer:

• Please join my Patreon page
• I use affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on links. Read more at my FTC Disclosure and Privacy Policy Statement

Discount Code for the University of Toronto's Online TEFL Certificate

**$50 off until Thursday October 31st, 2013, midnight (EST)** 

University of Toronto TEFL Online is celebrating that 95% of graduates would recommend the course to a friend or colleague. To celebrate, they are offering $50 off the 120-hour TEFL course to the first 10 people who sign up.

Enroll here

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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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