Have you ever heard of TEFL? Here's what it is and how to get it.

YOU’VE SEEN THE ONLINE POSTS ABOUT IT, YOU’VE HEARD PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT IT AND YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF IT BUT WHAT IS TEFL?

Let’s start at the beginning. Here are a few abbreviations you might have seen:

1. TEFL – Teaching English as a Foreign Language

TEFL is the most 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 world who hire English teachers.

“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.

1. ESL – English as a Second Language

This term is usually used when referring to English language education in countries where English is not the official language. Students in this situation often speak their native language in their daily life and only encounter English in a classroom.

1. TESOL – Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages

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 English-speaking countries such as the U.S. Therefore, 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. South African and European training institutions would use the term TEFL for teaching abroad.

1. 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 world. It usually takes the same time to complete as our 4-week, intensive 120-hour TEFL certification.

SO WHAT COURSE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Anyone of the above really but, just like schools and universities, not all course providers offer the same quality of education. TEFL certifications need to be issued by reputable institutions who adhere to the following international standards set forth by the British Council and other leaders in the field, including:

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 an independent, credible organization in the field.

At e-Tefl Online we can offer you the course that suits your needs and your budget. For more info on teaching abroad, go here https://iteflcourses.com/#_l_2x