You’ve decided you’re ready for the adventure of living and teaching abroad.
Great! Now what?
Although you could just jump on a plane, and probably be able to get a job eventually, most employers will want you to have some sort of training and practice. This is where your TESOL Certificate comes in.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any across-the-board international standards for TESOL qualifications nor for TESOL programs. If you’ve started looking around, you’ll see all sorts of offerings—from online programs and 1-weekend workshops to 2-year university programs—all offering the same TESOL/TESL/TEFL certificate.
So what’s important in a TESOL Certificate? Here’s what we see most often when we look at job offerings. Employers want to see that your TESOL course provided you with the following:
- A course that meets face to face, and provides at least 100 hours of content. So much of teaching is about interaction, giving and getting feedback, and practice. Most employers want to see that you took a TESOL Certificate program that meets at least partially face-to-face to know that you’ve practiced teaching in front of a class, tried out activities, and gotten feedback from your trainers and peers.
- A supervised teaching practicum of at least 6 hours. Employers want to know that you’ve stood up in front of a class before. That you know how to begin a class, teach a new skill, and deal effectively with that one student who just won’t listen. And don’t you want to know that, too? We believe so strongly that “practice makes perfect” that our TESOL Course contains a 30-hr. practicum, with practice in a one-on-one setting as well as with a group. And we work with real English programs in the community, so you get to know lots of local employers, too.
- An accredited program.Being accredited could mean all sorts of different things, but you want to be sure that the course you want to attend was designed using the highest standards. Are the instructors qualified? Are they teaching up-to-date methods and practical content? Do people leave this course with a good foundation on teaching techniques, language acquisition, and classroom management? Do participants get to practice and receive feedback throughout the course? See how English for Life offers an accredited course and Graduate credits at the same time.
In addition to these things employers are looking for, here are some other questions you might ask your potential TESOL Certificate program:
- What kind of qualifications and experience do your instructors have?
- What kinds of jobs do your graduates get?
- Is your program recognized by a university or accrediting agency?
- Do you help with job placement?
- Can I talk with someone who has completed your program?
If you’re considering English for Life Academy’s TESOL Course, here are our answers to the questions above.
- Meet our team here. They’re the greatest!
- See where our grads are teaching.
- Learn about our partnership with the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina.
- Looking for work?
- And, yes, we’d be happy to connect you with some of our graduates by phone or Skype. Just ask!
If you’re still not sure what kind of program might be right for you, take our Compass Quiz to get pointed in the right direction.
Come and see us if you are ready to teach, travel, and transform your world.
