FAQ

1. There are so many certificate courses advertised out there. How do I know which one to apply for?

2. What is the difference between TESOL and TEFL? What is CELTA?

3. What about Distance Learning or Short courses? There are a lot of them and they are really cheap!

4. Are there regional/national differences in Teacher Training?

5. Will my TEFL International certificate be recognized around the world?

6. I've heard that these courses are really tough.

7. Can I get university or graduate credit?

8. Can I get a job without a degree?

9. My grammar stinks! I really don't think I could make it through your course.

10. Do you provide Job Placement Assistance?

11. What are the requirements for getting on to the Certificate course? How do I know if I am suitable? What kind of people will be on the course besides myself? Am I too old? What is the success rate and how many people fail?

12. Last chance! Why should I take the TEFL International course? Give me some good reasons.

1. There are so many certificate courses advertised out there. How do I know which to apply for?

There are a number of good schools out there. Many are professionally managed and have qualified, competent teachers. Unfortunately, there are no laws to prevent anyone from setting up as a teacher-training center, and there is nothing to prevent you from being "ripped off" by a company offering so-called recognized certificates. There are some important criteria that you should look for in a TESOL certificate course:

1. At least 100 hours of time spent in the classroom studying how to be a teacher.
2. At least 6 hours spent actually teaching real students under the direction and supervision of a trained, experienced teacher.
3. Some kind of overseeing body (a university or examining board) that externally controls quality. Most employers are looking for certificates that meet or exceed these three criteria. Courses that do not meet these criteria will not be recognized as certificates.

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2. What is the difference between TESOL and TEFL? What is CELTA?

For all intents and purposes, the terms mean the same thing, with TESOL being more common in America and with large state sector colleges in Britain (e.g. the Institute of Education in London) while TEFL is more common in U.K. Language Schools and in the U.K. press. There is a slight technical difference since TESOL refers to all learners whose first language is not English, including ethnic minorities living in this country, whereas TEFL refers only to "foreign" students. Potentially, therefore, a TESOL course encompasses more than a more narrowly defined TEFL course.

The CELTA (Certificate for English Language Teaching to Adults) is a TESOL certificate course. It was actually the first course of this type, and was originally an in-house training course for teachers at International House (a large chain of language schools based in London). Because it was the first, it is very widely recognized by name.

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3. What about Distance Learning or Short courses? There are a lot of them and they are really cheap!

Remember that most employers are looking for certificates that meet the general criteria listed in point number 1. And, lets face it, any course that does not allow you multiple opportunities to actually TEACH REAL STUDENTS will have limited benefit. It would be like learning to swim by reading a book or learning to drive by reading the driver's manual.

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4. Are there regional/national differences in Teacher Training?

Certainly. The four-week TESOL certificate courses were first developed in England. They are widely accepted as initial teacher training courses in most of the world. In fact, the vast majority of organizations offering these courses are British and the overseeing bodies are also British. In North America, four-week courses are not generally accepted as teaching qualifications at government schools. They are generally accepted at private language schools. TEFL International is unique in this regard. We are based upon the British four-week system and exceed all of their basic criteria, yet we also work with several well-respected US universities. In fact, many US universities can offer up to 12 credits (full-time status and financial aide) for completion of our course and an internship. So we give you the best of both worlds—a TESOL certificate that exceeds the British standards yet that is recognized for quality in the US.

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5. Will my TEFL International certificate be recognized around the world?

Certainly. Every graduate receives a certificate with the IATQUO (International Association of TESOL Qualifying Organizations) seal, certifying that the course meets or exceeds the basic British criteria of 100+ hours of classroom time and 6+ hours of Observed Teaching Practice.

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6. I've heard that these courses are really tough.

Before you choose a course you should carefully consider the teaching style of the instructors. Many (American) students have found the British courses to be culturally difficult to deal with and have complained of unsympathetic and overly-critical teachers.

We feel this is another reason why TEFL International is an excellent choice. While we have based our curriculum on the generally-accepted British model, we have adapted this model to be more international. We have brought in many Peace Corps and US training techniques to balance and compliment the original model.

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7. Can I get undergraduate or graduate credit for taking the TEFL International Certificate course?

Yes! If you are a current university student we would be happy to work with your university to arrange credit. If you want university credit for your participation, it is best to contact us in advance. We can work with your university to arrange credit, if possible.

We are also working out final details on a cooperation with Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon. This may provide an easy and inexpensive way to get university credit and be eligible for financial aide. Email us if you are interested in this option.

If you are interested in Graduate credit, there are two options.

Burapha University in Thailand is currently negotiating with TEFL International to offer a full modular MA TESOL degree. This will allow our students to get up to 12 graduate credits for our certificate and a practicum. The addition of the TEFL International Diploma and additional coursework at Burapha University will result in a full MA TESOL.

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8. Can I get a job without a degree?

Yes. Some countries will allow you to work without a degree. Examples of these are China and Thailand, but even there you may have difficulty competing against teachers who do have a degree. Other countries will not allow it, but often times people without degrees work illegally.

Working as an ESL teacher without a degree is possible. You should choose your destination carefully and be prepared for some hardships.

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9. My grammar stinks! I really don't think I could make it through your course.

Nonsense! As a native speaker, you know grammar quite well. You just don't know the terminology! That is our job: to teach you the terminology. We assume you know nothing about grammar terminology when you arrive.

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10. Do you provide Job Placement Assistance?

TEFL International is much more involved in your job search than other course providers. With locations all over the world, each center is an area expert, with extensive contacts within the country. We will work closely with you to find a job in the location of your choice. And, in a few years, when you decide to move from Thailand to Spain (just as an example), our Spain center will be there to help you.

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11. What are the requirements for getting on to the Certificate course? How do I know if I am suitable? What kind of people will be on the course besides myself? Am I too old? What is the success rate and how many people fail?

A lot of questions but all interrelated. We find that courses tend to be taken up by a "mixed bag" of people. For example, we get a lot of people in their early twenties who are recent graduates and want to travel overseas, but we also have people in their thirties and forties who either want a career switch, have been made redundant or are moving overseas with their spouse. In addition, we have people either approaching or in retirement and who are looking for something to do in their free time or who have property on the continent to which they are going to move. Finally, we sometimes have people from other English-speaking countries in our courses, as well as good non-native speakers from other countries.

As far as entrance requirements are concerned, if you are to be a teacher of English, a high standard of both spoken and written English is demanded. By this we mean your use of English, not necessarily your knowledge of grammatical terminology: you will be given an introduction to language awareness on the course itself.

As the four week course is very intensive, you should be prepared to work very hard, have no other distractions, and be mentally/emotionally completely fit and well, including having no current domestic worries. You should also be presentable in appearance. Finally, you should be able to teach! Not TESOL, of course, but anything. Do you have the confidence and personal presence to stand up in front of a group of students and teach them for, say, 45 minutes?

If you are a person of "more mature years" or a senior citizen, do not let this in itself put you off from applying. Providing you are receptive to training you should have no problems. If, however, you are rigid in your ways of thinking and are unwilling to shake off past ways of thinking and behavior (regardless of age), you may have a problem.

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12. Last chance! Why should I take the TEFL International course? Give me some good reasons.

1. We meet or exceed all international criteria with 120+ hours of classroom time and up to 9 hours of Observed Teaching Practice;

2. We work with many universities to allow you to obtain undergraduate or even graduate credit;

3. We work hard to develop a nurturing, supportive learning environment;

4. Our courses all have affordable housing included in one affordable price;

5. Our courses are all located in fun, interesting locations;

6. Our courses include one-to-one meetings with learners of English as well as with full classes;

7. Our courses include experience learning an unfamiliar language in order to make you think about the problems of teaching beginners;

8. Our courses include opportunity to create your own teaching material as a form of practical project which you can take away and use in your future teaching career;

9. Our courses include training for teaching younger learners as well as adults

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