Q. What is TEFL?
A. TEFL is an acronym for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. TEFL courses train you to Teach English as a Foreign Language around the world.
Q. What are TESOL and TESL?
A. TESOL is an acronym for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, and TESL is an acronym for Teaching English as a Second Language. Some variations may exist in course structure, but essentially a TESOL or TESL certificate is equal to a TEFL certificate: they all do the same job in qualifying you to teach English worldwide.
Q. Do I need a TEFL certificate to teach English?
A. In the vast majority of cases, yes. It is sometimes possible to secure a teaching English job without certification, but you would need to question the legitimacy of a school that takes on an unqualified teacher. There are teaching English locations, such as South Korea, where a teaching English certificate is not mandatory, and where a university bachelor’s degree (in any subject) is the main prerequisite. However, being the holder of TEFL/TESOL certification in such locations will often start you off in a higher-paid position.
Q. Which course accreditation is the best?
A. There is no single international governing body that accredits TEFL courses. There are, however, a small number of reputable accreditation bodies and a legion of shady accreditation bodies. Check the TEFL Accreditation Guide for reputable accreditation bodies and ignore the claims made by the ones not mentioned: https://trustedteflreviews.com/tefl-accreditation-guide/
Q. Should I take my course online or onsite?
A. This is really up to you and depends largely on your time restrictions and financial situation. Again, it is extremely unlikely that a school will ask whether your certificate was taken online or onsite. An Onsite (residential) TEFL course will provide you with a hands-on teaching practice component – often teaching real students, although this isn’t always the norm. An Online TEFL course, on the other hand, won’t usually provide you with this hands-on training, so you will need to weigh up your time restrictions and finances and consider whether a 4-week Onsite TEFL course would be worth the extra expense for 20 or less teaching practice hours. Some people prefer Onsite TEFL courses for this reason, but others prefer the flexibility and affordability of an Online TEFL course. One thing to remember is that neither an Onsite nor Online TEFL course, will prepare you 100% for teaching English abroad or in online classrooms. So much teaching English overseas knowledge is learned on-the-job, once you begin your teaching English career. I have an Online TEFL/TESOL certificate and I teach alongside teachers who have onsite CELTA certificates. Mine, though, cost significantly less.
Q. Which course should I take?
A. Certification from a Fully Accredited and internationally recognized program will dramatically increase your chances of teaching English abroad or online employment, and choosing a course with tutor/trainer support will ensure a smoother transition. Also, search for courses that offer international job guidance and employment tools, such as assistance with preparing a custom resume, because unless you are already in the teaching English field, you will require this additional support to get you started in the right direction. You must also make sure to choose a program that regularly receives positive customer feedback. Programs are rated in the TEFL Course Directory based on the verified customer reviews received: https://trustedteflreviews.com/tefl-course-directory/
Essential Tip!
We (Trusted TEFL Reviews) have had enough of the few rogue Online TEFL/TESOL companies that have been coordinating a sustained smear campaign against trustedteflreviews.com and managing to scam students by presenting themselves in a more professional light than they are.
You can read all about this scam in the following article:
Online TEFL/TESOL Course Review Scams in 2024
If you are concerned about becoming a victim of an Online TEFL/TESOL course scam, we strongly recommend choosing from one of the 5 Best Online TEFL/TESOL certification course programs in 2024:
The 5 Best Online TEFL TESOL Courses in 2024
Mia Williams – Trusted TEFL Reviews
Q. Is it easy to find teaching English jobs?
A. Yes, but you will need support to make sure that you are getting the best employment conditions. English teachers have been in high demand for several decades now and the global demand doesn’t appear to be waning anytime soon.
Q. Can I trust the Online TEFL course providers listed on trustedteflreviews.com?
A. Yes. We make certain that each Online TEFL course provider listed on trustedteflreviews.com has had their company details verified. If a provider isn’t listed on our site then it might mean that they have failed the course submission process. In addition, we monitor each new review submitted through our website for authenticity, to ensure that trustedteflreviews.com remains a trusted source of Online TEFL course reviews, written by real people – Online TEFL graduates.
Q. I’ve noticed that some other TEFL course review websites accept paid advertisements from the course providers that they review. Why don’t you do this?
A. We believe that accepting direct advertising payments from schools on a review website, where the school is listed, represents a conflict of interests and undermines the overall legitimacy of such websites involved in this practice. At trustedteflreviews.com, we don’t accept direct payment from any school providers listed on our site.
There is one exception to this rule, and this applies to the winner of the annually-awarded Teachers’ Choice Award (https://trustedteflreviews.com/teachers-choice-award-winner-2019-2/).
The winner of the Teachers’ Choice Award is granted the ability to publish the award on their school website, and they also enjoy a whole year’s free exposure on Trusted TEFL Reviews, where they may post, for example, any current course discounts or promotions on the Trusted TEFL Reviews website.
tefl online pro is currently running a Limited-Time Offer on all three of its Fully Accredited TEFL/TESOL online certification courses.
Need additional information, or have a question or comment? Leave a message, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Mia Williams.
New! Click here for the online TEFL/TESOL international certification course Teachers’ Choice Award winner. International Online TEFL/TESOL course certification at its best.
Verified Online TEFL/TESOL certification course program reviews, ranked in order of customer satisfaction: TEFL Course Directory
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