Teaching English abroad is one of the best experiences. You get to visit a foreign nation, immerse yourself in their culture and experience things outside your own life and home. But to get the opportunity to have this once in a lifetime experience, you must complete TEFL certification.
There are a lot of different TEFL certification courses available and sometimes it can be difficult to find the best one for you. Asking the following questions can help you find the best course and begin a path to a satisfying career teaching English abroad;
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Are TEFL Courses Accredited?
You wouldn’t even consider attending an unaccredited university. For the same reasons, you should make sure the TEFL course you want to take is accredited and it meets international standards. This will make it relatively easier for you to get a job teaching abroad as most employers are less likely to hire a teacher without the necessary qualification.
Why Does the Course cost what it does?
If you have been searching for TEFL course, you may already know of the varying disparity in prices. A four-week TEFL course is the equivalent of 3 semester classes at a university. The question you should ask yourself is the price worth the training. You may not be getting the same quality of training if you pay for a £99 TEFL certification course as someone who pays for £1300 class. That’s because you may not get the additional assistance you need to get a job abroad or the necessary qualification to get a high paying job.
Are the TEFL Instructors Qualified?
To a professional teacher, it makes sense that you should be trained by a professional teacher. The instructors for a TEFL certification course should have the equivalent of a Master’s degree and be a qualified university professor with more than 5 years of teaching experience.
Can I Get a Job and a Work Visa as a US Citizen Abroad?
The TEFL school you choose should be able to answer this basic question and other simple questions regarding travel and the type of travel documents you will need. The school should provide you with an advisor who can answer all of these questions and guide you through the travel and employment process. They should be committed to provide you with this support even before you sign up for the course.
Does the Course Include a Practicum?
If your goal is to find full-time employment as an English teacher abroad, then you should only choose a course that includes actual practice hours. Most employers will not even consider a teacher without actual, hands-on experience teaching an actual ESL class. A practicum gives you the necessary experience to work with students and handle multiple classes per work day, something all employers look for.
Do they Provide Work Placement Assistance?
If the TEFL program you choose does include work placement assistance, is it free? Getting TEFL certification is just the first step in the process and a good certification school will guide you through all the other steps until you find gainful employment in a foreign country. They should be able to provide assistance with visas and other documentation you may need and provide the necessary support to help you find a job quickly.
The staff should have experience working and living abroad. The decision to move to foreign country can be daunting if you don’t have the necessary support to help you make the transition easily. When you know someone who has done it before, the whole process becomes much easier.