Tefl.NET Forums

I am very interested in teaching abroad. (In Turkey specifically). Due to my current work schedule, it makes more sense to take a TEFL/TESOL certification class online. However, I have seen some comments in different forums that online certifications are often not accepted by employers. What is your experience with this? Also, there are different hours listed for different courses. i.e. '100 hour course' or a '140 hour course'. Is there an industry standard for minimum number of hours?

Thanks for any info!

JBennettK

Hi jbennettk,
You've done well to arrive at the TEFLnet forums because thio is the place your question have been discussed most, and they are the hottest subjects here. Just search the various threads here and you'll find all the up to date info you need. Check out the rest of the site too, in particular Alex Case's blog.

I too am looking for a personal opinion on online courses.

In particular I've looked at the i2i courses. ~£300 for the course, £800 for 3 weeks on job experience in Cambodia. I wonder, would it actually be taken seriously as a qualification. If not I will need to treat it as a taster.

Correct?

Ok, I am an online course provider so I am biased, however I would say that I can say for certain that on the basis of our certificate we have graduates working all over the world. Online certs are fine for new teachers looking at entry level jobs in most countries; later if you want to move up in the profession and go for higher level jobs then there are other courses you can take of course.

The minimum international standard is a 100-hour TEFL/TESOL certificate and this can be done online or on-site. Some schools also ask for a 20-hour practicum.

NEVER pay for job placement!!! Especially to find work in Asia where the demand for teachers is very high. The ESL school that hires you will provide you with the work permit and the majority of schools provide free or subsidized accommodation, return airfare, and other benefits.

100hrs. Thank you, that's very useful info.
I'm visiting Peru in a few days time. It would be great to meet a TEFL teacher out there, paid or volunteer to chat to about it. I am searching now :-)

Which of the online courses would experienced users recommend? In particular given the lack of classroom experience inherint with such a qualification, are there any that make steps to compensate for this?

Which are the most widely recognised of the online qualifications at schools in asia and south america?

Lucas wrote:The minimum international standard is a 100-hour TEFL/TESOL certificate and this can be done online or on-site. Some schools also ask for a 20-hour practicum.

As there is no international accreditation for TESOl, there are of course no international standards whatsoever. Forgive me for being bold, but as the information is totally misleading, I would suggest the message to be yet another ploy to promote your own courses - particularly when considering the blatant advertisement in your signature.

The minimum international standard is what the majority of schools worldwide ask for as a minimum qualification. If you did some research, you'd find that courses that are shorter than 100 hours do not provide all the basic elements of TEFL (Grammar, Phonology, and Methodology) so the global ESL industry has been raising standards (ei: Korea) and shorter courses are not considered anymore. There are places where you can still get a job without any qualification or with a 40-hour certificate.