Thinking of taking a TEFL Course and need some answers.

[Handrick]

Greetings.

I wish to inquire about the TEFL/TESOL Courses.

I am extremely interested in starting a career as a language teacher abroad, however, I have a few questions.

Let me introduce myself first.

My name is Handrick

Born 1989/08/30 (22 Years Old)

I am a permanent resident of South Africa.

I do not have a University Degree nor have I attended a University.

I do have a Diploma in Web Design and Development (HTML/CSS/CMS/PHP/SQL) from a private institute in South Africa.

I am a well groomed young man with a love for life and a strong moral foundation. I enjoy learning and experiencing, I am a hard working individual.

I guess the most important question I have is:

Taking into consideration the above mentioned information about me, upon completion of a TEFL/TESOL Course, what are the realistic prospects of me finding a job?


Any and all input will be greatly appreciated.

[nicolamel]

Hi Handrick,
Doing a TESOL/TEFL course is a great idea. I did mine 13 years ago and have since created a career for myself in tefl, currently teaching on a diploma course.
I would say one of the most important things is to take time choosing the right course. I advise you to take a recognized course such as the Trinity Cert. TESOL or Celta. There are many providers of these courses and the certificates are internationally valid and respected.
Choosing a provider can be tricky as there are so many. It doesn't really matter in which country you do the course, but it can help if you do the course in the area you would like to teach.
Most providers will help with job placement and you should inquire about how this service works when applying.
If you need any more advice please let me know.

[Alex Case]

It will be a lot easier if English is your first language and it would be a lot easier if you had a degree and came from a more famous English-speaking country, but if you are willing to be flexible with location you will be able to find work without a degree and with a TEFL certificate. However, you are unlikely to actually be able to make a career out of it without a degree, because:
- Some countries need degrees for visas, and the country you get a job in could change the rules at any time
- The schools who recruit teachers without degrees are generally not the best
- It's difficult enough for anyone to get a stable job and earn enough to support a family in this field