How do I start teaching?

[ALHughes]

Hi Lucy. My name is Alfred and I am inquiring to start in this profession to teach english in other countries. I would just like some basic information on how to get started and exactly what I need. For example do I need a degree before taking the tefl classes or would I be able to do this without a college degree. Please forgive me if there was another way to find this information but I just was not sure of how to do that until I found this forum. Thank you so much for you your help!

[Lucy]

Dear Alfred,


First of all, I apologise for taking so long to reply to your question. I’ve been ill this week.

I understand your situation, the world of TEFL can seem complicated when you are new to it.

Some TEFL courses accept trainees without a degree and others insist that you have a degree before starting. You will need to contact individual training centres to find out their requirements. Training centres that have a degree as a minimum entry requirement usually have higher standards; consequently employers will look more favourably on the qualification.

Your choice of course will really depend on what you want to do. If you want to spend a year travelling and teaching, a weekend TEFL course might be sufficient. This type of course will also give you an idea of whether teaching is for you. If you are sure that you want to make your career in teaching, then a certificate in TEFL is the place to start. You will also need to consider the country where you wish to work; some countries have regulations stating that teachers must have a degree. Generally, when the demand for English teachers is high and the supply is low, employers are more lenient about which qualifications are required.

I suggest you look at the following links:

http://www.tefl.net/teacher-training/qualifications.htm
http://www.tefl.net/teacher-training/faq.htm
http://www.tefl.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=554

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to write in again.

Best wishes,

Lucy