Where to study, Bristol or Spain?

[estif]

Hi there,
I am a new member wishing to study TEFL. I wonder whether any members have anything to say for or against my choices of studying in the UK or Spain or know any good colleges in Spain (my adoptive home). I might like to work in either country depending on the salary being offered.
Many thanks.

[Lucy]

Hello Estif,

I think content and quality are the most important things to consider when choosing a course. If you decide to do an intensive course, you will be studying for 4 weeks. My belief is that, for such a short time, quality of instruction and subject matter covered are more important than the place.

As you haven't decided yet where you would like to teach, then the course really is the deciding factor. For people who know where they want to work, I suggest they find a good course in their chosen country. This is not the case for you.

Good luck,

Lucy

[estif]

Lucy, Thanks for your reply. It leads me on to ask about how best we can assess content and quality of a course - what to look for. Secondly, what are the advantages of taking a course in the country where one wishes to work? And finally, which countries require degrees from their teachers? I remember Thailand being one.

[Lucy]

Dear Estif

I'm not sure which other countries have the degree requirement for their teachers. I suggest you look at job ads and / or contact schools in the country of your choice to find out about official requirements.

An advantage of following a course in the country you wish to work in is that you will already be "in situ" before you start looking for work. Some training centres also help you to find work, usually in the city where they are based. However, as I said in my last post, if you're looking at TEFL as a long-term commitment, you should make your decision based on the best course and have place as a secondary criterion.

As for choosing a course, you can look at the professional profiles of the trainers. Some aspects to check out are: What sort of work have the trainers done? How long have they been in teacher training? What are their qualifications: are they theory based or practical? You can also ask the training centres about their success rates and even ask to speak to some people who have completed their course.

Lucy