Which course provider do I choose?

Discussion about courses, qualifications etc

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Steve176
Member
Posts: 2
Joined: 18 Oct 2017, 17:27
Status: Prospective Teacher

Which course provider do I choose?

Unread post by Steve176 »

I’m considering “I to I TEFL “ or TEFL. Org
Both seem similar to me as a novice but I have been told that numbers of accreditations is important re providers
And how their qualification is viewed by employers

Any info much appreciated!
Briona
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Posts: 199
Joined: 29 Jul 2009, 20:33
Status: Teacher

Re: Which course provider do I choose?

Unread post by Briona »

Hi there,

Online TEFL courses are much of a muchness, and if an employer accepts one, they'll accept them all. However, an increasing number of employers refuse point-blank to accept online TEFL certificates as the courses don't include the all-important observed and assessed teaching practice. Note that the classroom/weekend element of online/blended courses doesn't count as you "teach" your fellow trainees rather than real students.

My advice, therefore, is to thoroughly research your preferred destination(s) before choosing a course, e.g., if you want to work in an English-speaking country, such as the UK or Australia, or in the Middle East, you will need to have a face-to-face intensive course, such as the Cambridge Celta or Trinity CertTESOL. It's also advisable to have one if you want to work in Western Europe. While it's possible to find work with an online TEFL certificate, you'll be competing against people with a superior qualification. If you do decide to go ahead with an online TEFL course, choose one with a minimum of 120hrs, which is the industry standard. Anything less is worthless, and you will struggle to find employment.

Hope that helps, and if you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Briona
Experience teaching in Vietnam, Portugal, Poland, Spain, the UK, and Qatar
Steve176
Member
Posts: 2
Joined: 18 Oct 2017, 17:27
Status: Prospective Teacher

Re: Which course provider do I choose?

Unread post by Steve176 »

Hello Briona

I was indeed looking to do the 120 hour online course including 2 days classroom.

If I understand you correctly as long as they have external accreditation they are accepted by employers. I'm considering S America or Asia or Eastern Europe so from your reply this qualification should be ok for those regions ?


If I wanted to teach in uk or Middle East I would need to take further qualifications?

Thanks for your help
Steve
Briona
Top Contributor
Posts: 199
Joined: 29 Jul 2009, 20:33
Status: Teacher

Re: Which course provider do I choose?

Unread post by Briona »

Hi Steve,

Apologies for the delay in replying - I didn't get any notification of replies.

Accreditation is an odd thing in the world of TEFL. First, there is no single accrediting body for the TEFL industry. Secondly, and this is where it gets really strange, you don't have to dig very deep to discover that many of these so-called accrediting bodies have been set up by the very providers they claim to accredit. Thus, you need to take the words "externally accredited" with a very large pinch of salt.

As I said in my previous post, if one online/blended TEFL qualification is accepted, they all will be (as long as it meets the industry standard of 120hrs), so it doesn't really matter which one you choose. They will be accepted by a number of employers in both South America and Asia. FWIW, I previously did a course with i-to-i as a sort of 'taster' to see if I liked TEFL, and it was fine - I had no complaints about the content/structure of the course. I've never used that qualification to secure work though.

Yes, if you want to teach in the UK, you will need a qualification that meets the British Council's requirements, i.e., a face-to-face intensive course, such as the Cambridge Celta or the Trinity CertTESOL. Likewise, to teach in the Middle East, not least because online qualifications - be they TEFL certificates, degrees or Master's - are categorically NOT accepted.

Hope that clarifies things.

Briona
Experience teaching in Vietnam, Portugal, Poland, Spain, the UK, and Qatar
michael32
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Posts: 1
Joined: 27 Feb 2018, 07:07
Status: Other

Re: Which course provider do I choose?

Unread post by michael32 »

I just did the 120 hour TEFL course with www.gettefl.com. Great course! I learned some many simple teaching techniques that have really helped me in the classroom.
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