To learn another language is to be at home anywhere. To teach English is to open the doors to the world.
The covid-19 pandemic, if anything, has taught us that life is short, and you can work from anywhere, doing just about anything. Globally, we saw a steep rise in remote working and people opting to pack it all up to live, work and travel on the go. One of the careers that saw a change is that of teaching – moving from the classroom to online. It’s never easier to build your career online and from anywhere in the world. The career of choice for many individuals looking to live the work, travel and get paid to do it is being a TEFL teacher or instructor. Read on for your TEFL guide to the world.
What is TEFL?
TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is an internationally recognised programme hosted in countries where English is not the primary language. The TEFL certificate and qualification allows native English-language speakers to teach English to students across all age groups and at every level in the specific country. TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is the term used to cover teaching that includes both TEFL and TESL.
Benefits of TEFL
There are many benefits to obtaining a TEFL certificate. The least of these being the opportunity and freedom to travel and explore other countries and getting paid to do it. Added to these benefits, TEFL holders can:
- be a more effective instructor to your students
- access to better job opportunities
- higher salary and pay scale
- flexibility
- teaching skills for challenging situations
- a broader skill set
- boosts confidence for teaching in the classroom and online.
And even better…it’s valid forever. Which means if you decide in your later years to travel again, you won’t have to retake the course.
TEFL Teacher Guide Qualifications
Standing in front of a class of learners, no matter their age, is not as easy as it seems. There’s skills, techniques, and methods you need to know to not just recite lesson plans from a book but ensure the message and knowledge is imparted to your students. An undergraduate teaching degree equips you with these skills.
The good news is for most countries, you don’t need to have a four-year degree in order to teach a foreign language. Many countries across South America and Asia will hire you if you have accredited TEFL certification. The proper TEFL certification will give you the right training and qualifications you need to begin teaching. Alison offers a FREE Guide to Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to arm you to succeed in your journey.
However, like in most cases where you’re applying for jobs alongside other candidates, you want to set yourself apart from the rest and stand out to the recruitment teams. You can take additional courses like The Crucial TEFL Guide to bolster your skills and give you the edge others may not have.
TEFL Guide: 6 Ways to Win Over Your Class
If you’re a TEFL teacher or looking to become one, you need support and resources to enhance your work for learners of every age group.
- Engage your students. Create lesson plans and content that will interest your learners and will make them enjoy not just coming to class but enjoying the process of learning.
- Have a plan and objective for your lessons. Know what you want to teach and find the right ways to do this.
- Prepare pair and group work. This gives your learners opportunities to put into practice what they’ve learned.
- Create a fun, activity-based learning environment. Use games and activities to make learning more interesting.
- Don’t be afraid to be different. Bring your own style, personality, and creativity to the classroom and connect with your learners in a way that only you can.
- Develop your teaching skills and be confident. Study. Ask questions. Explore.
Teaching English as a Foreign Language is a two-way learning street. The students leave the classroom able to speak one more language and you, the teacher, a world of priceless experiences.
Career Options With A TEFL Qualification
A TEFL qualification opens the doors to many more opportunities. There is global growth potential, and you won’t always have to stand in front of a classroom. As you gain experience as a teacher and expand your skill set with different courses, you can begin to explore teaching assistant positions, senior teaching positions and managerial posts. You can pursue being a Director of Studies at English Language Centres, be a course developer, venture into linguistics, teaching business English to corporations looking to go international, training other teachers and more. It’s not linear and your options are endless.
The countries to do this in, your choice.
Getting Started
Nobody forgets their favourite teacher. When you enrol for a few short, informative and skills rich courses like the ones available through Alison, you give yourself and career a great start. You leave each course having acquired essential knowledge and skills, you improve the skills you already have, and you learn how to communicate with others and in different environments.
A few courses will take you from being a good teacher to a great one! If you’re ready to make the leap into teaching, traveling, and discovering new worlds, your next step is to get your TEFL certification from an internationally recognised institution. Enrol in courses to add to your resume and begin applying for your new job anywhere in the world.
