Despite recent worldwide events, traveling the world is still on top of most higher education students’ agendas.
Whether you decide to take a gap year or explore other regions after university a TEFL Certification becomes very attractive to young minds willing to do what it takes to fund their dreams of traveling.
TEFL Certification is a rewarding and fun way to gain some experience before fully deciding what to do with long-term career goals. It can also awaken a hidden passion for teaching which can lead to a very successful and fulfilling career.
What does TEFL exactly mean?
TEFL simply stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Those in pursuit of this certification may have come across other acronyms such as TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) or TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language). Although similar a TEFL Certification can offer a wider variety of opportunities such as travel, working from home, and a well-known qualification.
What options are there?
It is important to take time when deciding which type of TEFL course is most suitable and sustainable depending on the individual’s needs and goals. Many opt for doing the course online as the cost is significantly different compared to an on-site course.
There is also an option to obtain a TEFL Certification abroad but this has been proven to be slightly more difficult to secure as opposed to completing the course in your own home country.
One of the common misconceptions people have when considering applying for a TEFL Certification is that English needs to be their first language. This is false and nor do you have to know a second language in order to be successful.
The beauty of being a qualified TEFL teacher is that you only need to have an exceptionally good understanding of the English Language.
Before deciding which program is best for you check and make sure that it offers enough course and teaching practice hours. Altogether, TEFL students need at least 100 hours of training and 10 hours of actual teaching practice to efficiently teach English as a foreign language. If there are no hours offered in your training it is highly recommended to find a different and more professional course.
The Key Steps
- Apply – TEFL Certification programs are on the lookout for dedicated and willing people to become professional and reliable sources of knowledge to students in foreign countries. When applying, be prepared for potential interviews. It might be easy to apply and click a link online but previous experience and future goals will be
taken into consideration before being accepted to do the course. - Keep up and work hard – Make your TEFL Certification your top priority. Push all other concerns away and turn up ready and focused. The end goal is to be entrusted with students who will rely on you for professional and efficient education.
- Stay in the loop– Many professional and high-end TEFL Certification courses offer advice and placement opportunities once you have successfully qualified. Make enquiries and take advantage of this.
Exploring the world and taking off may seem quite unrealistic to some at this moment in time. Many patiently wait for the world’s doors to open so they can travel, explore new cultures and make memories. This shouldn’t stop you from being prepared once we are given the all-clear – Apply for your TEFL Certification and make a difference at home or abroad.
