• What is a TEFL certificate?
• Why should I take a TEFL certification course?
• Do I need previous teaching experience to qualify for a TEFL certificate course?
• What can I do with a TEFL certificate?
• Is one kind of TEFL certificate better than another?
• Why should I choose your course?
• Where should I do my TEFL course?
• Where can I teach with a TEFL certificate?
• How much can I earn?

What is a TEFL certificate?
It's the most widely recognized professional qualification for teaching English to non-native speakers.  It allows you to teach English at home and Internationally in most private and public schools.  TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is also referred to as TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).  See links


Why should I take a TEFL certification course?
English is currently the international communications language of the World.  Why not help!

Anywhere two people meet English is most frequently the language of necessity.  Both at a distance and face-to-face, in Commerce, Tourism, Professions, Politics, Economics and Education English is increasingly needed.  Consequently, as a native speaker and cultural insider, you have a skill that is in enormous demand.  It's a skill that you've developed unthinkingly over the course of your life and now use effortlessly.  It's also a skill that millions of other people worldwide lack and are desperate to possess, (See TEFL.com under Links).


Do I need previous teaching experience to qualify for a TEFL certificate course?
No, during the four weeks of a TEFL course, we teach you how to teach.  First we equip you, then you apply it in face-to-face teaching practice with real people that are learning English.  You will study the technical intricacies of the English language and how to be a teacher.  You will also be put into the position of the student and begin to learn an unknown language.  You'll teach different levels of local adult students.  Each of these classes will be observed by your trainers and fellow trainees.  Detailed post-lesson feedback and analysis will be given and areas and priorities for learning the how-to's of teaching navigated.

Most important of all, you will be mentored, encouraged and trained by TEFL professionals who know their business.


What can I do with a TEFL certificate?
TEFL teaching allows you to gain International and life experiences.

Whether you believe that teaching English to non-native speakers whilst living in different surroundings and a foreign environment is going to be a long-term career for you, or whether you're simply eager to travel the world for two or three years and are considering this option as the best means of funding your travels, you'll find it very hard to get any decent job abroad without this certificate.  Being able to speak a language is not the same as being able to impart that knowledge to someone else.

Turning your skill into a profession is why you should take a TEFL certificate course.

You will emerge from a month-long intensive course as a person who has learnt the fundamentals of TEFL.  It is your ´boot-camp´ to provide you with the necessary basic skills and confidence to start you out successfully along what many find to be a highly rewarding and fascinating new road.  In the process you will discover many aspects of working with people and develop those critical personal skills and qualities which will endear you to your employers, colleagues and students.


Is one kind of TEFL certificate better than another?
Yes! And, because there are many new organizations worldwide that award their own certificate, it is important to differentiate and discern.

Today there are also many TEFL or TESOL courses and qualifications.  How can a potential TEFL/TESOL teacher choose well?

There are two measures used which are widely accepted throughout the TEFL/TESOL Community:
1.  Established industry practice, 2.  Proven teaching effectiveness.

1.  Established Industry Practice: There is no international moderating or validating body for the issue of TEFL certificates.  However, there are certain strict internationally accepted guidelines (now adopted by such bodies as BATQI and the British Council) which represent and to some extent 'regulate' the industry.

These guidelines are formulated for 4-week intensive onsite certificate courses and specify the following:

• At least 100 hours of face-to-face tuition, usually residential.
• At least 6 hours of observed classroom teaching practice, (with real students).
• Moderation by a recognized independent academic authority (e.g.  a person or organisation).

Our TEFL course significantly exceeds these standards (120 hours of tuition and 10 hours of teaching practice).  All of our courses are both internally and externally moderated.

Other TEFL/TESOL courses are additional, or additive to such a Certificate.  Examples are: University degrees or specialised diplomas, distance learning and on-line courses such as teaching children, exams or business English.

2.  Proven teaching effectiveness: There are major two groupings of TEFL teachers - those who are native English speakers and have been trained to teach EFL or ESL, and those who are native speakers in their language and predominantly teach English to their own ethno-linguistic group.

Which of these two groups staff the teaching facilities in different countries is determined by local decision-making and legislative bodies.

At least in the private sector worldwide native English speakers who have been trained to teach EFL or ESL are the pre-dominant group.  Increasingly the 'norm' for teaching practice is the Communicative Approach.  This learning approach has been widely researched and proven by the Industry's Academia, (it is used and taught in our courses).


Why should I choose your course?
The programme we offer:

• Has been developed over a period of many years
• is now offered in over 20 locations throughout the World
• is one of the best in the TEFL/TESOL World today
• produces the best teachers.

Using the Communicative Approach to teaching with a small highly-mentored group of trainees, our courses are tough and intensive in nature.  Whatever your background you'll need to work hard, be prepared for possible setbacks and a wide range of new challenges - as well as attend classes for anything up to 10 hours per day, five days per week plus out of class work.

We provide passionate leadership in a wonderful historic and cultural location.  No boring office or high street settings or TEFL 'factories'.

Our graduates attest to the benefits they have received from our training - see graduate comments.  Many stay in touch, recommend us to their friends and extend our reputation through their teaching.  As a result our group has been growing at about 20% per year over the last 20 years.

Finally, English Language Schools love our teachers! They enjoy having capable, reliable people of character that stay with them, fulfil their commitments and often become friends.  Students want to be in their classes and keep coming back.

We produce teachers who can teach!


Where should I do my TEFL course?
Where and with whom you choose to take your certification course is obviously a very important choice.  It is definitely an advantage to take your course in or near the location where you first plan to work - especially if you want to teach in a non-English native speaking country.  It's important to remember that employers like hiring locally and from training schools they know and trust.

With teacher training centres in several European countries we're well placed to offer the most suitable location for you.  A large majority of countries worldwide respect and prefer European trained teachers.  Through our network of international contacts and our industry experience we are able to help you prepare for and find a job in your chosen destination after completing the course.  All of our courses are constantly quality-controlled to ensure the highest standards and we take great pride in our professional reputation amongst both teachers and employers worldwide.

You will also receive a comprehensive job guidance service during and after the course.  This includes training in writing a TEFL CV/resume, information on the TEFL world and job market in general, interview techniques, and individual job guidance sessions with our on-site professional job guidance counsellor.  Once you are our graduate, you are entitled to lifelong job assistance from any of our centres on request.  In several countries we guarantee jobs.  We offer continued training and involvement in all aspects of your future teaching career.


Where can I teach with a TEFL certificate?
Our graduates teach throughout the World.

In certain countries (e.g.  Thailand and Malaysia) a university/college degree is also a standard requirement in order to obtain a work visa, and in many more, it is regarded as a distinct advantage.  For this reason, we normally expect you to either have, or be in the process of obtaining, such a degree.  At the very least, you should have a sufficient level of education (A levels, high school, etc) to enable you to attend a university/college course if you so wished.

Your nationality and visa requirements will differ by country and the entry process and your status will largely be determined by your employer.  Contracts are of different lengths and types.  Conditions will vary by both employer and country or region.


How much can I earn?
Earnings vary enormously from country to country, though in general, the standard of living you can expect as a teacher of English is a good one.  Throughout the relatively inexpensive countries of Eastern Europe, wages are well above the national average.  In pricier Western European countries such as France or Germany, they will be sufficient to meet your costs of living, though you may find that the culture changes your way of living.  In many countries in Asia and in oil rich countries it's possible to earn much higher wages, or in lucrative markets such as Saudi Arabia, even more still.

Many schools will also assist you with accommodation and either pay your airfare or a further month's salary as bonus on completion of your contract.  Full and more specific details of any country or area which particularly appeals to you will be discussed with you in detail during your TEFL course at our TEFL Training Centre.