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Recommended Online TEFL Class -Are Accreditations Important?

 
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localabel



Joined: 05 Aug 2014
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 2:19 am    Post subject: Recommended Online TEFL Class -Are Accreditations Important? Reply with quote

My buddy and I hope to teach English in Peru for 6 months. We plan on arriving in December 2014/January 2015. We've decided a certificate from a respectable online TEFL course would be the best for us. We are looking for a standard 120 hour online course with reputable accreditation. A few hours of student teaching would not be an issue for us either.

So far I have only found one TEFL online course that fulfills our requirements. It is offered by International TEFL Academy. A description of the online course can be found in the link below.

http://www.internationalteflacademy.com/online-TEFL-online-TESOL-certification-courses/

Other than this one, which specific online TEFL course would you recommend?

Do employers in Peru look for reputable accreditations of the course?
I have seen a couple online TEFL courses that have suspect accreditations.

Thank you for the information!
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esl_prof



Joined: 30 Nov 2013
Posts: 2006
Location: peyi kote solèy frèt

PostPosted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 3:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As a rule of thumb, it's best to go with a face-to-face certification course if you can at all possibly do it.

However, if you're looking at only six-months abroad in Latin America, you can probably get away with an online certification.

You might look into the online program at Bridge TEFL, which is ACCET accredited and, also, qualifies for three graduate credit hours at the University of Northern Colorado (optional--for an additional fee, I imagine). http://www.bridgetefl.com/bridge-idelt-online/

As far as I can tell, International TEFL Academy's accreditation only applies to their face-to-face certificate courses. Then again, the accreditation page on their website is a bit muddled, so I could be wrong. But if you're taking their course from the U.S., then you should definitely confirm whether or not their online course is ACCET accredited before spending your money.

http://www.internationalteflacademy.com/TEFL-TESOL-accreditations/

Regardless of what you do in terms of online certification, I would suggest that you see if you can spend the fall semester tutoring ESL students somewhere near where you live, perhaps through an adult education program (which will likely give you 6-12 hours of basic training in tutoring methods) or a program for international students at a nearby college or university. This practical experience will help give you a "real world" feel for how to apply the stuff you're learning in the certificate course and, more importantly, will give you a head start once you hit the ground in Latin America.
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localabel



Joined: 05 Aug 2014
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 2:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for the information, esl_prof!!
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esl_prof



Joined: 30 Nov 2013
Posts: 2006
Location: peyi kote solèy frèt

PostPosted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 2:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your welcome, localabel!

Once you get enrolled in a TEFL certification course, please give us a report on how it goes and, in particular, the quality of the course provider. Likewise, please keep us updated on your journey to Peru, job search, and subsequent teaching experience while you're there.

Posting these kinds of experiences on the board will only make it easier for the next person who follows in your footsteps.

Good luck!
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localabel



Joined: 05 Aug 2014
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Will do. Thanks again!
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 7:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Peruvian schools won't care about certs. They just need people to work who don't care about split shifts or visas.
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esl_prof



Joined: 30 Nov 2013
Posts: 2006
Location: peyi kote solèy frèt

PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 3:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

naturegirl321 wrote:
Peruvian schools won't care about certs. They just need people to work who don't care about split shifts or visas.


Wow! That's good to know.

With that in mind, I would reiterate the second part of my advice to the OP:

Quote:
Regardless of what you do in terms of online certification, I would suggest that you see if you can spend the fall semester tutoring ESL students somewhere near where you live, perhaps through an adult education program (which will likely give you 6-12 hours of basic training in tutoring methods) or a program for international students at a nearby college or university. This practical experience will help give you a "real world" feel for how to apply the stuff you're learning in the certificate course and, more importantly, will give you a head start once you hit the ground in Latin America.


When I first went to Latin America (via the Dominican Republic) back in the early 1990s, I had no formal TEFL certification. In fact, I had no idea that such programs existed, period. What I did have was 2 1/2 years of tutoring experience through the adult education program in the same town where I attended college as well as a summer working as a conversational English instructor for Japanese students preparing to enter university (again, at the same college where I graduated). While I would have been a much better first year teacher in the D.R. had I committed to the time and expense to add a TEFL certificate to my credentials, the reality was I did just fine on the basis of my practical experience.

One thing that was also helpful for me, localabel, is that I brought a handful of good teaching books with me to the D.R. which served as helpful references when preparing class.

Two that I would recommend include:

1. Teaching Adults: An ESL Resource Book

http://www.newreaderspress.com/Items.aspx?hierId=4061

2. Basic English Grammar by Betty Azar.

http://www.amazon.com/English-Grammar-Edition-Student-Answer/dp/0131849379/ref=pd_sim_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1AXFW8GF2MBZCQRGYFMQ
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One other resource that you may find helpful are the ESL training videos by New Readers Press which are now available online free of charge:

http://www.newreaderspress.com/Downloads/TrainingByDesign_key.pdf

In lieu of an online certificate, a combination of focused study (w/the above mentioned or similar resources) and practical tutoring experience should be more than sufficient to prepare you for a six-month teaching gig in Peru.

Good luck!
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weshh1



Joined: 20 Oct 2013
Posts: 87

PostPosted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, it seems generally online tefl cert's don't carry much weight but can do the trick depending on what your going for. So if you are looking for a cheap one, TesolExpress on groupon 69$ for 160hours. Can't say whether I recommend it or not but it is probably one of your cheapest options available. I'm working through mine right now. Only catch is you have 75 days to finish before you have to buy more time. But I guess that is just motivation!


Anyways, good luck with whatever you decide to do.
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