Job Discussion Forums

Roselyn1792 · Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 7 Location: suNny saN diEGo siDe

is tesol and tefl the same thing? im about to take some online but i dunno which one to take....i guess the tefl...but which one is valued more if different? suggestions please...............=)

laben18 · Joined: 06 Aug 2003 Posts: 84 Location: The parking lot.

tefl from UCLA extension worked for me

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language

vs.

TESOL = Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

When evaluating a certificate course, TEFL vs. TESOL is unimportant.

Look instead at the following three more important considerations:

1. Is the course accredited ?

2. Is it 120 hours (or more) ? and ...

3. Does it include observed teaching practice ?

If the answer to any of the above questions is 'no'

you might want to keep looking around a little.

Be aware that online courses come in all sizes and shapes

and that some are better known and more recognised than others.

As with most things these days, you get what you pay for.

Information on accreditation & relevant links can be found in the TEFL FAQ

located toward the bottom of The Master Index Thailand sticky !

kenkannif · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 550

A TEFL has more relevance in Thailand, but it is a TESOL as well as a TEFL. Now a TESL is not a TEFL but is a TESOL. The CELTA used to be a TEFL, but now it's more geared towards TESL teaching (IMO) but it's still a TESOL.

But they're pretty much interchangeable (i.e. if a job asks for a TESOL, they'll accept a TEFL or a TESL. If they're asking for a TEFL, they'll most likely also accept a TESL).

I'd avoid an online course if you can help it, waste of time and money IMO!

twinmaster · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 7

I've seen a few job postings in Thailand and China recently that said online teaching certificates would not be accepted. I looked at a few of the many "distance learning" TEFL/TESOL courses available out there, and while taking one of them may have proved beneficial, I decided to take on onsite TESOL in Thailand for several reasons:

1) Studying at home, on my computer, sure sounded like a lot less fun and lot lonlier than taking a course with a group of other aspiring teachers

2) Teaching is really all about being in the classroom and being with people (i.e. students) and the social and professional interaction of an onsite course sure sounds a lot more appealing and stimulating

3) The cost of many distance learning schools offering "full time" certificates (120+ hours) is actually more than what I'm paying for a full time onsite course in Thailand

4) Most, in not all, schools accept 4-week, 120 hour onsite TEFL/TESOL certificates

No one can say for sure which course will work for you and which teaching jobs you may or may not get with an online teaching certificate, but I think taking an onsite course is the way to go in the long run.

Good luck!

kenkannif · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 550

^ Damn good points. Even AUA are not accepting online/distance courses anymore (or so their ad says).

bluffer · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 6:10 pm Post subject:

Dont take an online course. I dont think there is one i have seen that would be worth the money for a newbie to the business.

Take one of the residential courses. You will get far more out of it.

DKatz · Joined: 30 Mar 2005 Posts: 30

kenkannif · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 550

Well already it's not accepted by the Kuwait lot or AUA.

Hard to talk about a course you've not done.