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bradwelljackson
Joined: 29 Aug 2004
Posts: 75
Location: Shakhty, Russia
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 Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:57 am Post subject: Please help me with the definition of "TEFL" |
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The word "TEFL" is bandied about quite a lot, and I'm wondering what it refers to specifically. The term "TEFL certificate" is used quite a bit, which makes me wonder if "TEFL" refers to a specific certificate. Is it a standard certificate that has an agreed upon criteria for accreditation, shared by many schools across the world? Or is it a loose term that could mean anything from a Master's degree in English to a 4-hour workshop that one might take to get a brush up before volunteering to teach local immigrants?
Any answers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much. |
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wildchild
Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 519
Location: Puebla 2009 - 2010
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fluffyhamster
Joined: 13 Mar 2005
Posts: 3292
Location: UK > China > Japan > UK again
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 2:42 am Post subject: |
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| Hi Brad, glad to see you've made it to the Job forums! I probably wasn't very clear on the Teacher ones. Anyway, I'd basically assume that just 'a TEFL (certificate)' was something of around 4 weeks' duration full-time, with workshops/discussion sessions, studying, lesson planning, observed teaching practice and written homework assignments pretty much every day. At diploma level (3 months FT or thereabouts, in somewhat greater depth than at certificate level), there may well be TEFL diplomas, but probably the most widely encountered will likely be the DELTA (one up from a CELTA). With MAs, they generally seem to be in TESOL or AL and take at least a year to complete. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 4:32 am Post subject: |
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TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language (usually refers to teaching English in a country where the native language is Not English
TESL = Teaching English as a Second Language (usually refers to teaching English in a country where English is the native language, to non-native speakers)
The term 'a TEFL' as used to refer to a certification from some training course seems to me to be either pretty sloppy language use, or a term confused newbies might emply. I think it should be 'TEFL/TESL certification' or 'a certificate' - but I tend to be too pedantic sometimes... |
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bradwelljackson
Joined: 29 Aug 2004
Posts: 75
Location: Shakhty, Russia
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Thank you both for your replies. They are both very helpful. I will be trying to get a certificate here at the English school where I am teaching, and I guess I will be able to call it a "TEFL certificate" since the term "TEFL" seems to be a loose term applied to any such certificate. |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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A "TEFL Certificate" is just that, a certificate in teaching English as a foreign language.
There really is no standard for what might be called a TEFL certificate, and this label is put on on-line certificates with no merit whatsoever, as well as some pretty legit programs. If you want to be sure you're getting real training, you could either check the specific course lengths and content, comparing to better known programs, or you could do one of the better known programs. They are:
CELTA- Cambridge's, and by far the best known cert in the biz.
Trinity Cert in TESOL- Very similar to CELTA, and the closest to being as well know.
SIT cert in TESOL: Newer, accredited by a well-known university in Vermont. A good cert. (I won't say more, as I'm a trainer on this one, and am not impartial.)
Best,
Justin |
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saint57
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 1221
Location: Beyond the Dune Sea
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| Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 4:15 am Post subject: |
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| Just thought I'd add that in Ontario students are not longer classified as ESL, but rather ELL (English Language Learners). In the future, four intensive weeks of study may lead to a TELL certificate. |
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Laurel7
Joined: 29 Nov 2006
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 1:28 am Post subject: CELTA for teaching children or TEFL? |
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Justin, you said that the Cambridge CELTA cert. was the best. Seems that's what I keep seeing in my research. I am wondering if the CELTA is still the best for teaching children. Is there a big difference in these courses? I'm just trying to figure this stuff out!
Guess what I'm trying to say is that if I had the CELTA and was applying for a job teaching K or elementary, would the school respect that course since it is targeted to adults? Your reply is much appreciated.
Linda |
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GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:11 am Post subject: |
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| saint57 wrote: |
| Just thought I'd add that in Ontario students are not longer classified as ESL, but rather ELL (English Language Learners). In the future, four intensive weeks of study may lead to a TELL certificate. |
Really? Where did you hear this (especially the four week TELL certificate information)?
Is Ontario finally going to have a real system in place for teachers of English language/ adult education (and therefore do something about TESL Ontario because it's an organization that does a whole lot for itself and a whole lot of nothing for anybody else)?
oh,
A masters degree can be in TEFL, but often it'll be in Applied Linguistics (TEFL) or else it'll be a masters degree in TESOL (this last especially from American Universities).
A certificate can be anything from an hour of "If you click the button marked International jobs at dave's ESL cafe than you will find international jobs being posted" to a full time year at a university (this latter is what it can be in Ontario, except that that is usually called a TESL certificate). |
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Kent F. Kruhoeffer
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2129
Location: 中国
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 4:34 am Post subject: |
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xxxx
Last edited by Kent F. Kruhoeffer on Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:24 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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NO! No!
I didn't say that CELTA was the best!
| Quote: |
| Justin, you said that the Cambridge CELTA cert. was the best. |
I said it was the best known!
| Quote: |
| CELTA- Cambridge's, and by far the best known cert in the biz. |
CELTA is well respected, and well known. It's a good course, though it varies a fair bit depending on where you do it, and who your trainers are.
As far as my opinions about which is "best," well, check my earlier post and you'll see where my loyalties lie.
But if you're considering teaching primarily kids, remember that CELTA stands for "Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults." There's no content on teaching kids on the course. Kent is right, check out the CELTYL for this, or look elsewhere. Kids are not covered on the CELTA.
The Trinity Cert in TESOL had a module on kids when I took it, but this may have changed. (in any case, it was one, ninety minute module. Not too much use!) Most basic certs are aimed at teaching adults, so if kids are where you see yourself, have a good look at coure curriculums, and make sure this is a focus.
Best,
Justin |
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