Job Discussion Forums

[jashcroft1]

I have experience in teaching so do not need much familiarisation to the classroom but I do understand that ESL is by no means the same. Therefore, I was wondering whether this course would be suitable: http://www.wowcher.co.uk/nationwide/national-deal/deal-407637-detail/29-instead-399-tefl-uk-150-hour-advanced-tefl/deal.html?searchresult=true

[nomad soul]

Its "validity" depends on where (location) and in what type of teaching situation you expect to teach in. Some employers and/or visa regulations don't specify a TEFL cert; for others, a cheap or quickie online cert will suffice. However, the better employers worldwide expect to see a TEFL qualification that entailed 120 hours of in-class instruction and included, at minimum, 6 hours of supervised and assessed teaching practice with a classroom of real students. The branded CELTA, SIT TESOL, Trinity CertTESOL, and even some generic TEFL certs fit the bill.

Take a look at current job ads in your target countries for the type of positions you're interested in and use that as a guide to determine if an online TEFL cert hits the requirement.

[suphanburi]

[spiral78]

Exactly what experience you have will be a deciding factor. If you've got a PCGE or equivalent, an online cert might get you in the door in some places, though even in this case it's preferable to have a real ESL/EFL cert.

If your teaching experience is informal, you need the real on-site course.

It also matters where you want to teach - there are a few parts of the world (some of Asia) where no cert is needed, and others (continental Europe) where anything less than a CELTA or equivalent will put you at a distinct disadvantage on the job market.