Job Discussion Forums

[markgilbey]

Hi, I have a question regarding all of the different types of TEFL qualifications on offer and was looking for some advice please.

It's hard to gauge what is the best one for me - in terms of quality, price and expectations.

I am ideally looking to do it here in England, and have been looking at weekend courses, and there is one near me (I am trying to fit this around university and work) coming up next month that I am looking at, I can't really afford the CELTA or DELTA.

I realise that prospective employers look for experience; I am looking at a two course of a weekend and then continuing it at home, by a correspondance section. The course is offered by www.tefl.co.uk - can anyone please offer experiences/quality of this company and the TEFL it offers? And also the job search support it offers afterwards.

The TEFL is in two parts, the intensive weekend, and then afterwards a piece you do at home, to be sent to the company. I believe that section is 80 hours, which equals 100 hours in total, with the weekend.

Ideally I am looking at initally working for one year, and seeing if I can extend that. Is that possible with this qualification? ie Against a CELTA or TESOL? I will have a degree as well and qualifications in two languages when I finish university in England.

In a nutshell, is the TEFL from www.tefl.co.uk a decent one, in general-and compared to TESOL, CELTA etc (will I be disadvantaged)?

I wouldn't want to waste my money, if I didn't think I could get a job that could hopefully lead to something long term. I am looking at Thailand and Mongolia ideally, someone said on the Lonely Planet board they generally ask for CELTA certificates.

Many thanks, Mark Gilbey.

[isanity]

You're asking whether a 330 pound course is comparable to a 1000 pound CELTA? No, of course it isn't. The standard courses (Trinity and CELTA) include 100 classroom hours and 6 hours observed teaching practice. A good employer will not be interested in a qualification with less than that. You can certainly find a job in Thailand without any certificate at all, but you're looking at the bottom of the barrel.