HI everyone,
I'm thinking of getting a TEFL/TESOL cert so that i can teach english in a foreign country. I've been looking vigorously on the internet, but prices range anything from £150 to £1,500..... what's the difference between the courses that make some sooo expensive?
Does anyone know any good colleges/ courses that they would recommend.... preferbly in London??..or any i should stay away from??
Also, if i've understood it correctly, theres a few types of certificates that i can get....the trinity one or the cambridge one....which would be more accepted...or are they generally the same??
BIG Thanks for your help
TEFL certificate courses...which one?where?costs?
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fluffyhamster
- Posts: 3031
- Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2004 6:57 pm
- Location: UK > China > Japan > UK again
Take a look/search on the International forums (especially the Newbie one), there's a lot of discussion about various courses there.
The reasons for the higher prices include paying for the direct contact time (in reasonably small groups) with the trainers over e.g. a month full-time, and also paying for the accrediting institution's inspectors to come in and vet the place once or twice a year; then, there is the difference between the "value" of the leading brand names versus the unknown ones.
The CELTA is probably the more well-known, but the Trinity certificate is by no means inferior and may actually be better in some instances (depending on the trainers and training centers). Ultimately it will probably come down to doing whichever course is most convenient (e.g. nearest your home, starting soon, places available, slightly cheaper), or part of a large school with plenty of students to train on and befriend, and perhaps post-training employment opportunities etc.
The reasons for the higher prices include paying for the direct contact time (in reasonably small groups) with the trainers over e.g. a month full-time, and also paying for the accrediting institution's inspectors to come in and vet the place once or twice a year; then, there is the difference between the "value" of the leading brand names versus the unknown ones.
The CELTA is probably the more well-known, but the Trinity certificate is by no means inferior and may actually be better in some instances (depending on the trainers and training centers). Ultimately it will probably come down to doing whichever course is most convenient (e.g. nearest your home, starting soon, places available, slightly cheaper), or part of a large school with plenty of students to train on and befriend, and perhaps post-training employment opportunities etc.
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toeflsmeagle
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:02 pm
In England, I recommend the University of Birmingham program. This is the university that is the home of corpus linguistics, so the teaching methods that lend themselves to studying corpora (such as Michael Lewis's "lexical approach") get a lot of treatment there. I did half an MA, the distance kind, and had to quit midway through it. I eventually got an MA at an American university, but I'm glad I started my pursuits at the MA program in Birmingham. I got to meet some of the professors there, and basically they're cool people. It's a tough program, but it's worth the money.
I might be mistaken about this, but I heard that Aston, Manchester, and Surrey have good programs.
Have anything to say about the TOEFL? I think TESL and TEFL and TESOL programs are covered elsewhere OUTSIDE of the TOEFL forum.
I might be mistaken about this, but I heard that Aston, Manchester, and Surrey have good programs.
Have anything to say about the TOEFL? I think TESL and TEFL and TESOL programs are covered elsewhere OUTSIDE of the TOEFL forum.
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fluffyhamster
- Posts: 3031
- Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2004 6:57 pm
- Location: UK > China > Japan > UK again
I'm not sure if Vickie has the funds or intention to do a full MA, or if she'd benefit much if she's totally new to teaching (most MA programs ask for applicants to have at least a few years of teaching experience so that they will better appreciate what they're going to be studying), but I'd agree that the Uni Of B'ham has a good reputation (for postgrad study):
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/v ... 4366#24366
I had a quick look through their CELS pages and couldn't find anything at a certificate (or diploma level), but I'm sure I've seen some universities that offer initial teacher training options (the only problem then though might be in convincing anyone who asked that such a certificate was indeed the equivalent of a CELTA, especially in terms of the amount of observed teaching practice).
I guess people post queries about teacher training on the TOEFL (exam) forum because it is the closest thing resembling 'TEFL' etc.
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/v ... 4366#24366
I had a quick look through their CELS pages and couldn't find anything at a certificate (or diploma level), but I'm sure I've seen some universities that offer initial teacher training options (the only problem then though might be in convincing anyone who asked that such a certificate was indeed the equivalent of a CELTA, especially in terms of the amount of observed teaching practice).
I guess people post queries about teacher training on the TOEFL (exam) forum because it is the closest thing resembling 'TEFL' etc.
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Head Master
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 12:37 pm
- Location: Bordeaux
- Contact:
Range of cost of TEFL courses; cheap is not always good
There are TEFL courses which are offered over one weekend and courses which require 4 months full time study.
Do the costs differ? Of course they do.
You need to examine the course of study, the number of hours of class time, the practice teaching schedule, and the staffing of the program.
You don't always get what you pay for, but you seldom get more than you pay for.
So, check out the length and depth of the course and try to pin down the school on their refund policy. Some schools refuse to give refunds; others, like ours in Bordeaux, France, viz www.TEFLofCanada.com ,offer a money back guarantee.
We do that because we believe we offer value and students will be satisfied. You can find a cheaper course, but it might not be worth what you pay.
It's your money; it's your time; be careful about your choice.
Do the costs differ? Of course they do.
You need to examine the course of study, the number of hours of class time, the practice teaching schedule, and the staffing of the program.
You don't always get what you pay for, but you seldom get more than you pay for.
So, check out the length and depth of the course and try to pin down the school on their refund policy. Some schools refuse to give refunds; others, like ours in Bordeaux, France, viz www.TEFLofCanada.com ,offer a money back guarantee.
We do that because we believe we offer value and students will be satisfied. You can find a cheaper course, but it might not be worth what you pay.
It's your money; it's your time; be careful about your choice.