Which TEFL Course Should I Take?

Deciding to do a Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course and change the rest of your life is a big decision. But what is actually a bigger decision is choosing the right TEFL course. If you take even a quick glimpse online you will realise how many TEFL courses there are to choose from. On the surface, they might all look very similar but if you do your due diligence you will soon discover which TEFL course is worth your hard-earned money. So, which TEFL course should I take? we hear you ask.

Well, here are a few things to consider when deciding on a TEFL course.

How long does a TEFL course take?

TEFL courses range in duration from 10-hour weekend courses to 310-hour marathons. The thing is, with TEFL the magic number is 120. Your TEFL course should be at least 120 hours. A course that is a million hours more than that is not necessarily going to give any advantage over a 120-hour course, but a course that is only 50 hours is almost certainly not going to give you what you need in a TEFL course.

The TEFL Academy offers different courses, depending on your needs. We offer a 120-hour Level 3 online course, a 168-hour Level 5 online course, and a 168-hour Level 5 combined course. The combined course involves 148 hours of online self-study and 10 hours in the classroom, which is a good blend of online versus practical hours. You can rest assured you will be able to complete the course as you have all the support you need from tutors and six months’ access to the online course. Plus, you can be sure that with this certificate employers will recognise you have put in enough hours to tackle the theoretical aspects of teaching but have also had practical experience in the classroom.

What does the course include?

Even though all TEFL courses result in you having a TEFL certificate, they are not all created equal. A very important consideration to factor into your decision in choosing a TEFL course is what exactly the course is offering. There are the basic aspects of TEFL teaching, such as lesson planning, grammar instruction and teaching methodologies, but you also want to look for a course that offers more than just the basics.

The TEFL Academy course covers everything you will need to know about teaching English as a Foreign Language, as well as useful extras like how to use resources effectively, classroom management strategies and, best of all, three free top-up courses: Teaching Young Learners, Teaching Business English, Teaching Online and 1:1.

What qualification do I get?

At the end of the day, what you should be worried about is how prepared the course is going to make you for teaching English as a foreign language and how employable you are going to be. Making sure the TEFL course includes all the topics you need to know will make sure you know what you need to know, but you will need to look at the quality of the qualification in order to tell if employers are going to welcome you with open arms.

The TEFL Academy offers a Level 5 certificate.  Essentially, this qualification has been recognised as the same level as the CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL.  The TEFL Academy has received official recognition from government regulated awarding bodies both in the US and the UK. Our Level 5 TEFL Course is DEAC-approved as meeting the criteria for Approved Quality Curriculum (AQC) status. The DEAC is a U.S. Department of Education recognised awarding body. The course is regulated by Ofqual (a UK government department) and awarded by Qualifi, a UK government recognised awarding body.

How much does a TEFL course cost?

Of course, the cost of a TEFL course is another important consideration. Beware TEFL courses that are , as cheap as chips, as you generally get what you pay for. At the same time, remember that this is an investment into your education and your career. Find a TEFL course that suits you and your budget. And keep an eye out for specials and discounts!

Read more: 5 Reasons to Avoid a Cheap TEFL Course

What is the best TEFL course to take?

Deciding what is the best TEFL course to take is a big decision. There’s no point wasting your time and your money on a piece of paper that is not going to help you in any way, but if you keep these points in mind you should have no problem in answering the question, what is the best TEFL course to take?