How to Get TEFL Certified in 5 Steps [2023] (2023)

If you're interested in getting involved in the international game of English as a Second Language (ESL), whether your preferred employment destination is South America, Asia, or Europe, you should read this complete article with step-by-step instructions on how to get certified. TEFL received, a must for all aspiring teachers.

The increasingly competitive online ESL providers are also increasingly requiring TEFL certification of future teachers on their platforms.

Let's get into it.

What is a TEFL certificate?

"TEFL" stands for "Teaching English as a Foreign Language." It is a distinct discipline under the broader umbrella of English language teaching and refers to the teaching of English to non-English speaking students, usually abroad.

Because most English teachers of non-English speaking students do not have a degree in education, earning a TEFL certification shows employers that applicants have received specialized training in the ESL discipline.

Your ideal TEFL program accredited* as TEFL Hero120 hour online TEFL coursedoes, covers:

• How to manage classrooms (both face-to-face and digital)
• How to plan effective lessons that get results
• The four main English skills that non-native speakers can acquire: listening, speaking, reading and writing
• Various learning theories and associated teaching techniques

*Important: Always ensure proper accreditation in any TEFL program you are considering. Without such endorsement by an internationally recognized accreditation agency, your TEFL certificate is essentially worthless.

In a later section, we explain more about TEFL accreditation bodies and how you can tell if a course you're considering is legitimate.

Requirements to obtain a TEFL certificate

To be accepted into a TEFL certification program, you must meet the following basic requirements (these may vary slightly from course to course):

• high school or GED
• 18 years
• Bachelor's degree (rarely required for some advanced courses)
• High level of English (proof of non-native speakers may be required)IELTS score)

As you can see, TEFL certification courses have relatively low barriers to entry. Most adults meet the basic standards.

You can expect to invest at least 100 total hours in the program. Self-paced online courses like TEFL Hero are flexible in this regard, allowing you to fit your study time around your personal schedule at work or school.

How to get TEFL certified in 5 steps:

Let's look at a step-by-step guide to getting TEFL certified. Follow them and you'll get a highly marketable new TEFL certification to your name, helping you land your ESL dream job in no time.

Decide if you want to take a TEFL course online or in person

One of the biggest decisions you will face is whether to take a class online or in person. The COVID-19 pandemic led to thisa massive proliferation of online courses due to social distancing requirements. Consequently, several well-known TEFL providers now offer their courses exclusively in online formats.

Here are some considerations to keep in mind when deciding what type of TEFL course to take:

• Personal courses have stricter schedules; Some online courses require attendance in digital classrooms at specific times, but many are completely self-paced. If you have a busy schedule, you'll probably want to opt for an online-only course.
• Due to the need to use physical classrooms with all the costs that this entails and the physical presence of the teacher, face-to-face courses tend to be more expensive.
• Some students learn more effectively in personal settings due to more personal interactions and increased responsibility.
• It's easier to "burn out" in online classes, a phenomenon sometimes called "zoom fatigue" in reference to the popular online meeting app. As effective as curriculum designs can be, online learning is often less challenging than face-to-face learning. (Online support forums for ESL teachers to share their experiences and challenges can help prevent burnout..)

Read more about himrespective advantages and disadvantages of online and face-to-face classes.

These are the unique benefits ofSelf-paced TEFL Hero 120 hour online course:

• Extremely affordable (only $99)
• It covers all the essential aspects of a quality education described above.
• Fully accredited by the industry standard holder ACCREDITAT
• Digital certification available immediately after completing the course
• Lifetime access to all course materials.
• 9/10 rating on GoAbroad.com
• Awesome and relevant blog contentwritten by me and TEFL Hero founder/instructor Kristine Thorndyke (shameless plug)

Get certified to teachIn general!

• 120 hour online certificate with lifetime access
• Valid everywhere online and abroad
• fully accredited
• 24/7 Tutor Support - Ask us anything!

(Video) Unlock Your ESL Teaching Success! - Learn How in 5 Easy Steps

CLICK HERE TO KNOW MORE

See Also

TESOL Certification in New Jersey | How To Become an ESL Teacher in NJ | ESL approval and assignmentsTESOL/TESL/TEFL certification courses in New Brunswick, NJTop 10 TEFL Certification Courses in New Jersey: 2023

(Video) How to get a TEFL job - 2023

here are someReal Life Teacher Who Completed TEFL Hero Online CourseI have to say about his experience:

Learn about accredited TEFL certification programs

Like most relatively new industries, the TEFL industry is in something of a Wild West phase of development. There is currently no strong, centralized governance regime separating professional TEFL courses from pretenders.

Instead, as mentioned above, employers rely heavily on accreditation bodies to verify and confirm the validity of a particular TEFL course.

Examples of recognized TEFL course accreditation bodies include:

• ACCET (Accreditation Council for Continuing Education and Training)
• Teacher Education Council
• ACCREDITATION
• IATEFL (International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language)

Please note that the above list is not an exhaustive list; See a more complete list of accreditation bodiesHere.

The unfortunate reality, though it won't surprise savvy Internet users, is that scammers are out there. Consequently, the TEFL industry operates in a largely unregulated market where buyers exercise caution.

Therefore, as an informed consumer, you need to ensure that the TEFL course you are signing up for has received the proper accreditation to make it worthwhile and commercially viable.

Narrow the list down to 3-5 TEFL programs and contact them

Once you start looking, you'll find that the internet is full of reputable TEFL programs of varying quality.

Here are some questions you can ask to find the course that best suits your needs:

• What requirements must students meet to pass the subject (final exam, demonstration class, etc.)?
• Is the course online, face-to-face or hybrid?
• What kind of student support does the course offer? Can you talk to a real person or a bot if there's a problem, which is likely?
• How long is the period of access to the content?
• Are there fixed deadlines or is the course done at your own pace?
• What body accredits the course?
• Do the course developers/instructors have practical experience teaching ESL?
• Does the course provide job placement assistance and/or employment guarantee?
• What job search resources does the course provide after graduation?

Accredited TEFL providers will provide timely and transparent answers to any questions you may have about their FAQs and/orcontact pages.

Apply or enroll in the selected TEFL program

Once you have selected the right TEFL course for you based on the criteria above, the next step isRegister for the TEFL course of your choice.

Students who sign up for online courses like TEFL Hero can usually start learning right away, whereas classroom courses often don't start until months after enrollment, so if you want to get started, get certified and get started. to teaching as soon as possible, that's just another reason to go digital.

Set aside time each week to work through the course material.

Once you're signed up, paid for, and ready to go, the next step is to set aside time each week to make steady progress through the material in order to complete it on time.

Pacing is one of the biggest challenges with online self-paced courses, as setting a schedule, and more importantly sticking to it, is entirely your job as a student. No one is looking over your shoulder to make sure you arrive on time, and there are no scheduled courses forcing you to meet your commitments.

Studies show thatWriting down your goals makes it more likely to achieve them in the allotted time. In fact, “people who describe or present their goals very vividly are 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely to successfully achieve their goals.”

If you decide to take the course online, you must set strict goals in writing; for example, completing one module per week. In the case of the 120 hour TEFL Hero course, that would put you on a trajectory to complete the entire course in less than three months.

Related:CELTIC vs TEFL: What is the difference?

How long does it take to get TEFL certified?

The answer largely depends on whether the course is online and self-paced or in person:

• Whether it is a face-to-face course or an online course with a live teaching element, the timeline is structured. The average duration of a face-to-face course is about six months.
• If it's a self-paced online course like TEFL Hero, the schedule is completely up to you. Students who have worked intensively with digital books can assume that they will be ready in just a month. Alternatively, those with busy schedules can extend the course to six months or more. When you purchase the TEFL Hero 120-hour accredited online course, you have lifetime access to the material, giving you great flexibility.

Related:Practice these 15 sample TEFL questions and quizzes

How much does it cost to get a TEFL certificate?

The cost of TEFL courses varies widely.

In-person courses tend to be more expensive for the aforementioned reasons: the cost of live instructors, utilities and classroom rental costs, etc.average cost of accredited personal TEFL courseIt is in the range of $1,000 to $2,000.

Online courses have less inherent overhead and are therefore able to pass these savings on to students.

TEFL Hero's price of $99 is one of the lowest of all.authorizedCourse in the world - accredited is the operative word. You may find cheaper TEFL courses, but they are likely not accredited and therefore essentially useless from a job search perspective.

Frequently asked questions about the TEFL certification process

Let's look at some frequently asked questions about the TEFL certification process.

The conclusion of the TEFL certification

These are the main points of ourHow to get TEFL certifiedPost to note:

• If you are over 18 and have a high school diploma or GED, you qualify to enroll in most TEFL certification programs
• Earning an accredited TEFL certification greatly increases your attractiveness to ESL employers worldwide.
• If you put in a lot of time and energy, you can get a TEFL certification through an online course in just one month.
• Always insist on checking the accreditation status of any TEFL course that interests you.
• Accredited online courses are generally less expensive than face-to-face courses and just as valuable for career prospects.

Get certified to teachIn general!

• 120 hour online certificate with lifetime access
• Valid everywhere online and abroad
• fully accredited
• 24/7 Tutor Support - Ask us anything!

CLICK HERE TO KNOW MORE

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