subject: How Can a TEFL Course Help Me? [print this page] How Can a TEFL Course Help Me? How Can a TEFL Course Help Me?
I'll let you in on a secret: you can get a TEFL job abroad without doing a TEFL course. Oh yes, the demand for English teachers abroad is so huge that employers will consider anyone who can string a sentence together in English.
So, I hear you cry why does anyone bother with a TEFL course? Why don't they just get on a plane? Here's why
Better wages
If you have a TEFL certificate you can usually earn more than you would do without having any TEFL qualifications. Yes, it may cost you to do a TEFL course, but you'll quickly earn back the money you've spent.
Good schools = good working conditions
We'll be honest with you the industry for learning English in some countries isn't very well-regulated, so there are some schools that aren't very well run and don't treat their teachers as they should. And, because they're not the best places to work, they aren't very choosy about who they employ. They'll employ anyone as long as they speak English.
On the other hand, the more reputable schools are the ones that are more selective about who they hire. With schools that are more selective, the teachers are usually going to act more professionally and be more devoted to their students' needs. If a teacher is happy in their job, then so will their students, so it's in your employers best interests to keep you happy!
Make yourself irresistible
Having a TEFL certificate on your CV/resume, doesn't just look good because it's an additional qualification on your CV/resume, oh no! It also stands out to potential employers as it shows you've gone out of your way to spend 100 plus hours improving your teaching abilities, so they know you're committed!
All this adds up to a pretty irresistible package, meaning you're likely to get a much better response from employers than if you go for the I speak English, give me a job' line of attack. So, you'll spend less time job hunting, and more time enjoying your new life overseas.
Less sweat, more success
Yes, yes, you can speak English, excellent. But would you know how to get a class of 50 rowdy kids to ask one another for directions in English? By completing a TEFL course you'll actually know what you're doing when you step up in front of your students, meaning less sweat, more success.
A rewarding experience
Great spoken English can make or break your students' futures. So, improving their English can be an incredibly rewarding experience. But if you don't know how to get the best out of your students, you're not really going to teach them much. So, they won't enjoy your lessons, and you won't get the warm, satisfied glow from knowing that you've improved someone's future prospects.
