TEFL v TESOL ?

[AJ @ i-to-i]

As a member of the courses team here at i-to-i, I'm happy to provide some further information on our TEFL courses.

Our Online courses cover all aspects of EFL teaching, including the following areas of study:

> Student Motivation, Teacher Roles & EFL Methodology
> Grammar Awareness
> Classroom Management & Student Levels
> How to teach Grammar
> How to teach Vocabulary
> Observe & analyse a teacher in action (on DVD ROM)
> How to teach Speaking and Writing Skills
> How to teach Reading and Listening Skills
> Games & Lesson Planning
> How and where to find work

Specialisation is available if required, we have additional modules available in teaching business English, and also teaching English to young learners.

As also stated by Chris-tee, we run Weekend courses which can give a more practical aspect to your training and provide a useful insight into the EFL classroom. In Australia we currently run these courses in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

If you have any further questions please leave a reply and I'll endeavour to answer!

A link to our web site may be useful!

i-to-i TEFL COURSES

[gfell]

Originally Posted by chris-tee

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

I have narrowed my course options to these two, but still unsure which to go for...

1. i-to-i TEFL "Diploma" (through teflint.com). Runs for 60 hours online, with an option to do a weekend course which would give me valuable face-to-face exposure.
Cost = $530(AU)

2. Global TESOL "Professional Diploma" (through seeklearning.com.au). Runs for 600 hours, purely online with no actual class participation. However, the course is much more indepth with 9 specialisation courses (such as teaching grammar, teaching children/adults, business and medical etc)
Cost = $3000(AU)

I'm leaning more towards option 2, as I feel without a degree a longer diploma such as that would show my commitment to teaching (it would take the better part of a year to complete). Also the course doesn't feel as "general" as i-to-i TEFL Dip...

Which one would you all recommend? Any personal experiences with either/both? Which would you say is more widely asked for/recognised by employers?

The 600-hour Professional TESOL Teacher Diploma Program seems good for a more comprehensive training program rather than just a weekend course. This TESOL course also offers practical too. But for $3000, you would expect it to have a practical component.

Both Gobal TESOL and i-to-i are very well known. Regardless of which TESOL course you choose, both will still bring the same amount of money and job opportunities for you. If you take a look at the numerous ESL job ads, the majority of them only ask a TESL certificate. I think you will find than many recruiters see a TESOL diploma and TESOL certificate as being the same thing.

If you plan on going to University at a later stage, then the TESOL Diploma would be the wisest choice as you could then use this course to gain credit. As the TESOL Diploma contains the word "Diploma", you will also probably find that it is then guided by the Australian Qualifications Framework - a government body ensuring standards in education.

If you want to make a long career out of teaching English, then definitely the TESOL Diploma would be best. If you would only like to teach English for a few years, then I would suggest the i-to-i course.

[Hypiereon]

What is best really depends upon you and what you want. In China, literally any TEFL Certification will do, but I did mine through i-to-i online, took the 40 hours course, and did it to have a piece of paper to show schools that someone else recognizes what I already knew - that I know how to teach English as a foreign language.

For me, the certificate was for outside recognition of my abilities, not to get educated. In fact, I found the section on lesson planning very taxing personally.

For others, they seriously need the education. They do not have a BA, they have never been in a classroom in a professional capacity, and a professional diploma for the long term would be best.

For the schools, they don't seem to care much here in China. I'm looking into getting my Masters in EFL / Linguistics - not for my resume or for some school, but for me.

In the end, do it for yourself and your students or you'll be doing it for the wrong reasons. Getting certified if you have no teaching experience and no BA is the least you can do. For what its worth, the better prepared you are (in the form of an education and experience) the easier it all goes in the classroom, and the less prepared you are the more frustrated you will be in the end.

[Luke Janicke]

Originally Posted by chris-tee

Thanks guys.

So what does an i-to-i course stand for exactly?

i-to-i...

I'm just using my imagination.

It could be like the quote "seeing eye to eye" because TEFL is a very personal one-on-one type of activity that requires trust and close relationship. It could also mean I (as in me) to I (as in another me). Like saying "from one Individual to another Individual".

Eh.

[Brian Franks]

Hello All,

I am a TEFL trainer/recruiter. I came across this site and thread while checking CV references for an applicant. I have decided to take the time to add a comment on this topic - of which course to choose - as it is an issue I deal with frequently. I am weary of having to inform applicants that they have an unrecognised TEFL/TESOL qualification and I can't employ them. Be warned, this happens a lot!

Firstly, having been a trainer for some years on a Dept of Education recognised course I can say that EFL/ESOL is not something that can easily be learned from books or an online course. In my experience, it is only in the final stages of an intensive class-based course that the penny drops for trainee EFL teachers. I've seen it happen time and again and it's very rewarding to see someone find their own style and command in the classroom. Trainees on 'in-class' courses get the chance to observe experienced EFL teachers work their magic in the classroom and try it out for themselves with several different groups over the duration of the course.

The first TP (teaching practice) with real students is a baptism of fire that almost always ends up going down in flames, however the rate of acceleration is steep and learning through gargantuan mistakes is the most effective and affective way to learn.

As with most things the cheap option rarely cuts the mustard. I'm sure someone somewhere has an online driving course, but I wouldn't lend a graduate of that course my car, would you? Be smart, avoid disappointment and go for a proper 'in-class' course of at least 100+ hours duration with the appropriate Dept of Education recognition in the countries you're hoping to teach in. If you want to teach in Europe, the only acceptable option for employers - like myself - is a CELTA or equivalent(120+ hours including 6 hours TP). These usually cost about 1,000 euro. If you have a PGDE, B.Ed, or HDip you often only need to do a 30-hour SQT (state qualified teacher) TEFL/TESOL Cert. If you're going to spend a few hundred euro/dollars take your time and research it thoroughly, you are buying an expensive product.

Finally, as was mentioned above the acronym makes no difference - TEFL/TESOL/whatever - once you have done it in a class with real students and experienced tutors observing your gestural as well as verbal mistakes for at least 100 hours you will be welcome in most good/recognised schools.

EFL is a fun and rewarding way to travel and make money, but it is a NIGHTMARE if you are ill-equipt in the classroom.

All the best,

Brian Franks

[ICAL_Pete]

I’m afraid I have to disagree with Antonio and his idea that the quality of a course is somehow reflected in the amount of money a course provider spends on advertising.

If you really want to weigh one course against another start by asking for their course syllabus and compare it to others. Check their tutors’ credentials. Make sure the course requires some actual work on your part and it is not based on “Yes or No” answers or “Read This Unit and Summarize It” type of coursework. Try and find out what other students who have taken the course say about it. Basically do as much research as you can.

You could start by taking a look at TEFLWatch.org. This is a site where TESL/TEFL courses and course providers are independently reviewed and rated.
ICAL Online Teacher Training

[MASTERTALKER]

Hi Chris-Tee,

I am Justin, the manager of MASTERTALKER, an ESL products and services provider.

I have been reading the thread regarding qualifications for teaching and I must agree with Brian, there is no better way to get you prepared for work than a CELTA course (or a Certificate IV in TESOL).

Really it depends on where you want to work and what type of organisation you want to work for.

If you're still reading this thread, let me know the above and I'll try to help you more.

Justin
MASTERTALKER