Online vs. Classroom TEFL course

The internet is making life more convenient for people all over the planet.

Whether you're ordering concert tickets or pizza, you can get just about anything you want online. Far be it from us not to step on the online band wagon, so we introduced the first completely online TEFL course, allowing budding TEFL tutors to get their TEFL qualification from the comfort of their own home.

Thousands of people every year now use online courses to develop the skills and confidence they need to become a successful TEFL tutors, but thousands more opt for the weekend course... so which one is right for you?

For some the first thing to consider will be the price. The online course is usually cheaper than the weekend course but not by much. If you're not strapped for cash, you might want to consider taking both courses. You will find that there are a number of value-for-money packages available that will allow you to combine the two with a heap of perks and perhaps with an overseas teaching experience.

Each course has been expertly designed to help you get the most out of your teaching experience. The trick here is to match your personality to the right course.

Online courses do of course boast incredible flexibility and convenience. You can work at your own pace, from the comfort of your own home (or from anywhere else in the world for that matter). These are great for people with busy lifestyles and are sometimes the only way people can qualify while holding down a full time job. The online course is specially designed to allow you to do as much or as little as you want, whenever you want. So if you only have ten minutes a night free for studying or if your toddler starts crying half way through a module, you still be able to complete the course without problems.

While the online TEFL courses certainly cater to a busy life and a personalized pace, many people still choose the intensive weekend course. Why? Well it might have something to do with practical teaching experience but the majority of people would probably say it was because the weekend course is a bundle of fun from start to finish (just like you whole TEFL career will be).

The two courses use very different teaching methods so it's important to consider what's more effective for you. Everyone learns differently; some take things in better when they read it, others when it's read to them. Online courses are great for people who absorb information well from reading and re-reading texts. These courses also include DVD and audio supplements which will aide learners who work best with orally. Online courses do not include any actual practice teaching experience in the training.

Classroom courses cater to the kinaesthetic learner. If you like getting involved, trying out teaching methods and want some practical teaching experience before you leave the country then this is certainly the course for you. Students will also receive an extensive course book which you can read through and study after the course has finished. Both courses provide students with a personal tutor, but the weekend course gives students the opportunity to watch their tutor in action. While an online course will provide a solution to a hypothetical situation, the classroom lesson will actually play the lesson out for you.

Pricing is also a difference, as online courses tend to be cheaper than classroom courses. Remember, the content of both courses is going to be very similar; it's only the style of teaching that is different. Both courses will provide you with the required training, certification and confidence to go out and teach in the real world.

Get more information about our online TEFL courses.