What is a TEFL course?

As English is quickly becoming the "lingua franca" for the business world and beyond, there is an increasing demand from the non-English speaking world for teachers and resources to learn the language.

TEFL is an acronym for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. The word is often attached to courses or certifications, which indicate a level of training in this area.

The acronym TEFL is used primarily in UK, while other such acronyms as TESOL, CELTA or ELT may be more prevalent in the U.S. or Canada. Whatever the acronym used these courses, qualifications and certificates will see you on your way to a well-paid teaching position abroad. Institutes which ask for a TESOL qualification are just as likely to accept a TESL qualification and vice verse.

Many employers scan resumes specifically searching for the words "TEFL Certification" to ensure that the candidate possesses at least the minimum qualification required. For some schools, your TEFL qualification will be enough to secure your position (assuming of course that you are old enough to work/teach within the host country).

TEFL is essentially designed for native English speakers, who do not speak the language of their potential pupils. The course is specially designed to show you how use interactive lessons and games to convey lessons such as vocabulary and grammar. Many of the schools that TEFL teachers end up working at are in poorer parts of the world, so teachers are trained on how to provide their lessons with little to no resources.

The TEFL courses themselves can be very different depending on the course provider and the level of training which a person has signed up for. TEFL courses may vary in length, medium and location. While one individual may opt for a 4-week course, taught by a local instructor in Greece, someone else may choose a 40-hour course taught online from their living room.

While some employers will hire people without a TEFL certification, such a qualification is usually a good bargaining tool when trying to negotiate for a higher rate of pay.

There are no requirements in regards to education, training or age to receive a certification in TEFL. However, once attained some employers may have requirements in those areas, as well as visa requirements per national law.

Currently, no international independent accrediting organization is in place to administer the issuing of qualifications. Most TEFL qualification are accredited by organizations and bodies within the home country of the TEFL provider. However, you will find that some TEFL course have been accredited by organizations in a number of countries (like i-to-i courses which are accredited by both the ODLQC and the SQMS).