Prefered TEFL qualifications?

[elshankos]

Hi there,

Ill be heading to Japan from the UK in August - does anyone know of any prefered TEFL qualifications out there or even any to avoid. Theres so many out there and its kind of difficult to get a handle on whats good!

Many thanks

[Sangetsu]

Generally, anything from an accredited school is good. On the other hand, many Japanese schools wouldn't know the difference between one that is accredited and one that isn't.

If you interested in a good course, you can do a search for English International. They have a good program, even if isn't accredited. You'll learn what you need to teach English as a foreign language, and it's probably the best course I've seen for preparing for the CELTA.

The English International program can be completed online; three programs of varying levels are available. A certificate is awarded for each program upon completion.

[jasonbvr]

Most of them are alright for teaching theory, learning methods and padding your resume. However if you can get a job without one, save your money and buy a nice camera. I'll give you a little trick you can use. Find one of those online "schools" and use their name in your cover letter like this, "Currently I am working towards a certificate in TEFL with the online program blah blah blah." After you get the job and make your way over here, no one is going to ask to see a certificate. All they care about is your university degree. And if they do ask just tell them the half truth. You got the job and then were too busy to complete the course. If you can't teach, no certificate is going to save you. Just as if you can teach, no one cares about these programs.

[Sangetsu]

Originally Posted by jasonbvr

Most of them are alright for teaching theory, learning methods and padding your resume. However if you can get a job without one, save your money and buy a nice camera. I'll give you a little trick you can use. Find one of those online "schools" and use their name in your cover letter like this, "Currently I am working towards a certificate in TEFL with the online program blah blah blah." After you get the job and make your way over here, no one is going to ask to see a certificate. All they care about is your university degree. And if they do ask just tell them the half truth. You got the job and then were too busy to complete the course. If you can't teach, no certificate is going to save you. Just as if you can teach, no one cares about these programs.

Partially true. But if you are going to teach in a mainstream school there is a good chance that they'll require you to take a grammar test. Other schools will often require you to write an essay. If you fail the grammar test, or do a poor job on your essay, you will not be hired.

You might be asked to give examples of conditional sentences, the active and passive voices, gerunds, infinitives, various tenses, etc. etc. etc. A TEFL course will refresh your grammar memory, and make teaching much easier (not to mention helping you pass your grammar test, or write your essay correctly).

One thing not to forget is that though many of your Japanese students may have poor speaking or listening skills, their technical knowledge of English grammar may be very good, and you won't make much of an impression if you don't know as much about it as they do (which is often the case with new teachers).

[elshankos]

Hi mate,

I think thats pretty good advice then - if there arent any major preferences for TEFL qualifications I'll just do a £200 weekend one and you're right about not knowing the names of all the stranges voices and whatnot so I think it will help me!! I dont mind spending the money.

Cheers