Do I Really Need A TEFL Certification?

If you have been considering teaching English abroad and done a little research, especially on some of the online forums, you may be wondering if you really need a TEFL certificate?  Probably a better question to ask yourself would be:  Why would I not want a TEFL certificate?

You can always just start teaching without any preparation and see how well you do. But that’s a pretty scary thought isn’t it? Without a TEFL course how will you know if what you’re doing is right? And just imagine walking into a classroom full of students and having nothing to say – it’d be like that nightmare where you turn up at school naked!

Some hopeful teachers just dismiss it as a really steep learning curve. But remember, it’s difficult to learn from the other teachers if you can’t watch them in action. You’ll certainly learn from your mistakes, but how many will you have to make to equal 160 hours of focused TEFL training?

Perhaps more importantly, starting to teach without TEFL training really isn’t fair on your class. They deserve the best teaching possible and if you aren’t prepared, if you don’t know what to expect, they simply won’t get it. Even if you’re planning to travel to a country that doesn’t demand a TEFL qualification, you should seriously consider getting one.

Many reputable language schools simply won’t employ you without a TEFL qualification. This may mean that you have to accept a job from a less reliable institution – something not really recommended. In more developed countries, finding TEFL jobs without a qualification can be extremely difficult and you’ll probably spend weeks searching for work once you’ve arrived, with no chance of organizing your position before you travel.

A TEFL course ticks important boxes. You’ll get more opportunities to convince schools to hire you and you’ll know exactly what to do during telephone interviews. So even though a TEFL course may not be essential, it is important.

What’s more, a TEFL course will make you stand out from the crowd. Language schools might not ask for them, but you can bet that applicants with a TEFL qualification go in one pile, while those without go in another.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town, free surfing lessons, great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 160 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 5 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a guaranteed job waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today!

TEFL Jobs For Non-Native English Speakers

Over the years English has become the international language of business, communications, technology and travel. This global reach means that most people using English around the world are non-native speakers speaking to other non-native speakers (Polish business-people speaking to German business-people  for example). So sounding like a native speaker is irrelevant to them: they need International English and they want a teacher with good levels of English and teaching skills.

You’ve already learned English, so you can teach English
Another plus is that because you have learned the English language from scratch, you probably understand English grammar on an intellectual level to a much higher level than most of your native counterparts who understand it on a subconscious level having soaked up the language from birth.

And one final part on the back for our non-native speaking friends: being taught by a non-native TEFL teacher can really motivate and inspire your students – if you can learn to speak, write and teach English to such a high level, they can too!

What Are The Challenges of Being a Non-Native TEFLer?
The main challenge that you’ll have is your own worry about being a non-native speaker! But your students know you’re not a native speaker and don’t expect you to be one. You’ve worked hard to learn the language to such a high level, so be confident. All that hard work you’ve put in will help you teach English as a foreign language to your students just as well as a native speaker would.

You may encounter old attitudes from some employers who feel that the native speaker is still the ideal. Don’t worry – there is so much demand for TEFL teachers, you can just choose a different employer. These attitudes are changing rapidly – any good school now is looking for skills, not just someone who is a ‘native-speaker’.

Some countries generally require proof of nationality from an English-speaking country to get a work permit (e.g. Korea). There’s not much you can do about that unfortunately, but these prejudices about what makes a good teacher are changing, and we expect them to disappear in the near future.

Do I Need Specific TEFL Training?
Whatever anyone says, you don’t need any extra TEFL training. You are the equal of the native speakers, and should not put yourself in a separate category.

Obviously, if you’re going to teach English, your English level has to be very high. If you’re not confident about your English, you’ll need to work on it in a targeted way. Get a detailed diagnosis of your speaking and writing from an expert and work on the areas you need to improve: whether that’s fluency, pronunciation, sentence stress and rhythm, use of articles or tenses – a few more hours effort will open up a world of opportunities.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town, free surfing lessons, great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 160 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 5 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a guaranteed job waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today!

TEFL: The Scoop!

English is the international language of business, politics, science and communications.  It is estimated that over a billion people are learning English worldwide.  About three-quarters of these people live in non-English speaking countries.  In other words every country needs English teachers  every country needs English teachers (there are even foreign TEFL teachers in North Korea).

Most language schools advertise on the internet and many like to arrange a contract in advance. There are hundreds of websites dedicated to TEFL jobs. It’s estimated that there are over 20,000 new TEFL jobs listed each month.  The demand for TEFL is so huge that many schools will employ teachers with no teaching qualification or degree. This does depend on the country – you may need to be qualified to get a work visa in some countries. Also, the question of whether you want to teach without some training needs serious consideration.  In addition the better teaching jobs will require at the least an accredited TEFL certificate, with some observed teaching practice.

Most English language schools are English language environments. You will use English for all interactions at work. However, knowing some basic phrases in the local language shows respect for people and will add considerably to your cultural experience.

You could actually be teaching in one of many countries tomorrow. You will need to decide whether you want to simply arrive in a country and approach schools or arrange a job before you go. This may or may not work out for you and of course it is always best to do your research first, complete an accredited TEFL course and get job guidance from your TEFL provider.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town, free surfing lessons, great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 160 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 5 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a guaranteed job waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today!

Am I Too Old To Be An EFL Teacher?

If you have wanted to be an EFL teacher, but just thought maybe you were too old, well here are some reasons you might want to reconsider. 

 Opportunity to Travel

• Your 9-5 days are over and you have always wanted to travel, well teaching EFL is a great way to enjoy traveling while supplementing your income.  Best of all with demand for EFL teachers global, you can pretty much choose your teaching destination.

Work Experience

• In many locations, mature experienced EFL teachers are highly desired.  Most employers appreciate someone who can demonstrate professionalism, have maturity in the workplace and lots of real life experience.

Family Experience

• By far the biggest market in the EFL world is teaching children.  If you have raised a family you will have lots of experience working with children and this is a highly sought out skill in EFL teaching.

So what are you waiting for?  Select a great TEFL course, update your resume and start a new career as an EFL Teacher. 

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town, free surfing lessons, great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 160 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 5 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a guaranteed job waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today!

What To Do Before Starting Your TEFL Course

So, you have been accepted into a TEFL course. How are you feeling?

• Relaxed because you are a fluent English speaker with a good educational background.
• Perhaps you feel a little bit worried as one of your friends took the course and said it was one of the toughest months of her life.
• Maybe you’re worried that you’re going to fail the course.

TEFL courses can be tough.  What can help is doing a little bit of preparation before the course starts.  Here are some things you should do before taking your TEFL course:

• Read a book or two, maybe a few articles and do a little research about TEFL and teaching English.
• Brush up on your grammar.  You don't need to be a grammar expert, but at least know a few grammar basics.  
• If it is possible, see if you can observe a TEFL class.  This will give you an idea of what your class will be like.  Seeing a teacher and students in action will give you a better feel of what a TEFL course is all about.
• Most important take some time to relax.  See your friends and enjoy yourself.  TEFL courses can be intense, so don't be surprised if you are very busy, with just a little free time available to enjoy yourself during the course.  Being relaxed and rested before you start your TEFL course will be a big bonus for you.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town, free surfing lessons, great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 160 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 5 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a guaranteed job waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today!

TEFL: A Practical Approach

Teaching English as a foreign language is a job that encompasses a wide array of people and personalities; from the serious educator to the adventurous backpacker just looking to make a little money so they can continue their travels.  Regardless of your reasons for wanting to become an English teacher there are certain fundamental attributes which you will need to hone in order to be effective in your chosen career.  Realistically, if you can always strive to approach all of your classes with the utmost patience and ensure that your students are having fun while learning you can be a great success as a teacher, while enjoying a wonderful lifestyle.

A TEFL course can give you all the fundamentals that you need to succeed as an English teacher, but unfortunately it cannot give you patience or personality.  If you are the type of person easily frustrated, with little patience or tolerance you will find that teaching English will not be the job for you.  Both you and your students will be extremely unhappy and you will quickly find yourself on a plane back to your home country, wondering what you could possibly have been thinking of to even consider the idea of teaching English.

On the other hand, if you are a person of great patience and tolerance loves to experience new cultures and embraces the concept that both teaching and learning should be fun, then this will be a job that you will love and you will accumulate wonderful experiences and memories.

A TEFL course with a practical approach should prepare you for a real teaching job in the real world and not just bury you in an avalanche of facts, grammar rules and strict procedures. 

The TEFL course should develop not only your teaching skills, but also resume writing, interviewing and practical living advice for your chosen teaching destination.  This will ensure you enjoy all the aspects of your new home and work environment.  Your TEFL course should rely heavily on observed teaching practices and giving you the positive feedback and encouragement to ensure that you are confident for all aspects of the teaching experience.

A primary focus of a TEFL course is also to ensure that you have a good job and a job that you want and are interested in by the time you complete your course.  Training and learning can be fun, but the end goal is to make sure you have profitable employment in the city where you desire to live and work.

A TEFL course with a practical approach is very relaxed and personalized to ensure that each student gets exactly what they need to be successful.  

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town, free surfing lessons, great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 160 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 5 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a guaranteed job waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today!

Should I Become a TEFL Teacher?

You may have been considering doing TEFL for a while, but have never done anything about it. That sounds like it could be down to just a little bit of fear. If this sounds like you, the best thing you can do to overcome those fears is get a clear idea of what teaching English abroad can be like.

Take the initial low-risk step of researching and contacting a few TEFL course providers, contact some current or former EFL teachers and get an understanding of what teaching English involves.  By the end of it you will have a much clearer idea of just what is involved in teaching English abroad. More importantly, you'll be feeling excited and enthusiastic to get on with TEFL.  Ask practical questions regarding pay, accommodation, teaching staff and students, this will help build a real picture of teaching English abroad.

Finding out about the country you want to teach in is also a good idea. It will not only get you excited with anticipation, but will also help you decide if it's somewhere you want to be. Ask teachers who have been to that country about the culture, lifestyle, cost of living and whether you earn enough to live.

Other concerns some prospective TEFL teachers have are doubts as to whether TEFL can constitute a career. I know a lot of people in TEFL, in a wide variety of different roles. Some are still out teaching, notching up more countries and destinations on their resumes. Others have started their own schools, some are in teacher training, others writing books. TEFL is the same as any industry, there are plenty of opportunities for the right person. The people I know are industrious, show initiative and are professional; qualities that any employer in any field would value.

Saying that, simply because you choose to get into TEFL, doesn't mean that you are tied to it. It can be perfect for taking a career break before starting something else or following a successful career. By teaching English, you'll also find that you gain transferable skills such as presentation, communication and organizational skills.

I have found professionals from different areas teaching abroad for a year or two to gain useful resume experience. 

Many primary and secondary school teachers find that teaching abroad is an effective way to gain practical experience before returning to apply for jobs in their home country.

There are a lot of fears and excuses to prevent you from taking the plunge. And while I meet a large number of people who say they had always meant to do TEFL, but never got round to it, I am not sure I have ever met a TEFL teacher who regrets their time abroad.

TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town, free surfing lessons, great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 160 Hour TEFL course that provides you with 5 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a guaranteed job waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today!

3 Questions to Ask Before Registering for a TEFL Course

Before you spend your hard earned money on a TEFL course, do your research, check the schools accreditation, talk to graduates of the course and ask these 3 questions.

1. What is the length of the course?

If you have no previous EFL teaching experience, then you need an onsite course that is at least 120 hours.  In general the more hours the course offers, the better for you.  If you can get a course with 160 hours then even better.  Also make sure the course includes actual observed teaching practice.  Hands on practice teaching of local students will be extremely valuable in your preparation to be a good teacher.  In fact most schools will not hire teachers with a TEFL certificate that does not include at least 6 hours of practice teaching, and they actually prefer if you have 10 or more hours of practice teaching. 

2. Is your course accredited and by whom?

TEFL courses are not uniform in either content or quality.  Any person or institution can offer a TEFL training program without regulation or standardization.  Thus one of the best ways to know that you are enrolling in a respectable TEFL course is to check that the institution is externally validated by a reputable accrediting agency.

3. What is the maximum class size?

A course which I saw a video of recently seemed perfectly happy to show the trainer standing in front of a hundred people with a microphone for their one week “Advanced TEFL Certificate”. Reputable courses will have no more than 12 trainees on one course.  A course with too many students will result in some or all of the students "lost in the crowd" and you will not get the personalized attention you need to be a good teacher.  Make sure the TEFL course focuses on the needs of the students and is not just a TEFL mill that cares only about profits.

Of course this is not an exhaustive list of questions, so don't be shy if you have any questions, be sure and ask them.  The TEFL course you are considering should welcome your questions and should make it easy for you to contact them and should provide you with timely answers to your questions.

TEFL Zorritos: What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town, free surfing lessons, great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 160 Hour TEFL course that provides you with 5 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a guaranteed job waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today!

How To Be An Effective EFL Teacher

Happy students make happy teachers!  Here are some tips that will help you be an effective EFL teacher.

 1. Speak clearly, slowly and distinctly.

 2. Manage your class effectively. It’s important to establish and enforce classroom rules, but remember that it’s also important to have fun with your students. If you’re having fun, they’re having fun. My students are much more responsive and willing to participate when they are having a little bit of fun in class. Try not to be too strict and remember to smile.

 3. Talk about yourself. Tell your students about your family and friends. Bring in photos from home. Share personal stories with them.

 4. Be funny. Students will really enjoy your class if you make them laugh. Don’t be afraid to play the fool or make fun of yourself.

 5. Use lots of energy when you’re teaching. Move around your classroom. Use gestures and noises to describe things. Make lots of faces and draw pictures. Why? Providing some light entertainment keeps their attention focused on you.

6. Games are always successful, even with older students. Never underestimate what you can teach with a simple game.

7. When you are giving instructions on how to play a game, repeat your instructions and demonstrate how to play.

8. Positive reinforcement is important to new language learners of every age. Compliment your students, even if they make mistakes.

9. Music makes learning interesting and fun. There are loads of activities you can use music with. I’ve captured and held the attention of all my classes with a little music. Music takes away feelings of self-consciousness and it encourages students to open their mouths and let loose. 

10. Repetition is a key tool in the ESL classroom. There are lots of games and activities that you can use in the classroom to encourage students to speak out. Make sure you teach the answer to the entire class and have them repeat it out loud before asking each students separately.

11. Introduce and teach new vocabulary every lesson.

12. Use some favorite slang terms and sayings in the classroom. People get sick of hearing the same standard responses taught throughout the public school system. “How are you? and “I’m fine, thank you. And you?” are typical examples. I find that students who have had these responses drilled into them often sound dull, monotonous and insincere. If a student asks me, “What’s up?” or answers with, “I’m OK!” or “Not much,” I’m usually pretty happy about it.

13. Try to get every student in each class to speak. Remember that pronunciation is really important. Often, students get instruction from their public school English teachers, but these teachers generally lack the ability to teach pronunciation effectively because they aren't native English speakers.

14. Traditional school systems do not encourage students to ask questions. Encourage your students to ask you questions. Once they know it’s OK to ask or say they don’t understand, it makes for an easier learning environment.

15. Encourage your students to speak out as much as they can and never belittle their ability or correct their mistakes by saying, “You’re wrong.” Just correct the student by repeating the answer correctly. If the student is still struggling, teach it to the class again as a whole.

16. Pointing is rude. Extend your hand out with the palm up when asking a student to answer.

17. Make sure you know and understand your students learning ability.

18. Be adaptable. If a lesson or activity isn’t working, there’s nothing wrong with scrapping it quickly and trying something else.

19. Always have backup games and activities, especially if you’re introducing new material. Don’t be afraid to use your ‘tried and true golden oldies’ if you feel you’re bombing a lesson.

20. Remember that a good teacher also learns from his/her students. The lessons always work both ways.

When you complete your TEFL course with TEFL Zorritos, you will learn these effective EFL teacher tips and gain the confidence to be an effective EFL teacher!  Also you will have a guaranteed job waiting for you when you have completed our course.  

What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town, free surfing lessons, great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 160 Hour TEFL course that provides you with 5 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a guaranteed job waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today! 

What Are the Attributes of a Great EFL Teacher?

Great EFL teachers are patient at explaining things. Being comfortable with explaining content and context to students is an essential skill for teachers. Do you like to explain how things work, or how events occurred?   They have a sense of humor and use humor as part of their teaching methods. Humor, used properly, can be a powerful addition to any lesson. Can you integrate humor into lessons, explanations and stories to help your students learn? 

Great teachers like people. EFL student's age ranges from elementary, special education, secondary education, higher education to adults and retirees. Great EFL teachers have a temperament for students in all age ranges. 

Great teachers are inherently fair-minded. They assess students on the basis of performance, not on the students' personal qualities, background or culture. Can you measure students’ performance based on an evaluation criteria equally applied? 

Great teachers have common sense. They can size up a situation quickly and make an appropriate decision. There is no substitute for common sense. Can you be fair and communicate your decisions clearly?

Great teachers have a complete understanding of the EFL content they teach in sufficient depth to convey the information in meaningful ways to the students. Are you able to re-present information from several perspectives to help students grasp concepts? 

Great teachers set high expectations for their students and hold the students to those expectations. If you are thinking about becoming a teacher, can you set high expectations for yourself, and demand excellence not only of yourself, but your students as well? 

Great teachers are detail oriented. Teachers must be organized in their professional and teaching duties. EFL teachers cannot take things for granted. This applies to all organizational and instructional duties. 

Great teachers are good managers of time. Time is one of the most precious resources a teacher has. Good teachers have learned to use this resource wisely. Can you monitor your time and allocate to priorities and deadlines? 

Great teachers can lead or follow. EFL teachers have to shift from "sage on the stage to guide by the side". Sometimes, teachers must be members of teaching teams, committees, groups, councils, and task forces. It is important to have the temperament to function in these capacities. Are you comfortable being a leader or a follower as circumstances require? Can you be constructive with co-workers, team teachers, administrators, and parents? 

Great teachers learn to improve their teaching by teaching, by making mistakes, learning from them and improving. Can you be a fair critic of yourself? 

Great teachers know that they teach as much from their own actions and behavior as with the content they teach. Do a personal inventory of your own values, personality, preferences and goals. How has your past experience/education prepared you for teaching?

If you complete your TEFL course with TEFL Zorritos, you will be given all the guidance and confidence to be a great EFL teacher!  Also you will have a guaranteed job waiting for you when you have completed our course.  

What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town, free surfing lessons, great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 160 Hour TEFL course that provides you with 5 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a guaranteed job waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today! 

Finding a Good TEFL Job in Country

Finding teaching work in country, when you are already living abroad is becoming more and more popular, and with more than 1 billion English learners worldwide it's certainly a viable option.

The Resume. Put together a professional resume before leaving and make lots of copies. You don't want to be printing out your resume on low grade paper in a new country's internet cafe if you can help it. In case you do run out, save a copy in your email folder for easy access. You'll also want your degree certificate (if you have one) and a print-out of professional references with contact details. If you don't have any teaching experience former employers and University professors make the best references.  Finally, don't forget to make copies of your accredited TEFL Certificate.  Most employers require a minimum level of 120 hours, that includes some classroom practice too.  Also remember the more hours of training you have, the better chance you have of finding a quality job.  Consider a course that offer 160 hours and some advanced certification as well as the basic TEFL certificate.

Dress to Impress! Just because your interview is in Peru, that doesn't mean that you should turn up in your joggers and a t-shirt that says 'Beer Chang'.  If you're short on backpack space then a pair of black trousers and a smart long sleeved shirt should cover all bases.

Get Connected. Let's say you come across a school that's hiring. You make a great impression and leave your resume for them to get back in touch with you. The next thing you're going to need is a contact number. Save yourself some effort by picking up a 'cheap pay as you go' model back home and buying a local SIM in country.

Keep Smiling.  Always be cheerful and show enthusiasm. Particularly in smaller cities it's surprising how often TEFL teachers are offered a position on the spot, in someone's Auntie's friends' English school.

Consider Private Tuition. In countries without an established TEFL scene you can often find opportunities teaching private students. This type of teaching can be really rewarding as you get to choose how much you work and what sort of students you want to teach. Generally the highest paying tuition gigs tend to be skills based; 'Ski Lessons in English anyone?' or Business English.

Job Offer Time. Just because you're accepting a job in country, you should still review your contract carefully. Things to think about include:

•  How many hours you are willing to teach -make sure you factor in time for lesson planning.
• Whether your employer will sponsor your working visa.
•  Your accommodation – can your school help out with this?

And….once you've got the job…Congratulations! Got any more questions? Give us a shout!

If you completed your TEFL course with TEFL Zorritos, you will be prepared to start your teaching career and will have a guaranteed job waiting for you when you have completed our course.  

What could be better?  Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town, free surfing lessons, great accommodations available, including delicious local food.  Fully accredited 160 Hour TEFL course that provides you with 5 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost!  And a guaranteed job waiting for you when you complete the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today!