There are a few factors to bear in mind when purchasing a TEFL course:
- Is it accredited or regulated?
- Is it at least 120 hours?
- Do you have access to tutor support?
- Is it a classroom, online or combined course?
- Does it have good user reviews?
If you want to get global TEFL jobs, your TEFL qualification will need to be accredited or regulated by an official body in order for it to be recognised by international employers, so that you can apply for jobs. Accreditation just means that the course has been meticulously checked to ensure that it gives you the best, most suitable training for you to start teaching English. All qualifications, not just TEFL, must be accredited or regulated for them to be legitimate and worth your while. Regulation is similar to accreditation but it’s more in-depth and therefore, more desirable. If you were to complete a TEFL course that wasn’t accredited or regulated, you’d struggle to find work with it as most employers will check this.
Regulator details
The minimum number of hours you’d need to complete is 120 as employers won’t accept anything less than this. Most good TEFL course providers will offer courses starting at 120 hours, increasing to 300-320. Completing a higher number of hours is beneficial as it can help boost your earning potential and it also prepares you for specific aspects of teaching such as teaching teenagers or teaching grammar.
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Another important factor is having remote or even direct access to professional tutor support. As most TEFL courses are online, you can expect to contact tutors either via email, over the phone or via a webchat service. If you do take a classroom course, you can obviously speak to your tutor face-to-face to get your questions answered. Having access to a tutor means that you have the best chance of passing your TEFL course and teaching globally.
Customer Queries page
Depending on your current location, you have the option to take an online, classroom or combined TEFL course. Generally, the most desirable of these is a combined TEFL course as this is a mix of flexible online learning at your own pace and a classroom course on a fixed weekend of your choice and most employers will look on the classroom training favourably. However, online TEFL courses are the most popular and you won’t have any trouble finding work with this type of qualification.
Classroom Course locations
The final factor to check for when you’re looking to purchase a TEFL course is the user reviews. This can give an insight into any potential issues with the course in terms of usability, customer service and difficulty levels. Unbiased websites such as www.reviews.co.uk are useful and worth checking before you make a purchase.
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