Teach TESOL FAQ - Frequently asked questions about TESOL, TEFL & TESL courses run by the English Training Centre

What is the difference between TEFL, TESL and TESOL?

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language and refers to teaching English in a country where English is not widely used, such as China, Brazil or Greece.

TESL stands for Teaching English as a Second Language and refers to teaching English to non-native speakers in an English-speaking environment such as the UK, or in a country where English is very widely used such as India or Zambia.

TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and courses of this nature attempt to provide for the needs of all students. In practice, teachers with any one of these qualifications will be able to find posts around the world as long as their certificate has been accredited by a professional body.

Is there a money-back guarantee?

All of our courses come with a money-back guarantee so if you are not completely satisfied with your course you can return it undamaged within 30 days and receive your money back in full.

What are the differences between the three TESOL courses?

We offer three levels of TESOL course. The TESOL introductory course is a short introduction to TESOL but does not represent full certificate-level training. The Certificate in Educational Studies in TESOL provides certificate-level training in TESOL and will enable you to apply for teaching posts around the world. The Certificate in Theory and Methodology of TESOL also provides certificate-level training in TESOL so that you will be able to apply for teaching posts anywhere in the world. This course addresses some topics in rather more depth than the Certificate in Educational Studies in TESOL and has additional detail on lesson planning and preparing your own material.

What does 'accreditation' mean?

An accreditation body is an independent organisation that carries out a full analysis of the content of a particular course and the qualifications of the people who are running it. It also evaluates the method of assessment and the quality of the feedback to the students. It carries out periodic checks on the way in which the course is being run. Accreditation is very important for all distance education courses as it is a way of ensuring that you are enrolling on a course which has been professionally designed and you are being tutored by professionally qualified teacher trainers. Clearly, accreditation is very important for all employers as it guarantees the quality of your training. Read more about ETC's accreditation.

How long will the course take?

These are distance learning courses so the length of your course depends on your personal commitments and how much time you can dedicate to the work. A small number of students take six weeks; however, most students take somewhere between 12 and 32 weeks. We recommend that you do not take too long because you may lose your momentum; nevertheless, there is no time limit.

Do I need to be a native speaker of English?

No. If your knowledge of spoken and written English is good enough for the requirements of the course and the needs of the classroom, then that is sufficient. Many non-native speakers of English have completed an ETC training course and have gone on to teach English very successfully.

Do I need to be a teacher?

No. A number of our students are already teaching or have taught in the past but the great majority of them have never taught before. However, please note that if you wish to take the Teaching Business English course, you will need to be already qualified as a TESOL, TEFL or TESL teacher.

Do I need a degree to teach TESOL/TEFL?

It helps, but it is not necessary. Many of our students have a degree but we also have many without such formal qualifications. What is far more important is an interest in people, an aptitude for teaching and an accredited certificate.

Can I get work without a degree?

Yes. An accredited TESOL certificate should be sufficient even if the holder does not have a degree. Students without degrees who have completed the ETC certificates have gone on to work in a wide variety of different countries around the world. The many gap-year students who teach abroad every year do not have a degree but they are able to obtain teaching posts.

Is it possible to do any teaching practice?

Yes, you can do teaching practice in arrangement with our accreditation body ACTDEC (The Accreditation Council for TESOL Distance Education Courses). They have introduced the Teaching Practice Portfolio Scheme which will enable you to do teaching practice once you have found a teaching post. In collaboration with your employer, some of your lessons will be observed and reports returned to ACTDEC. On completion of your observed teaching practice, you will receive a further ACTDEC certificate.

Does it matter which subjects I've studied in the past? Does my previous career matter?

No. The subjects you have studied in the past are completely unimportant in terms of English teaching. Many science and maths students have gone on to make excellent English language teachers.

Am I too old or too young?

The minimum age for completing this course is 17; many students are now taking a year out between school and university and a significant number of them are teaching in developing countries with gap-year organisations. There is no upper age limit and so as long as you are fit and healthy you can teach in many countries around the world. VSO and other organisations recruit many retired teachers these days so volunteers into their 70s are becoming more common.

What certificate will I receive at the end of my course?

With the Certificate in Educational Studies in TESOL and the Certificate in Theory & Methodology of TESOL courses you will receive a TESOL certificate from the English Training Centre and you will also receive a certificate from ACTDEC. With the Level 1 course you will only receive a certificate from the English Training Centre. Accreditation of the Certificate in Educational Studies in TESOL and the Certificate in Theory & Methodology of TESOL courses by ACTDEC confirms the professional nature of the course and the quality of the materials and the tutor support, and will help you to obtain a teaching post as it is important for employers.

How will I be assessed on my course work?

Course evaluation is by continuous assessment and at the end of each module there are assignments that you will complete and return to ETC for marking. The assignments include writing an essay, showing understanding of the structure of English, demonstrating how to teach a particular structure, writing a lesson plan and so on. All of these assignments can be completed at home and sent to us by email, fax or post. The Certificate in Educational Studies in TESOL and the Certificate in Theory & Methodology of TESOL courses also include tasks at regular points throughout the modules to help with understanding and to provide practice. Feedback on these tasks is provided at the end of each unit where appropriate; the tasks will not be marked.

Will this course really be enough to help me to find a job?

Yes. Our students have gone on to work in a wide variety of different countries in Europe, the Far East and South America. We cannot of course guarantee that you will find a job, but that is the case with any course that you might wish to take.

Will ETC help me to find a job?

We provide information on a range of different organisations and teaching posts on our website and this information is constantly updated. We will also write references for you when you apply for teaching posts, if required. This should help you to obtain the type of post that you would like.

Further information about finding Tefl / Tesol jobs

What sort of job can I get afterwards?

Many of our students find jobs in language schools in Europe or the Far East. Others work as volunteers in developing countries, some as gap-year teachers. Some work in primary schools while others work with secondary students; others work with adults. Some go on to work independently teaching individual students. Our course is suitable for teachers going into primary or secondary teaching, or teaching adults.

Is this a suitable course for someone taking a year out (a gap year) between school and higher education?

Yes, some of our students are doing precisely this. They opt to take our courses because they are highly practical distance-learning courses that are very competitively priced, and which provide them with a comprehensive pack of teaching material that they can refer to when they start teaching.

Will I have to buy any additional textbooks?

This is not necessary as the courses are quite comprehensive and you will have substantial files of materials to refer to when you start work. However, as people become more interested in their work, they often find themselves wanting to buy reference materials and we provide advice on suitable books that would be helpful.

If I have any problems will I be able to get help from an ETC tutor?

Yes. Every student is allocated a named personal tutor and we provide full support for all of our students. Your queries and questions will be dealt with quickly by your tutor. Communication is usually by email but can also be by phone or fax.

Why are the ETC courses less expensive than courses run by Cambridge and other organisations?

Our aim has always been to provide very competitively priced TESOL courses through distance learning. Our Certificate in Educational Studies in TESOL and the Certificate in Theory & Methodology of TESOL courses cover the same areas as the Cambridge/RSA certificate courses but since there is no direct teaching, the prices are significantly lower.

Our tutors are highly experienced and have taught on accredited TESOL/TEFL courses and teacher training courses, as well as on a variety of university courses, and we are confident that our courses are as good, and often better, than many taught courses.

You may feel that you wish to take a taught course for a variety of reasons, but if you do not want to, or cannot for personal reasons, then our distance-learning course is, we believe, the best one you can buy.