This is an important certification that is required as a supporting document for your application for international teaching jobs. Even experienced teachers might still be required to get the certificate especially if their teaching experience is not for teaching English to non-native English speakers.

What is the meaning of TEFL?

If you are seriously thinking about teaching English as a foreign language, then you most have certainly come across the acronym TEFL. TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language to those whose English is not their first language.

Most people obtain their TEFL certificate because they want to relocate overseas, and teaching English is a viable career. Once you start doing your research about TEFL, you will also be likely to come across the acronyms TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).

Is there any age restriction to becoming a certified TEFL teacher?

Online and onsite TEFL certifications do not have any restrictions and anyone above 18 years old can get certified. However, if you are planning to teach overseas, certain age restrictions might be in effect since not all might be issued working visas to getting employed as a teacher of English abroad.

If you get certified before you reach your 20s, be informed that your teaching possibilities might still be limited. Fortunately, your certificate does not have any expiration date and will still be valid once you are of the appropriate age to be able to teach English overseas. (Continue reading below to find out more about a TEFL’s validity).

Until when is a TEFL valid?

The certificate that you get for TEFL does not have any expiration date. Once you receive your certificate, it is perpetually valid. It does not have any expiration date and you don’t need to take any new or extra classes or training to get the certificate renewed. As soon as you get certified, you can start applying for local or international teaching jobs.

What is included in a TEFL course?

When you register for a TEFL course, expect to learn not only about English language skills and grammar but also classroom management and lesson planning specifically for teaching English to foreigners.

TEFL course also include teaching trainers and teachers about specific teaching techniques to the teaching role they want, for example, teaching English to young children or adult, teaching corporate English and or preparation for English exam certifications such as IELTS or TOEFL.

How much is it to enroll in a TEFL course?

Depending on the inclusion in a TEFL course, it could cost from $200 to $2000. You could also take the course online or onsite depending on your resources and the time that you have. Naturally, online courses are cheaper than onsite.

Before you enroll in a TEFL course to obtain a certificate, it is best that you do prior research especially if you are thinking of enrolling to start a new career since there are numerous factors that you need to consider before deciding to pursue a career overseas.