Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Liulin Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Liaocheng Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language.
TEFL stands for Teaching English as a foreign language. A TEFL course is for someone who wants to teach English to non-native English speakers (usually in a non- English speaking country). A TEFL course has a certificate and an advance course for a diploma. The course materials provide very detailed methodologies and techniques for teaching English.
As technology has grown so rapidly in the last couple of decades, people can access the internet through their cell phone and computer anywhere at any time. In the old times, there was only the traditional classroom learning at school. But as the internet is getting more mature, the academic online courses or programs are getting more popular these days. Online course is sitting in front of the computer reading, listening or watching lectures taught through the internet.
Online course pros
An online course is designed for someone who does not live nearby a school, so they can study and learn remotely. Students who are busy with their full time jobs could plan their study at their own pace. Online courses might suit the student who is shy and introverted, because online courses skip the face-to-face personal interactions that would otherwise be required in class discussions and presentations. Students can be more concentrated on the course material. Going to school could be time-consuming, while taking an online course could save a lot of time for commuting to school. Besides, the cost of taking an online course is usually less expensive compared to onsite course.
Online course cons
A student does not have classmates or a teacher to interact with during the learning process. When a student encounters some difficulties, there is nobody to ask right away for assistance. Even though student could ask a tutor through emails, there is still waiting time before one gets to the answer. Also, sending emails sometimes might lead to misunderstandings because there is no visual or tone to know the meaning of the content. This might slow down the learning process and lead to frustration. The discipline and motivation is also a big problem in online learning, because there is no fixated class schedule. Most people are not disciplined enough to form their own learning habit or schedule. This will lead to falling behind learning schedule and ultimately dropping out. Technology is also another source of frustration. Some students are just not comfortable using the computer or find it hard to master the online platform. In order to be successful in an online course, sometimes the prerequisite is to be proficient in the computer technology.
Onsite pros
An onsite course allows students to ask questions to a live teacher and get a response immediately. An Onsite course gives an opportunity for students to meet classmates face to face to make some new friends and have a social life outside their home. The teacher would cover the materials or the course book in a certain amount of time that would give enough time for student to understand and comprehend of what they have learned. During the learning process, the group discussions, activities and brainstorming would help students develop communication skills and techniques more efficiently. The teacher could establish the rapport with students and server as a motivator or coach through praises, passion and encouragement, which would help to build student’s confidence throughout the course.
Onsite cons
The regular onsite course usually has a fixed class schedule, which could be a drawback for students who have a daily job or a tight schedule. Students must attend the class at specific times. Moreover, students need to adapt to the pace of the class, as a teacher could not accommodate each student’s different learning pace during the lessons. Thus, the flexibility of regular onsite course is limited in this aspect.
Speaking from my own experience, I am the beneficial student who took the TEFL online course and finished it within three weeks. This gave me plenty of time to consider what is next for my journey or whether to take an advanced English course afterwards. As a busy housewife with children, I still can pursue my goals and dreams in learning through the online course. I would highly recommend the online TEFL course for people who want to teach abroad, because it is less time consuming, lower costs, flexible and convenient to take an online course at home. I plan to teach English abroad in the future. I also would like to explore the environment and culture in another country. With the TEFL course certificate that gives me a great opportunity to get into the professional world of teaching English from an entry level.
