When I was younger my mother and sister decided to take a
tefl course. In the back of my mind I always wondered why they decided to spend the money doing this as I never saw them put into practice what they had learned. A few years later, friends of ours that had taken that same course made the decision to move to a city called Mazatlan in
mexico. When I heard that they were able to find jobs teaching
english at a university, and their only qualification was the
tefl course, I started to see the benefits of this course.
Now I skip ahead in my life about another ten years. I find myself wanting to discover new places and desiring to go abroad. I figure I can save up enough money to spend about six months in another country. Of course, I'm sure to have a great experience. But what happens after that six months is over? I'll find myself back where I started, bank account drained, and wanting to do it all over again. This is not how I want to spend my life. So I stumbled upon the idea of working in another country to support myself and allow more time spent abroad. But with no post-secondary education or specialized training, what job will I be able to find that can support these dreams? My mind travels back all those years to the course that my mother and sister took. So I go on my computer, and start to do some research.
After a few hours of research on a plethera of websites I decide to enroll in an online
tefl course. This course
offers to provide me with the skills needed to teach
english overseas so that I can fund my travels. I used to think that to be a
teacher you would need years of education and thousands of dollars. This is not so with a
tefl course. It can be completed in six months or less and
costs a fraction of the
price of a university
degree. In researching job postings on a number of websites I've found that many require only a
tefl certificate. The demand for
english teachers is huge and if you are a native
english speaker and have a
tefl certificate - you're qualified!
Completing a
tefl course gives you the opportunity to travel and discover many exciting countries. Being able to teach others and see them accomplish their goals brings a rewarding sense of satisfaction. If you have ever wanted to learn another language and discover another culture,
tefl allows you to immerse yourself in a much different way than just being a tourist in another country. In working with the community and living amongst them, you will experience a completely different side to their culture. The
tefl course gives you the opportunity to have wonderful experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life.
So now I find myself at the end of the
tefl course. Do I really feel that this course has given me the skills I will need to teach
english in another country, to ones who speak another language? Yes, I do! I've learned what is required of me as a
teacher and various techniques I can employ in the classroom. I feel equipped to create lesson plans that will engage my students and help them to learn. I would recommend this course to anyone who is looking for a change of pace and a chance to travel the world teaching
english.
Sources:
http://www.
teflonline.net/
tefl-online-courses/
tefl-online-course-with-
tutor/
http://www.i-to-i.com/about-
tefl-course.html
http://jobs.e
chinacities.com/qingdao-jobs/
http://www.
eslemployment.com/location/
esl-jobs-Qingdao-
china.html