What Is Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)?

Teaching English overseas is an increasingly popular career choice among graduates and those seeking adventure within their careers. It encourages individuals from primarily English-speaking nations to travel abroad and teach their native language to eager learners who could benefit economically or socially by adding English to their language skills. Teachers may find themselves working in language schools that offer English courses to adult learners as part of their professional development, as well as to younger students in more traditional classroom settings.

Like many other career paths, teaching English abroad generally requires TEFL certification. However, the wide range of available qualifications can be confusing for prospective teachers. The sheer number of acronyms doesn't help matters for many aspiring educators either. So, let’s explore the various qualifications and what sets them apart.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of qualifications that students can pursue as a means of entering a career in teaching English abroad. Some of these are in-house certificates offered by specific language schools and are typically only recognised within those institutions. These certificates often reflect the branding of the organisation and are usually labelled as Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) when the course has a British English focus, or Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) for those with an American English focus. Although they may lack flexibility, in-house qualifications can be an excellent way to begin a teaching career—particularly for those aiming to work in a specific location. For such individuals, this route is well worth exploring.

Once you have started a successful career using an in-house qualification and have spent significant time gaining experience and building your teaching portfolio, you can begin to explore other opportunities—either progressing up the career ladder or travelling to teach elsewhere. This may be a good time to consider obtaining another certification, such as the Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). Prospective teachers have likely come across CELTA during their research, and rightly so. CELTA is often regarded as the gold standard of English teaching qualifications, and the vast majority of reputable language schools request it by name when recruiting new teachers.

CELTA is closely equivalent to Trinity’s Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL), another industry-leading qualification. The main differences between the two are regional availability, rather than course content or global recognition.

Teaching English as a career is often pursued by individuals educated to degree level in a relevant liberal arts discipline or an English-specific subject. In certain countries, holding an undergraduate degree in English Literature or English Language is increasingly being requested by employers to meet visa and immigration requirements.

That said, it is important to note that possessing an undergraduate degree is not necessarily a universal requirement within the field. There are language schools and teaching vacancies that do not require formal academic qualifications beyond a commitment to completing an internal TEFL certification course before beginning classroom instruction. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that these positions are not always offered by reputable institutions, and employment standards may be considerably lower in such cases.

Prospective teachers who are serious about pursuing a long-term career in the field would be well advised to work towards obtaining a degree and recognised certification before undertaking any form of international teaching placement.

Much like the variety of qualifications available, there is no fixed duration for completing a TEFL course, as each one differs in its requirements. For example, a full-time CELTA course can be completed in four weeks, but this represents a significant investment of both time and energy, requiring the completion of substantial coursework as well as preparation for observed teaching practice.

For those who prefer a more accelerated route, it is certainly possible to complete a TEFL certification relatively quickly. However, many trainee teachers may opt for a more flexible and relaxed pace, and this can be accommodated through alternative types of qualifications. It is not uncommon to find courses that span anywhere from six months to two years in duration.

While CELTA is regarded as a world-class TEFL certification, it comes with a price tag to match its prestige in the teaching world. CELTA is a classroom-based qualification and can cost students up to 1,500.00 GBP (1,990.00 USD) for a full-time course. This does not include additional costs such as travel, accommodation, learning materials, and general expenses.

In-house qualifications vary in price but typically don’t come close to the cost of CELTA certification. Student teachers can often find courses for less than 500.00 USD. There are even free options that student teachers may wish to consider. For example, English 1 offers a completely free TEFL certification course to eligible learners, requiring only a one-year commitment to teaching in China or Indonesia following the course.

TEFL certification lasts for a lifetime, and qualifications do not expire. However, some providers may require students to take refresher courses as part of a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) plan. These are not yet an established industry standard, and CPD courses are currently overseen by employers rather than course providers. Nevertheless, CPD may become a more integral part of the certification process in the future.

TEFL courses are available in a variety of formats to suit a student’s individual preferences. These include in-class teaching, correspondence courses by mail, and online TEFL certification courses. Many certification courses are available worldwide, so students are unlikely to be far from their nearest provider!

Teaching English overseas offers a fun, varied, and exciting career. Naturally, a qualification is required to become a teacher, so obtaining certification is a necessary step. While it may seem rigorous at first, it’s certainly manageable once you’re ready to dedicate time and effort. The teacher within you is waiting to emerge, so let them shine with a solid TEFL certification that opens up the world for exploration.