Should You Spend Money on Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Books?

Before you start your TEFL certification course, or before you start teaching English, you may be wondering whether or not you need any TEFL books. After teaching English as a foreign language for three years, I have a few ideas on the matter that might save you some money.

A search on Amazon (UK) will show you that there are over 1,000 TEFL books available to buy online. Of these, you can filter by four stars and above to try and narrow down your search to the higher-quality books.

Thanks to Amazon, I now have over 182 books to choose from that readers and reviewers think are quite good. However, in reality, there are far fewer quality books in that list than the numbers suggest.

The types of books available seem to vary. Instructional books generally come from TEFL institutions and course providers. The aim of these books is to break down common terminology, teaching techniques, and industry theory into bite-sized information, enabling you to pass a test or use them at short notice in class.

For English teaching, you can also find more subject-focused books. These books delve into more in-depth English as a Second Language (ESL) methodologies and practices, such as teaching phonology, grammar, and even language acquisition.

In addition to instructional books for future teachers, you can also pick up `true story' books or `how to get rich' books. These tend to be more sensationalist tales about adventures abroad. While there’s no denying that there’s plenty of fun to be had, after reading the opening paragraphs of a few of these publications, it seems like the stories are exaggerated or could easily be found as interesting blog posts anyway.

To buy or not to buy is indeed the question. I believe the answer to this question ultimately depends on you. I have bought ESL books in the three categories that I have mentioned, but I find longevity to be the ultimate decider.

Most of the books from TEFL schools and online platforms tend to be instructional. They offer digestible content and are very useful when preparing for any upcoming tests. I have three of these books, which I mainly used when completing my 120-hour TEFL course. Since then, I haven't picked them up. My view is that you don't necessarily need to buy one. The information you require is available for free online, you'll find most of it in the course, and the likelihood is that someone, whether a person or a school, will provide you with one for free. These books do have their advantages; they are helpful, but I believe you'd be better off spending your money elsewhere.

Academic books seem to be a different kettle of fish. These are the books that are more rooted in science and theory, offering much more detail on topics such as grammar, phonology, language acquisition, and related subjects. In the long run, these are by far the most useful. You can use these books to elevate your understanding of what you're teaching to a much higher level, and you'll be better equipped to answer the tough questions students ask. However, I believe timing is key here. If you're just starting out in the ESL industry, buying a book that delves deeply into a topic like how to teach phonology might be a bit overwhelming in the beginning, especially when you're still mastering the basics, such as classroom management or concept-checking questions.

For these books, I'd say go for it, but don’t bite off more than you can chew. Get the basics down first, then work your way up to the more complex topics at a later stage. Financially speaking, go for second-hand books. They'll be much cheaper and will still serve their purpose.

Since the advent of the e-book, there seems to be an increasing number of `TEFL story' books. Most of these are self-published accounts by individuals who had `the experience of a lifetime' or `made a fortune teaching English as a foreign language'. The stories themselves are often enjoyable, but I would only read one if it were free. There are tonnes of blogs on the internet with amazing stories, pictures, and videos, which often offer great advice on everything related to teaching English as a foreign language. Personally, I enjoy Don's ESL Adventures, but there are many other fantastic blogs out there.

After reading this post, you should feel a little more informed about the types of TEFL books available and whether you should buy them. I wholeheartedly believe that the final decision is yours and depends on your circumstances. For me, they all have value and purpose, but I would suggest seeing what you can find online first, and even waiting until you start teaching. You'll find that many schools already have these books and will be more than happy for you to borrow them.