A Guide to Choosing TEFL Certificate Courses

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1 A Guide to Choosing TEFL Certificate There are lots of great teacher training courses out there, but not all courses are the same! You may end up wasting all your hard work, time and money unless you research your course thoroughly. To help you through the vast number of websites offering courses and advice, we ve produced this guide. Do I need a TEFL certificate Yes. There are jobs available for people who don t have any TEFL training, but these are the worst jobs, with the worst employers and/or in the worst locations. Having training will also of course help you do a better job making you, your students and your managers much happier. - telf.net The difficulty is competing with the vast number of websites offering information about ELT courses, and knowing how to steer people to independent and honest advice. - The Guardian The most commonly accepted TEFL Qualifications I enjoyed the way the tutors encouraged us to step outside our comfort zone and try new teaching ideas. It has changed the way I teach completely - Carol, CELTA January 2015 The Cambridge CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL. - The UK Government Which TEFL certificate has the best name recognition TASTER Day The Cambridge CELTA. - tefl.net

2 The structure of the course is such that it makes something that should or could take months take only 4 weeks effectively and efficiently. The standard of teaching reflects the reputation of ITTC as the leading centre in which to take the CELTA in Bournemouth - Tom, CELTA May 2014 Are all TEFL certificates the same Some certificates for 120-hour courses can be almost useless in the UK. - The Guardian In terms of worldwide name recognition, no course is really a CELTA equivalent. However, when employers ask for CELTA or equivalent they mean a course with at least 100 hours of instruction and at least 6 hours of observed teaching practice. - telf.net An opportunity for the trainee teacher to teach genuine learners of English under the guidance of properly qualified trainers (is) an essential part of any initial teacher training course. - Quality in TESOL Education Good UK teaching centres will not normally accept teachers with qualifications which don t meet these criteria. - English UK Some course providers use the terms certificate and certified for lower-level qualifications, [e.g. weekend TEFL courses and many online TEFL courses] and this can often be a good reason for treating their claims with caution. - tefl.net

3 I particularly enjoyed the teaching the students are so engaged and willing to learn. The supportive atmosphere and the guidance and teamwork have been fantastic and we have had very experienced tutors who have really helped us In the classroom - Kim, CELTA January 2014 Why choose CELTA [CELTA] is one of the most widely-taken qualifications of its kind and it is essential for anyone hoping to work for a reputable English language teaching institution such as the British Council. - The British Council The Cambridge CELTA is the industry standard. [It is] accepted by organisations which employ English language teachers throughout the world [and] widely used as a benchmark of basic teaching skills and quality - Cambridge English Every CELTA course is assessed by a representative of the University of Cambridge to maintain the highest standards. Who awards the Qualification So-called international qualifications are only accepted by reputable language schools if they are externally validated by a recognised exam board that is independent of the course provided, or run by a university or a college/institute of higher/further education. - English UK Because CELTA is awarded by Cambridge English Language Assessment, part of the University of Cambridge, it is: internationally recognized; highly respected; a benchmark for quality...we also work with international English Language Teaching (ELT) organisations to ensure the acceptance of CELTA globally. - Cambridge English CELTA is regulated by Ofqual (a department of the UK government) at Level 5 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework. -The UK Government

4 Questions to Ask your Teacher Training Centre BEET/ITTC CELTA Course Other TEFL Certificate BEET/ITTC TEFL Foundation Course Other Weekend What certificate will I receive CELTA ELT Foundation Certificate Which organisation awards certificates University of Cambridge ITTC Which organisation regulates the course Ofqual - Level 5 (UK Government) Is there teaching practice Yes Yes Will I teach real students, not just other people on the course Yes Yes How many hours teaching practice will I do 6 hours per trainee minutes per trainee How many hours is the course 120 hours + self-study time 15 hours ( self-study) How many hours of face-face contact is there 120 hours 12 hours Will I have highly qualified, experienced teacher trainers Yes Yes Have they had rigorous training to become a teacher trainer Yes Yes Which organisation approves the trainers University of Cambridge University of Cambridge Which organisations accredit/inspect the associated language school Accreditation UK, ISI (on behalf of the UK Government) Is the certificate recognised by reputable schools all over the world Yes Is every course moderated by the awarding organisation Yes Accreditation UK, ISI (on behalf of the UK Government) No, but ITTC is a leading centre with a worldwide reputation No, but all courses are run by Cambridge approved trainers

5 Contact Us Give us a call for more information about our courses ITTC 91 Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH3 7AN, United Kingdom +44(0) telf@ittc.co.uk admin@ittc.co.uk Visit us on the web at International Teaching and Training Centre ITTC the Background ITTC was founded in 1984 to provide high quality English language teacher training courses leading to the Cambridge Certificate and Diploma qualifications. In 2001, ITTC became part of BEET Language Centre, a family run independent school, accredited by the British Council and a member of English UK, Quality English and IALC. It is also the only Bournemouth school currently in membership of The English Network, the organization of some of England s leading independent English language schools. In our recent ISI inspection, covering ITTC and BEET Language Centre, the inspectors stated, The quality of teaching is outstanding. ( Independent Schools Inspectorate 2012) From the beginning, ITTC has been involved in the development and piloting of the University of Cambridge teaching awards. Since our first teacher training course in 1984, thousands of teachers have gained the Certificate level qualification at an average success rate of over 98%. We have increased the range of courses we offer, including the Cambridge Delta, TKT and ICELT, and our own CLIL, Refresher and ELT Foundation courses. We have also run training courses around the world, in countries as diverse as Turkey, Russia and Libya. For over 30 years, we have grown in size and reputation, with hundreds of new and practising teachers from over 30 countries now benefiting from our training each year.