A TEFL Certificate is not only a teaching certification but your key to becoming an international citizen. It gives you the training to think and speak cross-culturally, react quickly and think on your feet.
Those who consider teaching abroad often come to the same crossroad: Should I invest and become TEFL-certified? Experts and English teachers alike will all have slightly different answers to this question. Almost everyone can agree that even for the countries that don’t require it, a TEFL certification can always benefit someone headed into a foreign school system. HERE’S HOW:
A TEFL Certification gives you classroom confidence and benefits both you and your students.
It’s totally normal and expected to be nervous about moving to a foreign country, standing in front of a class, and teaching a grammar concept that you might not have learned well yourself. Earning a TEFL certificate will put these nerves to rest giving you all the confidence skills you need to rock any teaching position anywhere!
Even if you have teaching experience, TEFL certification is the most valuable tool you need in preparing yourself to enter a foreign classroom—because let’s face it, no one really knows what they’re doing until they get there!
Resume booster
This is the most straight-forward reason. Many like the fact that they can translate their teach abroad experience to a unique certification on their resume. A TEFL certificate equals an added professional skill that most recent college graduates lack. This course will develop your interpersonal skills, relationship building, cognitive and problem-solving skills, all highly-desirably skills in the workforce, no matter the discipline.
Opens the door to a global career
As an added bullet on your resume, your TEFL certification can also lead you into a global career where you can become a global sought after tutor and get highly paid to travel across the world. Many people often don’t travel because they have too little of one thing, time or money. But the secret is that there’s really never a “right time” to travel. You have to create it. And if you want it bad enough, you will through a TEFL certification.
It never expires
Don’t want your teach abroad experience to end? Most don’t. With your TEFL certification, you can extend your contract, or travel to another country and teach English. Your TEFL certificate is your one-way ticket to paid travel. If a country requires a TEFL certification, you will always be able to teach English there. How about that for job security overseas?
Better paying jobs
In some cases, having a TEFL certification earns you a higher salary. With a TEFL certification, you are automatically more qualified than the average college graduate with a bachelor’s degree and no foreign experience, and many employers look for that. In a stack of similar resumes, this special credential will make you stand out as a candidate.
Opportunity to test the waters
Maybe you’ve recently graduated and want to try your hand at a teaching career, but aren’t ready to go back to school right away for your education degree. Maybe you are curious if teaching is even right for you. Or maybe you have no idea what you want your career to look like at all! If this is the case, then TEFL is your answer. It’s a short-term course that gives you the knowledge you need to succeed, and firsthand experience in the classroom as part of your required TEFL practicum. It’s the perfect way to give teaching a test-drive without the full commitment.