What is this thing that everyone is doing? Teach and Travel, TEFL, TESL, TESOL...I hear about it from friends and on the Internet but what is it?

To put it simply, the world needs to learn English and there are not enough teachers to do it. Some 4 billion people out there have found themselves in a new world in this new millennium, and this new world speaks English as a first or second language.

Globalization. Good or bad, this phenomenon of increasing intercommunication, travel, trade, and education means that the world needs a common language in which to speak. That language is English.

Many countries, from Mexico, to China, to France, to Ethiopia find themselves having to adopt English as a Second or Foreign language in order to participate in the global economy. By that, most people in these countries are studying English in order to improve their chances for finding a good job, in their own country, one where English is most likely a required language. Many others are taking English classes to help in their academic studies, where English may be needed to complete a degree. Still others are learning so that they can emigrate to the US, to Canada, or to England. There are even more reasons as why people are learning English...

Teaching Abroad and You

So why are we asking you to come and teach? You probably aren't a teacher, right?

Well, the realities are that there simply aren't enough people to help teach English around the world. Very often, the preference is for a native-speaking teacher, that is, someone who was born in an English-speaking country, such as Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Even if you are not a teacher, language students abroad want you to come into their classes so that they can learn English by speaking with you (see the Communicative Approach below).

Yes and no. Obviously, a teacher is someone who goes through many years training. A teacher with many years training usually stays in their own country and teaches children or adults in their own country. It's difficult for other countries to find someone who is willing to come with their training, which is usually expensive in English-speaking countries, and teach in the developing world, where pay, as well as cost-of-living, are lower. So, a compromise developed, to the benefit of many of us who haven't a degree in teaching.

You may have heard of these acronyms, but what do they mean? Simply, these are the names of some of the types of short courses you can take in order to become certified to teach English. Rather than expect that a teacher who has invested years in getting a Master's degree will go to Chile, or China to teach, universities, non-government agencies, and program developers over the last decades have created several systems so that people like you can learn how to teach abroad, without spending thousands of dollars and several years to do it, while meeting the demand for native-speaking English teachers in dozens of countries. We'll explain more below. First, here is a quick glossary for some of the acronyms you will find.

TEFL (Teachers Latin America)- Teacher of English as a Foreign Language

This certificate course is world-based (in TEFL), and adds a specialty for use in Latin America. Available only through Teachers Latin America. Often used for teachers in classes in non-English-speaking countries (Mexico, Latin America, China, France, etc.) and several US states with high numbers of Spanish-speakers as ESL students (Texas, California, North Carolina, New York, etc.).

TEFL - Teacher of English as a Foreign Language

This certificate course is world-based and is widely available. Designed for use by teachers in classes abroad. This course has no standard length, price, or quality control as many different providers offer this course.

TESOL - Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages

This certificate course is world-based and is available usually only in English-speaking countries. Often used for teachers in classes in English-speaking countries or abroad. This course has no standard length, price, or quality control as many different providers offer this course.

TESL - Teacher of English as a Second Language

This certificate course is designed for use only in English-speaking countries and usually only applies in Canada and the US. This course has no standard length, price, or quality control as many different providers offer this course.

CELTA - Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (alternatively known as Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults

This certificate course is British-based and is available in Europe and the UK, and in some other countries. Often used for teachers of British citizenship. This course is strictly administered by Cambridge University.

TEFL or TESOL by Correspondence

There is a stunning variety of online and correspondence courses available these days. These economical courses are not recommended for beginners as very few offer a teaching practicum or internship. See below info on teaching practicum

Teach and Travel

An unofficial term to describe courses, programs, or the ability to take one of the above courses and teach in a foreign country.

Communicative Approach

A term used to describe the most modern theories regarding teaching English to those who don't speak the language. The Communicative Approach holds that being communicatively competent is most important in using language. Older theories held that grammar knowledge was most important, among other outdated theories. You'll find this more natural as you attempt to teach a room full of students.

Yes. It used to be that a native-speaker from the US or Canada or other English-speaking country could take a risk by traveling to a foreign land, knock on a few doors, and get a low-paying teaching job. That was a decade ago. Now, mostly through the Internet, language schools, elementary and secondary schools, nd universities around the globe look for qualified and trained teachers to work in their classrooms. While demand for teachers remains high, the competition for the best teaching jobs and opportunities to travel has swelled.

It depends strongly on where you want to do your course. Every course should prepare you to understand language learners and their motivations in learning English. You should learn how to prepare lessons, how to deliver them to students, and how to gauge results. There are many other aspects you should learn for teaching, but these are the most critical.

What a teacher certificate course is not...

It seems that the world of Teach and Travel is not immune to some of today's Internet problems. There are many program providers out there, and some that are not quite on-the-level. Teachers Latin America works with rival program providers that we consider to be of good standing in the teach abroad community, in order to provide the best information to all considering teaching abroad. When considering a program, you should always investigate further. Teachers Latin America encourages people to ask more questions and to vary your sources of information. Digging just a little bit deeper, you'll find whole communities online of teachers, administrators, directors of study, and employment advisors who can help you make good decisions or warn you of problem areas. Teachers Latin America has created the position of Employment and Programs Advisor to help give valuable information to all program participants.

Whether you are considering the TEFL or any other program, here is quick checklist of things to look for and ask about:

• How long is the course?
  • some courses advertise themselves as Weekend Workshops. While these may be good for those with experience, they are not going to provide you with enough training if this is your first experience
• Onsite or Online?
  • this is not the type of work one can learn online, if this is your first experience teaching. Employers simply won't look at a teacher who doesn't have at least some monitored practice time in front of real students.
• What do others say about this course?
  • whatever program you are considering look around for other opinions, perhaps from previous program participants or experts in the filed. Warnings about certain program providers can often be found under search terms like Complaints or TEFL Alerts. There are a lot of good people out there willing to help...not just Teachers Latin America.
• How much does the course cost?
  • courses vary widely in price, however, the very old adage of 'you get what you pay for' applies just the same. Healthy competition in the Teach and Travel world means prices are usually accessible. Most programs are now in the $900 to $2000 usd range. Some courses, usually those provided in the US, Canada, and the UK, are still a little expensive, up to $5000 usd. What you need to look out for are the fly-by-nights. These are the courses advertised very cheaply, usually in the too-good-to-be-true sense. Ask yourself why these courses are so cheap and ask others. The answers usually come fairly quickly through a Complaints or TEFL Alerts search.

It all depends on where...

Every valid and valuable teaching certificate program will include a teaching practicum. That means, you practice designing lessons and teaching them to language students. This should be monitored by a trained and experienced observer or instructor. How this is done depends on where you take your course.

Courses in English-speaking countries (The US, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc) are numerous and many offer good teaching practice. However, a big drawback to this is that your students to practice upon are either a) other native English speakers enrolled in your course or, b) language students from multiple ethnic backgrounds. Having students from multiple ethnic backgrounds is very good practice. However, this is an ESL setting whereas if you want to teach abroad you will need an EFL practicum. The difference? In most countries where you could teach, there are no multiethnic classes. Consider - a Mexican classroom has only Mexicans. A Chinese classroom has only Chinese. The distinction is important, particularly in the theoretical design of lessons.

If you take a TEFL course abroad, make sure the program offers a teaching practicum, with real language learners and not your classmates. The best way to find this is to ask if the course provider is affiliated with a local language center (many are). This is often where you will do your practicum.

Of course, simply getting up and traveling to a foreign country is not that simple. There are many considerations, from where you will live, how you will find jobs, questions on work permits, and of course, how much you will earn. We encourage you to read our FAQ to help answer many common questions. As well, we have addressed some common myths in the Teach and Travel world. As always, Teachers Latin America believes it better to be prepared than to be sorry that you didn't ask the right questions before leaving. If you have other questions, the Teachers Latin America team is more than happy to help. You can reach a Teachers Latin America Advisor through our Contact Us page. Feel free to browse our site for more helpful hints and of course, to learn more about the TEFL program and jobs in Latin America.

Popular Myths about Teach and Travel

1. You can earn a fortune teaching abroad.

Answer: the real fortune to be earned is in the experience abroad. Developing countries are not able to pay $100,000 a year like some myths purport. TEFL teachers often earn more than locals do, but you have to remember that you are in the developing world. Your needs will always be met, but you are not going to come away with tens of thousands of dollars saved.

Some jobs appear to offer high hourly rates. Sometimes, this means that very few teaching hours are actually available to you. As well, check on the cost-of-living for the city or country where the job is. $50 usd per hour goes a very short distance in ultra-expensive Tokyo, especially when your rent could be as high as $2500 usd per month for a tiny furnished room.

2. A language school will pay for my housing and airfare.

Answer: this one is sometimes true, but also very often a trick to lure teachers into unsafe areas or places where experienced teachers would never go. Also, read the fine print! There is a lot of confusion in this area, so if you suspect something is up, don't hesitate to turn it down. The truth? The developing world cannot afford to pay your airfare. It is a risk to the language school and a risk to you. Many promises are made that you will be refunded your airfare on completion of a 1 year teaching contract. Think...what happens if you quit or are released 1 day short of 1 year? No refund. It happens a lot more than you may think, particularly in Asia.

What should you look for then? Be realistic. An employer, a TEFL course provider, or even a recruiter/placement agency should offer you options on housing and assistance in making your travel plans, but should always leave the control to you.

3. An online or correspondence TEFL course is all I need for a job overseas.

Answer: Unfortunately, the Internet makes it easy for anyone and everyone to offer an online course in this field. These courses are offered for very cheap prices for a reason. They do not result in a teaching job. Why? Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language is something that you must learn through theory, yes. But that's only half the battle. The other half is practice time in front of real students (remember what we said about the teaching practicum?). Without experience in this area, you will not be eligible for a job. Until a world body is created to oversee TEFL/TESL/CELTA by correspondence, this field remains the Wild West.

"But aren't any of them good?" you ask.

There is some excellent work being done by a handful of TEFL correspondence providers. We like to think Teachers Latin America is one of them. Through program bridging, internships, and deferred practice, some providers (like us) provide options for those that simply can't attend an in-person certificate course.

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Silvia Real - Programs Director

Teachers Latin America, Mexico

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