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So you know you want to study TEFL. But what’s the next step?
There are many factors to consider when choosing the right course, such as accreditation by Trinity or Cambridge, reputation of course provider and expertise of trainers and so on. And if that wasn’t enough, one of the big dilemmas future trainees face when deciding to take a TEFL course is whether to do it online (It’s cheaper! It’s easier! Or is it?) or via a presential course (Where? How? Help!). Here is a simple table of comparison explaining the pros and cons of both cases. It is important to note that this is specifically related to teaching English as a foreign language, whereas obtaining a different qualification via these two methods would present different comparisons.
| Online TEFL Training | Face to face TEFL training |
| Online courses provide a foundation in TEFL which could be suitable for potential teachers who may teach English short term or who want an introduction to TEFL. | Face to face TEFL courses offer more in-depth training with a focus on teaching practice, a key element when preparing to be an English teacher |
| Cambridge and Trinity accreditation is not offered as online TEFL courses, which could limit employability | Trinity Cert. TESOL and Cambridge CELTA are face to face courses which employers trust as a sign of quality and contain a minimum of 120 hours of training |
| Course length can vary and no teaching practice is provided. | Trinity Cert. TESOL contains a minimum of 130 hours and Cambridge CELTA courses contain a minimum of 120 hours of training, and both with a minimum of 6 hour’s teaching practice |
| Lack of preparation for teaching English due to no teaching practice or feedback on teaching from a tutor. | Course will include observations of your classes and fellow teachers, plus feedback sessions with a tutor |
| Similar topics covered, including Student Motivation; Teacher Roles & EFL Methodology; Teaching of Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading and Writing; Classroom Management and Lesson Planning. | |
| Most include chats, forums, and other ways of participating online between trainees and tutors | Some provide online learning platforms to support the face to face aspect of the course |
| Training of classroom management and assessments limited to online content | Hands-on training in classroom management and assessments of student levels |
| Support from tutor usually at specified times via email/ Skype/ online platform | Support from fellow TEFL trainees and tutors during day in-centre |
| Input limited to online content with no exposure to teaching methods in classroom/ workshop environment | Input sessions using a variety of teaching methods and technology in a classroom/ workshop environment |
| Less effective way of learning for many with no involvement during face to face input session | More effective way of learning, through involvement during input sessions |
| No experience of teaching different levels | Usually opportunities to teach a variety of levels |
| Flexible, studying where and when you want eg. If there is no training centre nearby | Attendance necessary and at specified times |
| Necessary to have your own computer, internet, books, resources | Use of facilities in-centre, computers, internet, books, resources |
| Common feeling of unreadiness at the time of teaching real classes after course | Confidence-building via experience and contact with real students during teaching practice |
| Usually cheaper than presential courses | Usually more expensive than online courses |
| Most online courses offer a section on finding work in the UK or abroad | Most face to face courses offer full careers support, help with writing a CV and interviews, and putting you in contact with future employers |
| Many employers may favour candidates who complete a face to face course and may consider online courses as not ‘real’ TEFL courses | Employers prefer face to face TEFL training courses as it demonstrates you already have experience in the classroom and are better prepared for teaching their students |
Which should you choose? Well that all depends on your budget, time frame and plans for the future. Whether you are considering the full Trinity Cert. TESOL certificate or the Online TEFL starter course contact us today to find out how we can help you decide what your next step is in TEFL.
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