TEFL Course FAQs

Our 10 most frequently asked questions

1 What is the difference between TEFL, CELTA and TESOL?

TEFL is the name of the industry you would be working in - teaching English as a foreign language. In order to gain access to this industry, there are two key qualifications which stand out as being quite special in their international recognition - the Cambridge CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults) and the Trinity College CertTESOL (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). See Jeremy Page's excellent article on this subject

3 What requirements are there to get on a course?

You need to be at least 18 (though some schools prefer you to be at least 20). For native speakers of English, ideally you need to have the qualifications which would allow you to access a degree course - i.e. A-levels or an equivalent. Having said that, certain schools may require you to hold a degree, whilst others will consider your application if you just have relevant life experience - so it's always worth checking.

If you are a none native speaker, you will also need to be able to demonstrate your ability to use English to a very high standard - ideally you will need to hold something like Cambridge Advanced English (CAE), Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) or IELTS level 7. If you don't external qualification, the school will be able to test the level of your English, often by providing you with an additional language task to complete.

4 Can't I just do a 2-day/one week course?

You can do, but the amount you can learn in this time is really limited, and the qualification will most probably not be recognised worldwide. Some courses do lead to short term voluntary programmes, which will allow you to travel to somewhere exotic for a couple of months and have a worthwhile experience.

It is also still true that you might be able to secure work in parts of South East Asia with no qualifications, however we feel that you owe it your students and yourself to be properly prepared, regardless of the requirements of the organisation you travel with.

5 What do you do on a CELTA or CertTESOL?

The overall aim of these courses is for you to become a confident, competent teacher of English. Work usually starts around building your language (grammar) awareness, as most of us have problems with this area. Through a series of lesson observations, input sessions on aspects of linguistics, learning materials, classroom management and activities, level awareness, teaching for different age groups, you gradually build up your skills. These are assessed throughout the course via your performance in your teaching practice (TP), which takes place regularly. Your first TP can often come on the second day of the course! The key to success is to absorb the new information you are given, synthesize and reproduce it during the practice lessons. Much of your spare time is spent preparing lessons, where help and support are frequently available.

6 Is it that intensive?

We always say to expect something like a 9 - 5 day, + 3-4 hours of self study in the evenings plus work at the weekends.

7 Can Cactus Teachers place me in a school when I finish the course?

It would be very easy for us to start doing this, but we feel it is much better if you source your own job. We recommend that you decide where in the world you would like to go and do some desk research - the country equivalent of the Yellow Pages is usually a good starting point to find how many language schools there are in your chosen destination. If at all possible, it is infinitely easier to look from within the country, by organising a couple of weeks of accommodation, and possibly setting up a few meetings (phone the school rather than email). Better still, book onto a morning-only language course and stay with a host family. This will mean you are not wasting time whilst you're away, and the family and school may prove a useful source of contacts. (Many of our overseas course providers offer reduced price language courses too).

9 Is there any way of paying less for a good course?

There is a way, if you are considering voluntary work, and can commit to 2 years of working abroad teaching English. VSO - Voluntary Services Overseas is a longstanding charity which sends people around the world to carry out humanitarian work. This includes the service of teaching English as a Foreign Language, and for candidates who are accepted at interview by VSO, there exists the chance to use £500 of the statutory "materials allowance" to put towards the cost of your course. See http://www.vso.org.uk/volunteering/education_tefl.htm for more information, and contact us to find out how to coincide your VSO & TEFL application.

The Cambridge CELTA course in Bangkok not only guarantees you paid work in Bangkok after your course. It also returns 50% of your tuition fees back to you, provided you stay with the school for the whole year. This is because there is a huge need for teachers in Thailand, and schools have to try hard to keep hold of their teachers. Ask us for more info.

10 How do I apply?

For your information, the application procedure for the CELTA and TESOL is detailed below. The whole process usually takes a maximum of 3 weeks from receipt of your completed application, though courses may fill up as far as 2 months in advance (particularly in the summer). This is why we suggest that you submit your form quickly, given that there is no obligation to enrol.

1 Choose a course location and check the price on line.
2 Download an application form (we've emailed one to you)
3 Complete and return this to Cactus
4 Cactus will review and forward this to the centre's teacher training team
5 Cactus or the school and will arrange an interview time and date with you (face-to-face or over the phone)
6 The interviewer will tell you if you have been accepted at the end of the interview, and you will be offered a place there and then.
7 You decide when and whether you wish to go on the course.
8 Cactus establishes an on-line quote for you.
9 You pay either a deposit or full fees to reserve your place.
10 We send you your pre-course task (if applicable) & confirmation documents, and arrange accommodation and/or transfers (if required)

Please feel free to call us if you have any questions, or if you’d just like to talk through your ideas.

Telephone: 0845 130 4775
[email protected]

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