The advantages and disadvantages of online TEFL courses

By: Ajay Shringi
Submitted: 2008-09-29 23:42:58
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Online TEFL courses open up amazing career opportunities for aspiring teachers in countries that are experiencing a high demand for people with English language skills. With globalization, there is increasing pressure on people to acquire excellent writing and reading English skills. In fact, mastery of language often becomes decisive when selecting people for jobs. That is why many people are desperately trying to improve their English language skills.

According to the British Council, approximately 300 million people are trying to study English at the present time. These students may need to learn English as a second language in their own country, or they may be immigrants who need to learn English in order to adapt to their new life in an English speaking country. Naturally, with the rise in demand for English language skills, there is a corresponding demand for internationally accredited English teachers. Online TEFL courses teach English through distance education and equip you to become a teacher of the English language in a foreign country.

Anyone can join online TEFL courses regardless of age or work experience: perfect English fluency and a reasonable level of education are the only requirements. Online TEFL courses come in 100-hour and 250-hour variants providing direct access to modern teaching methods that prepare the future teacher to deal with all sorts of educational situations. The price patterns for online TEFL programs vary depending on the number of hours and on the trainee's choice of availing of the services of a personal tutor. However, most programs are priced very competitively, and some of the courses even have bonus offers.

Online TEFL courses are designed according to distance learning methods and this compensates for the lack of classroom participation. These courses answer the needs of people who have a limited budget, or have time and place constraints that do not allow them to join a full on site teaching program at the TEFL training centers. Thus, more people have access to these courses. In online TEFL courses, the learner is not constrained by the repetitive rhythm imposed in a regular class, meaning that he or she can adjust the learning program according to their personal needs and schedule flexibility.

TEFL diplomas are the most comprehensive TEFL online courses. Such courses are the immediate sequel of training from a basic certification program. Online diploma courses are widely available and consist of 250 hours of highly advanced teaching methods. Recognized at the international level, such courses are accessible only to those who already have their standard TEFL certification. The prices for diploma courses vary from $500 without tutor to $990 with personal tutor.

The only disadvantage of online TEFL courses is that the trainee lacks the direct teaching practice that is included in onsite programs. Though the sample lessons available online are pretty relevant for the purposes and the achievements of a regular class, direct experience has its unique advantages. Moreover, would-be-teachers who choose the “no tutor” variant of the online TEFL course will have to do more research themselves. Any learning item that may remain unclear will be more difficult to sort out on one's own than with the aid of a tutor.

Online TEFL courses have more advantages than disadvantages. For a person who wants to make a career out of teaching English, these courses are indeed an excellent investment in their future.

Article source: Expert Articles