A follow up another Q&A topic dealing with what major is best for teaching English abroad?

What Certification is best?

The topic of certifications is a vast array of choices. There are acronyms like TESOL, TESL, TEFL, CELTA, etc. that can be difficult to navigate if you’re still unfamiliar with the whole lay of the land.  In short, TESOL/TESL/TEFL are generally interchangeable. They are ESL certifications that offer 50, 100, 120 hour courses.

• TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
• TESL – Teaching English as a Second Language
• TEFL – Teaching English as a Foreign Language

CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), is similar to the certifications above in that it equips an individual with some of the essential understanding of grammar and teaching English as a Second Language (ESL).

In addition, there is the all mighty teaching certificate from your home country. This certifies you to teach in the public school system back home.  In other words, you’re an employable teacher back in your home country. Not that you can’t work as an ESL instructor with TESOL and CELTA certifications, but the teaching certificate is what permits one to teach in public schools.

Confused yet?  I am.

Again, certifications earned online are slowly being disregarded by some of the larger employers. Quite simply, if you have a TESOL certificate earned online, it won’t be recognized in the Middle East with almost 100% certainty.  Also, the EPIK program, at least in Busan, no longer accepts certificates earned online. This is something to keep in mind as you peruse the relentless selection of certificate companies out there.

My advice, do it in-class. It’s more expensive, but you will never have an issue.

That said, there are countless employers who do accept online certifications. They are not completely useless. I earned mine online. It’s still a certification and an indication of a meaningful effort to improve myself in the teaching profession.

The post Q&A: The Importance of TESOL, CELTA, and Teacher Certifications appeared first on The Red Dragon Diaries.