You may also see TEFL in the name of the company or certification program name -- teaching English as a foreign language. Generally, TESL means teaching English to people who will use it on a regular basis. TEFL refers to students who will not use English every day in their countries. Therefore, TESL could also emphasize teaching English in the United States, where English is spoken everywhere. Having a master's degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages is generally required to teach adults English in the U.S., or to have an English as a second language endorsement on your teaching license from a certification program accredited by your state's department of education if you want to teach ESL in public schools. TESL certification may be accepted by some adult education English language providers, but not many.
Many colleges around the country offer TESL certification courses, including community colleges. Some of them may be a semester or a year in length. These types of TESL certification institutions are typically more expensive than private companies that offer TESL certification courses. However, students can feel assured that an accredited university will offer a thorough TESL education. Certification courses from colleges may also be available online in addition to traditional classrooms.
Many private companies also offer TESL certification courses. These may take place in a classroom over a few months, over a weekend at a training conference or online. Online courses are numerous, but they are not all as well reputed as they may present themselves to be. No one accreditation body certifies online TESL certification courses. Look for a course that offers video demonstrations of teaching, a lively student community and a broad curriculum base covering topics like English grammar and how to teach multilevel classrooms. The TESOL professional organization also offers an online certification course for teachers (see Resources).
It is important to talk to other TESL students on online forums, such as the one at ESLteachersboard.com (see Resources), about their experiences with different TESL certification companies. When you have narrowed down your list of schools you want to attend, keep the following factors in mind. The longer your certification course, the better chance you have of being hired on at a reputable, higher-paying school. A 100-hour course is the minimum you should take if you want your certification to be accepted by many employers. Courses can range in price from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, so also choose one that is within your budget.