Should I do TEFL or TESOL?
Choosing between TEFL and TESOL often depends on where you plan to teach English. TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is focused on teaching in countries where English isn't widely spoken, such as teaching English in Thailand to Thai students. On the other hand, TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) typically covers teaching English in any country, including those where English is widely spoken. However, both qualifications are essentially the same and are used interchangeably within the ESL teaching world.
Table of Contents
Do prospective employers prefer one or the other?
TEFL and TESOL training and qualifications
Does ITTT offer both TEFL and TESOL?
Do prospective employers prefer one or the other?
Most international employers of ESL teachers understand that the terms TEFL and TESOL are used interchangeably. Though they may use only one term or the other in general usage, when it comes to describing the qualifications required for a particular job they generally use both. Which is why most teaching job adverts generally ask for candidates who are TESOL or TEFL certified.
TEFL and TESOL training and qualifications
The training and subsequent qualification obtained for TEFL and TESOL courses are the same. The typical requirement of employers is for a certificate completed either onsite or online and the duration of the course should be around 120 hours.
Further training in both TEFL and TESOL are available moving up from the certificate level to the Diploma level, then further still to Bachelor degree and MA. A PhD in TEFL and TESOL is also available, should you wish to take your studies to the limit. Once again, the country offering the qualification will usually use the terms they are most familiar with to describe the course. PhD TEFL in Scotland (UK) for example.
Does ITTT offer both TEFL and TESOL?
ITTTs 120-hour certificate courses are available as either TEFL or TESOL, which you may choose on successful completion of the course.
Specialization courses such as teaching business English, teaching young learners, and teaching English online have no TEFL or TESOL designation on them.
Package courses such as the 220-hour Master and 550-hour Expert Package are designated as TEFL certificates.
Summary
- In almost all situations the terms TEFL and TESOL are used interchangeably.
- Some countries are more familiar with one term rather than the other.
- In recruitment circles both terms are used and seen as equal.
- Higher level studies are available in both TEFL and TESOL and it does not matter which introductory level you have to move into further study in either TEFL or TESOL.
- Both TEFL and TESOL courses from ITTT are valid for life.
