Why study TESOL?
Completing a TESOL certification course has many different benefits, including the following five:
Table of Contents
1. A transferable qualification
5. So you can give back to society
1. A transferable qualification
There are a number of valuable transferable skills obtained when completing a TESOL course. These include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of teaching/learning and the English language, organizational skills related to lesson planning and classroom management, motivational theories and practice. All of these have a place in the business world and other sectors of education outside of ESL and are therefore very useful. Employers who are aware of what a TESOL certificate contains will welcome these skills regardless of whether the job is teaching related or not. A TESOL qualification is a great addition to your CV, or resume.
2. So you can teach
Having knowledge of a subject is not enough for you to be able to teach it. You may have personal experience of this from your own time being taught in the classroom. Having knowledge of teaching theory and practice, as studied in a TESOL course, will give you invaluable experience which will allow you to stand in front of a group of students and teach. Your students can expect their teacher to be qualified in some way for you to be able to teach them.
3. So you can travel
One of the main reasons that many people take a TESOL course is it provides a kind of passport to travel. As most ESL employers worldwide require the minimum qualification of a TESOL certificate, having this gives the potential of travel to almost any country in the world where English is being taught as a second or foreign language. With a good knowledge of English and a TESOL certificate you are set-up to travel the world and teach.
4. So you can earn a living
There are a few countries in the world where ESL teaching salaries are high enough to allow you to save a reasonable amount of money in a relatively short amount of time (The Middle East for example). However, most countries will provide a teaching salary which is on the higher side of the national average wage for that country. This means that you can live comfortably in most areas of the world on that salary. As you become more experienced you will be able to find jobs that have additional benefits, such as paid holidays and airfares to and from your home country.
5. So you can give back to society
Teaching ESL sometimes means working in countries which are currently economically developing. Gaining knowledge of English is one way for the citizens of that country to improve their economic situation. A good example of this are countries which are relatively poor but have high tourism. Locals can gain a higher wage if they can interact with English speaking tourists from around the world. Helping people improve their economic situation is obviously very rewarding.
In summary
ESL teaching is a great way to see the world and make a difference to other people's lives. It is almost uniquely placed to allow you, after a relatively short course, the opportunity to travel to any country where English as a second language is taught and find work. The experiences gained through such employment will give you invaluable life skills which may be used in almost any situation in the future.
