Brief Guide to Gaining TESOL Certificate Sydney

The acronym TESOL can be expanded as Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. It involves the teaching of English to non-native speakers of English in both foreign as well as English speaking countries. TESOL certificate Sydney is a valuable qualification.

The number of aspirants for learning English is increasing by the millions in the world. The BBC reported the numbers of such learners to have touched a stupendous count of 2 billion globally. Even as such numbers rise, so does the demand for TESOL teachers.

TESOL and TEFL
Both TESOL and TEFL (Teaching of English as Foreign Language) are terms often used interchangeably. There is only one major difference- TESOL comprises of teaching English to non-native students in English-speaking countries. But this is not a limit. When you apply for jobs, it will not matter whether your qualification is TEFL or TESOL; they will be mostly regarded as the same.

Courses for TESOL certification
Taking up online courses for TESOL/ TEFL certification is most popular and convenient for those who are time or resource-constrained and wish to take up training fitting with their schedule.

There are many courses for TESOL certification out there, but it can become confusing. You need to look out for:

• Length of course
• Accreditation from external agencies
• Tutor support
• International recognition.

Consider the above in detail:

• Length of course
Most employers, both online and in foreign countries, require a minimum of 120 hours of coursework. It is recommended that one should take up so many hours of course.

It is wrong to assume that the more the hours, the better the course. In case one wish to impress employers with one’s CV, a 120-hour TESOL course qualification will suffice. One can, of course, add some extra specializations. Taking up a course with several hundreds of hours of TESOL training is not going to impress anyone.

• Accreditation
This is a factor for the quality assurance of the TESOL program. It is important while selecting a TESOL certification provider. But the fact is, there is no all-encompassing certification body for TESOL, and so, one must do some sleuthing on one’s own.

What one must look out for is accreditation by some well-reputed global bodies. An easy way to spot accreditation of less repute is if the body only seems to accredit TEFL providers and other courses advertised on low-budget sites.

When one is seeking a body for accreditation, one must find two things: 1) a list of accredited course providers and 2) information about their processes and criteria. Most great providers of programs of TESOL certification search for accreditation from established bodies, which will accredit an extensive range of various course providers.

• International reputation
This factor is closely linked with accreditation. When a provider is accredited suitably, then the qualification must be recognized globally.

One must also check out how long the course provider has been in the business. All the time, one can see new TESOL courses popping up everywhere. Some of them may not have any worth for prospective employers. Select a course provider with a high reputation in the industry and offer the best landing employment opportunity.

• Support of tutors
Complete tutor support is a hallmark of a great TESOL course. Ideally, such tutors must be highly experienced teachers of English.

There is much credence to the fact that you must gain feedback all through the course from subject matter experts. This is even more important with regard to an online course. Without such support, one will be unaware of the right direction to take and how to master the course.

In sum, these are all important facts about preparing for a TESOL certificate in Sydney.