I Am Looking For A Good School For Tefl Certification

[FondueUSA]

Hi, I am looking for a good TEFL school that won't screw me over. I am looking to train for 4-6 weeks in Thailand, but I would like to teach in Japan. I am looking at two different companies that offer TEFL training in Thailand. Those two are the TEFL institute in Chicago, and TESOL International. Has anyone had any experience with these companies? If so I would like to know positive or negative. If either of these schools are crap, are there other schools anyone would reccomend. Thanks.

I should note that I have never taught or been overseas before. I am a bit green.

[Ulysses G.]

You should go for the RSA/Cambridge TEFLA certificate if you are going to teach outside Thailand. It is by far the most respected teaching course and makes it easy to get a job in a good school.

[PeaceBlondie]

I am transferring this topic to the Teaching in Thailand forum, where it belongs, and where two TEFL schools (not RSA/Cambridge) are sponsors.

In light of recent comments, keep in mind that no known Thai government agency requires a TEFL certificate, but many schools and language centers value the four-week, in-residence schools (with supervised practice teaching) over correspondence courses and one-week courses.

Also, the teaching forum does not permit heated arguments such as "my four-week TEFL course was better than yours because my instructor was less of a drunk/brawler/scouse/hillbilly than yours was."

[Ijustwannateach]

[FondueUSA]

Can't anyone help me...

[Ijustwannateach]

Think you're stressing too much over it, but here's some advice:

1. Shop around, compare, caveat emptor, and of course please check our sponsors.

2. After your first couple of years on the job, the experience matters more than your TEFL course, so it's not *that* big a deal.

3. If you have any concerns over course acceptability, call the types of places at which you want to work and ask *them* what *they* like to see.

4. Ask yourself honestly what your strengths and weaknesses are- how much practice teaching time do you think you need before they set you loose on the world?

5. Bearing the previous factors in mind, choose the course based on price, convenience, and length all other things being equal (which they never are).

6. The classic problem with TEFL comparison courses is that hardly anyone has ever needed to take more than one (yes, yes, there's the CELTA-DELTA thing, but no one does a DELTA for a first job, do they?)- so you're probably not going to get any posts here which say, "oh, yes, I've taken both of those classes and by far Brand A is the best!" and if someone does say that it would frankly be pretty suspicious. That leaves slagging off of schools, which we also take a dim view of here in light of shilling.

7. Search through past threads here on the forum and you may find some more specific comments on various course providers.

"S"

[Neeranam]

I'd suggest ECC, who do the RSA course.

I don't think that the London Trinity TESOL is taught anywhere in Thailand.

I did mine in Barcelona - I highly recommend doing it there - much better than Bangkok.

[007]

Hi, I am looking for a good TEFL school...

I'm looking for a good TEFL school in Thailand, too, which accepts non-native speakers of English for course and exam.

[PeaceBlondie]

I'm looking for a good TEFL school in Thailand, too, which accepts non-native speakers of English for course and exam.

Every school that I know of does not restrict enrollment to native speakers only. Of course, almost every course and its exams are given in English.