Tesol Certificate Doesn't Say How Many Hours

Before we go any further with this question, we first need to make an important distinction. Your number of teaching hours (known as contact hours) will not be the same as the number of hours you will be expected to actually be in school (known as contract hours). Most teaching jobs include admin duties on top of the actual teaching time. We also need to make it clear that different types of ESL teaching jobs have different typical classroom hours. Here we look at the three most common types of jobs available. In the majority of cases, overseas schools work normal office hours. This means that you should expect to be in school, Monday to Friday, from around 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. This rough timetable adds up to around 40 hours per week. Of course, not all those hours will be...  [Read more]

TESOL stands for: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, which is also commonly referred to as TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Whilst these two terms have slight technical differences they are generally used interchangeably within the industry to say the same thing. The first distinction in certification types comes about from the differences between an in-class course, an online course, and a combined (or hybrid) course. In-class courses are undertaken at a physical location, somewhere in the world. These locations are typically in countries where English is not the first language, but many people are learning it. This means there are plenty of English language learners (ELL’s) available for real teaching lessons, which is a very useful addition to these...  [Read more]

All TESOL courses provided by ITTT, and most other course providers, are separated into individual sections or modules in order to make the content easier to digest and to retain after the course is complete. Each course contains multiple modules covering all the most important areas of English language teaching, including various grammar points, a range of classroom skills, and lesson planning strategies, to name just a few. This course design should allow you to work through the materials smoothly and ensure that most of the information covered is still fresh in your mind when you start your first day in your first ESL teaching job. However, as most TESOL course providers, including ITTT, offer many different course options to suit various personal goals and scenarios, there is no...  [Read more]

In order to compare our range of TESOL courses with other qualifications we have developed our course-level framework which runs from level 3 to level 7. On this scale most employers will expect their job applicants to have completed a level 4 course as this includes at least 100 hours of course study. However, if you want to start your teaching journey further up the ladder, a level 5 course would put you in a level of certification that is above the average for TESOL qualified teachers worldwide. Unfortunately, there is no one single framework that represents the different levels of qualifications available within the world of ESL teaching. At ITTT we have developed our course-level framework using the same basic criteria as most other countries or organizations, i.e, what type of...  [Read more]

VIPKid was, until quite recently, one of the top platforms for teaching young learners online. However, as of July 2021, the Chinese government changed the laws regarding online teaching and made it illegal to promote English lessons for Chinese students if the teachers are outside of the country. Essentially, if you want to teach young Chinese students online, then you now need to actually be in the country and not working from overseas. This shift in policy has had a big impact on VIPKid’s operations and they are no longer the major player they once were in this particular teaching environment. Despite the change in laws within China, VIPKid says it is to continue offering lessons for adult students in China from outside the country as this is not affected by the new legislation....  [Read more]

These days, working online is a common occurrence in many walks of life and English language teaching is no exception. Opportunities for teaching in a virtual classroom are varied and accessible to people all over the world via a wide range of service providers. These online platforms offer the chance to teach English to international students without having to leave your own home. Teachers looking to take advantage of the huge demand in online English lessons can choose to set up their own business which allows you to be entirely independent and free to decide on your own lesson fees and working hours. However, you will probably need to set up your own website and it can take a considerable amount of time to find enough regular students to make a good living. For most people...  [Read more]

This is hard to estimate as it depends on many different factors, including your previous teaching history, relevant qualifications, and the platform you choose to work for. However, the usual hourly pay rate for online English teachers ranges from $15 to $30. It is also worth remembering that agencies that provide you with students and materials etc, may take a slice of your income in return for their services. Magic Ears: aimed at 4 to 12 year-old children across China, with a focus on fun and interactive experiences. Pay levels are up to 30% higher than the average at around $18 to $26 per hour. VIPKID: aimed at children of all ages right across Asia. Teachers must be US or Canadian citizens with a degree and a good internet connection. Lesson plans and materials are...  [Read more]

When it comes to choosing the best online TESOL certification course you need to consider all the main options, what you want the qualification for, and what you hope to achieve with it once certified. First we will look at all the main online course options. The different types of online courses are easily separated by the average number of hours they require to complete them. Weekend courses: These are often marketed as “taster courses” and are done mainly at weekends to give those who are already employed a chance to see what TESOL is about. Due to time constraints (they usually last about 10 hours in total) there is limited material covered in terms of teaching and learning, but they can be useful to help you decide if doing a full course would be worthwhile for you. Short...  [Read more]

When looking for a teaching position, many teachers wonder if a 120-hour TESOL certificate is sufficient to teach in a classroom or online. It may appear that it is not enough time to become a competent teacher, but we assure you that it is possible. Most ESL employers and schools will require at least 120 hours of training before you can apply for teaching positions. Some employers may even require classroom experience in addition to the 120 hours of study. There are several TESOL courses that include this number of study hours as well as some level of classroom practice, making them ideal for jobs that require experience. A 120-hour TESOL course is a training program for English speakers who want to teach English abroad or online. The term "120 hours" refers to a 120-hour...  [Read more]

If you have a TESOL certificate and are looking to teach English in Eastern Europe, there are plenty of opportunities available to you. Eastern Europe is a region with a high demand for English teachers, and having a TESOL certificate can make you a more competitive candidate for teaching positions. Some of the countries in Eastern Europe where you can teach English with a TESOL certificate include Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Ukraine, among others. In Poland, for example, there are numerous language schools and international schools that hire English teachers with TESOL certificates. The demand for English teachers in Poland is high, especially in major cities like Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw. Similarly, in the Czech Republic, there are many opportunities to teach English...  [Read more]

You are prepared to start teaching ESL online, but is a TESOL certification necessary to get a successful online teaching job? In general, a TESOL certificate is required if you want to earn good money teaching online. Even if it might not be necessary for all online teaching platforms, having TESOL certification will increase your salary and attract more students. The confidence and skills required to teach someone a foreign language, which is no easy task, come from completing a TESOL course. We will go over a few other prerequisites for teaching English online, other than a TESOL certificate. To teach English online, you will often need to fulfill the following requirements: Even without a university degree, there are various platforms where you can work as an English instructor....  [Read more]

  There are many benefits to choosing ITTT as your TESOL course provider and one of those is that our graduates are able to issue their own certification to English language students that they work with. Once you have completed a set of lessons with your student you can give them a certificate of completion that includes their name, the level of the class they attended, and the amount of hours they studied with you. Each certificate has a unique identification number and a box where you can insert your own ITTT TESOL certification number. The great thing about these certificates is that the student, and any other party who has an interest in their English language ability, will have physical evidence that they have been taught English by a qualified ESL teacher. Having the option of...  [Read more]

Distance learning has become an increasingly popular form of study in many fields of education and ESL teaching is no exception. To ensure we continue to provide a high level of convenience and affordability we regularly add new course options to our online range. Our 120-hour online TESOL course covers virtually all the same theory subjects as our in-class TESOL course. The main difference between the two course options is observed teaching practice (OTP). During an in-class course trainees get to spend many hours practicing their teaching in a real classroom under the guidance of experienced teacher trainers. Because of this practical experience, in-class TESOL courses are generally seen as superior to courses that do not provide any practical training. However, while our in-class...  [Read more]

Do you want to teach English, but are not sure if a TESOL certificate will be enough to get you where you want to go? The good news is, most countries do not require a teaching license to teach English, a TESOL certificate is usually enough. In some cases, a bachelor's degree might also be a requirement, but there are many places where this is not an issue. With a quality TESOL certificate from ITTT, you will be able to get ESL teaching jobs in most places around the world. While year-long training and a teaching license is typically required to become a standard teacher in most countries, it is incredibly easy to become a teacher for English as a foreign language in many countries around the world. With a TESOL certificate you can start a career in teaching English in many places,...  [Read more]

If you have found a free course that you are interested in, it would be a good idea to run through a simple checklist of features of your chosen course, to help you decide if it is worth taking. 1) Is it an internationally recognized TESOL certificate? 2) Does it include a hardcopy of the certificate for work permit uses? 3) Is the TESOL course at least 120-hours of study? 4) Does the course cover teaching skills and language awareness? 5) Are you able to access continued job guidance and support? 6) Does the course lead to higher level qualifications in TESOL? For the best employment prospects, all of the above are very important. A number of other factors may not be immediately obvious, but these include; This is now a common form of marketing an educational product. The course...  [Read more]

Like several other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Bulgaria has drastically improved its infrastructure since joining the EU. In that time, the market for foreign ESL teachers has also grown considerably to meet the demand from local people who need to improve their English skills in order to move up the career ladder in many different fields. The country has plenty of attractions to offer teachers, including the famous Black Sea coastline, ski resorts at a fraction of the price of most others in Europe, and stunning natural scenery. Bulgaria is certainly not somewhere to teach English if you want to save a large amount of money or live a lavish lifestyle, but that doesn?t stop people from coming here to enjoy the country?s culture, history and natural environment. The...  [Read more]

Taiwan is an increasingly popular teaching destination as it offers good salaries and a relatively low cost of living, as well as a highly developed infrastructure and a stable economy. If you are a native English speaker with a TESOL certification you should have no problem landing a teaching job in a public school or a privately owned language academy. Positions can be found in all parts of the country, but the largest markets are in big cities such as Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Tainan. Your expected salary in Taiwan will be heavily influenced by your qualifications and your previous teaching experience. It is quite common to pay an hourly rate rather than a fixed salary, with rates starting at around 600 NTD (currently $20 US). If you have plenty of experience, you might be...  [Read more]

It is possible to teach English abroad without a TESOL certificate in some cases. However, having a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate can significantly enhance your job prospects and earning potential in the field of TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Here is a breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages of teaching English abroad without a TESOL certificate: 1. **Flexibility**: Some countries and language schools may hire English teachers without a TESOL certificate, especially if you are a native English speaker or have a strong command of the language. 2. **Entry-level Positions**: Teaching English without a TESOL certificate can be a good way to gain initial teaching experience and explore the field of TEFL. 3. **Informal Teaching...  [Read more]

  Every ITTT course graduate receives a high-quality, embossed TESOL certificate once they have successfully completed their chosen course. All certification costs are covered in your initial course fee and each one includes a unique certificate number which employers or government departments can use to verify that it is a genuine ITTT certificate. When applying for jobs or work visas it is increasingly common for the relevant parties to want to check your certificate, which can be done via our Certificate Verification page on our website. They can simply enter your unique certificate number and get instant clarification on the authenticity of your qualifications. Employers around the world are using this tool more and more frequently in order to discourage the very small minority...  [Read more]

The most comprehensive course option offered by ITTT is the 550-hour Expert Package with tutor support. It covers a complete spectrum of TESOL skills that teachers of English as a foreign language can use in most classroom situations. The 550-hour Expert Package fully prepares course graduates so they are ready to tackle a wide range of future teaching and management roles at home or overseas. This extensive package consists of six course components: The 120-hour TESOL course (Part 1 of the package) must be completed first, however, parts 2 to 6 can be taken in any order you decide. After successfully completing the 120-hour course you will have the option of receiving a 120-hour certificate then five further individual certificates for each section successfully completed (there is an...  [Read more]