What is the benefit of TESOL?
TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. It is also commonly used to refer to the qualification that teachers need in order to be eligible for most good quality teaching jobs in countries all over the world. If you want to take advantage of the huge worldwide boom in English language learning, you will certainly want to have this certification on your CV/resume. Equally, if you are learning the English language you will also want your teacher to have a TESOL qualification to ensure they have the knowledge needed to provide a good standard of tuition.
What is the benefit of TESOL for an English language teacher?
As mentioned, a TESOL certificate is the standard qualification required by employers for anyone who intends to work as an English language teacher at home, overseas, or online. The main benefit is that as a TESOL qualified teacher you will be able to apply for most teaching positions around the world as you will have completed the standard entry level qualification that is expected by schools, language centers, universities, colleges, private businesses, and any other type of employer that provides language instruction. With a TESOL certification you can confidently apply for whichever jobs catch your eye, in whatever locations you choose.
The second benefit of TESOL for a teacher is that completing such a course demonstrates to potential employers that you take the role of a language teacher seriously and are therefore happy to put in the time, effort, and money required to achieve it. Some people see teaching English as a quick and convenient way to earn a few dollars while traveling from place to place. However, if you want something a bit more meaningful and stable, a TESOL qualification will open the door to well-paid jobs that will really make a difference to people's lives.
What is the benefit of TESOL for an English language student?
The main benefit in this category is that a TESOL course will give you a wide range of skills and knowledge that will make it possible to have a real impact on your students' learning. While it is still possible to find teaching jobs without any qualifications in some parts of the world, if you do so you might well be doing your students a disservice. Without proper instruction on what to teach, when to teach it, and how to teach it, your chances of helping your students reach their full potential are minimal at best. A good quality TESOL course will cover everything you need to get the very best from those that you teach.
This is particularly important if you plan to teach on a freelance basis, either as a main job or as a way to top up your income from a job in a school or language center. Whether you are applying for a classroom position or looking for individual students to tutor, being able to show that you have received a good level of instruction from an internationally recognised course provider is a real benefit. If an employer or student lacks confidence in the teacher’s ability to do the job to a high level, they are likely to look elsewhere.
