I Wish I Took This TEFL Course Earlier In My Career
There are many different reasons and obvious advantages of taking the TEFL course. One of the main advantages is the fact that it is a form of validation or certification of your credentials, as a qualified language teacher. This thus makes job interview processes more convenient and increases your chances of employment in the top job markets around the world. With a wider range of options to choose from, this can only make your dreams or aspirations to teach in your potential country of choice, much simpler.
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ken Y.
Being a native speaker doesn’t mean being a great teacher
On a personal level though, besides the aforementioned rationale, the decision to enroll in this course would be for one other specific reason. Being a native English speaker, I was always of the assumption that I greatly understood the language due to my ability to fluently and effortlessly speak it. Therefore, I always believed that I would be able to teach this language to prospective students.
However, no sooner had I begun to teach students of different age groups, that I realized how lacking I was in the department of actual knowledge of the language. Ironically enough, it was a non-native English speaker who made this realization even more clear, with her seemingly vast knowledge and ability to actually teach the language, by explaining how and why certain aspects of English such as language structure, are the way they are. It was later explained to me that, this ability was due to the fact that she studied English as a foreign language and was thus aware of the technical aspects of the language.
Also Read: What Should One Think About When Creating Teaching Material?
Learning to answer students’ tricky questions
This served as a sort of reality check as to where exactly I stood as a potential language teacher. A clear distinction was made manifest between a regular native English speaker, and an actual qualified English teacher. My struggles to answer seemingly straightforward questions from my students, established the need for me to put my then part-time job of teaching English to a halt, as I didn't want to be of any disservice to them with my apparent ineptness. The decision was made to enroll in the TEFL course, and equip myself with the fundamentals of the English language, in order to prepare and qualify for my future aspirations, which were to teach English in a foreign country.
Also Read: The 4 Most Common Problems Students Face When Learning English
Building up confidence
After reviewing and researching extensively into this course and what it provides, I sincerely see the need to enroll in it. From all the positive feedback from previous enrollees, stating the advantages and importance of this course, and how their knowledge of the language was drastically enhanced, no further motivation or assurance is needed to apply for the course.
Much to my pleasant surprise, is the additional information and ideas that are provided within this course. Initially, I had the idea that the course's sole purpose was to enhance one's knowledge in the language yet, much more than this is available. Not only does it make one more confident in his/her ability to teach the technical aspects of English, but it provides a clearer image of the multidimensional aspects that are entailed in the world of teaching. With the ideas and sample blueprints provided in this course to help you tackle any obstacles you may face in this career path, not only do you improve your knowledge of the language, but it does help you grow more into the role or mold, of being a well-rounded teacher. Moreover, a clear perspective and vision of what is required of an individual to excel in this career path are achieved.
Also Read: 3 Awesome Reasons to Become an EFL Teacher Abroad
Do you want to become more confident in your teaching?
Enrolling in the TEFL course is definitely one of the most important and fruitful decisions and experiences one can make, as it contributes greatly to bridging the gap between the desire to teach, and the ability to actually do so. I would recommend this course to any and all individuals interested in pursuing a career in teaching English.
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