The TEFL certification is the first step in becoming certified to teach English in a foreign country or online. International schools accept online TEFL certification. You’ve probably seen a collection of online TEFL courses available. So, are online TEFL courses legitimate? In short, YES.
The reality is that there are a variety of excellent, well-recognized online TEFL certification courses available. However, many programs are fraudulent or provide poor education. If you want to discover if an online TEFL course is legitimate, you must first comprehend a few key elements.
Are Online TEFL Courses Accredited?
“Some organizations offer TEFL accreditation to verify their legitimacy”
The phrase “TEFL accreditation” is misleading. Presently, no one worldwide body delivers TEFL courses with global approval. However, many smaller organizations offer accreditation for TEFL programs. These are some of the organizations:
- Accreditation Council for TESOL Distance Education Courses (ACTDEC).
- British Council
- World TEFL Accrediting Commission (WTEFLAC)
-
International TEFL/TESOL Accreditation Council
Online (or onsite) TEFL courses authorized by one of these organizations are accepted by institutes worldwide. You could come across a company that claims to offer an approved online TEFL course. As a result, you must confirm this by researching the accrediting body.
There are still many legitimate TEFL certification schools that haven’t sought approval from certifying agencies. So, how can you tell the difference between a good TEFL certificate program and one that isn’t?
The Golden 120-Hour Online
“The TEFL industry accepts 120 hours as the minimum baseline for legitimate courses”
Following the 120-hour rule is a helpful general rule for determining which TEFL programs are worth your time. The TEFL industry and language institutions have agreed on 120 hours of study as the baseline criteria for a certified TEFL course.
It doesn’t matter whether you finish those 120 hours in a classroom or online. It doesn’t matter what you do with those 120 hours. The only thing that counts is that you get them under your belt. Any TEFL program that is less than 120 hours is a complete waste of time and effort.
Anyone may start a TEFL certification program and call themselves “accredited.” Don’t be deceived by courses with fewer than 120 hours of instruction. With such options, you will receive insufficient training. Furthermore, most businesses will overlook your resume if your TEFL certification is less than 120 hours.
Online TEFL Course Costs
“You get what you pay for, and being costly isn’t always good”
You get what you pay for when it comes to TEFL certification online. There are several 120+ hour courses available. However, these courses will not be of equal quality. You’ve probably noticed that the costs of various courses differ.
It’s all too easy to believe that the costliest programs are also the finest. This isn’t always the case, though. After all, TEFL certification is not accredited by a single regulating authority. As a result, institutions may charge whatever they wish for their programs irrespective of course quality.
On the other hand, if you choose the least expensive TEFL course available, you are unlikely to receive a high-quality education. Best online TEFL courses would set you back approximately $150 to $1,000.
That is still a lot of money for an online course. However, it is roughly half the price of most decent in-person TEFL courses. You’ll also save money on travel and lodging.
Internationally Recognized Online TEFL Courses
“Additional factors can help narrow down your online TEFL choices”
TEFL accreditation isn’t always taken seriously. Furthermore, the cost of a course is no indication of its quality. As a result, you may be undecided about which course to choose. How are you expected to know which TEFL programs are trustworthy, and which aren’t?
We already discussed how 120 hours of study is the absolute minimum. Other telltale indicators can assist in determining whether a TEFL school is reliable.
TEFL certification classes are available at several universities and institutions. You may rest assured that these programs will always be of top quality. Furthermore, language schools all around the world will recognize these courses. On the other hand, private firms provide a variety of reliable, internationally recognized TEFL certificate programs.
You can get a better notion of their excellence by visiting their websites. You may also look at the reviews, read the feedback, and inquire about alumni’s experiences on LinkedIn. Furthermore, don’t be misled by the frills offered by certain institutions. Guaranteed job placements or teaching practicums are examples of these benefits that might sway you.
There’s nothing terrible about these offerings in and of themselves. They are not, however, quality indicators. They can sometimes seem too tempting and come with conditions.
In any case, most international schools will not recognize a teaching practicum as a professional experience. Guaranteed job placement offerings become a bit redundant because of this. As a result, a good TEFL certificate should always be enough to obtain ESL employment abroad.
Why Should You Choose International TEFL and TESOL Ltd?
“ITT can offer the best online TEFL courses without costing you a fortune”
Many motivated students have discovered that online TEFL courses are a cost-effective option. You may use teaching as a way to travel without having to invest a lot of money in training. So, how trustworthy are these online TEFL programs?
Yes, you can get work with an online TEFL certificate. However, you will need the best TEFL courses to acquire a decent career. This is where ITT comes into play and offers you the best options in the market.
You can get offline or online TEFL and TESOL courses from one place. Moreover, you can also enjoy the best prices without sacrificing the quality of these courses. We also offer a network of alumni and recruiters all over the world. Therefore, you can quickly find a good job and start your teaching career right away.
ITT aims to offer a mix of affordability and quality. Therefore, our courses are more affordable than others while offering a high level of quality. You can choose your desired online course today and start your professional career.
