STARTBODY

TESOL: How many hours?

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.

Types of certification: in-class

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 types of courses. The standard course produces a 120-hour TESOL certification, with a minimum of 6-hours teaching practice and is conducted over four-weeks. As travel is required to the location and a four-week stay in some form of accommodation, these types of courses tend to be the most expensive of the course options.

Compare all our in-class TESOL course options.

Types of certification: online

Online courses are done via a computer, tablet or smartphone and can therefore be taken from anywhere in the world. You will need a stable internet connection to download and upload material to your device, but effectively you can do it from home or while traveling. This and the fact that these courses are cheaper than in-class versions, makes these courses particularly attractive. Many of these courses now also offer an online teaching practice option, so you can gain experience of online teaching as well.

Compare all our online TESOL course options.

Types of certification: combined (hybrid)

Combined or hybrid courses encompass both the previous types of course. The online portion, which is typically completed first, can be done from anywhere and covers the theoretical aspects of the course. The in-class portion which typically mainly covers teaching skills and teaching practice is then undertaken at an international training center. The in-class portion is usually covered in 8 to 10 days. Due to the nature of these courses pricing typically falls between those of the in-class and online versions.

Compare all our combined TESOL course options.

The second distinction between course certification options comes about from the material being studied.

Standard 120-hour TESOL course

Most courses of this type cover two main areas. The first is teaching skills, which covers the theory of how to teach. What level you go to in this section varies from course provider to course provider, but this section of the course should cover:

  • Lesson planning………..How and why
  • Material development…….. Creating worksheets for example
  • Students……………Grouping, levels, motivation theory
  • Teaching…………ESL teaching methods

The other half (or so) of the course should cover language awareness. This section of the course should include:

  • Parts of speech
  • The English tense system
  • Other grammar features
  • Phonology

Specialized online courses

These courses are usually of about 50-hours duration.

The three main types of specialized courses currently available are those that cover the teaching areas of:

  • Young learners
  • Business English
  • Teaching English online

Compare all our specialized TESOL course options.

Course packages

A fairly new idea to the online TEFL market are “package courses” or course bundles, which allow you to purchase a range of courses all-in-one at a discount.

Some typical course packages and hours are:

Many other packages exist; they are usually time dependent leading to either a single overall certification or individual certificates for each course completed.




ENDBODY
Register for your TEFL/TESOL Course!

  • 1The registration process is free and does not commit you in any way.
  • 2Anyone fluent in English and aged 18+ is eligible for our courses.
  • 3No previous experience or qualifications are required.
  • 4Register today and receive a free e-guide covering the basics of TEFL/TESOL.
  • 5All online courses are entirely flexible and self-paced. Work at your own pace in your own time!


arrow 
Personal data
arrow 
Choose your course
   Online Course
   In-Class Course
   Combined Course
The personal information we collect on this page will be treated in accordance with our privacy policy.
By submitting this form you declare to have read and agreed to the Terms & Conditions.