10 February 2015 / by Elena Riches

TEFL teacher: What does it take to become one?

For those already familiar with the term 'TEFL' (an explanation of the various terms can be found here) you will know that it means teaching English as a foreign language but, what does this actually entail, other than the obvious. It would be a common misconception to think that teaching English to foreigners is totally different to teaching English in a school in the UK but, essentially it isn't really much different. Both consist of the following:





As you can see from my thesis, there isn't a lot of difference in the way it is executed and implemented; the difference lies in the qualification of the teacher and, fundamentally, anyone (including non-native English speakers) who has a good command of spoken English can be an English teacher, providing they obtain the necessary qualifications. To teach English in a primary or secondary school in the UK, you would need to have CSE's in English, Mathematics and Science, a degree and be QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) certified. To teach English to foreigners, you only need a TEFL (or equivalent) certificate.


I purposely made a point of mentioning that anyone with a good command of 'spoken' English could potentially apply to be a TEFL teacher because, with the comprehensive training that you receive when taking a TEFL course, providing you are able to speak it well the rest will be taught. So, if you've decided that becoming a TEFL teacher is the way forward for you, then you'll need the relevant certification. Click here for a no-obligation interview to get you started on your new career path.


N.B. With the modern paperless classes that Oxbridge TEFL have now implemented, there will be no more printing or photocopying.

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