Why Take a TEFL Certification Course Abroad?

To get a TEFL certificate, you must either take an online course or choose a four week TEFL training course overseas. Hands down, we find individuals who choose the second option are more prepared and more successful. How and why you might be asking? Well, here are just some of the top reasons to take a TEFL certification course abroad:

Most schools only accept TEFL certificates from courses that provide a minimum of 110 hours of training.

Over a four week course, your schedule is jam-packed with classes. For a sample itinerary check out the TEFL course in Prague “Program” tab. Mornings and early afternoons are spent reviewing grammar, teaching methodologies, and lesson preparation techniques. Towards the end of the day, you will have hands-on practical teaching – which quickly adds up so you can prove you have actually received more hours of training than a typical online course.

Taking a TEFL course overseas prepares you for the cultural differences you will find when on the job.

Often, the best thing you can do is take a four week course in the region you want to live in as the course will be specifically designed for that area. For example, our schools notice how much easier it is for our 4 week TEFL course in Vietnam grads to cope and to teach well compared to others who have done online courses. Alternatively, if you want experience teaching across a broad range of student ages and levels, a four week TEFL course on the ground with real students will give you that exposure.

Getting to know other future teachers on the program provides you with a strong social start to your overseas adventure.

Shannon, a TEFL certified teacher currently living in Prague, was so inspired by the friends she made on her course that she decided to stay in Prague and has been living there for over a year. When asked about her experience on the course, she tells us, “Obtaining my TEFL in Prague was one of the best, most challenging experiences I have had. While adjusting to a foreign country, I had to master all grammar tenses and retain knowledge about conjuctions, verb order, and much more. My brain was swimming with grammar rules but walking around the beautiful streets of Prague provided the perfect distraction. Obtaining my TEFL certificate taught me how to be a prepared teacher, work under pressure, and create lesson plans on the go. During my course I also learned how to navigate a foreign city, and overcame the language barrier. An added bonus was all of the amazing friendships that were formed throughout the course and the different activities that we participated in during the four weeks.”

Explore a new part of the world – especially if you are not quite sure where you want to teach abroad!

Oftentimes, having a TEFL certification is a first step to exploring countries and new destinations around the world. If you are not quite sure where you want to begin, spending four weeks in a central city will help you decide if you want to stay there or perhaps hop on over to a new place. By choosing the right TEFL course, your certification will be accepted by schools no matter where you end up.

Ready to Teach Abroad? Check out Smaller Earth's TEFL Programs