Importance of TEFL Certificate in Global Teaching Career

Today, English is the foremost language to be spoken around the world. Be it government or private offices, schools, universities, all communication is in English.  In fact, most of the non-English speaking countries have taken up the language as their official language. The knowledge of English and the ability to use the language is rapidly becoming a global commodity. Therefore, the demand for English tutors has grown over the years, globally. People around the world are highly interested to take part in the global communication. Hence the demand for learning English language has grown as well. 

Teachers are one of the strongest pillars upon which a civilized society stands. From nurturing a child’s mind with love and value, to guiding a graduate student through his career, a teacher’s role in shaping the world cannot be overlooked. Teaching is a form of art that has to be mastered skilfully and patiently. A TEFL course can thus be a guide to the teacher’s how to teach English language with the right skills and confidence. To be able to teach English anywhere around the world, you need a TEFL certificate as a qualification. Sometimes teaching English as a foreign language is viewed as a temporary international stint and not as a full-time career choice. However, this can be a full time career with space for professional development and growth within the field, or along related paths. After teaching abroad, many avenues will be open. Besides, career opportunities there are other advantages of teaching abroad. It helps in building a unique personality. Travelling to a new land may open up your mind culturally. Interacting with students from different countries can change your view as a teacher. While dealing with different cultures, it has to be realized that a basic mutual understanding between the two people who are trying to communicate. Language is a problem at first but the teacher has to overcome that and get his message conveyed. 

Read More: Grab English Teaching Opportunity with Professional Training

After completion of a course in teaching abroad, you will have many other opportunities to explore. Opening your own school to teach English is a popular career choice.  Putting in some extra time at a language institute and showing initiative in taking leadership roles can also open doors to managerial posts. After teaching English, for a certain amount of time opportunities arise for TEFL trained teachers to become teacher trainers themselves. Certain public schools do accept TEFL certificate and can allow one to teach their classes. A TEFL certified teacher can also apply his/her skills to get into the ESL/EFL publication world. This type of work can provide flexible schedules and freelance opportunities and will definitely appeal to those with a taste for travelling and education. Another way to utilise a TEFL certification in a professional field other than teaching is to work in fields like refugee services or immigration.
To gain a position as an EFL/ESL teacher, a successful completion of the TEFL course is required which will award the candidate a globally recognised certificate that will help to find a job abroad. The certificate works as the evaluation sheet for the credibility of a teacher. It helps the recruiter to understand how capable you are to deliver quality education maintaining the standard of the school. The certificate also speaks for the level of expertise you have in the field of teaching. It helps the recruiter take a better decision on wheather they should hire you or not and also what responsibility you can be given to get the best effective result. The certificate also helps to feature a better chance of getting job over other applicants.

ESL Teaching Takes You to Exotic Locations

A great way to travel to exotic locations across the globe and simultaneously self funding your travel is ESL teaching job.  You can travel to exotic locations, learn a new culture and earn some extra cash in your short stay. If you want to spend longer time in a destination, teaching in Thailand is the best option. Best here you will get to find wide job opportunities, payment structure is also good and the cost of living is also low to a large extent.
Indian teachers gain easy access considering their English learning at a very early stage. Most of the cases accommodations are also arranged by the school hiring you. There lie many stories of teachers who had travelled from India and went a step ahead to settle in European countries of Spain, Italy, France, Czech Republic and Poland. Thailand continues to be the top pick for ESL teachers. The career of an ESL teacher is unparalleled in terms of any profession. It gives you adequate time for yourself to travel and enjoy your free time. You get to meet people from different parts of the world who look up to you as their mentor, guide and teacher.

Days are gone when people considered teaching as the only option for women as it involves fixed timings and placements in nearby residential locations. There has been a massive change in the scenario with the men willingly joining this profession. The sector has become very competitive also. One fine morning you just cannot wrap up and decide to travel abroad. You need to be ready for a new language, take your language skills to a new level. Another prime aspect is you must learn to communicate better with the international colleagues, clients or students. You need to fulfil these potentials.

Read More : Why an Online TEFL Course can be a Wise Choice for You
TEFL certificate is your ticket to the world. It opens up opportunities that probably you been dreaming for quite a long time. Even for teachers with teaching qualification and years of experience TEFL certificate is a must. In fact TESOL certificate is common criterion for all ESL jobs abroad. The programs are committed to fulfil the dreams of its candidates of getting a TEFL certificate and teach English abroad. New institutes are coming up with international certifications each day. Judging from the outside is not enough. You have to take a tour into the curriculum, get a consultation, and avail demo classes before joining. A TEFL certification with associated TEFL Job Projects with course completion, are accepted worldwide and your amazing begins from here.
Read More: Journey as TEFL Teacher can be Extremely Exciting
Now the question arises of receiving value for your investment. This you will understand while taking an ESL class. This is when you know the right answer to all the queries of your students. You will emerge as a confident individual. But be very careful while choosing the right institute as there is often tempting offers to attract attentions like guaranteed job placements. Wherein there are many hidden clauses are attached to it. Like: you will get job only after the course completion, that too for a very short span of time. Get surprised when the offer seems to be too good.
By teaching people from everywhere, TEFL actually is spreading education to the most required areas of the globe. Thus TEFL courses are highly recommended to those aspiring as well as experienced teacher for whom teaching is not just earning money but to work for the noble cause of educating people. It’s a course for a globe trotter, it’s a course for those who are passionate about teaching and ultimately, it’s a course for you. Why wait, join the best institute and excel in this field as an ESL teacher.

Learn Mandarin and Tai Chi while TEFL in China

A vibrant country with fun filled city lives, serene river towns, a fascinating and captivating language and an economy of growth, China is a place ideal for teaching English abroad. When it comes to ESL jobs, China has the biggest market and more jobs than anywhere else in Asia. It is not just the number of people; the cultural factors play a pivotal role in the size of China’s English teaching market. The interest of the parents wanting their kids being able to speak English is an important aspect especially as China forms significant global links.
Overseas education requires knowledge of high level of English. If the Chinese parents hold keen interest in sending their children for high education abroad, there would be greater demand for English teachers in this education system.

There are plenty of reasons for teachers to choose China for a teaching career:-
A great place to learn Mandarin: One of the best and most obvious is learning the language where you start your job. There is no better way to learn a language than immersing yourself in it and for Mandarin, China is pretty much the best place to do it. Many of the private English schools offer Mandarin lessons either free or discounted as an add-on which gives a great way to get started. 
If you are excited to travel and explore countries, China has a lot to offer, places like- Yellow Mountain, The Great Wall and Dragon bone Rice Terraces etc will be breathtaking.  There is huge amount to see in China and this requires knowledge of the language to support you while communicating with the civilians.
Travelling to a place is not same as living there and being an English teacher in China. It gives a chance to experience a culture which is widely different from the western culture. The book- Myself a Mandarin is a fascinating look into some of the cultural differences.
Learn Tai Chi, China’s great art: Tai Chi is one of the China’s most prominent and ancient arts which have huge benefit on the health of millions of people as thus are practised widely today. It can be described as low impact exercise down in a slow motion. One important aspect of Tai Chi, is its gentleness and lack of pain and strain good for anyone to practice and reap its benefit.
While teaching in China it is recommended to learn Tai Chi in some of the traditional schools. Anyone young or old with any fitness level or flexibility can practice Tai Chi. Some of the best masters in Yangshuo, who are highly qualified and experienced English speaking are passionate about sharing their knowledge of Tai Chi with you.
TEFL course Asia could be your chosen one for a great career in China. TEFL job project gives you the feel of livelihood and culture of students in China. Before joining as a TEFL teacher it is absolutely desirable to learn Mandarin and Tai Chi to enjoy your stay in China. Your knowledge will be an add-on to settle down and mix with the local people. The Chinese students are highly receptive and show their warmth to the new teacher in their classroom. They look up to the teacher as their guide and they grow an attachment with them. As a TEFL teacher your goal should be to update yourself with information regarding the place you are going to take up your job. And learning Mandarin, and Tai Chi would be beneficial for you while you teach and travel.

Journey as TEFL Teacher can be Extremely Exciting

TESOL/TEFL is your passport to teach, travel and touch lives. As English has become a language for communication in everyday commerce. A TEFL certified teacher can find jobs in schools, colleges, universities as well as in language institutes and corporate houses.
This is often a breakthrough for a mid life career changers. During the course of their corporate professional life people often face innumerable challenges. In this cut-throat competitive corporate world they lack the courage or interest to fight back. Such a situation, they plan out to change with their well equipped knowledge and experience. This group of people should take up online TEFL course and experience a change in their life and professional experience with a satisfactory pay package to lead a quality and interesting life. 

A TEFL certified teacher can easily get ESL jobs abroad. Especially teachers with few years of teaching experience in India can more easily get an ESL job offer outside. The demand for English teachers varies from country to country. But TEFL teachers are highly in demand in Japan, China and Middle East.
The TEFL teacher works in variety of surroundings with different age groups - from young kids to adults. They come from different cultural backgrounds having different voices and accent. Numerous voice trainers and soft skill trainers are appointed by companies to train these employees. This helps them to deal with English-speaking clients better. 

Read More: Teaching English in a Foreign Land can be Exciting

 
Again, as the teacher training course are recognized and accredited globally, it would be your right choice to explore places. It is an international program for teachers where the candidates are acquainted with the innovative techniques and creative learning process in the field of teaching. The three weeks international TEFL course prepares you by way of imparting comprehensive training on a range of techniques for teaching English. The enrollment to the course does not involve any restriction in terms of qualification of the students, teaching experience, or their age, race, sex or nationality. Many TEFL teachers are in their 50s and 60s and are comfortable with the new and exciting career.
With the completion of the TEFL course the candidates are given options to opt for TEFL job projects i.e., teaching practice sessions. The one month or three months internship prepares the teacher for a successful teaching career across the world. The eligibility criterion of ESL job depends on the recruiters. The candidates are provided free accommodation during this period. A TESL certified teacher with adequate job exposure at the initial level are all set to explore the exotic locations across the countries. Now both fresher and experienced teachers should immediately contact for more assistance regarding the course or to join and make a great career choice.
Many a time primary school teachers consider that teaching abroad helps to gain practical experience and by which they can return home to teach at the ground level. This is a noble thought indeed. But there are countries like Nepal where literacy rate is quite low especially in the interior regions. These teachers with their TEFL certification can volunteer and educate the less privileged.

Read More: Tips to keep children interested in a TEFL class

 
After reading this blog you might get over your fears and doubts in taking up this career. There will not be a single moment when you regret on your decision to start your career abroad. On one hand you take the charge of strengthening the backbone of future generation. On the other you get to visit the most beautiful places on the earth.  This is indeed a stepping stone to an enriching life.

Your Teaching should Increase Pupil Engagement

Engaging students is one of the major challenges teachers face on a daily basis. Motivation and engagement play a vital role in student’s interest and enjoyment in school. Because it has been observed those who are engaged in learning tend to perform higher academically and are better behaved than others. Student’s engagement and achievement are therefore correlated and all depend on the skill of the teacher in classroom management.
Student engagement can be described as a tendency to be behaviourally, emotionally and cognitively involved in academic activities. Teachers play a vital role in their engagement and motivation. Your confidence in teaching, enjoyment and effective orientations in the classroom leave a positive impact on the student’s engagement.

The following suggestions will guide you to improve and cultivate student motivation and thus engagement that comes with it:-
Maintaining your physical and mental stability: Undeniably teaching is a stressful job and it is absolutely necessary on the part of teachers to take care of their mental and physical wellbeing. They should engage themselves in relaxing activities because as much as you alleviate your stress it will reflect in the classroom and have positive impact on the mutual relationship between student and teacher. Teachers who feel good about themselves maintain patience and mingle and interact in a better way with the students. Stress busters for teachers could be: yoga, work-outs, jogging, healthy eating, biking, dancing and meditation.
Welcoming classroom environment for students of all cultures: To be engaged in a classroom, students must feel the environment where they are accepted and affirmed. The environment should be warm and inviting towards students giving a feeling of warmth and attachment.
Read More: Build a Safe Learning Environment as a Pre-primary Teacher

Ensuring student’s self belief:  Researches have shown that student’s engagement to achieve goals important to them is possible when they have self-belief. They must believe in themselves that they can learn, deal with failures and gain experiences from those. Students hence must be involved in problem –solving activities and in discussions to solve those. This helps them to work on their commitment and confidence towards learning.
Observation of Student’s preferences:  Teachers can connect with students having adequate knowledge and understanding what students like and dislike. It could be favourite books, movies or games they like most. This collected information can be used for motivating and engaging in the academic activities by building a rapport with them.
Work autonomously & collaborate with peer groups: Student’s should be allowed to work autonomously and with others, and thus develop a sense of competence and thus resulting in greater student engagement and motivation. 
Active learning group:  The key components to engagement are active learning groups, peer relationships and social skills.
Challenging and enriching educational experiences: Easy learning activities are not always effective in engaging students as those do not pose challenge to them. With difficult activities students start reflecting, questioning, evaluating, conjecturing and thus are engaged. Your responsibility is to create rich educational experiences that would pose challenge to the student’s ideas and make they walk a level ahead.
Recognizing the teacher’s role: Teacher must keep up their professional development through involvement in various educational activities such as reading journals, attending workshops and webinars etc. Thus you have to keep yourself updated with all the new techniques and strategies of teaching.
Read More: Smart Things Every Teacher Should Teach the Kids

The role of a teacher in motivating and engaging students is not an easy task as it might sound. While much of it is intrinsic to the student, teachers play a vital role in cultivating student’s engagement. And this has a greater implication on the student’s academic and behavioural success. Teacher training courses highlight on these qualities of a teacher to perform better and engage students in the learning process.

Teaching English in a Foreign Land can be Exciting

Starting a new job is always exciting when you combine that with exploring new countries. During the initial joining days of an ESL teacher you are involved in learning the new job role, interacting with students from different cultural background, getting acquainted with co-workers and improving your delivery skills to meet expectations of the students and the school authorities. You have to learn a lot during this time but as you have the eye for exploring the world for the first time, everything would seem interesting. An Advanced TESOL certificate can be your biggest rescue during this time.

Where you have started working as a teacher, every lesson, every student and every moment brings completely new and exciting experiences. But there are fewer times, the cultural shock of moving into a new country and distance from your close friends and families can be too much. Occasionally, some of them fail to handle this pressure and get traumatised and often decide to quit job.
Another factor to be considered is your communication skills. Teaching English involves regular and close contact with diverse students. If you are not very flexible in interacting with people, then you must reconsider your choice of profession. 

Read More : Tips to keep children interested in a TEFL class

 Once you are habituated with the routine life and you have been living in a foreign land for a while, it is easy to become jaded. You will encounter different sorts of uncanny experiences from unpopular students getting bored with your lessons to experienced teachers showing you attitude. Do not lose your patience at any point. This is your time to adapt to the external situations and gain experience. Never stop learning and there is always scope for exploring new places as not many people get this chance back home.
Do attend teacher conferences and meetups, take an advanced TESOL course, read related educational blogs, connect with new teachers and try your best to become the best teacher among your students. You must make your own teaching materials. TEFL course Bangkok prepares you with latest teaching methodologies, introduce different textbooks and help you to experiment with new ideas in a teaching practice session as much as possible.

Read More : MA in TEFL will Provide You with Academic and Practical Knowledge
Every country offers different salaries, living situations and types of kids. You could end up teaching highly educated students who have little knowledge of English or teaching high school kids who have hardly any knowledge about English at all. Teaching adolescents, teaching adults, business English, teaching children, teaching locally or outsourced could be different scopes available for TESOL trained teachers.
TEFL Course Europe is the one of the finest destinations for English Teachers. Europe offers an exciting mix of modern attractions and old world charm. There is plenty to see and do, with many historical places and cultural festivities. During the break from your work routine you can easily travel and explore places. Teaching in Germany, Turkey, Italy, Georgia, the United Kingdom and Spain are the greatest options for ESL teachers. Herein the local people are very receptive with exiting culture and living standard. Hence besides earning a good salary package you can also enjoy the civilizations that have evolved over years in these regions.
Teaching English and living in a new country are incredibly rewarding and life changing experiences. It can be demanding on your part. The more you put in; there is scope for getting the most out of it. Just that you have to be little more flexible by learning the local language, make friends with locals, explore and experiment to become a great teacher. If you are ready for all these then you are ready for teaching English abroad.

Design Games to Teach Grammar to Young Learners

Games are the most engrossing and interesting activity of language learning for young learners. Games do not put any form of stress, so children participate with ease without any anxiety and it is motivating as well. Since most of these activities are known to them they grow a level of familiarly they link back to these tasks.
The games mean the world to children and are generally all inclusive in nature. Playing games is always fun for children and the best learning method for young learners is to learn with games. Like the guessing game which can be played numerous times which the students would participate happily without getting bored with its repetitive nature. Games are simple structured activities involving little language terms that are effective for students. They will get involved and thus will build a strong association with grammar.

When a child is beginning to learn a foreign language games play a valuable role in it because while learning a new language the child requires a certain amount of time to adjust and adapt the language. Sometimes children take some time in producing language and will gladly experiment and at other times children remain shy and they need more attention and time. This phase is called the ‘silent’ time period when they develop a liking and gradually learn to produce language without any external pressure. The games are also important in terms of generating social skills through activities wherein they share and mingle with their peers. Thus games teach young learners the art of coexistence and collaboration.
Games are generally designed to enhance any part of the lesson and can also be used to practise, revise and assess any language. Those are used to develop the listening, speaking and reading and even writing skills of kids and the responsibility lies with the teacher wherein the focus has to be given. Choosing the right grammatical exercise for the children to practise and deciding on the specific games is your task as a teacher. Making it enjoyable pass times through various activities should be your goal. Thus games are clearly those learning activities which not just enhance student’s language development but leads to overall personality development of the kids.

Read More : Montessori Classrooms Should Be Buzzing With Activity
There are wide varieties of games which can be used for young language learners. Let us bring our focus on a few of them:

First, the flashcard games which are played with a set of flashcards prepared by you and your students in the classroom or can be bought from a bookstore. Games include - listen and find, disappearing picture or words, running games, swat, pass the card etc.

Second, there can be ball games played with soft ball without worrying about breaking window glass or hurting students. Like - say a different colour/animal etc.

Third, action games can also be experimented which involve movement inside classroom. This can be exciting but must be carefully chosen when to make use of them. Like - Robots, In/out – hot/cold, step on the card, hit the card.
Thus games play a special role in any language learning for young learners. It has become more demanding for teachers and learners like any other innovative process helping towards development. Games particularly provide enjoyment and relaxation and also encourage students to learn grammar in a most creative way. This has thus become a natural part of young learner’s lives. It can be concluded that designing games for teaching grammar to young learners has several advantages when those are properly implemented in the classroom. Games help students focus on learning and using language properly.

Tips to keep children interested in a TEFL class

Being a TEFL teacher to a class of young children can be an extremely interesting job for you if you know the right methods and styles to execute the same. The two very common conditions that you might have to face is

•    How to add more interesting quotient to your class
•    How to handle behavioural issues

Here is a list of innovations you can introduce to your class for keeping your young TEFL aspirants attached to your class: