So What Is TEFL, What is TESOL, What Is CELTA?
These terms all mean or represent the same exact thing, teaching English:
TEFL = Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (a term typically used in non-English speaking places where English is a foreign language)
TESOL = Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (a term typically used in English speaking places where there are people who are learning English as a Second language)
CELTA = Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (this term is the Cambridge Exam Board "brand name" for a TEFL course that trains people to teach adults English)
You can be hired to teach English with a certificate from any 4-week, full time training course listed above. Employers are most interested in the fact that you have the practical teaching experience from a 120+ hour course, not the name brand on the paper. Weekend and Online courses typically do not offer the 6-8 hours of real classroom experience, observed by a TEFL course tutor.
A note from a recent Barcelona Graduate - Bryon from California
My sister completed a TEFL course in Prague several years ago and I loved hearing about her experiences teaching abroad. Having always admired her confidence and believing that she gained a portion of that confidence during her time away from home, it was easy to accept her encouragement to travel myself. I had just graduated from college and had no idea what I wanted to do for a career. The TEFL course was something my family respected and it gave me a goal to work towards. So, terrified at my lack of English grammar (what’s a preposition again?) and lack of Spanish, I boarded a plane from Los Angeles, California to Barcelona, Spain.
While I had read testimonials, “intensive, rewarding challenge…etc,” I didn’t know what to expect from the course.
So here’s what’s up: Mornings are dedicated to learning grammar, teaching techniques, and other teaching-related studies, while afternoons and early evenings are set aside for guided lesson planning and observed teaching practice. While that makes for a long day, the afternoon and evening responsibilities are on a rotating basis with each student only teaching two or three days each week. This meant that I often had two days a week where I was done at noon and had the rest of the day to see the sights of Barcelona with my fellow students. If you are just as worried about your lack of grammar as I was, don’t be. The school will teach you everything you need to know, and they start with the basics. Teaching practice can be intimidating. You really are in front of a group of non-English speaking Spaniards but they are all kind-hearted and incredibly forgiving of new teachers.
This course is designed to set you up for success, and the teaching practice provided is invaluable. Is the course hard work? Yes. Will you still have time to see the city? Yes. Can you handle it? Absolutely.
Barcelona is a great city where the ancient and the modern are crammed together. You will find yourself stumbling across gorgeous buildings and ancient churches without trying, and you are never more than 20 feet away from the nearest bar or cafe. The metro system is affordable, approachable and covers the city so well you won’t need any other means of transportation. The school does a good job of providing help with phones, good places to eat, and advice on living in the city. The Sagrada Familia more than lives up to its hype, live football matches are entertaining, and there are a plethora of museums dedicated to art, history, and culture. Add this to the spontaneity of the city (I accidently found a Chinese fair last weekend while walking by the pier) and the impressive nightlife, and you won’t run out of activities any time soon.
I received my TEFL certificate last week and am currently on the job hunt. Looking back, I feel that I really got my money’s worth. Morning lessons were enjoyable and relevant, teaching practice forced me to jump in and teach (which is the whole point) and in the end, I really had to work for my certificate. I didn’t buy this, or fake my way through an online course. I earned it and that means something. I enjoy living in Barcelona, I've seen some things that just aren’t available stateside, and I feel more confident! - Bryon