How to Become TEFL Certified?: If you have researched how to become TEFL certified and teaching English abroad, you will no doubt have found that the information available online is extensive.
Many people ask, “Do I even need a TEFL certification to teach abroad?” and How to Become TEFL Certified? Sometime ago, it has been possible to turn up in a country like Argentina with no teaching qualifications or experience and find an English teaching job simply because you are a native English speaker. Nowadays, the vast majority of employers who are offering a reasonable salary and good working conditions now expect their teachers to possess the TEFL qualification.
How to Become TEFL Certified?
In order to be an effective English teacher it is advisable to become TEFL certified and to gain some kind of instruction before entering the English Language classroom. While you may feel you are capable of teaching English without any guidance, the reality is that planning and delivering well structured and effective English lessons requires skills and knowledge.
A strategy to encourage language acquisition when becoming TEFL certified in the classroom is to incorporate ESL language games. There are many advantages to including games, for example, to capture students’ attention and interest, to lower students’ stress and give students to opportunity to communicate in the classroom. When students are free from worry and stress, they can improve their fluency and natural speaking styles. Some teachers believe that games are not a suitable use of time as they are not specifically curriculum based, however, including games in your lessons can actually improve students’ ability to improve students’ proficiency if selected carefully and have an educational element to their approach.
In learning how to become TEFL certified, English Language games are not just a diversion from routine activities or a way of breaking the ice, but a way of getting the learner to use the language in the course of a game. Games are effective because they provide motivation and lower students’ stress, as well as give the opportunity for real communication. They can motivate students to want to learn more. Moreover, they can transform a boring class into an exciting, challenging one. Through games, students acquire new vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation skills, which helps them understand that in order to get a clear message across, they need to be able to communicate properly.
In the process of becoming TEFL certified you will learn games are important because they involve: rules, competition, relaxation, fun and learning, key elements that play a part in creating interest in students. However, to use games in the classroom, it is essential that the rules of the game are clearly explained and demonstrations are provided for students. When deciding which game to use, teachers should first consider the game to fit their students’ language level. The most important factor is that games should be used when they can give students both fun and educational meaning.
Íbero TEFL Buenos Aires was fantastic in preparing first time teachers to become TEFL certified and to understand different tactics and necessities for teaching English as a foreign language, particularly to native Spanish speakers in Argentina. The teacher, Carolina, is not only knowledgeable, helpful, and engaging, but she also creates a space where you feel comfortable both learning and sharing. The course teaches you important grammar topics, that you undoubtedly will need to master if you want to teach, and gives you hands on learning practice. Florencia, the program director, is incredibly helpful after the program is finished and will do everything she can to ensure you find a job. Florencia set me up with several interviews, edited our resumes, and made sure we were placed in institutes we felt comfortable in. I highly recommend this intensive course if you are looking to teach English in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Monique, Canada.