Teaching English as a Second Language

TESL stands for Teaching English as a Second Language. 

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

While technically they are slightly different, in practice the terms are used interchangeably to refer to the same thing – teaching English to English language learners. 

As you can imagine, teaching English as a second language refers to teaching English to learners who speak only one other language. Teaching English as a foreign language refers to teaching English to speakers who speak more than one language already. Teaching English to speakers of other languages refers to teaching English to English language learners in any situation. 

In general, TESOL is often used in the US, while TEFL is used outside the US.

Read More: TEFL vs TESOL: Is There Any Difference?

Becoming a TESL teacher is pretty straightforward. There are just a few requirements you need to satisfy and steps you need to take to become TESL-qualified.

1. Be a native speaker or prove high level of proficiency

The only major requirement for a TEFL/TESL certification is your level of English. You don’t need to be a native English speaker, but if you aren’t you’ll need to prove you have an English level of C1 (Advanced) or above.

2. A Bachelor’s degree is preferable but not a must

A Bachelor’s degree is not a requirement for a TEFL/TESL certification. Having said that, having a Bachelor’s degree will open you up to many more teaching opportunities.

3. Obtain TEFL/TESOL/TESL certification

Do your research and sign up for a TEFL/TESOL/TESL certification which suits your needs and constraints. A few considerations you should keep in mind when choosing a course provider:

• Accreditation
• Reputation
• Quality
• Support

4. Start your ESL journey

With a TEFL/TESL certification under your belt, you can search the web to find the job that is perfect for you. The TEFL Academy has a Jobs Board with thousands of jobs listed. Take your pick, apply – and soon you could be packing your bags for the adventure of a lifetime.

ESL teachers earn varying salaries depending on where they are working. Online ESL teachers earn on average between $15 and $25 an hour. Experienced teachers can earn up to $40 an hour. 

In the classroom, ESL teachers can earn up to $5,000 a month. Obviously, the more experienced you are and the better qualified, the higher your salary will be.

Don’t forget, your salary needs to be considered in relation to the cost of living of where you are. $100 will stretch a lot further in Thailand than in Switzerland!

Read More: Teaching English Abroad Salaries: Which 10 Countries Pay The Most?

Absolutely. Teaching English online is already a popular option for those who want to work remotely. A TESL certification allows you to teach English as a foreign language online to learners of all ages, in all countries.

Yes. A TESL certification is all you need to teach English as a foreign language abroad. Just this one course qualifies you to step into an EFL classroom in any country in the world.

Sign up with The TEFL Academy and get started on your TESL journey today. 

Choose between:

• a Level 3 120-hour TEFL Online Course, 
• a Level 5 168-hour Online Course, 
• and a Level 5 168-hour Combined Course (with 10 hours of in-class teaching).

If you’d like to experience the thrill of a teaching practicum but you’re unable to attend a course at one of our 96 course locations, you can opt for the Level 5 40-hour Observed Teaching Practice Course. This course gives you observed teaching pratice from the comfort of your home to complement your Level 5 course.

Everything you need to become a TESL-qualified teacher can be found in one online space – at The TEFL Academy.

Chat to us today and take the first step to the life you’ve always dreamed of!