Can online TEFL courses be trusted to be authentic?
In today’s times rapid globalisation and advancement of technology go hand in hand. Keeping at par with this, the teaching profession has also been globalised. So have the teacher training courses, which has resulted in the increasing popularity of online TEFL courses.
Though physical classes are also provided by a number of teacher training institutes, the aspirants also prefer online courses more. They find it more comfortable and convenient. But are all these courses offered authentic enough?
What is the problem actually?
To be precise, the issue is not completely in authenticity. The quality of the course in TEFL is also a matter of importance. In fact, the mode of the course, online or offline is of lesser importance too.
Are the courses offering enough to you in the name of accredited TEFL qualification? Whether the TEFL certificate you acquired is valid enough can only be determined by the quality of the course. This is of utmost importance as in the eyes of employers the validity and accreditation are most important factors.
Online TEFL courses do offer certificates at the end. A lot of them also claim to be recognised by internationally acclaimed bodies. That must reflect on the certificate or else the employers will have a doubt about you.
What should be included in the TEFL course?
When it comes to basics there are a few things that a TEFL course must consist of. This includes theories of both teaching and learning. The whole process must be designed in such a way that the theoretical knowledge can be applied in real classroom experiences too.
The main focus must be on the approaches towards TEFL and methods to implement them so that the learners get a good grip on the subject. Classroom management and handling the issues tactfully are also a apart of the course that must be included.
Further, the course must be inclusive of English language overview in detail. Now how all these will be included and presented in the course of your choice is dependent upon the course outline. You should look into that prior to enrolling.
So, what makes the difference?
A number of institutes are offering TEFL diploma, TEFL advance diploma or TEFL PG degrees online. Now how would you understand the difference? It is quite true that it is difficult to understand the difference unless you go through the whole course materials and guidelines altogether.
How to check the authenticity?
Validate the accreditation held by the TEFL course of your choice as this indicates the course have been evaluated by a recognised authoritative body. The official websites of the course providers generally have these accreditation announcements and clarifications. Make sure the accreditation claimed is genuine as this indicates the first line of authenticity.
Next, look out for the reviews and feedbacks. How do your near and dear ones aware of the course respond to its services? If most of them provide you with negative feedbacks, you know you are not going to tread that road anymore. It is best to check with someone who have already gone through the course and achieved certificate.
If the people you consult mostly give you positive reviews and you find people praising the TEFL course, you can clear your doubts about its authenticity. Do you know anyone who has landed a job too after completing this course? The best person to collect feedback from.
Do employers accept the certificate without any hiccup? Do the institute or the course providers arrange for job assistance at the end of the course? If the answers are yes, you can definitely go for the course without any dilemma.
So, when it comes to authenticity of an online TEFL course, the employers’ acceptance, validation and accreditation are the most important things. You should check these prior to investing your time and money in any online courses that you come across. It is all about researching well about the online course to ensure that it is authentic, valid and worth to go for.
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