types of english learning
I would like to learn to teach English as a Foreign
Language in the UK
Numerous courses in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and Teaching
English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) are available in the UK.
TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) programs are also found in the UK, and more information on TESL may be obtained by contacting NATECLA (National
Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to Adults).
What qualifications do I need to teach English?
The basic qualification is a TEFL/TESOL certificate, usually involving a minimum 4−6week intensive TEFL course. This is the minimum qualification and means you are
‘TEFL initiated’. Once you have passed the certificate and have some relevant experience, you can then go on to study for a diploma, which takes longer and is at a higher level. Once you have passed the diploma you are ‘TEFL-qualified’. However, many employers also ask for a degree in a relevant subject as well as the TEFL qualifications. In order to teach in the state school system in England and Wales you need to have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
To teach in the state system in
Scotland, you would apply for registration to the General Teaching Council for
Scotland, and in Northern Ireland, you should apply to the Department of Education for
Northern Ireland.
Does the British Council recommend TEFL courses?
No. BATQI (British Association of TESOL Qualifying Institutions) publishes a register of its accredited courses. BATQI works closely with two exam boards whose teaching qualifications are widely respected: the University of Cambridge Local Examinations
Syndicate (UCLES) and Trinity College London. There are many other qualifications on offer, but you should always make sure you choose a course that is externally validated by a reputable body (IE: a university or recognized examination board). Most employers will also expect the qualification to have included at least 10 hours of
Language in the UK
Numerous courses in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and Teaching
English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) are available in the UK.
TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) programs are also found in the UK, and more information on TESL may be obtained by contacting NATECLA (National
Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to Adults).
What qualifications do I need to teach English?
The basic qualification is a TEFL/TESOL certificate, usually involving a minimum 4−6week intensive TEFL course. This is the minimum qualification and means you are
‘TEFL initiated’. Once you have passed the certificate and have some relevant experience, you can then go on to study for a diploma, which takes longer and is at a higher level. Once you have passed the diploma you are ‘TEFL-qualified’. However, many employers also ask for a degree in a relevant subject as well as the TEFL qualifications. In order to teach in the state school system in England and Wales you need to have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
To teach in the state system in
Scotland, you would apply for registration to the General Teaching Council for
Scotland, and in Northern Ireland, you should apply to the Department of Education for
Northern Ireland.
Does the British Council recommend TEFL courses?
No. BATQI (British Association of TESOL Qualifying Institutions) publishes a register of its accredited courses. BATQI works closely with two exam boards whose teaching qualifications are widely respected: the University of Cambridge Local Examinations
Syndicate (UCLES) and Trinity College London. There are many other qualifications on offer, but you should always make sure you choose a course that is externally validated by a reputable body (IE: a university or recognized examination board). Most employers will also expect the qualification to have included at least 10 hours of