Are TEFL qualifications necessary?
Let's consider what can go wrong after TEFL courses.
On joining a TEFL course a friend of mine complained, ‘Having a qualification does not mean the applicant is a good teacher.' I agreed with him. There is certainly no necessary connection between having a qualification and being a good teacher. But there are some contingent ones.
I pointed out that, at the very least, a TEFL qualification shows that the applicant has bothered to get a qualification. That, in itself, shows willing. And a certain visceral - though possibly temporary - conviction that a qualification is worthwhile getting. The time, energy and money invested by the student-teacher testifies to some kind of diligence concerning the job.
Later on, I thought my argument was wishy-washy. Surely there is more to a TEFL qualification than acceding to the need to get one. What, then, distinguishes the qualified applicant from an unqualified one if the difference may sometimes prove spurious?
Open-ended activities
To support my friend's argument, graduates of TEFL courses quickly become aware that some activities they learnt on a course simply do not work with certain groups of learners. I quickly discovered that open-ended group activities do not work well with oppositional teenagers.
Such activities more often offer an incitement to riot: as the noise in the room rises to Armageddon proportions, the teacher is lucky if she can get a word in, let alone jointly summarise the results at the end. Again, with Thai learners, one cannot wisely use activities that encourage confrontational discourse. Unfavorably, oral communication activities sustain the extrovert learner and embarrass the quiet ones. The list goes on.
To my knowledge, issues such as these have not been inadequately discussed on UK teaching courses and it goes to show that simply expanding one's activities repertoire does not imply universal success. TEFL course organizers have not considered sufficiently the social dimension of language teaching. Nor the peculiarities of different cultures and the curious atmospheric divergences between one class and another. All this rallies against universalizing-indiscriminate activity choices can even damage the teacher's reputation in an organization.
When an activity fails to work, it is not Christopher Candlin or H.G. Widdowson who takes the blame - it is the teacher herself who, behind her back, gets a reputation for ‘not being a good teacher'. So, defensively, one learns by induction what are the social norms in a given institution and what activities in the classroom might contravene them. This, once again, is not a frequent topic on teacher training courses. So do we really need them?
Traditional teaching
In other words, if one cannot universalize TEFL methodology, does this not mean that the qualifications themselves are invalid? Does this mean that ‘traditional teaching' (another word for just following the book and writing up the grammar) is better? In many ways ‘traditional teaching' is a safe option: it is what the administration and the learners expect.
However, research has shown traditional teaching does not markedly increase learner spoken proficiency when compared to CLT. We all know those graduates of Thai university courses, with an English component, who cannot string a sentence together in speech.
For the fact is CLT (Communicative Language Teaching) works well as a component on any TEFL course today. Learners who have followed CLT courses can speak. They have also learnt courage concerning the use of a second-language and have acquired both communicative and strategic competence as ancillary skills. Despite much hand-wringing during their early days of performer anxiety, they can now participate effectively in a dialogue - whilst the graduates of traditional teaching methods prefer to write or sit like shrinking violets on the outskirts of an interaction.
Another argument against qualifications is that teaching experience itself is enough to guarantee a good teacher. Not so. I have recently been learning French in an institution where my intermediate classmates are often poor performers in their out-of-class interactions. And for what reason? You've guessed it! The teacher does not employ CLT oral activities in the classroom.
Assiduous in our note-taking, we remain puzzling ‘passive' grammar freaks. So, a teacher can become very accomplished with a limited repertoire of task activities - multiple grammar productions swarming in print - but that, in itself, does not induce full membership into the target language community.
Some administrations are aware of this - they want their course graduates to talk. Achieving this is done through TEFL-trained teachers using CLT methodology. But, unlike traditional teaching, CLT is not intuitive. It requires learning.
Here, then, is the justification for having TEFL trained teachers. My friend was right: having a TEFL qualification does not guarantee a good teacher. But it does mean that the job applicant knows something about up-to-date methods to increase spoken proficiency and, hopefully, will use that knowledge in the classroom.
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Thought I'd add my two bobs worth guys! TEFL courses and training can provide English teachers with valuable skills and knowledge that can significantly enhance their teaching abilities. There are several advantages to having a TEFL certificate compared to not having one, including increased employability, improved classroom management, and a deeper understanding of teaching techniques and methodologies.
One of the main advantages of having a TEFL certificate is that it makes you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. Many schools and language institutes require teachers to have a TEFL certification before they can be considered for employment. By having a TEFL certificate, you demonstrate that you have a solid understanding of teaching methods and techniques, which can give you a competitive edge in the job market.
In addition to increasing employability, a TEFL certificate can also help teachers improve their classroom management skills. A good TEFL course should cover topics such as lesson planning, classroom management, and student engagement, all of which are critical skills for any teacher. By learning how to effectively manage a classroom, teachers can create a positive and productive learning environment that benefits both themselves and their students.
Finally, having a TEFL certificate can provide teachers with a deeper understanding of teaching methodologies and techniques. A good TEFL course should cover topics such as grammar, phonetics, and pronunciation, as well as teaching strategies for different levels and age groups. By gaining a deeper understanding of these concepts, teachers can become more effective at delivering instruction and helping their students to achieve their language goals.
In conclusion, TEFL courses and training are essential for English teachers who want to improve their teaching skills and increase their employability. By obtaining a TEFL certification, teachers can enhance their classroom management skills, gain a deeper understanding of teaching methodologies, and demonstrate their competence and expertise to potential employers. As such, a TEFL certificate can make you a better teacher than those who do not have one, providing you with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in your teaching career.
By Joe, Bangkok (18th March 2023)
Quite simply, many schools will look at qualifications first and experience second. No qualification then no need to look at experience as no job. If you want to teach and get teacher benefits get a degree in teaching or a Post Grad teaching qualification.
If you want to teach EAL and get EAL benefits then TEFL or related courses must surely be the base qualification.
By Brenton, Bangkok (29th January 2023)
I did a TEFL CELTA because I actually wanted some idea of what I was supposed to be doing before I entered a classroom. I had no experience of teaching; therefore, I didn't think anyone would employ me. I've had three jobs in Thailand and not once did anyone ask to see the cert. They only cared about my degree for WP purposes.
Even after I did my CELTA, I was still completely useless. I look back at some of the things that I did and I'm embarrassed. But hey, you gotta start somewhere.
I see many jobs on ajarn now require a degree in education. That's fair enough, but often they say that no experience is required or at least a year. Sorry, but even with a degree in education, you're still going to be fairly useless with zero or 1 year's experience. I've worked with newbies with education degrees and even they'll admit they need guidance and to gain experience.
Experienced teachers who actually try are worth their weight in gold. You can only learn so much from a book and then you really need to just get your hands dirty. Also, a degree in education is very general and usually more accustomed to the West. Certainly not countries like Thailand (unless you're working in an international school).
For your bog standard teaching jobs, I'd choose experience over qualifications every time. For international schools, of course an education degree. As for some kind of TEFL, I'd say do it for the experience. But when starting out, know that you'll get the same pay as someone starting with no TEFL. Like most people I worked with.
By Mike, Thailand (10th January 2023)
Not having a TEFL has not dented my upward trajectory nor my annual reviews. I think online courses worthless and the live classroom expensive and also of dubious value. For someone who was an average university student, no public speaking skills, no real professional background, no experience training others there might be some value but not 30,000b of value.
I have in five years only applied indifferently to as many side jobs. Usually not tutoring EFL but more specialized work. Only three of the half dozen responded and all wanted a EFL certificate to make them feel warm and fuzzy.
I have a BA from top 50 US university, worked at best public schools in Thailand. Have teaching licenses for US and Thailand and grad diploma. Documented assistance of dozens of high achievers. But...do you have a TEFL? No, lol please fuck off.
By Jim Beam, The Big Smoke (28th September 2019)
Quality training in a four week wonder course is unlikely to make you a good teacher, but it will probably make you a slightly better teacher than you would have been without the training.
By Jack, LOS (28th August 2019)
This dismissive approach to initial teacher training ignores so many of the benefits, whether or not one becomes a 'good teacher'. Teaching methodology, such as boardwork, elicitation, drilling and the experience of teaching real students. Also, applying explicit knowledge of grammmar to teaching, as opposed to 'just knowing it'; this includes an understanding of just some of what as a new teacher you really don't know. Most important of all, it provides some professional standards to try to emulate. Sure, after that starts 'the real learning', but doesn't a good foundation help?
By Cole Davis, London (30th October 2010)