logo aglasem.com

6 Reasons to take a TEFL course right now

Sep 22 , 2022

Having a TEFL qualification can change your life in the best way possible. Taking the plunge into the world of TEFL teaching can understandably seem daunting, but it’s the first step to a new and exciting career choice. 

Having a TEFL certificate can often be mandatory to teach in schools abroad, and it’s essential for your students to have a competent teacher who serves them to the best of their abilities. If you’ve been hesitant to take the plunge, here are 6 reasons to take a TEFL course right now! 

Opens you up to travel

1. TEFL is internationally recognised as a teaching qualification, meaning you can literally teach anywhere around the world. If you’ve always wanted to visit another country but have not been able to due to visa restrictions, you may be able to do so as a TEFL teacher. Whether you’ve got a travel bug, or just want to see the world, having a TEFL certificate will help you to get the visa in the country that you always wanted to go to – think of India, China, South America. Various international schools require different certificates, but a TEFL qualification is one that is recognised worldwide. 

Be sure to read about other people’s experiences, and the array of opportunities that will come your way. 

Make a good salary

2. While the average wage for an online teacher is around $16, you could earn up to $40 per hour as a private tutor. You may not make your millions, but it’s a good salary considering you’ll be working from the comfort of your own home. There is often the opportunity for incentives and bonuses when teaching online, such as setting your availability during peak hours such as evenings and weekends. 

You can often make more if you go through a school rather than an online company, and negotiate your salary. Some schools around the world offer cover for additional expenses such as flights, accommodation, visa and health insurance.. 

Bigger salaries are offered to those with niche specialities, such as teaching children, Business English specialising in IELTS or TOEFL. You can read a lot more about a variety of courses you can teach here.

Note, if the wage and the job seem too good to be true, it probably is, so some recommended reading about TEFL scams can be found here

Location independent

3.  If you take a TEFL course and decide to work online, that means you can literally work from anywhere in the world, as long as you have a stable internet connection. This is one of the best things about being an online teacher, it means you can travel forever. Online classes have never been so in demand, especially learning English with a qualified English teacher. 

Side note*** You can also wear what you want on your bottom half. If you’re sitting down from the comfort of your indoor space, no student in the world is going to know you are wearing your slipper booties under the desk whilst teaching them idioms and phrasal verbs. 

You can get certified from the comfort of your home too. More TEFL courses are being offered online to students, where they can work through the materials in their own time. 

Gain confidence

4. Teaching English will open you up to a world of possibility. You will meet a variety of interesting people from all around the world, both students and other like-minded teachers. Teaching online means that you will speak to people from all around the world, who have stories to share. Whilst studying for your TEFL you will have the opportunity to connect with dozens of people who are also studying and allow you to make connections with other people who are in the same position as you. 

If you have ever felt apprehensive about talking to new people, this is the chance to shake it off and build confidence as you learn more skills. You will start to believe in yourself more. 

TEFL never expires

5. A TEFL qualification never expires, which means you will be able to use the certificate for life. This is great if you’re not sure that you want to teach straight away. You can complete the training and come back to it at a later date. You can technically be a TEFL teacher for the rest of your life, as its value is accepted and appreciated all over the world. 

If you get qualified now, it’s one less thing you have to worry about later and you can cross it off the list. 

Flexibility of schedule

6. Teaching online with a TEFL certificate solely is not something that you can do overnight and make a fortune. It can take time to build your earnings; but as you gain more experience your student network grows through word of mouth, recommendations and reviews. You’ll get there! It’s a great way to start small and test the waters. You can begin by teaching a few hours every week moving all the way up to 20 hours per week. 

Being a certified online teacher means you can set your own schedule. You can set your own schedule, as there are students all around the world who want to learn 24/7. Night owl? Set a late schedule! Peak hours for Asian companies are 5-9pm BJT. Online classes vary from 20 – 50 minutes and wages can be between $15 – $25 per hour when working for a big company. 

What are you waiting for?

If all of the above points didn’t help you to take a jump, how about knowing that you’ll be learning the wonders and linguistics of the English language! Having a TEFL qualification opens doors for other jobs you could apply for, and having a teaching certificate means you can literally be your own boss. You can find the best courses to get you started. 

Putting the work in might seem challenging in the beginning, but a TEFL certificate provides you with priceless resources and skills you will need to effectively teach non-native speakers. You will be an expert teacher in a matter of months! Good luck!