Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) offers an exciting, challenging and rewarding career for graduates who want to see the world. For a TEFL course at graduate level you will normally have to have acquired a basic Certificate in English Language Teaching course. You then may have gone on to take a Diploma (usually, four months full-time, for those with two years' teaching experience). These are the basic, vocational qualifications needed from good language schools all over the world. Some programs are offered to those who are beginning teachers such as the ELT program at Master's level. TEFL graduate courses vary in the qualifications awarded, some are purely academic, others are specifically for teaching.

For those who already have two years ELT experience, there are a range of options available for graduate study. Some graduate TEFL courses are quite generic, covering a wide variety of ELT topics. Other graduate TEFL programs are more specialist in their focus, for example, teaching young learners or using IT in language teaching. In addition to TEFL and ELT courses, there is also TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Some universities and colleges also offer a graduate course in Applied Linguistics, which many ELT teachers will accept.

Why Graduate Study?

Many students who have got basic certificates in TEFL and are taking time out to teach abroad will do anything from a few months to a year or two's teaching, then go back home to pursue a different career. Many employers see this valuable work-experience that enhances communication and team-working skills in addition to advancing linguistic skills. However, many students realise whilst they are teaching that ELT is their desired career.

A graduate TEFL course gives you an unrivalled opportunity to travel and teach every age and background of student in a huge range of contexts. Around the world, everyone who can either speaks English or is learning it. There is, however, a lot of competition for the good jobs. If you want a fulfilling career in ELT in today's world, you need to study a graduate TEFL program.

Career Opportunities

If you study a graduate TEFL course then chances are you are a practicing ELT teacher who wants to move on in your career. A graduate program will put you on the road to managing a language school, for example, or enter into university teaching from secondary level. There are many opportunities for going into professional specialist areas as a TEFL graduates such as testing, teacher training, materials writing, or curriculum development at local or national levels.

Studying a graduate TEFL programs gives you a solid understanding of the grammar and punctuation of the English Language and keeps you up-to-date with issues of teaching English as a foreign language. This means study of how languages are learned and how they can be taught (issues of syllabus and curriculum design come in here). Pedagogic modules will look at, for example, how to teach spoken and written language, how to teach children, how to teach English for specific purposes (e.g. for business or academic study), language testing and management of language programs. Students will also be offered the chance to do original research (often in the context of their work environment) in the form of a dissertation.

Graduate TEFL courses allow you to get advanced training and knowledge in the huge field of ELT. As a graduate in TEFL, you will be highly desired by reputable councils, language schools, state schools and universities internationally. In no time you will be setting up, managing or running your own ELT programs. Good Luck!

 

With thanks to:
Clare Furneaux
Univerity of Reading