If you’re interested in teaching English to speakers of other languages, the best way to further your career is to pursue a TESOL certificate online or in-person. A TESOL certificate program provides individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to teach English as another language.
Employers prefer candidates with a TESOL Certificate. Graduates of a TESOL intensive course emerge with an understanding of language acquisition theory, lesson planning, classroom management, teaching methodologies, and assessment techniques.
In this article we’ll delve into myriad ways a TESOL online accredited course can either get your foot in the door of the ESOL profession or open additional doors for an experienced ESOL professional. In particular, we’ll focus on the SIT TESOL training course, which is based on experiential learning and reflective teaching practice. The School for International Training (SIT) is an organization that offers various educational programs focused on international studies, intercultural communication, and global issues.
What does TESOL stand for?
First, a few basics. In the acronym soup of education terms, TESOL is essential. TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. It’s a term commonly used to refer to the field of education focused on teaching English language skills to non-native speakers.
Let’s break down each part of the acronym:
- Teaching: TESOL involves the pedagogical aspect of imparting language skills to learners. This includes employing various teaching methodologies, lesson planning, classroom management techniques, and assessment strategies to facilitate language acquisition. It does NOT mean lecturing or pontification. It DOES mean creating an environment centered on the learner and process of learning through inductive reasoning, active engagement, and self-reflection.
- English: TESOL focuses specifically on the English language, in all its forms. Since English serves as a lingua franca in many contexts, including business, academia, and international communication, approximately 1.5 billion people around the world speak English, with only about 400 million of those native English speakers.
- to Speakers: TESOL addresses the needs of individuals who are learning English as an additional language. These learners come from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and may have different proficiency levels in English, ranging from A1 (total beginner) to C2 (near native) on the CEFR (Common European Framework) scale, which is a tool to measure proficiency in any language.
- of Other Languages: This part of the acronym emphasizes that TESOL is not about teaching English in monolingual English-speaking environments. Instead, it involves teaching English to speakers whose native languages may vary widely, such as Spanish, Chinese, or Arabic, and who may speak multiple languages of which English is only one of several.
Benefits of enrolling in an online TESOL certification course
Regardless of previous teaching experience, professional educators benefit from taking intensive TESOL courses in-person or TESOL certification courses online.
The SIT TESOL course is based on the model of reflective teaching practice. You explore the four stages of experiential learning, beginning with concrete experience, continuing with a two-fold process of description and analysis, and culminating in an action plan and experimentation, after which the cycle begins anew.
For such experiential learning to work, you need to be embedded in a community of TESOL course participants. Over the span of the TESOL program, cultivate an understanding of such key concepts as learner-centeredness, inductive learning, and reflection-in-action vs. reflection-on-action.
In addition to the theories and terms associated with ESOL instruction, you gain practical experience planning lessons, teaching to a group of students, reflecting on the experience, processing feedback, and experimenting with new approaches.
Practical Experience: Advantage #1 of a TESOL course online
One of the greatest benefits of a TESOL course online or in-person is that you get to teach practice classes with peers and ESOL students. Not only that, but you do so in a structured context rich with pre-planning guidance and post-teaching processing. The importance of real hands-on teaching experience cannot be overstated. The TESOL course is grounded in experiential learning and fosters reflective teaching practice.
Global Opportunities: Advantage #2 of a TESOL course online
With English being a global language, a TESOL certificate opens doors to job opportunities worldwide, allowing you to work and travel in diverse cultures. Employers in most countries prefer candidates with a TESOL certificate online or in-person–both are equally valid.
Professional development: Advantage #3 of a TESOL course online
Even if you’ve taught before, a TESOL course can’t be beat in terms of professional development. Collaborating with a group of peers and a certified trainer, TESOL courses provide comprehensive training in language teaching methodologies, pedagogical approaches, and classroom management techniques. In addition to the core curriculum of the TESOL course, your peers can prove an invaluable PD resource, too.
Networking opportunities: Advantage #4 of a TESOL course online
Intensive TESOL courses online facilitate networking with fellow educators, language experts, and professionals in the field, providing valuable connections for future career prospects and collaborations. Participants in TESOL courses can form long term professional relationships as well as even lifelong friends.
Job Security: Advantage #5 of a TESOL course online
The demand for English language teachers continues to rise, but full-time positions can be hard to find as institutions populate their faculty with part-time and adjunct instructors. A TESOL Certificate lays the groundwork for a stable career path with more abundant job opportunities in various educational settings, from overseas language schools to regional community colleges.
Flexibility: Advantage #6 of a TESOL course online
TESOL courses online in particular allow learners to study at their own pace and according to their own schedule, making it ideal for those with busy lifestyles or full-time jobs. All it takes is a decent computer and Internet connection.
Accessibility: Advantage #7 of a TESOL course online
With online TESOL courses, geography is no longer a barrier. Individuals from anywhere in the world can access quality TESOL training without the need to travel. This also expands the networking potential from a regional to an international scale.
Personalized Support: Advantage #8 of a TESOL course online
While participating in an online TESOL course, students have access to dedicated instructors for personalized guidance and feedback on assignments as well as peers for collaboration and moral support. As an educator, community is essential in the reflective learning process.
Cultural Exchange: Advantage #9 of a TESOL course online
Since English is likely to remain and even grow as the most common shared global language, being a TESOL-certified instructor puts you at the center of the conversation.
Teaching English abroad allows you to immerse yourself in new cultures, languages, and experiences, fostering cross-cultural understanding and personal growth.
Personal Fulfillment: Advantage #10 of a TESOL course online
Teaching English to non-native speakers can be incredibly rewarding, as you play a crucial role in helping individuals achieve their language learning goals and broaden their opportunities. Your ESOL students may move on to university as a scholar, reach career goals as a business owner, and thrive in daily life as a refugee or immigrant.
Conclusion
Holding a TESOL certificate sets you apart from other job applicants, demonstrating your commitment to excellence in language teaching. TESOL professionals, such as instructors, curriculum developers, teacher trainers, and language program administrators, play vital roles in designing and delivering effective language instruction to diverse learners worldwide. TESOL courses provide training in a range of instructional materials, technology, and cultural sensitivity to create inclusive and engaging learning environments that support language acquisition and intercultural communication. Completing an accredited online TESOL course results in a recognized certification that is widely accepted by schools, language institutes, and employers around the world, opening up opportunities for teaching English abroad or online.
Related TESOL certificate course articles:
- Meet the Language Champions: Three success stories from ILI TESOL Graduates.
- Is It Really Beneficial Getting a TESOL Certificate?
- TESOL Vs. TEFL Certificates: Which Works Best?
- Top 6 Tips to Prepare for the TESOL Program
- What to Expect from an Online TESOL Course?
- Is TESOL worth it?: The extraordinary value of effective teacher training