Is the CELTA the Best Certificate for Teaching English?

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Have you decided that the time has come to search for your dream job and realize the dream of traveling abroad and teaching English in a foreign country? Still, when you start searching on the internet for anything related to teaching English abroad, you will soon find yourself immersed in the many abbreviations and certifications related to teaching the English language like TEFL, ESL, CELTA … Want to know which one is better?

When it comes to teaching English abroad, there are three different degrees you can obtain.

In this article, we will focus on the following three certificates and the certification you need to become an English teacher abroad:

CELTA is an acronym for Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults.
ESL is an acronym for English as a Second Language.
TEFL is an acronym for Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

So what is the best certificate for teaching English abroad?
Do I need to take a CELTA course instead of a TEFL course to qualify for jobs?

Let’s Go over the Basics

Your understanding of basic terminology helps you go a long way in understanding the terms and finding the opportunities you are looking for to enjoy a great experience of working and living abroad.

So, here is a quick overview of the abbreviations used frequently to help you search for a job teaching English abroad.

CELTA – Certificate in Teaching English to Adults

CELTA is an accredited certificate awarded by Cambridge Assessment English. The course is offered by a variety of different schools and educational institutions around the world.
The duration of the study is four weeks. 

This certificate is the most sought after by employers in English language teaching jobs abroad or in prestigious places such as private schools and other areas that look for competencies in their applicants.

ESL – English as a Second language

This abbreviation usually refers to teaching English in countries where English is the official language. It means teaching English, for example, to students and new immigrants in a country that speaks English as an official language.ESL teachers work with non-native speakers to help them learn to speak, read, understand, and write in English. They may work in public or private schools or language academies, or teach private lessons from their homes or students’ students’ homes.

They work with students in small groups or individually to improve their English language skills. Depending on the size of the school, these small groups may include English language learners of all ages and levels of study who all need help in improving their English language skills.

TEFL – Teaching English as a Foreign Language

The Certificate of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is a certification usually required for new and experienced teachers who want to teach English abroad.

To teach English as a foreign language in a foreign country (an English-speaking country), a TEFL certificate is required because schools and language institutes want to employ teachers who have received appropriate training. You do not need to have a degree in education, experience in the previous teaching, or even obtain a college degree to teach English abroad.

Private language schools abroad, online teaching companies, and government programs that employ native English speakers to teach abroad seek to hire people who have received a certain degree of professional-level training.

Internationally recognized standards state that TEFL certification at the professional level must meet the specific criteria established by leading bodies in this field.

There Are Some Who Say That the Celta Certificate Is the Most Requested in the Labor Market, Is This True?

There are many advantages that you get when studying this certificate; the importance of this certificate lies in its approval from Cambridge Assessment English and it is the most requested in employment jobs around the world.

The British Curriculum Authority supports its curriculum, and finally, the main course tutor who teaches the course is at a high level of expertise and competence.

For these reasons, the CELTA is one of the best certifications you can get to teach English abroad.

To choose the best certificate for teaching English abroad, there are some questions that you must answer to help you choose the most appropriate license.

We will take the CELTA as an example to answer these questions.

Which country do you want to work in?

Some European countries that you can work with if you hold a degree are Germany – Spain – France – Italy – Netherlands – England – Portugal – Greece

What are the conditions for admission to the program?

The course does not need any previous experiences because the program is designed for people who seek to learn how to study the English language, whether they are already teachers and want to develop themselves or people who would like to enter the field of language teaching.

Who adopts the training program?

Cambridge Assessment English accredits the program.

Who are the coaches? What are their credentials/qualifications?

The main course tutor who will teach the course will be highly qualified and experienced.

Are there any minimum hours required?

The number of hours required to study is 120 training hours.