There are several reasons for why it is advised for students to take summer TEFL courses abroad during their summer vacations in order to later on facilitate their job as an English teacher overseas as soon as they graduate from their respective colleges. For one, you would be able to secure a well-paying job right after you graduate and be in the perfect position to not only save but also pay back your student loans that you have accumulated through the years.
Secondly, while you are in school/college you already have a “study” mindset and nothing has to be forced when you get down to tackle your books and lectures, hence attempting TEFL courses abroad while you have this mindset will be better than having to force yourself to take classes after you already have your degree in hand.
Third and most important benefit of attending TEFL Summer Programs is being ahead in the game when it comes to having a secure job. No need to run around hastily after graduation looking for a position that will pay well and support your lifestyle while also having to pay for college debt. So, this should convince you enough for you to start investing into some good TEFL(Teaching English as a Foreign Language) courses abroad over the course of this summer.
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What To Know About TEFL Courses Abroad?
Two very distinct types of TEFL Summer Programs are generally offered, one is where you get to sit in class and drone hours of lectures after lectures and the other one that comes with a bit more of a hands-on experience, that is, you get to apply what you are being taught. However, there are places around the world that do offer “hybrid” of these two types and we suggest those to be the best ones.
Another thing to keep in mind is looking for courses in places where you eventually plan to teach English. This however is not necessary but we must tell you this as employers do prefer people who have much of a local teaching or immersive experience as it will be easier on both the teacher and the student to work with each other this way.
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Last but not the least, you will come across courses that offer less than 100 hours of classes but we must tell you that prospective employers do not hold these in high regard. Your summer TEFL course must cover at least 120 hours of classes and teaching while also providing you the opportunity to practice what you have learned as eventually it is a performance-based job and that must be refined before you present in front of your employer.
Summer TEFL Courses
There is nothing better than opting for TEFL courses abroad during the course of your summer vacations. This is usually when most students have time off from their respective colleges and usually the ONLY time off in many cases. There are other benefits of going for this in the summer: good, predictable weather, meeting other people from around the world (most people prefer vacationing in summer or in summery places), exploring other cultures all while developing this amazingly useful skill that is ultimately not only going to ease your transition into the real world but also secure your career trajectory.
Below we have compiled some of the best TEFL Summer Programs that we came across online and will highly recommend. These were chosen based on not only review but several other benefits they offer such as providing some genuine support and guidance through all your concerns and worries regarding teaching abroad or how they have well-established resources with alumni and current employees as well that will help you further will your career:
1. TravelBud
TravelBud is an amazing one as it will not only train you and make you TEFL certified but will also help you find a teaching job along with providing opportunities to immerse in the local culture through various carefully curated activities. They provide courses in South Korea, China, Thailand and Myanmar and Vietnam, all spanning over a course of 1 year.
2. WorldTeach
WorldTeach operates in several locales around the world and their jobs and contract length also differs based on these various locales. Some of these we must mention are China, Thailand, India, Nepal and Morocco. The best part about this one is their ongoing support throughout the entire process such as providing not only a commencement orientation for when you land there but also a mid-course and end of the course conference that will address any and all of your concerns and questions.
3. Top Notch ESL
Top Notch ESL is a 1-2-year long TEFL course abroad in China that not only will land you a good well-paying teaching job but will also aid you with accommodation and transition into the Chinese culture. They do not ask for you to have any previous experience or degree of any sort either.
4. Greenheart Travel
As the name might have already suggested it to you, Greenheart travel is an eco-friendly organization that also offers scholarships to people who either can not afford the program or are taking it up for the first time in their life. They provide not only paid internships but also various opportunities for volunteer work can be explored working through them. They work in South Korea, China, Thailand and Myanmar as well as Italy, France, Spain and Costa Rica. There contract length spans between 3 to 15 months.
5. Premier TEFL
This is a paid internship program that helps you not only immerse in local culture of China, India, Spain, Brazil etcetera but also provides amazing TEFL Summer Programs. Duration for all programs are different and largely dependent upon which country you choose to go for or could last the standard 3-12 months.
6. Entrust TEFL
Entrust TEFL have the benefit of boasting that they were crowned as the very best summer TEFL courses in Thailand back in 2016. They provide 3 -4 weeks long intensive courses as well as hands-on experience of teaching English at local schools. They also help with accommodation and later on job placement. What more could one want?
7. CW Abroad
CW Abroad is an affordable exchange program that helps empowering students around the world through their well-planned internships. What they do is combine TEFL courses abroad with a job WHILE you learn how to teach English abroad. The duration is usually 3-12 months.
8. i-to-i TEFL
Based in London, i-to-i TEFL is ranked amongst the top TEFL courses abroad in the UK. They operate in several locales namely Thailand, China, Vietnam and Spain. The duration covered will be 5 to 10 months and you will have the opportunity to travel along with learning how to teach English abroad.
9. International TEFL Academy
International TEFL Academy offers summer TEFL courses in a whopping 25 countries around the world along with job placements in over 80 countries! Courses range from 4-13 weeks and they are a paid internship while also boasting of a people’s choice award for best International organization for education abroad.
The days of having to figure it all out on your own are long gone and through these top-notch TEFL summer programs you will have a supportive and growth promoting environment that will cement your career trajectory in the way you want it to, anywhere around the world.