TEFL South Korea | TEFL.org Review
If you are planning on teaching English in South Korea then there are a few things to consider before starting to look for a job, like getting your TEFL certificate. This blog post covers why you should get this certificate and also a TEFL.org review. Read on to find out more.
Contents
What Is TEFL?
TEFL is an acronym for Teaching English as a Foreign Language and it is a fast growing educational field in the world. If you are looking to be teaching English abroad you’ll find lots of professional opportunities and especially for those with a teaching certificate or a TEFL certificate.
TEFL South Korea: Requirements
Even though it is possible to find an English teaching job in South Korea without a TEFL or teaching certificate, it is highly recommended to take the course and get the licence. Especially if you are looking for a better quality job.
For those who are just planning on having a one year experience teaching English in Korea before going back to university or getting a job back home, then this might not be necessary as you’ll probably find a basic hagwon job which only requires you to be from a native speaking country and have a bachelor degree.
If you are planning on teaching in Korea long term and want to climb up the ladder to get a good paying University job, then a TEFL certificate will definitely help you with this. The salary in Korea for English teachers starts around 1.8 – 2.1 million krw (first timers) and can go up to 3.5 million krw or more. Having experience or having a TEFL certificate will definitely put you at a higher salary level when starting out.
These courses can be quite pricey but are definitely worth the money as they but pay back instantly and are worth every cent.
Why Should You Get TEFL Certified?
There are many reasons to get certified, some to get a better job and others are to become a better teacher. Listed below are the main reasons.
- It helps you stand out, if you are applying for hagwon jobs, then with a teaching certificate you are a step ahead of those without this certificate.
- You are able to apply to EPIK, which is a program which places teachers in public schools. Most of the time this is higher paid and has better working conditions than a hagwon job.
- Most TEFL courses will help you to find a job when you finished the course.
- It is a good way to find out if teaching is really something you would like to do. Many of these courses are divided in different sections and include a section on methodology and make you practice teaching components. If you are not enjoying this, then maybe teaching is nothing for you.
- These courses help you become a better teacher and prepare you to go out in a classroom, be confident and keep your students in control.
Tefl.org Review
There are many companies out there that offer a TEFL course, which can be quite confusing when looking to get your certification. Pick a course that suits your needs and that comes from an accredited company. Here at bemariekorea.com, I (Marie) have gotten my TEFL certificate (120-Hour Premier Online TEFL Course) from Tefl.org and here is why we recommend it.
- Each class focuses on one aspect of the course and contains a video, a transcript of the video and at the end of the chapter a test.
- All classes were very well explained and were in depth.
- They offer a mix of purely online-based courses, classroom courses and combined course options . You can buy the full package which covers everything from grammar to teaching telephone English, TEFL methodology and teaching large classes. Alternatively you can get also just get a specialist course.
- We loved the online course as we could do it at our own space whenever we had the time. You have 6 months to finish the course, but that is definitely enough time to not feel pressured or stressed.
- After finishing the course you’ll get access to the TEFL Jobs Center. Here TEFL.org lists jobs on behalf of companies or employers.
This company is the most accredited TEFL provider in the UK. It is accredited by BAC (British Accreditation Council), ODLQC (Open and Distance Learning Quality Council), TQUK (Training Qualifications UK) and is an approved center of the SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority). The certificate is internationally recognized.
1.1 120-Hour Premier Online TEFL Course Review
Of all the courses, both of use did the 120-Hour Permier Online TEFL Course, which was perfect for us. We have already been teaching English for quite a few years in South Korea, but still learned from this course and improved as teachers.
In the premier course there are 5 modules to complete, namely grammar, TEFL methodology, an observation course, teaching large classes and a telephone teaching course. Every module is then subdivided into different units. Each unit has around 10 videos, 4 mini quizzes and a final test. In total, the 120-hour Premier Online TEFL course has 96 quizzes and 12 written assignments. To pass the test you need to get 8 questions out of 10 right, but the test can be taken as many times as necessary.
It is highly recommended to take a TEFL course with at least 120 hours as this tends to be the minimum amount of hours the majority of employers look for, making you eligible for the widest range of job opportunities and also preparing you well for your first TEFL lesson
Which TEFL Course To Get For Teaching In South Korea
Let’s assume you are applying for the most competitive program for teaching in South Korea: EPIK. Every teacher applying for this program needs a TEFL certificate. If you don’t have any preference where to get placed in the country, then it doesn’t really matter if you did the online or in-class but if you are hoping to get placed in competitive locations like Seoul or Busan then that’s a different story.
EPIK eaching positions in Seoul and Gyeognam require at least 20 in-class hours and positions in Busan require at least 50 in-class hours.
Those with in-class hours are considered to have stronger applications and are likely to have better chances at acceptance to the program.
