Thread: TEFL or CELTA to teach English?

Hello everyone, I just moved to Spain so I am a total newbie

I always knew I wanted to teach English when I got to Spain, I have heard that many British people decide to do this. Most of the people I have spoken to either have a TEFL or CELTA certificate. So here goes my question... Which of the two certificates is best to get so that after I can land a job teaching English...?

Hiya,

I'm still stuyding for my TEFL certificate at the moment. I couldn't tell you about the CELTA option.

What I can say is that when i've been looking at the situations vacant, anyone who has been looking for an english tutor does not want TEFL certificates... champion!! its typical for me though, sod's law sort of thing lol

Hi guys

I am a qualified TESOL teacher and really the qualification you want depends on what you want to teach. Take a look at this link and then have a think

TEFL TESOL or CELTA


Hope this helps

If you're already here and you want to teach private lessons I wouldn't bother with either the TEFL or CELTA, just get your name out there as a native speaker.

On the other hand having the qualifications will help finding work, and definitely helps to get a higher rate of pay for private lessons. I chose CELTA because the Cambridge English examinations closely mirror the Common European Framework which is where most Spanish universities will be looking when they assess a student's language proficiency skills.

Quote - " If you're already here and you want to teach private lessons I wouldn't bother with either the TEFL or CELTA, just get your name out there as a native speaker." Elbandelero. I know what you mean but I think it would depend on the level you wanted to achieve.....

I have sometimes considered this, but then panic...... Someone, not a native English speaker, struggling with their advanced lessons, once asked me to explain " had had " as in a sentence, " We had had two reasons for going away but now there is only one !"
He expected me to be able to rattle of an answer because I am a schoolteacher or was -my field is Biology, not English .
There are many other similar examples that would make my hair stand on end, if unprepared .

Ah, good example, however I'd mention that completing a CELTA or TEFL course is not going to give you that answer, and as part of the course you are explicitly taught that it is OK to say you don't have the answer and then do some research to find it.

That's the standard cop out for most things, isn't it ?
Don't think I'll bother signing up then !

LOL, it does seem to the standard cop out doesn't it?

I'd add that English is a very dynamic language, and the development of the language is now being driven more by non-natives than natives, so we should probably expect examples like yours to disappear from the common lexicon, most natives wouldn't even use a double had.

Rather than go into my cold spare room where I keep all my grammar books I did a quick Google search, you might find it slightly amusing to see that 'had had' was listed in a book of etymology from 1809 as being the pluperfect tense of to have. Here's the link to it if you're interested. Note the second person equivalents from the era...

I " wilt have " a good old laugh with OH about this when he's finished his footie watching.
I love the PLUPERFECT - it sounds like something from one of my entymology books not etymology ! - like a perfect pupa about to burst forth from the page of verbs !
You are quite right though. I notice people don't use " an hotel " and other small things. I think the internet and texting will change much of the way we speak as well as write.
Thanks for the link