TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is a certificate course designed for individuals aspiring to become teachers of the English language. The objective of the course is to provide teachers with the necessary information about the structure, methodology, and assessment of the language. Moreover, TESOL also offers linguistic as well as sociolinguistic aspects with features such as curriculum and literacy development that will enable the teachers to deliver wholesome and effective knowledge to their students (UCI Division of Continuing Education, 2016).
The International TEFL Academy reported that as of 2012, almost 1.5 billion non-native English speakers attended classes to help them better their language skills and more than 250,000 native English speaking teachers worked as English Language teachers throughout the globe. Statistics such as these show the increasing need for qualified and high-quality English teachers in the world. The TESOL course further allows teachers to ‘identify proficiency levels, understand students’ culture and use resources for learning’, customized to target the efficient learning of the non-English speaking pupil (The Advantages of TESOL by Sara Mahuron, 2016).
The TESOL course has various advantages that a teacher can avail of. Firstly, obtaining the TESOL Certificate increases a teacher’s knowledge of teaching their subject rather than just their subject matter. Being able to teach the English language just as well as knowing it are two different things and it is vital that a teacher is aware of the teaching requirements in order to bring out the best in their students (5 Reasons we need TESOL Teacher Education by TESOL International Association, 2016).
Another rewarding advantage of gaining the TESOL certification is the employment mobility that it provides. There are many countries across the globe with educational institutions where TESOL is a mandatory qualification required to teach English and obtain a work visa thus pursuing the certification is rather a ‘need’ for ambitious teachers (The Benefits of a TEFL/TESOL Certification for Teaching English by Jamie, 2016). Many nations have citizens wanting to learn English from native English language professionals and teachers with TESOL qualifications, being scarce, are more than welcome. In addition, teachers with a TESOL certification are far more likely to earn higher salaries, though the amount may vary from country to country.
Teachers with a TESOL qualification can also fulfill their dreams of visiting or settling down in another country as they earn a living via teaching English. A TESOL certification also gives a teacher or instructor to give back to the community and make a difference in the society as there are over a billion people striving to learn English but don’t have either the opportunity, the resources or the teacher to do so (6 Reasons Why Teaching ESL is a Rewarding Career Choice, 2012).
Many global companies and educational institutions send certified language instructors across the world to teach and train employees and other non-English speaking individuals the English language in order to continue running a business smoothly, therefore giving teachers with certifications such as TESOL a chance to tour nations and learn about various cultures and traditions. A person can increase their chances of mobility across cities, states, and countries by simply attaining the knowledge and information that comes with the TESOL course and even change career paths to fulfill their dreams.
While many people believe that only a native-English speaker may become an English teacher of high standards and effectiveness, research suggests otherwise. Sarah J. Shin, the author of the journal article Preparing Non-Native English Speaking ESL Teachers (2008), commented “Despite a great deal of training, non‐native speaker teachers may be viewed as inadequate language teachers because they often lack native speaker competence in the target language and culture.
However, non‐native speaker teachers possess distinct advantages over native speakers including a deeper understanding of learners’ first languages and an ability to explain second language features in ways that students can understand.” This proves that TESOL isn’t necessarily meant for the native-English speaker but also for someone with a foreign first language who aims to gain the same advantages with hard work and determination. Today, there is an umpteen number of ways to attend a TESOL course, in-person and online. However, one must be cautious of being provided with content and resources that are outdated and irrelevant.
Cudoo is an online platform that is not only convenient for teachers to obtain TESOL certification but also legitimate. And, as Yurimi Grigsby Ph.D. (Program Leader for MA in TESOL and Concordia University Chicago, 2015) states, the rise in cultural and linguistic diversity taking place due to globalization is leading to organizations seeking individuals with certified qualifications of teaching English with ‘cross-cultural sensitivity and diplomacy’ to bridge the gap with non-English individuals to continue the process in a smooth and beneficial manner, for the company and the society as a whole.
The value of teachers certified in TEFL/TESOL cannot be underestimated as there is a huge gap between those wanting to learn the language and those willing to actually teach. The rise in global mobility has given a push to employee mobility and the TESOL certificate can aid in proving to be the appropriate skill to become an international and mobile citizen.
Andrie Steliou
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