If you want a flexible and affordable way to study for a TEFL qualification, an online course could be just the ticket, but they do not come without their risks.
The rise of online TEFL and TESOL courses has provided many people with the opportunity to travel or earn an extra income. They are cheaper and more flexible, but you may also be concerned about the possible fraud and whether or not you’ll get the full teaching experience. So here are a few pros and cons of choosing a course.
Pros
It’s cheaper: Delivering courses online generally means providers can cut costs and pass those savings on to you. Not only are tuition fees generally lower, but you’ll also avoid travel costs and other regular expenses that come with travelling to and from a location.
Convenience: You can complete these courses in your own time and at a pace that suits you, which means you can fit it around work and family commitments. You’ll still need to make time for your studies, but the online nature means you can do it at times when you’re free from all the distractions that come with everyday life.
Personalisation: When attending a physical location, you tend to be constrained by the course structure. You must attend certain lessons at a certain time. With online courses, the structure remains but you’re free to tailor it around you and your needs and shape the delivery in the way you want.
One-to-one interaction: Although these courses take place remotely, you won’t necessarily have to sacrifice one-to-one interaction. Most online courses provide face-to-face elements of some kind. You’ll be able to contact staff with questions, get advice, or schedule one-to-one guidance via video phone. One of the great things about digital technology is the way it breaks down the boundaries between people based in different locations.
Cons
A lack of practical experience: A standard TEFL course lasts more than 120 hours and includes up to ten hours of practical supervised learning. This practical classroom experience will offer lessons a purely offline experience cannot replicate. Some online courses include an element of practical tuition, but if it’s purely offline you may be missing an important element.
Lack of face-to-face support: Learning online requires a lot of discipline. In a classroom experience, you have direct support from your tutors and also your fellow students. They can help you with questions and provide structure to your studies. When studying online you’ll be doing everything yourself.
The risk of fraud: When you use an online course, you don’t get to physically visit the location. You have no way of verifying the quality of the course provider or even if they are real and legitimate. The number of fraudulent providers has risen significantly over the past couple of years. Without any way to verify the legitimacy of courses, you can feel at risk.
Online courses, then, provide you with a huge amount of flexibility and choice. They can be a great way to open up a new income opportunity, but they also come with risks. To ensure the provider you choose is legitimate and will offer a recognised qualification, it’s worth checking to see if they have been accredited by a legitimate provider such as the WTEFLAC.