What Do TEFL/TESOL/ESL Mean?

TEFL & TESOL are acronyms that refer to the act of teaching English to non-native speakers. They are essentially synonymous, with TEFL recently becoming the more popular term.

TEFL-Teaching English as a Foreign Language

TESOL-Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

ESL-English as a Second Language

What is a TEFL/TESOL Certification?

A TEFL (or TESOL) course trains students to become effective teachers of the English language. The certification qualifies you to teach English overseas to children or adults whose native language is not English. In order to obtain this certification, you must take and pass a TEFL course.

While there are many TEFL course options available, it is important to find ones that match the requirements established by the country in which you would like to teach, as well as meet international accreditation standards.

Why is it important that our TEFL Courses are accredited?

In short, to be credible and recognized within the field, a TEFL certification course must be accredited and meet internationally recognized standards.

Accreditation ensures that your certification course meets quality standards in the level of instruction, the quality of the curriculum, inclusion of a practicum, extent of training and other areas. It ensures that the course’s quality and ethical standards are maintained, and to recognize professional acceptance and recognition in the international job market.

Greenheart Travel prides itself on exclusively offering the highest quality TEFL/TESOL Certification courses. Our courses meet the highest international standards and are accredited and externally monitored by leading international accrediting bodies in the field of TEFL/TESOL.

Accreditation refers to the rigorous process that a TEFL school or course goes through to ensure that it is offering quality instruction to its students. During this process, an independent third party looks at the curriculum and examines it according to a rubric. On top of verifying the validity of the materials, content, and instructors leading the course, the international standards for accreditation dictate that a TEFL course must have:

• At least 100 hours of academics*
• 6-20 hours of live practice teaching (called a practicum)
• A practicum that targets ESL students, not class peers

*Many potential employers require at least 120 hours of academics and at least 10 hours of practicum. All of Greenheart Travel’s TEFL programs meet international accreditation standards and are taught by university professors with Master’s Degrees and/or PhD’s.

There is no one single organization that is universally regarded as the official accrediting body for TEFL or TESOL certifications.However, reputable accrediting bodies, language institutes, ministries of education and recognized bodies within the field require that accredited TEFL certifications meet certain standards.

Courses:

The course curriculum has been externally monitored and approved for accreditation by TQUK (Training Qualifications UK), an officially recognized Awarding Organization that is recognized and regulated by Ofqual.Ofqual is the British Government body responsible for monitoring and maintaining educational standards in the United Kingdom.  is recognized as a leader in providing vocational and professional qualifications to colleges and private training providers in Education & Training, Social Care, and Health.

The curriculum also meets internationally recognized requirements of a minimum of 100 hours of academic work and 6 hours of practicum (student teaching/observation) for a professional level TEFL certification.

These courses are internationally accredited and recognized, and exceed international standards for professional level TEFL Certification (most accredited TEFL courses run 106-120 hours) as set forth by the British Council and other leading bodies in the international field of TEFL.

All students and graduates of our TEFL courses receive lifetime job search guidance to find paid jobs teaching English abroad. This includes — but is not limited to — the following:

1. Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad programs – if you meet the other program requirements, obtaining a TEFL certificate will qualify you for any of our excellent Teach Abroad programs. You’ll receive step-by-step assistance and support from your application to the end of your program. This is a great option for anyone who wants a little bit more structure, support, and community in their teach abroad experience.
2. Personal guidance from an experienced Job Search Advisor – Expert Job Search Advisors are available to speak with you and correspond by email to address all of your questions and to assist you with every aspect of your job search from writing your resume/CV and cover letter, to coaching you on the interview process in different job markets, to helping you assess which destinations might be the best fit for you based on your preferences and qualifications.
3. ESL job search manual: All graduates of the online course receive a manual detailing all relevant information for major job markets around the world, including hiring seasons, academic standards, and the interview process as well as templates for resumes and cover letters. This manual also incorporates extensive listings of online resources, including nearly 100 ESL international job boards listing thousands of teaching opportunities around the world.
4. ESL worldwide school directory: We will send you a directory of approximately 8,000 schools worldwide that you can contact directly regarding employment opportunities.

Not sure where to start? Set up a phone call and we can chat about all the options and ins-and-outs of our TEFL course options: