Why should you Study TEFL in a campus?
With the burgeoning of technology and rapid rise of online educational programs, many students hoping to obtain their TEFL certifications are caught in a dilemma.
Should they pursue their course online, or take the effort to attend classes in an real classroom environmental setting?
This is a very valid concern seeing online courses come with a range of unmatched benefits. For starters, online courses are much cheaper and can save you a significant amount of time, allowing you to study at your own pace while being able to obtain recognized and reputed TEFL certificates.
When comparing campus-based and online TEFL courses, consider the opportunities for practical teaching, observation and feedback, and how they support your development as a TEFL teacher.
Practical training
When comparing courses, check how each programme provides practical teaching experience, observation and feedback. Ask whether the practical work uses real learners or peer roleplay, how it is supervised, and what feedback is included in the TEFL training.
Improves Your confidence
Teaching practice, guided observation and feedback can help you build confidence and explain teaching material clearly. Check how these activities are provided in each course, whether it is online or campus-based.
Develop your Teaching Technique
No two teachers have the same technique or skills, especially when standing in front of a class. That is why it’s important to develop your own personal teaching technique that plays to your strengths and comes freely to you. By learning with fellow students, you can learn to manage a classroom, be authoritative and build a good interpersonal relationship with others.
Observation and Feedback
You can never improve yourself if you don’t know your weaknesses and mistakes. Practicing in front of computer screen is hardly going to help in this regard. Observation and constructive criticism are key parts of every classroom and this will massively help you understand what works, what needs to be worked, etc
Support and assistance
TEFL teachers are in great demand yet to navigate the field would be a bit difficult from the outside. However, by building a good rapport and becoming a part of a large network in an institute, you set yourself up for greater successes. You don’t need to wander around blindly in the job market, search Google for grammatical queries or worry about being stranded in a new country.
Pursuing your course in an onsite campus, whether in Spain or another country, gives you a great opportunity to explore the local job market, network with potential employers and colleagues as well accustom yourself to the country’s culture and be part of a larger community.
