It can be! It's more hands on, you'll meet friends, and get a taste for the country before you start teaching, but it is definitely more expensive and you'll need to follow a rigid schedule. I wanted to save more money before going, do everything on my own, and still get a proper certification, so I chose to do it online. lmk if you want help on choosing a good online certification :) good luck!
Before you make the investment in an online TEFL certification program I'd recommend you scout out your options for teaching abroad. Make sure that a TEFL certification is a requirement for the program of your choice before you spend the money.
I did an on-site TEFL program free through my teach abroad company and it was a great experience, however I don't think it was completely necessary. I didn't learn that much more on-site than what I learned from the online courses. The best way I learned was just through experience, feeling comfortable in the classroom.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no -- it's going to depend on the program. However, I don't think there's really any substitute for getting real practical experience in a classroom as part of your certification. I definitely feel that I learned more in my week of practicum teaching than I did in all of the other theoretical sections combined. If you learn better through hands-on application, I'd say it's probably worth it, but like other people have said, make sure you feel like it'll benefit you and your learning style before handing over all that money, and definitely make sure you'll be doing your certification with a legitimate, accredited provider.
Answer
It can be! It's more hands on, you'll meet friends, and get a taste for the country before you start teaching, but it is definitely more expensive and you'll need to follow a rigid schedule. I wanted to save more money before going, do everything on my own, and still get a proper certification, so I chose to do it online. lmk if you want help on choosing a good online certification :) good luck!
Before you make the investment in an online TEFL certification program I'd recommend you scout out your options for teaching abroad. Make sure that a TEFL certification is a requirement for the program of your choice before you spend the money.
I did an on-site TEFL program free through my teach abroad company and it was a great experience, however I don't think it was completely necessary. I didn't learn that much more on-site than what I learned from the online courses. The best way I learned was just through experience, feeling comfortable in the classroom.
Here's some more information on TEFLs if you're interested!
http://www.adventuresaroundasia.com/2015/08/27/should-i-get…
Ask a Teacher: Is Getting a TEFL Certificate Worth It?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no -- it's going to depend on the program. However, I don't think there's really any substitute for getting real practical experience in a classroom as part of your certification. I definitely feel that I learned more in my week of practicum teaching than I did in all of the other theoretical sections combined. If you learn better through hands-on application, I'd say it's probably worth it, but like other people have said, make sure you feel like it'll benefit you and your learning style before handing over all that money, and definitely make sure you'll be doing your certification with a legitimate, accredited provider.