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TESOL Course Checklist

The checklist below lists some of the key questions you should ask when comparing TEFL-TESOL Courses. Obviously, your specific goals and circumstances are the most important factor when choosing a course, but the following questions will help you organize your options and weigh them carefully.

• How many hours of training does the course contain? (a minimum of 150 is the standard)
• Is the course accredited by an external educational organization? (see Teach English Worldwide’s “TESOL Course Accreditations” section for a list of common organizations)
  • If the TEFL-TESOL Course is not accredited, why not?
  • How will the fact that it is not accredited affect you? Will potential employers still recognize your certificate? If you want to continue your TEFL-TESOL training, will universities or other advanced training programs recognize your certificate?
• Does the TEFL-TESOL course have a significant amount of observed teaching practice?
  • How many hours of teaching practice does it include?
  • Are you teaching actual students (non-native English speakers) when conducting your teaching, or are you just practicing on other trainees?
• What is the TEFL-TESOL course format (Onsite Intensive, Part-time, Distance/Online, Introductory, etc.)?
  • Is this the best choice for you schedule, budget, teaching goals, etc…
• What is the cost of the TEFL-TESOL course?
• How long is the TEFL-TESOL course?
• Does the TEFL-TESOL course offer job guidance/job assistance during and after the course?
  • What does this guidance/assistance entail?
  • Does it offer lifetime job assistance?
  • Does the course have close ties to any employers in the region where you want to teach?
• Can the TEFL-TESOL course provide you with the names and contact information of past students, who can tell you about their experiences during and after the course?
• Do any online TEFL-TESOL message boards or forums contain positive or negative postings about the TEFL-TESOL course? (see Teach English Worldwide’s “Helpful Links” section for popular TEFL-TESOL message boards)